Italy: all things food and wine-related

[cruisemom42]

1 hour ago, saltshell said:

Will arrive via train jetlaged. Staying near Termini overnight to board cruise next day.

1.is there a reasonable authentic (read not touristy) restaurant in the area that you would recommend?

 

With the caveat that Termini is not known for its great dining opportunities, and that you probably want somewhere fairly close, I did come up with this recommendation, called Nerone, from "The Roman Guy" that looks close and worthy of a try. It's the first one listed here:

 

https://theromanguy.com/italy-travel-blog/rome/places-to-eat-in-monti-rome/

 

Keep in mind that most of the restaurants he lists here are NOT in the immediate vicinity of Termini, e.g., a good 15-20 minute walk. But if you are up for that walk, I can highly recommend (as can @euro cruiser ) the Taverna dei Fori Imperiali (which is also mentioned in the link I provided above)  It would be about a 20 minute walk down Via Cavour from Termini station. 

 

Trastevere is out of my usual orbit, but if you're looking for a great pizzeria with Roman-style pizza, I can highly recommend Dar Poeta. Whether or not it's close to your part of Trastevere, it's a great place.

 

 

[euro cruiser]

Another option, not right at Termini but not far (1.9 km/one and a quarter miles) on foot is Piccolo Arancio:  Menù Primi e Zuppe | Piccolo Arancio | Piccolo Arancio

 

It's very near the Trevi Fountain, but it's a nice walk from Termini if you walk through Piazza Quirinale and down the stairs from there, rather than on the streets.

[slidergirl]

There is the Mercato Centrale on the side of Termini that has some good food options.

[saltshell]

Thanks Y'all. 

[wisteria1019]

Our Airbnb is close to the Borghese, restaurant recommendations in that neighborhood, please?

[mahdnc]

Earlier this week, I came across this article in the New York Times: A Culinary Roman Empire's Next Conquest? Manhattan.

 

It's an article about a restaurant in Rome named Salumeria Con Cucina Roscioli. It's a delicatessen that is also is a full service restaurant. Apparently they are opening up a restaurant in New York City's Soho area.

During our pre-cruise time in Rome last October, my wife and I had a very late lunch there. Here are some photos and a couple of comments. 

 

 

We ate there on Oct 19th and our reservations were for 2:45 pm. I made the online reservation 26 days in advance and all the decent dining times for lunch and dinner were already gone. 

 

 

Salumeria means delicatessen in Italian. And it definitely had its delicatessen roots on full display when you first walk in. 

 

 

There is makeshift seating at the deli area and there is a more proper dining room (aka Wine Cellar) elsewhere. Our reservations were for the Wine Cellar, but when we showed up at our appointed time, our reservation was not in their system. So they seated us in the deli area near the front door. 

 

 

The above photo was our appetizers. 

 

 

The above photo was the carbonara which I had. 

 

 

There was a woman seated behind us that we had a brief conversation with. She was leaving Rome to go back to the USA and she wanted to eat her last meal here. It was her favorite restaurant and she ate there often during her annual trip to Rome. 

 

 

Here is their menu. The evening before, we had our dinner at Da Enzo al 29, their bread came from Roscioli which I found interesting

[NCteacherlovescruising]

On 5/31/2023 at 2:50 PM, Choozin Croozin said:

Yes, I am using Duolingo and Busuu which I almost like better. They are both great but my retention at my age is not great. That’s why I started, off and on a year ago. Still have 5 mo to cram some more in. 

 

On 6/3/2023 at 3:44 PM, lisiamc said:

I’ve been doing Duolingo for years, but Busuu is a great companion to it. I love learning at least some of “the rules” and Busuu is better at telling me (gently) WHY I need to say something a certain way. They also slip in a few more idiomatic phrases, which are quite handy. 

I’ve been using Duolingo for a couple of weeks. I have a year to learn some basics. I just got Busuu too. Thanks!  Hopefully I’ll retain a little between now and next summer. 

[NCteacherlovescruising]

On 10/14/2021 at 5:13 PM, cruisemom42 said:

 

What I enjoyed so much about shopping this very traditional store was the service. You are welcomed, seated, your hands are measured and then the boxes of gloves in your size -- in all possible colors of leather, suede, kid, ostrich, etc. are set out for your consideration. They will then assist you in trying them on and making sure the fit is perfect. They even have a special little tool for opening up the fingers of the glove before you put it on your hand so that you're not having to work at getting your fingers into the right holes.

