7 Places to Eat Like an Ancient Roman in Rome 


 

Ancient Romans eating, fresco found in the House of Lovers in Pompeii. Image in the public domain

One of the greatest misconceptions about your Roman holiday is that it is very possible to eat like an ancient Roman once you get to the capital of Italy.
As a matter of fact, what is offered as traditional Roman fare is really much more modern: carbonara or amatriciana are pasta dishes that are only 100 years old or so, roughly, while pasta itself only made its first appearance during the Middle Ages.
To be fair, many of what is considered a staple of Roman (or Italian, at large) cuisine wasn’t at all used in ancient Rome: eggplants were only introduced when the Empire expanded towards the Middle East; tomatoes, potatoes and chilies came from the Americas… and so on.

The true story of the… inedible Roman delicacies

Because many ingredients simply weren’t around just yet, what ancient Roman ate could appear, on one hand, as… depressing: it made use of “poor” cereals such as spelt and millet for the preparation of porridge and croquettes (wheat was only introduced by the Greeks later on) which were eaten along with anchovies, almonds or other nuts, vegetables, cheese. Meat consumption was very rare. No restaurant would have you pay for something this simple!
The food of wealthy Romans is a whole different story. Many ancient Roman writers complained of excesses in the costumes of their contemporaries once the city started to be more powerful and to expand towards what we generally define as “abroad”: this also included their diet.
New trades meant new products were available, and ancient Romans who could afford them could eat extravagantly, showing off their means through what they served, their clothing and the way they entertained.
If you can get your hands on the book of recipes by old Rome gourmet Marcus Gavius Apicius, written around 900 BCE, many of those preparations are off-putting or disgusting to say the least: brain sausages, braised flamingo tongues, stuffed giraffe necks, along with the ever-present Garum, the Roman seasoning that is similar to present-day fish sauce.
In spite of all of the above, many of Apicius’ recipes are replicable without… feeling disgusted, and some of those, as well as other ancient Roman recipes, have made their way to our kitchens, as well as some restaurants’ menus.
On the off-chance you’re feeling adventurous, here are some of the places where you can eat like a Roman!

1. Taverna Giulia + Nonsolopasta

Testaroli in a pesto sauce. Image by J.P.Lon, sourced from Wikimedia Commons

The first eatery I chose is a sit-down restaurant across the river from the Vatican, the latter is really a hole in the wall near the Pantheon where government officials go for their lunch breaks (it’s only open at lunch, as a matter of fact).
I decided to list them together as they both specialize in Ligurian cuisine, which means they serve testaroli, which are considered to be the most ancient type of pasta. It’s a square-shaped simple mixture of spelt and water, or wheat and water. They are named after the Roman-invented terracotta oven where they are cooked, and they are served with a simple pesto sauce.
Keep in mind that you may not be able to find them everyday, so check the day’s specials first! So if they are not on the menu, do try farinata – it’s a simple dough of chickpea flour and water, also originating in ancient Rome.
TAVERNA GIULIA: Vicolo dell’Oro, 23 (Corso Vittorio Emanuele II/ Via Giulia area). OPENS FROM MONDAYS TO SATURDAYS FROM 1230 TO 3PM AND FROM 730PM TO 1130PM. CLOSED ON SUNDAYS
nonsolopasta: Via della Stelletta, 21A (Pantheon area). opens every day from 1130am to 6pm.

2. Mensa di Bacco

On top of this restaurant’s regular menu, which includes many Roman and Italian staples, its owner Nestore Fulvimare has studied old texts in Latin and has come up with a special menu called “La cena apiciana”, or Apicius’ dinner.
The courses includes the Sala cattabia, a type of bread salad, or the Libum, bread cooked with cheese in the dough. Do inquire beforehand if you’re interested in sampling some of these dishes, as they are not always available and tend to be prepared if you’re part of a group.
Via Principe Amedeo, 75a/b (Termini/Vittorio Emanuele area). OPENS EVERY DAY FROM 1130 AM TO 11PM.

3. Hostaria Antica Roma

Talk about a view: what guests see at Antica Roma. Image sourced from the restaurant’s own Facebook page

Down the ancient Appian Way, this traditional restaurant offers a few surprises in an otherwise classic menu: chicken Oxizomum, a recipe straight from the 1st century CE or the Tiropatina (a creamy cake served with some grains of peppers).
And the ambiance is not too shabby either: this place is partly built on a columbarium made by none other than emperor Augustus, which means you get to eat in an authentic archeological area.
Via Appia Antica, 87 (Appian Way area). OPENS FROM TUESDAYS TO SUNDAYS FROM 1215 TO 245 PM AND FROM 730PM TO 10PM. CLOSED ON MONDAYS.

