Fold 2

on the go piZZarium This small place in a nondescript part of town is a firm contender for ’s best al taglio – pizza by the slice. Superbly fluffy bases and crisp crusts are topped with seasonal ingredients, such as The pantheon has beetroot and spinach, and watched over romans as rosemary, and ricotta and green they eat for 1,800 years beans. Eat standing up, and wash it down with a chilled beer (00 39 MINI GUIDE 06 397 45 416; Via della Meloria find top-notch ice cream a short 43; pizza slices from £2). walk from the Trevi fountain

il di san Gina EATING OUT crispino Around the corner from the Two streets away from the Trevi Spanish Steps, this little café has Fountain, you’ll find a truly comfy white seats strewn with IN ROME world-beating gelateria powder-blue cushions, and at (ice-cream parlour). Flavours are busier times it fills with a A visit to the Eternal City is as much about seasonal, all-natural and Prada-clad crowd. Pick up a sensational – it’ll be a long time picnic hamper for two, complete food as it is about art and history. There’s no before you forget the piquant fig with fresh sandwiches, fruit salad, better way to feel like a Roman than by eating or zesty ginger and , signature desserts, a bottle of which are so good that you can wine and a flask of Italian coffee, and drinking well at the city’s many trattorias, forgive the stingy size of the for lunch alfresco in nearby Villa pizzerias, ristorantes and gelaterias. portions (ilgelatodisancrispino.it; Borghese gardens (ginaroma.com; Via della Panetteria 42; two Via di San Sebastianello 7a; scoops for £2.30). picnic hampers from £30).

Trattorias contemporary dining Fold 1 TraTToria monTi open colonna The Camerucci family runs this Set at the back of the Palazzo brick-arched place, offering delle Esposizioni, this restaurant top-notch cooking from the sits beneath a sweeping glass Marche region. Expect delicate roof. The cuisine is new Roman, including egg-yolk tortelli with innovative takes on and ingredients such as pecorino traditional dishes, including di fossa (sheep’s cheese aged in ‘ inside out’. There’s a caves), goose, swordfish, more basic fixed lunch menu too sultanas, mushrooms and (opencolonna.it; Scalinata di via truffles (00 39 06 446 65 73; Milano 9a; closed Sun eve, Mon, Via di San Vito 13a; closed Sun eve Trattoria monti is an outpost of and Aug; two-course lunches refined local cuisine has won & Mon, and Aug; mains from £12). marchigiana cooking in rome £13, dinner mains from £22). a star for il convivio Troiani

dino & Toni armando al Glass HosTaria il convivio At this simple spot north of the panTHeon In the quaint Trastevere district, Troiani Vatican City, Toni stirs the pots A family-run trattoria in business the Modernist-styled white Hidden away in a 16th-century while Dino delivers the songs, since 1961, Armando’s is an walls, clean lines and stainless palazzo in the historic centre, this punchlines and mammoth inviting institution within sight steel lighting of this ristorante Michelin-starred gastronomic portions of Roman soul food. It’s of the Pantheon. Constantly busy, really stand out. And it’s about heavyweight – with modest yet famous for its alla gricia it’s fed the likes of philosopher content as well as style. The wine elegant Art Deco style – offers (pasta with cured pork and Jean-Paul Sartre and footballer list and creative Roman-with-a-twist dishes such cheese), if you get past the Pelé. It specialises in classic are impressive, including dishes as zucchini flowers with buffalo mighty antipasti. Belt loosened, Roman food, including baccalà such as sangria-marinated beef mozzarella and sweet-and-sour you might be able to finish with alla pizzaiola (salt cod with with smoked watermelon red pepper sorbet. Early booking the signature granita di caffè tomatoes), and with black (glass-restaurant.it; Vicolo del is pretty much essential here (coffee with crushed ice). Note: truffle. Try the homemade cakes Cinque 58; closed Mon; mains (ilconviviotroiani.com; Vicolo dei it’s cash only here (00 39 06 397 as well (armandoalpantheon.it; from £17). Soldati 31; mains from £22). 33 284; Via Leone IV 60; closed Salita dei Crescenzi 31; closed Sat Turn over for map and number locaTions Tear out page here then fold along dotted lines along fold then out page here Tear Mon and Aug; mains from £14). eve, Sun and Aug; mains from £12).

