A perfect Gelato

In Rome's centro storico, you are bound to be constantly stumbling across one of the many gelaterie and new ones seem to appear virtually overnight. An ice cream lover's dream it would appear but why settle for something ordinary and inferior when you can actually do a bit of swooning with a PERFECT gelato? One that simply outdoes the others in ingredients, flavours & consistency.

Obviously, the trick is to locate the gelaterie which pride themselves for quality rather than quick mass production. Bear in mind too, that for many Italians, gelato becomes an integral part of the daily food ritual in warm weather. Generally, eating while walking is not the done thing here, but gelato is another matter entirely. People here can eat several a day so naturally, a quality product is mandatory. Of course, they're not always served as huge totems tottering dangerously on brittle sugary cones but rather in little cups, with petite spoons. You can comfortably devour quite a few of these. You could actually do a gelato 'crawl' for an entire afternoon without going into overload and isn't this quite simply an ideal way to entertain kids who fade fast on sightseeing expeditions?

So here's a little list, MY little list, just to start you off.




Il Gelato Di San Crispino

San Crispino is often hailed as Rome's best ice cream and although I know quite a few people who claim it doesn't really deserve all the accolades, I have to admit it's up at the top of my personal luscious scale. Only fresh and seasonal fresh ingredients (no frozen products) are used in the production of this icecream so flavours are delicately authentic. No chemicals or additives either which explains the absence of cones. Ice cream is carefully stored in metal canisters with metal lids which are diligently replaced every time ice cream is scooped out (hard to actually see the ice cream). The house specialty is a honey blend which goes very well with the meringue flavours.... chocolate, hazelnut or caramel. But the flavours which really stand out are the fruit series, in particular raspberry, plum (susina) and fig (fico).

The only negative here at time of writing is attitude.... San Crispino IS a tad pretentious with people serving seldom friendly and generally quite haughty. Success seems to have gone to their heads. Try asking for a tiny taste and expect to be scoffed at.

- Via Della Panetteria 42 (near Fontana Dei Trevi)
- Piazza Della Maddalena (near Pantheon)
- Terminal A - Fiumicino Airport




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Ciuri Ciuri
Pasticceria Gelateria Siciliana


If you're at all familiar with Sicilian ice cream you will know that pistacchio is undoubtedly the flavour of choice on that magical island. At Ciuri Ciuri you will find an exquisite mouthwatering pistacchio (not the nasty electric green variety), and once you try this particularly delicious pistacchio, I guarantee you will crave it forever. I never know whether to have the pistacchio or one of the refreshing granitas or two of their very crisp cannoli mignon, filled while you wait with a fresh ricotta cream (including a pistacchio flavoured one naturally). Principal ingredients hail from Sicily, the pistacchio's from the area of Bronte, renowned for these nuts.


Via Leonina 18-20
www.ciuriciuri.it


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Il Gelato di Claudio Torcè


100 flavours - 60 milk cream based, 20 fruit based, 20 semifreddi/cremolati ingredients carefully chosen from top end suppliers. This gelateria is so popular, despite its rather inconvenient location, that clients spill out onto the street holding onto their serving number and are quite willing to wait, even up to 45 minutes at late night. Never mind, the vibe is great so go ahead and put this place on your icecream crawl list.

Via Dell' Aeronautica 105


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Bar Gelateria VICE


Now this is something REALLY new.... Frozen Finger Foods (FFF's)! Prosciutto e Melone sorbet or Pear & Gorgonzola or Curry & Pineapple with poppy seed couc cous. Well yes, these flavours are not for the feint hearted. The traditional and not too adventurous icecream lover will enjoy the more mainstream flavours, the ingredients of which are not mainstream at all and include Amalfi lemons, the Bronte pistacchio, almonds from Noto, walnuts from Sorrento, Tuscan pinenuts, Filette mineral water and organic mountain milk. These people are not kidding when they claim their icecream is healthy and genuine! AND it has just won an award for Innovation by Il Gambero Rosso.