 

It's definitely a personalized and old-school experience. My ex-MIL took me there the first time when we were on a family trip to Rome. She knew what she was doing when it came to shopping!

 

Can't get that kind of experience online.  😉

Sounds like they would be very high quality, but super expensive. Do you have a general price range?  I’m always losing my gloves!  Where would be the best place to buy a good quality leather purse?  Not designer. Rome, Venice, Amalfi Coast?  Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like we will have time for Florence. 😔

 

On 3/25/2022 at 8:47 PM, slidergirl said:

Where is your friend's favorite pizza/type?  Different regions/cities in Italy have different kinds of pizza.  If your friend likes Chicago or Detroit-style pizza, she is going to be very surprised!!!  My "taste test" pizza is always a Margherita.  Looks so simple, but it can go really wrong - the tomatoes, too much "juice" in the pizza, too much sauce, not fresh mozzarella...it goes on.  Don't look for "pepperoni" - it's not the pepperoni sausage we have in the US, but a type of pepper, kind of like a bell pepper.  Look for cured sausages, prosciutto, cotto (ham) and such if you want meat.  If you hit up Pizzarium, try the zucchini flower or the potato pizza if they have them.  Unique and good!  I also like the tomato, mozz and arugula (aka "rocket") on the pizza.  Get a few slices and everyone try them out!

 

I love a good meat lovers or pepperoni and sausage pizza. What should I order there?  
 

On 5/4/2022 at 10:59 PM, cruisemom42 said:

 

If all goes to plan, I'll be in Rome in late November/early December, following a stint in Naples. My usual cycle of visiting what's new (archaeologically speaking) in both places.

 

How often do you get to Italy?  Is your career related to archaeology or just a major hobby?

 

On 5/10/2022 at 9:41 AM, cruisemom42 said:

 

It's no small thing to appreciate good food when you've got the chance. 😉

 

If you have a chance to eat at one of the authentic pizzerias in Naples, you won't regret it. The true neapolitan pizza tends to be on the wet side -- I've sat in pizzerias and watched the local crowd eat from the center using fork and knife and then pick up the crust with the remaining few bites. The local, fresh top-notch ingredients give the pizza so much flavor!

 

In Rome the wood-fired pizzas tend to have a thinner and crispier crust. 

 

In Sorrento, f you like gnocchi, look for the gnocchi Sorrentina -- it has a light, fresh tomato sauce.

 

The problem of sitting down to a nice lunch on a day tour is that there is not such as thing as a "quick lunch" -- Italians take their time dining, especially in a sit-down restaurant. That means you'll have less time to sightsee. Priorities, priorities....

 

Where is the "port" that you'll be in prior to departure?  Rome?  Naples? 

So you think Naples has the best pizza?  We won’t be staying in Naples, but our cruise is round trip from there. We would have all our luggage with us. Would it be possible to eat pizza with all our luggage?  I was planning on eating dinner on the ship, but if it’s a must then… 

We tend to like thin crust, wood fired pizza. Maybe we would prefer the pizza in Rome. 
 

On 8/24/2022 at 2:46 PM, slidergirl said:

Water:  When you are at a restaurant/cafe and order water, chances are, unless you specifically ask for a type of water, you will be asked "still or sparkling".  Those of course, are the bottles they charge for.  You can say "tap" and you will be brought free tap water.  It's perfectly fine.  It's a way to save a couple of Euro on you meal.  

 

Is their tap water safe?  If so, why do the locals order bottled water?  Will they bring me ice water upon request?  I know they aren’t big on ice there. 

[bennybear]

After cruise mom’s  recommendation  I went and bought beautiful gloves at Sermonetas.   They were so nice I went back and bought two more pairs.  I’ve been wearing them nearly every day in the winter since 2019 and they are still great.  I honestly didn’t think they were that expensive for the quality.  
 

I found a local leather maker in Rome on the Main Street in Trastevere.   I also like the Furla brand.  
 

We love the pizza in Naples but I would not even begin to try to do that with luggage. 
 

The tap water is safe.

