Roman authentic flavours in Rione Testaccio

Sumptuous, show-off and picturesque: it is Roma Caput Mundi. The eternal city, artistic and spiritual, site of the highest power and centre of the citizens’ life. Its varied nature, shined by the sun, has a no time fascination, everyday dying and renovating itself, in a no stop evolution of people, splendor and tricks. Its metropolitan city modern appeal, rich in history and stories, fascinates visitors from all over the world, desiring to be conquered by the ancient great beauty, to breathe the admirable legacy at the top of the lungs. And among the famous streets and narrow merry lanes, walked by famous characters and interesting people in the past, numerous rich traditions come out.

Good cooking, for first. Not the tourist hit and run fast-food food, representing the globalized and multiethnic world, but the historical and genuine one, made of love and good sense. The modest one our ancestors had, not the smug one of fast chefs, but the one boiling in the genuine osterie and irresistible trattorie. The trattorie do represent the nut of typical gastronomy, one of the best Roman institutions, where to please the taste by good food, together with full-body sips of a local wine. They are the district trattorie, not so far from the city historical centre, those you will take note about in your trip diary and we suggest you as pleasant discoveries, or maybe…rediscoveries.

To completely taste the authentic flavours of Rome and Roman people, you just have to follow the map of pleasures, throughout the tasty offers by rustic inns, especially the ones in Rione Testaccio, where the Roman food was born, the street food made of meet left-overs of the slaughterhouse, cooked in big cauldrons, on tripods and firing wood. Going around in this district, you will appreciate the portions, directly proportioned to the goodness of dishes and to the Roman hospitable atmosphere.

Roman district food: a pure sensorial experience

The district of the old slaughterhouse is no far from the city centre of Rome, very close to Ostiense station. If you’re planning a trip in Rome, don’t miss the so called area of “prati del popolo romano”, the Roman people lawns. Considered the ideal place for outdoor trips, it was the favourite destination of the citizens themselves, the cross between the dolce vita of Roman holidays and the production area of markets and the slaughterhouse.

In Testaccio, you can easily reach by underground B and bus, you will discover the pleasure of an animated food movida. In this place, between a nostalgic aura and an easygoing Roman (romanesca as they say) atmosphere, you will be able to taste the best of the ancient food. Not the modern imitation of dishes made it famous, but the original one, made of offal, abbacchio (lamb), coratella and bran gnocchi; just the principal ingredients, flavoured by artichokes, cicorione and tasty cheese. A tour of flavours and intense perfumes, unforgettable colours and voices will bring you in a different era, surrounded by the pleasant echo of the typical folk songs, stornelli, and the coming and going of rowdy dishes.

Delay your temptation for the exotic fusion food of just some days! Impose yourself to taste the popular dishes, the authentic tastes of Testaccio. In a portion of rigatoni con pajata, or in the so famous coda alla vaccinara or trippa alla romana, you will recognize the very original taste of tradition.

Testaccio menu and the district trattorie

Minimal and informal locations, food cult places, they represent the hard core of the tradition.

They resist to the evolution of times for generations, promoting as main dishes of the daily menu the seduction of the ancient ones, of the strong and popular flavours, available even for more exigent people.

Names such as Felice, Flavio, Checchino, Angelina and Augustarello (just to quote some of them), represent the most famous trattorie of the district. In these places, where the heat of the fireplace sets in a tasty and hot dish, the wood furniture, the bricks and the basements in the Monte dei Cocci stone, become full member of the conviviality.

If you desire to taste the excellent proposal of the district food, reserve your table in advance and feel free to taste the authentic flavours of Testaccio.

Ordering, you will appreciate the versatility of the meat, so famous in the Roman food. You will find the pork, the jowl of spaghetti alla carbonara, alla gricia or all’amatriciana, the mince of lard, as main ingredient of sauces and toasts, also in its form of strutto, similar to butter, in the numerous fried dishes. You will have to choose among the many proposals of beef. But don’t be scared! There are also vegetarian varieties. It will be difficult to resist in front of crostini alla provatura, typical among the Roman starters. They are sticks, made of bread slices and buffalo provolone, seasoned with a butter and salted anchovies sauce.

Among fried dishes, you will be pleased to taste the original panzerotti and Roman supplì. There are many first courses, such as gnocchi alla romana, made of bran and baked with a lot of butter and grated cheese, and tonnarelli alla chitarra cacio e pepe. Feel pleased to taste the original version, just the right amount creamy and spicy.

And if you prefer fish? Well, order pasta with arzilla, or we should say…ray soup; and if you don’t choose the baccalà fillet and baccalà in guazzetto, order mazzancolli al coccio, that is shrimps.

Among second courses, don’t miss the abbacchio, in all its available sauces and the mixed fry alla romana, made of offal and fried floured artichokes.

Among sides, the famous puntarelle laziali, Jewish artichokes and dishes made of beans and pork cotica.

Among the favourite desserts, there are the soft maritozzi made of dry fruits and candied fruit, the sweet ricotta cheese pudding and the famous tiramisu espresso. Wine everything with an indigenous vine variety wine. Enjoy it!