Via Gregorio VII 385


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Gelateria dell'Isola Tiberina

A quiet little gelateria on the Tiber Island, not at all trend setting, but surely in one of the loveliest spots in Rome, where you can savor your gelato on one of the two ancient bridges or down on the island's riverbank, where in summer people sunbake, read, kiss and.... eat icecream. They pride themselves on chocolate and pistacchio but I think their yoghurt/berries is heavenly!

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Caffè Portofino

Very trendy gelateria/bar/eatery with outdoor seating under a gazebo in one of the city's favourite shopping streets. Here you can order an elaborate gelato creation in a glass cup and have a house cocktail as well. Portofino Spritz and Champagne Coobler seem to be all the rage.

Piazza Cola Di Rienzo 116
www.caffeportofino.it

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Cremeria Monteforte

Chocolate lovers will be particularly indulged at this quality cremeria, located opposite the Pantheon. The cioccolato fondente is the specialty, a rich dark unusually smooth chocolate. The creamy pistacchio is notable as well. The gelato in this little store is extra creamy and tastes homemade.

Via Della Rotonda 22

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Gelateria Corona



Situated in noisy Largo Argentina opposite the tram stop, this small unassuming gelateria has earned a number of awards and has made it into the Gambero Rosso's much coveted list. Flavours change daily and house specialties include basil/lemon and an unusual granita di ricotta.

Largo Arenula 27
Piazza Argentina

Eateries close to Santa Cecilia in Trastevere

Until quite recently, I lived in Trastevere, in captivating Vicolo Dell'Atleta to be exact. The area around here was for many years entirely different from its more widely known twin on the other side of Viale Trastevere. It was quieter, less fashionable, rather old world and there weren't any bars. Slowly but surely, most of the artisans and artists are leaving this area as well, making way for professionals (architects are gobbling up all the best locations), night clubs, new restaurants and art galleries. The area manages to still be fascinating but get in quickly before it's all over.

The following eateries are all to be found in this intriguing neighbourhood, defined by the bell tower of the Basilica di Santa Cecilia. Inside the church, you will be enthralled by the baroque sculpture of Santa Cecilia by Stefano Maderno

Da Enzo Trattoria

A small neighbourhood trattoria at the Santa Cecilia end of Trastevere where its authentic Roman food, in particular the pasta all'amatriciana, pasta alla carbonara and artichoke based dishes, make it an extremely popular spot. While you're here, have a look at Vicolo Dell'Atleta around the corner (which happens to be where I lived for several years), one of Trastevere's most picturesque streets.


Via Dei Vascellari 29
065818355



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Taverna De Mercanti



Located in a rambling intact medieval warehouse and stables, you may very well feel you have stumbled across a movie set, particularly when you walk up the stone stairs to the seating area with its original ceiling and many rustic artifacts. Despite its obvious characteristic appeal to tourists, this restaurant is not at all shunned by area locals especially in summer when the effect of the torchlit facade with its many bougainvillea draped balconies full of little tables is very impressive. The menu is typically Roman with grilled meats a specialty.

Piazza Dei Mercanti
0658816
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La Gattabuia - Ristorante-Pizzeria-Griglieria


Located in the ancient papal dungeons, hence the name (an old word for 'prison'), this friendly trattoria has a Napoli style cuisine including delicious pizza, gnocchi sorrentini and grills. Being a dungeon there is no outdoor seating but it' s surprisingly cozy and not at all gloomy.


06584813
Via Del Porto 1

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LeManiInPasta
Osteria


Up to the day the movers sadly (for me) whisked all my belongings away from Trastevere, I was one of the regulars at LeManiInPasta, having lived for several blissful years in picturesque Vicolo Dell'Atleta around the corner. Now that I live on the distant other side of the river, 6 long Rome kilometres away, I am no longer a regular but it's still my eatery of choice, never failing to impress. An osteria with a following of aficionados who regularly pop in for lunch is no small feat in Trastevere where competition is fierce and locals prefer generally not to eat out.


The fast moving and dynamic chef is Sardinian and his island's culinary traditions are evident in several of his signature dishes. A wall of glass separates kitchen from seating so you can watch him artfully juggling frypans, tossing pasta and swirling sauces and he looks out for you as well....