4. Aperitivo Archeologico

Not so much a restaurant as a touring event in some of Rome’s lesser known historical sites. Aperitivo, as you know, it’s one of Italy’s best food “rituals”, where you eat finger food or have a mini version of an actual meal with a little drink before dinner time.
The spectacular settings chosen by this organization are paired with foods from ancient Rome, as an attempt to have more people get close to a peculiar part of the city’s history. Also look out for their “Medieval aperitivi” (no translation should be necessary!)!
Trevi Fountain/Piazza Navona/Porta San Sebastiano and more locations. See the official website here. APERITIVO CAN START AS EARLY AS 6PM AND EXACT TIMES AND LOCATIONS WILL BE COMMUNICATED TO THOSE WHO WILL BE BOOKING THE EVENT.

5. Consolini

One more tip for a classic restaurant in a spectacular archaeological setting, at the base of the Aventine Hill where the Testaccio district begins. The menu offers solid Roman fare, perfectly executed, but do look out (in winter months) for the “minestra di broccoli e arzilla” (Romanesco broccoli and skate soup).
Skate is a fish that used to be found abundantly in the river Tiber (not anymore: we are now used to seeing it in saltwater!) at the time of the Caesars. This soup was routinely eaten in ancient Rome – Consolini’s modern version is as close as it gets to the original, with a Medieval addition of broken up pieces of pasta and a more modern dash of tomato sauce. Only a handful of restaurants in Rome offer this dish, so if you see it, go for it!
Via Marmorata, 28 (Testaccio area/Piramide subway stop). OPENS FROM TUESDAYS TO SUNDAYS FROM 10AM TO 4PM AND FROM 6PM TO 1130PM. CLOSED ON MONDAYS

6. Brado

Roasted wild boar with artichokes, offered at Brado in Rome! Image sourced from Brado’s own Facebook page

Ancient Romans were big wild game eaters, and they loved wild boar and deer. While restaurants offering wild boar based dishes are abundant in the city as well as outside of it, not all of them will have other types of venison, which is exactly what Brado offers.
The restaurant balances gourmet dishes and modern plating with a few menu items revealing their ancient history – grilled buckskin, for instance!
Via Amelia, 42 (Furio Camillo area, closest subway stop is Re di Roma). OPENS 6PM TO 1/2 AM from mondays to saturdays, from 1230AM to 3pm only on sundays

7. Core de Roma

Looks like a pizza… but it’s something else: meet Pinsa! Image sourced from VisitareRoma.info

Do you know Pinsa? It’s the forebear of pizza: wheat-based dough with different toppings, but with an elongated shape rather than a round one. In ancient Rome, it was the regular food for many soldiers, especially those who were away from home on a campaign: it was easy to prepare and cook, and could be dressed with anything that was available.
A few years back, pinsa has made a comeback: now there are lots of places where you can eat this humble, ancient Roman dish in the city.
It’s cheaper than an actual pie (well, it’s not going to be, if you pick expensive toppings like truffle or asparagus!) and has a lighter dough, which makes it easier to digest. A win-win deal!
Core de Roma is actually a pizzeria, but does offer this (cheaper) version, too! Plus, their owners are Roma fans, so the whole eatery is decorated with sports memorabilia and is an actual gem off the beaten path for all of those looking to find an authentic local feel (Don’t expect the staff to speak that much English, by the way).
And if you are not up for moving so far away from the city center for a pinsa, look for “pinserie” (pinsa places) near your location – there are several dozens of these eateries in the whole of the city.
Via Vetulonia, 27 (San Giovanni area, closest subway stop is Re di Roma). opens 12 noon to 3pm and from 7pm to 1130pm from sundays to fridays, and from 7pm to 1130pm only on saturdays

8. Caupona

The ambiance at Caupona, Pompeii’s ancient Roman restaurant. Image sourced from Caupona.it

If your stay in Rome includes a day trip to Pompeii, make sure you hit up this restaurant: it has been built precisely as a tablinium, the dining hall/living room of ancient Roman houses.
The menu is completely based on recipes from De Coquinaria, Apicius’ cookbook. Don’t worry, though, because no flamingos have been harmed in the preparation of your meal… Pinky swear (ha, ha)!
Via Masseria Curato, 2 (Pompeii). OPEN EVERY DAY FROM 12 NOON TO 4PM AND FROM 630PM TO 1130PM.

 

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