[cruisemom42]

1 hour ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

Sounds like they would be very high quality, but super expensive. Do you have a general price range?  I’m always losing my gloves!  Where would be the best place to buy a good quality leather purse?  Not designer. Rome, Venice, Amalfi Coast?  Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like we will have time for Florence. 😔

 

They have gloves in a wide price range and even the less expensive ones are great -- beautiful colors and styles. I'm not sure if this store has other Italian locations, I've only seen them in Rome.

 

As bennybear said, Furla is an Italian leather brand with nice purses and some reasonable prices. You'll probably find Furla in most larger Italian cities and resort towns with nice shopping. I believe I've also seen them in Duty Free in the FCO airport.

 

1 hour ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

 

I love a good meat lovers or pepperoni and sausage pizza. What should I order there?  

 

I would just look at the menu and order what sounds good. Italians generally don't like their pizza overloaded with toppings. One or two is fine with them. They like to appreciate the dough, sauce and cheese as much as any other toppings.

 

1 hour ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

How often do you get to Italy?  Is your career related to archaeology or just a major hobby?

 

Just a major interest. I try to get there at least once a year (in non-COVID times, of course). I've studied Italian for almost 7 years and am planning on spending significant time there now that I am newly retired. 😊

 

 

1 hour ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

So you think Naples has the best pizza?  We won’t be staying in Naples, but our cruise is round trip from there. We would have all our luggage with us. Would it be possible to eat pizza with all our luggage?  I was planning on eating dinner on the ship, but if it’s a must then… 

We tend to like thin crust, wood fired pizza. Maybe we would prefer the pizza in Rome.

 

Naples is considered the birthplace of pizza and they have strict guidelines as to what they consider the "real" pizza napolitana. The crust is a little more prominent and chewy than Roman pizza, but it's still thin in the middle. They use a specific local tomato to make the sauce, and a specific kind of mozzarella. The center is a bit wet. I've seen locals eat the middle first, with knife and fork, and then pick up the crust and eat it.

 

1 hour ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

 

Is their tap water safe?  If so, why do the locals order bottled water?  Will they bring me ice water upon request?  I know they aren’t big on ice there. 

 

Tap water is fine in Rome but some places I would be a bit careful. Naples in the past has had some cautions about drinking water especially in the old city. You have to remember that while the water may be fine, it may be running through ancient pipes!  I would drink the water in Istanbul, but then I tend to have an iron stomach when it comes to food and beverages. A friend of mine who stayed in Istanbul with me for three days before a cruise got sick and swears it was the water....

 

As for ice, they know Americans like it. If you ask for it, they'll probably bring you a few cubes. 

[NCteacherlovescruising]

6 hours ago, bennybear said:

After cruise mom’s  recommendation  I went and bought beautiful gloves at Sermonetas.   They were so nice I went back and bought two more pairs.  I’ve been wearing them nearly every day in the winter since 2019 and they are still great.  I honestly didn’t think they were that expensive for the quality.  
 

I found a local leather maker in Rome on the Main Street in Trastevere.   I also like the Furla brand.  

 

 

Thanks!  I will look for that brand.  
 

6 hours ago, bennybear said:

We love the pizza in Naples but I would not even begin to try to do that with luggage. 
 

Yeah, I didn’t think it would be a good idea. We’ll probably go straight to the ship after we leave Rome anyway.  
 

4 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

They have gloves in a wide price range and even the less expensive ones are great -- beautiful colors and styles. I'm not sure if this store has other Italian locations, I've only seen them in Rome.

 

 

I will look while we’re in Rome. Where is the best area to shop for nice souvenirs, like leather goods?  
 

4 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

As bennybear said, Furla is an Italian leather brand with nice purses and some reasonable prices. You'll probably find Furla in most larger Italian cities and resort towns with nice shopping. I believe I've also seen them in Duty Free in the FCO airport.

 

 

Shouldn’t be hard to find then. I wonder if they would have them duty free on the ship. 
 

4 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Just a major interest. I try to get there at least once a year (in non-COVID times, of course). I've studied Italian for almost 7 years and am planning on spending significant time there now that I am newly retired. 😊

 

 

 

Congratulations on your retirement! We still have at least 6 years to go.  Are you purchasing a home there?  I bet your Italian is pretty good by now!