Specialties include marinated sea bass with shaved truffles (an unusual combination that works), a superb seafood antipasto by far superior to any I've had elsewhere, a selection of shellfish to have with or without pasta and top cuts of grilled meat. Ingredients are unfailingly super super fresh (suppliers create traffic havoc with their vans each morning in narrow Via Dei Genovesi).

The atmosphere is feel-good and relaxed and the waiters are friendly and attentive. You can even eat here on your own without feeling awkward in the slightest.




LeManiInPasta
Via Dei Genovesi
Tel: 065816017

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Forno a Via Dei Genovesi

This bakery is situated opposite the fabulous restaurant Lemaniinpasta (which in fact serves the chunky bread from here). The family who run the forno has been steadily making a rustic style bread ('filone') for close to 100 years (I must ask them for exact dates one day). Any Roman bread lover will tell you that this loaf is without doubt one of the best in Rome. It's very crusty, with a very firm but airy centre and during baking hours, the fragrance is intense. One of the things I miss terribly about living nearby is the early morning scent of the baking bread wafting through my window.

The pizza bianca is also wonderfully delicious and at lunch there is always a crowd of students from the local high school waiting for the hot, fragrant slabs to emerge from the ovens. You can have the pizzas and bread filled with prosciutto or cheese from their well stocked deli. The students often take their panini into nearby Vicolo Dell'Atleta, where there is a low wall to sit on from where you too can admire this pretty, narrow street.


Via Dei Genovesi 11


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BarLillo (Da Luciano)

That espresso and cappuccino at Luciano's coffee shop are excellent is evident by the steady stream of patrons all morning until lunch. Of course, Luciano himself is always friendly and charming and this is a big draw as well. He can be seen happily running around organizing seating for waiting customers, mainly locals, squeezing into the small premises for the deliciously simple home cooked lunches. Menus change daily and there is always an interesting variety of cooked dishes and panini.


Via Dei Genovesi 39

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Nightlife Lungo Il Tevere

Summer event nightly from sunset till late

12th June - 30th August
http://www.lungoiltevereroma.com/ristoro.html


If you're picky and haven't found anything to do (yes, some people DO have this problem, even in Rome if you can believe it), this event, a combination bazaar/food festival/wine bar-pub crawl, is just the place. Located between Ponte Sisto and Ponte Palatino, lining the banks of the Tiber River, you will find a host of bars, informal eateries, craft stores and music venues. It's a casual place for a night stroll where at leisure you can choose a place to stop and have a drink or something tasty to eat. Here is a small selection of things to do:



Plenty of wine bars and pubs with dj's and pounding house and live music but also quiet venues where you can savour the reflected lights of the city on the river. Some of the bars have been very creatively set up as lounges with mood lighting and design furniture to create a club theme.


A dance floor for tango lovers where you can even have a free lesson. Dress up with sequined 10cm heels (plenty of them last night) or fun just to watch.


An Arab carpeted tent... with belly-dancing customers and cous cous


Esco Pazzo ("I'm Going Crazy") cooking with flair using centuries old Roman recipes.


You're most likely not here in Rome to eat sushi but Fujisushi has a reasonably priced midnight to 2am special. And a riverside sushi bar is not something you see every day, at least not here.


La Sponda Steakhouse


La Paranza specializing in fried fish (and chips!)


Nanni' Pizza by the Slice


"Piccolo Teatro Del Belli" a small stage & seating where you can listen to jazz, bawdy Roman, country Western and other live music.

Appia Antica Caffé

There is nothing particularly extraordinary about this little family run café apart from its corner location in the prettiest and greenest section of the ancient Via Appia Antica. And it is this detail which makes it such a seductive place for so many regular patrons. Have breakfast, a simple meal or an aperitivo after cycling or walking in this quiet and picturesque area and you will be hooked as well. There is plenty of outdoor seating at the front under an aging olive tree and in the shady garden in the back. You can also rent a bicycle here. The catacombs are nearby and the ancient road is lined with old monuments, lovely old walls and pastoral views. An encounter with a flock of sheep is entirely possible.

The perfect place to escape when Rome becomes just too overwhelming and you're craving a couple of quiet, lazy hours away from city traffic.

Appia Antica Caffé
Via Appia Antica 175 (corner Via Cecilia Metella)
3383465440-3403198060
www.appiaanticacaffe.it