Dining Suggestion
SUGGESTED RESTAURANTS
* Dal Bolognese - Piazza del Popolo, 1/2 - Ph: 063611426
This is one of Rome's most elegant restaurants, where you can enjoy food from Emilia Romagna.
* Piperno - Piazza Monte dei Cenci, 9 - Ph: 0668806629
www.ristorantepiperno.it
In a little piazza on the Ghetto area, try the specialities of Roman-Jewish cuisine. Not to be missed are the carciofi alla giudia, artichokes cooked in the Jewish style.
* San Teodoro - Via dei Fienili - Ph: 066780933
In this refined restaurant you can enjoy fresh fish prepared with great creativity in a beautiful outdoor patio.
SUGGESTED APERITIVO
* Caffè della Pace - Via della Pace, 26
right behind Piazza Navona, this is probably the most à la mode cocktail spot in Rome.
* Bar del Fico - Piazza del Fico, 26
Enjoy an aperitivo here in the beautiful outdoor patio.
* Vineria, Taverna del Campo and Nolano - Campo dei Fiori
Campo dei Fiori, the most characteristic Roman square, is a must for an aperitivo!
BEST GELATO
* Giolitti - Via Uffici del Vicario, 40
Not far from the Parliament House, Giolitti has been making some of the best ice cream in Rome since the early 1900's.
* San Crispino - Via della Panetteria, 32
In this little gelateria you can find varieties of flavorful ingredients including balsamic vinegar.
* Ciampini - Piazza in Lucina, 29
Enjoy an exellent gelato in a refined square.
BEST COFFEE
* Sant'Eustachio - Piazza S. Eustachio, 82
This is one of the city's most famous bars. The creamy espresso coffee is quite extraordinary and the barmen turn their backs while whipping up a cup so as not to reveal the secret of the caffè.
* Caffè Greco - Via Condotti, 86
Right in the famous shopping district, make a stop in the unique labyrinthine rooms of this exclusive, centuries-old coffee house. Richard Wagner, Franz Liszt, Lord Byron and Goethe had coffee in this unique spot.
* Tazza d'oro - Via degli Orfani, 84
The powerful aroma of this bar near the Pantheon is due to its own line of roasted coffee beans. In summer try the granita with whipped cream.
Italian coffee and coffee culture
The Italian coffee, caffè, is great. Italians used to make the coffee at home with a MOKA or macchinetta del caffè, a kind of little pot made of three parts, placed directly on the stove. But mostly we drink una tazzina (little cup) di caffè in bars.
Here the coffee is called espresso, and it tastes a little bit different than the home made variety (the secret is supposedto be high pressure and high temperature of the water used to make the coffee).
Having a coffee is a ritual, an occasion for meeting people. It is curious to know that, even if the coffee often is enjoyed while standing at the counter for just a few minutes, ordering a cup of coffee is a science! There are a multitude of variations, and this list doesn't include all of them:
espresso (the most common, a plain cup of coffee)
macchiato caldo (with a drop of hot milk)
macchiato freddo (with a drop of cold milk)
corretto (with a dash of liquor)
doppio (double dose of coffee)
ristretto (narrow coffee, it is stronger but even smaller than a plain).
lungo (double dose of water)
al vetro (in a small glass instead of a cup)
con panna (with whipped cream)
decaffeinato (decaf)
freddo (iced, during the summer)
americano (with too much water!!!!)
Don't get confused by other drinks prepared with
coffee:
* cappuccino (a cup of coffee with steamed milk) *
* latte macchiato (a big glass of milk with a drop of coffee)
* caffé-latte (a big glass of coffee and milk)
*Remember: the Italians only order cappuccino before
lunch or as a break in the afternoon: we never have it
before or after a meal. Ordering a cappuccino after
lunch, immediately signals that you are a tourista.
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