 

4 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Naples is considered the birthplace of pizza and they have strict guidelines as to what they consider the "real" pizza napolitana. The crust is a little more prominent and chewy than Roman pizza, but it's still thin in the middle. They use a specific local tomato to make the sauce, and a specific kind of mozzarella. The center is a bit wet. I've seen locals eat the middle first, with knife and fork, and then pick up the crust and eat it.

 

 

 

I don’t know if I’d care for pizza that’s wet in the middle, but I’d love to try it.  We like thin and crispy, fire oven pizza. 

4 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

Tap water is fine in Rome but some places I would be a bit careful. Naples in the past has had some cautions about drinking water especially in the old city. You have to remember that while the water may be fine, it may be running through ancient pipes!  I would drink the water in Istanbul, but then I tend to have an iron stomach when it comes to food and beverages. A friend of mine who stayed in Istanbul with me for three days before a cruise got sick and swears it was the water....

 

As for ice, they know Americans like it. If you ask for it, they'll probably bring you a few cubes. 

Maybe we should play it safe and order bottled water. I recall when I was young, just the ice in my soda in Mexico made me so ill my parents had to take me to the emergency room. 

[bennybear]

5 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

I've studied Italian for almost 7 years and am planning on spending significant time there now that I am newly retired. 

Congratulations!   How wonderful!  

[marazul]

20 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

Just a major interest. I try to get there at least once a year (in non-COVID times, of course). I've studied Italian for almost 7 years and am planning on spending significant time there now that I am newly retired. 😊

Auguri!

[slidergirl]

Some random replies…

 

If I remember correctly, there is a Furla store in Roma Termini.

Roscioli makes the bread products for many of Rome’s restaurants.  
many pizza restaurants don’t put more than 3 things on the pie.  They want you to be able to taste the components.  

[NCteacherlovescruising]

39 minutes ago, slidergirl said:

Some random replies…

 

If I remember correctly, there is a Furla store in Roma Termini.

Roscioli makes the bread products for many of Rome’s restaurants.  
many pizza restaurants don’t put more than 3 things on the pie.  They want you to be able to taste the components.  

As long as we could get something that tastes like either pepperoni or sausage I would like it. I’m not a big fan of cheese or margarita pizza. However, it may taste much better in Rome!

[marazul]

19 hours ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

On 7/7/2023 at 11:49 AM, bennybear said:

We love the pizza in Naples but I would not even begin to try to do that with luggage. 
 

Yeah, I didn’t think it would be a good idea. We’ll probably go straight to the ship after we leave Rome anyway.  

The pizza in Sorrento and the Amalfi coast is every bit as good as the one in Naples. It is "pizza napolitana" in the whole area. And the mozzarella di bufala comes from just inland. I have had wonderful pizza in Amalfi and Sorrento. 

Pepperoni is a pepper, not a sausage.  The margarita pizza is worth trying to enjoy the really good mozzarella di bufala.  Or try one of the standard combinations in the menu.  You will not find "meat lovers."  

 

19 hours ago, NCteacherlovescruising said:

Maybe we should play it safe and order bottled water. I recall when I was young, just the ice in my soda in Mexico made me so ill my parents had to take me to the emergency room. 

That's because the ice was made from the tap water one is not supposed to drink.  The water and ice are just fine in Rome and all major cities in Italy. 

[Fishboy1947]

On 6/30/2023 at 8:52 PM, euro cruiser said:

Another option, not right at Termini but not far (1.9 km/one and a quarter miles) on foot is Piccolo Arancio:  Menù Primi e Zuppe | Piccolo Arancio | Piccolo Arancio

 

It's very near the Trevi Fountain, but it's a nice walk from Termini if you walk through Piazza Quirinale and down the stairs from there, rather than on the streets.

We ate there recently and highly recommend a reservation. It was very good

[marazul]

The Gambero Rosso today has a list of the eating places in Rome that Katie Parla recommends to tourists.

https://www.gamberorosso.it/notizie/un-americano-a-roma-38-posti-consigliati-ai-turisti-per-mangiare-nella-capitale/

[cruisemom42]

1 hour ago, marazul said:

The Gambero Rosso today has a list of the eating places in Rome that Katie Parla recommends to tourists.

https://www.gamberorosso.it/notizie/un-americano-a-roma-38-posti-consigliati-ai-turisti-per-mangiare-nella-capitale/

 

Just in time to start planning my November trip! 😁

[marazul]

Pizza, wine, gelato, restaurants and . . . linguistics!

