Rome - Food, markets and the Roman kitchen

Visiting Rome is not just about eating, it is about experiencing the city through taste. Roman cooking is simple, hearty and honest, and it tells you a lot about history and daily life. Markets and small shops are the best places to get to know it.

This tour mixes walking and tasting. Plan fewer stops and more time to wander, because in Rome nothing is eaten in a hurry.

The classic dishes

• Carbonara: Pasta with egg, pecorino and cured pork, a Roman invention that needs no cream.
• Cacio e pepe: Just pasta, pecorino and black pepper, yet wonderfully creamy.
• Amatriciana: Tomato sauce with cured pork cheek and pecorino.
• Saltimbocca: Veal with sage and ham.

Roman cooking grew out of poverty and the art of making much from little. In the past, offal and simple vegetables were used, and they developed into classics. Even today pasta, olive oil and cheese are the base, and the result is hearty but never overloaded. If you understand that, you eat better: order what the locals eat, and trust short menus. Small places with a handwritten menu are often the best, and you can taste the quality of the ingredients at once.

Markets and stalls

Campo de' Fiori is a lively square in the morning with fruit, vegetables and spices. More authentic still is the market in the Testaccio district, where locals buy fresh ingredients and eat small dishes at the stalls. Around Piazza Vittorio too there are busy stalls with products from all over the world.

Street food on the go

Pizza al taglio is sold by weight in small bakeries and makes a quick snack between two sights. Supplì, fried rice balls with a soft cheese centre, are a classic bite. A piece of pizza bianca, with olive oil and salt, is simple and good.

The Jewish quarter and Trastevere

In the old Jewish quarter you will find carciofi alla giudia, fried artichokes that are among Rome's best-known specialities. Trastevere, across the Tiber, is ideal for the evening with its narrow lanes lined with trattorias, wine bars and pizzerias.

Coffee and gelato

Espresso is drunk standing at the counter and takes hardly any time. Cappuccino is traditionally a breakfast drink. Gelato tastes best in small shops with natural colours and a short choice of flavours.

Small rules at the table

Many Romans eat lunch late and dinner after eight, so if you arrive earlier you may sit alone. Bread usually arrives automatically, and water is served in bottles. Try seasonal dishes, such as artichokes in spring, and ask for the dish of the day. A cover charge is common in many places and is shown on the menu. Tipping is welcome but not required. If you eat vegetarian, there are plenty of pasta dishes with vegetables, and pizza is always a safe choice.

With open eyes and a good appetite, every lane in Rome becomes a path of discovery. Plan your journey early, and you can enjoy the first day to the full. The nicest plan is to start the day at a market and end it with a long dinner. In between lie the sights, which work all the better after a break. Travelling like this, you learn not only to see Rome but to taste it, and you take home memories you can later try to recreate in your own kitchen.