December 2012 lonely planet Traveller 131 mini guide Eating out in Rome

Eating Where to stay

rome essentials The know-how TranSPOrT rOMan CLaSSiCS Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Some local favourites to try: TOP TiP Cookery writer Diane Seed airport, 15 miles from central Trippa alla romana Rome, is served by Alitalia, BA, Tender tripe in a creamy, spicy has lived in Rome for 30 easyJet, Jet2 and Monarch, from , sprinkled with years, and runs frequent nine UK airports (Gatwick from pecorino cheese. classes on classic from her kitchen in £85; easyjet.com). Ryanair flies gnocchi alla the Palazzo Doria Pamphili to Ciampino aiport, 10 miles from romana (right) (one-day course with market the centre, from East Midlands, Dumplings made visit £160 per person; Edinburgh, Glasgow-Prestwick, with semolina and italiangourmet.com). Manchester and Stansted (from baked with butter, £75; ryanair.com). Leonardo There are few hotels in rome cheese and . smarter than the hotel de russie Express trains connect Fiumicino Coda alla Vaccinara FurTher reading with Rome’s Stazione Termini Oxtail stewed until tender Lonely Planet’s Rome (singles £11; adr.it), while buses Casa Montani is a lovely, and buttery, in a savoury (£14.99) and Discover Rome serve Ciampino (singles from upmarket guesthouse tomato sauce. (£13.99) are extensive £3.10; adr.it). Rome’s centre is overlooking the ancient gate of con la pajata guides to the city, while walkable, but the Metro can be the Porta del Popolo, with high- Baby calves’ intestines cooked Pocket Rome (£7.99) offers useful for longer trips (day passes quality fittings, custom-made in tomato sauce, served as a more concise coverage. £4.70; atac.roma.it). furniture and contemporary art topping for pasta. Chapters of the Rome guide throughout (from £125; Piazzale Costata di ricotta are available to download Where TO STay Flaminio 9; casamontani.com). A kind of cheesecake made from lonelyplanet.com Hotel Panda boldly flies the A favourite of Hollywood with fresh ricotta and candied (£2.99). For updates on the flag for the budget traveller in A-listers, the Hotel de Russie fruits. Raisins, pine nuts and city’s cultural goings-on, the pricey Tridente district. Its has exquisite terraced gardens. other flavourings can also visit wantedinrome.com. rooms are small and simply Inside, the décor is luxurious in be added. And read The Food of Love, decorated, but good value this many shades of grey, and the Filetti di baccalà Anthony Capella’s 2004 close to the Spanish Steps (from rooms have massive mosaic-tiled A well-known appetiser comedy of errors set in £70, no breakfast; Via della Croce bathrooms (from £475; Via del consisting of deep-fried, salted Trastevere (£6.99; Sphere). SIME/4CoRnERS, PHoToGRAPHS: AA woRLD TRAVEL LIBRARy/ALAMy, FAST&FURIoS, IVAn KLUGMAn/THEPHoToGoURMET, BoRCHI MASSIMo/ BoRCHI KLUGMAn/THEPHoToGoURMET, IVAn FAST&FURIoS, LIBRARy/ALAMy, TRAVEL woRLD AA PHoToGRAPHS: 35; hotelpanda.it). Babuino 9; hotelderussie.it). cod fillets. GARwooD. & DUnCAn CRISTIAn BonETTo ABIGAIL BLASI, ConTRIBUTIonS FRoM wITH JASon RILEy, CoMPILED By

132 Lonely Planet Traveller December 2012