 

Gambero Rosso is the Italian food and wine magazine. I often quote articles from the Gambero Rosso "Today" newsletter.  Not only does it have recipes, restaurant reviews in various cities, wine reviews and many other yummy articles, but it also has a feature that lets you listen to the article.  It helps you learn how to pronounce all the words while finding out where the best pistachio gelato can be found. 😉

 

The newsletter is free.  You subscribe here:

https://www.gamberorosso.it/newsletter/

Check "Gambero Today" to receive the newsletter

Nome: name

Cognome: Last name

 

The articles you can link to in the newsletter are also free, although there are some "premium" items. 

In each article you will see the banner :

Ascolta questo articolo ora...  (listen to this article now...)

Click on it to listen to the article and learn the right pronunciation.

 

Here are some good articles:

Where to eat supplì in Rome: https://www.gamberorosso.it/notizie/classifiche/dove-mangiare-suppli-a-roma-i-migliori-della-capitale/

Where to eat the best Roman pizza: https://www.gamberorosso.it/notizie/dove-mangiare-la-pizza-romana/

Where to eat in Fiumicino; https://www.gamberorosso.it/notizie/notizie-ristoranti/dove-mangiare-a-fiumicino-i-migliori-ristoranti/

 

 

[slidergirl]

On 7/10/2023 at 6:40 AM, marazul said:

The Gambero Rosso today has a list of the eating places in Rome that Katie Parla recommends to tourists.

https://www.gamberorosso.it/notizie/un-americano-a-roma-38-posti-consigliati-ai-turisti-per-mangiare-nella-capitale/

 I don’t know if it’s the same one, but eater.com has a new list from Katie on places to eat in Rome:

https://www.eater.com/maps/best-restaurants-rome-italy

[marazul]

1 hour ago, slidergirl said:

 I don’t know if it’s the same one, but eater.com has a new list from Katie on places to eat in Rome:

https://www.eater.com/maps/best-restaurants-rome-italy

It's the same one. 

[Choozin Croozin]

On 6/13/2023 at 8:05 PM, Host Bonjour said:

 

Try watching Italian film and telly. Pump up the volume a bit if you can, keep on the subtitles, listen and start to notice the phrases you recognize again and again. 

 

I know we have a thread on here with recommendations if you're interested. It's tough to learn with dialect, that's for sure...dialect is what you hear, for example when watching The Godfather, or the great series called Gomorrah, set in Naples. Most things, but not all, and not all the time, set south of Rome will include a lot of dialect...depends on who is speaking and why. 

 

There are also some podcasts you could always put on, just for background, on any topic in Italian for listening: they tend to speak proper Italian and cover any range of subjects, as one might imagine. It's another great way to practice listening, which you can do for short stints so it doesn't become overwhelming and to see how you're doing. Many of them also speak with a cadence that tends to be like broadcast news...not too fast, eloquent, and thus comprehensible. 

 

Sometimes I put on a news podcast, or something about film/television, or even a crime podcast, because the storytelling mode isn't too fast. 

 

What slows everyone down is translating in our heads...the more you hear something and recall what it is, the less you have to do the conversion, no matter the age. If you enjoy it, just find fun ways to keep at it. You can do it 🙂 

 

Andiamo 🇮🇹

You have a good point about the translating in our heads. As I watch my 3 yo gd as she has learned to speak and repeat everything I say. It seems so easy. 

On 7/7/2023 at 10:16 AM, NCteacherlovescruising said:

 

I’ve been using Duolingo for a couple of weeks. I have a year to learn some basics. I just got Busuu too. Thanks!  Hopefully I’ll retain a little between now and next summer. 

Good luck. It is so much fun. There are some great videos on You Tube too. 

[marazul]

Best restaurants on the Amalfi Coast

 

The Gambero Rosso's choices in all towns from Positano to Vietri sul Mare;

https://www.gamberorosso.it/notizie/notizie-ristoranti/i-migliori-ristoranti-della-costiera-amalfitana-scelti-dal-gambero-rosso/

[Anyislandwilldo]

We are headed to Italy next year for a cruise.  I remember reading somewhere this cruise will allow you to bring wine on board in almost every port to be consumed right away.  Is this correct??