Savor Lazio: Top 5 Must-Try Foods & Drinks in Rome’s Region

Lazio, the region around Rome, is that it’s more than just ancient ruins; it’s quite the spot for anyone with taste buds ready for a bit of an explore. I mean, you’ve likely strolled past the Colosseum, very possibly tossed a coin in the Trevi Fountain, but have you seriously sampled what Lazio’s kitchen is cooking? So, forget those tourist traps, at least just for a bit, and let’s check out a mouth-watering peek at five eats and drinks you simply shouldn’t skip. Let’s be real, no trip here is properly complete without treating your senses. Are you ready to see some amazing food destinations?

1. Pasta alla Carbonara: A Creamy Dream

Okay, so let’s start with a classic. Pasta alla Carbonara is, like your foodie right of passage. This dish is that it’s seemingly quite straightforward – pasta (usually spaghetti or rigatoni), guanciale (cured pork cheek, and very, very crucial), eggs, Pecorino Romano cheese, and black pepper. The catch? It’s very easily screwed up! Many places get it wrong, using cream (gasp!) or bacon (utter sacrilege). So, keep an eye out for those that stick to that classic recipe. The genuine article boasts that really rich, velvety sauce clinging to the pasta, the crispy guanciale adding this great salty burst, and a lovely peppery kick that just makes you want to eat it again. When made correctly it is so good! You see it all around. I guess you can try making pasta at home, too.

Now, the story behind it is a bit fuzzy. Some say it was created by charcoal makers (“carbonari” in Roman dialect), while others think it might be linked to the arrival of American troops who asked for a dish with eggs and bacon during World War II. Whatever its past, it’s absolutely Roman now. So, where do you get that excellent stuff? Trattorias in the Testaccio neighborhood are almost famous for very classic, no-frills versions. Flavio al Velavevodetto, for instance, that has quite the fantastic reputation. And yeah, there’ll be a line, yet it’s seriously worth it. That great thing, is you can enjoy the pasta while watching the Monte dei Cocci, this old pile of Roman pottery shards – talk about food with a view!

2. Cacio e Pepe: Simple Perfection

Speaking of simple yet very stunning, comes Cacio e Pepe. “Cacio e pepe” quite literally translates to “cheese and pepper,” and well, that’s essentially all there is to it. So, like Carbonara, this dish showcases those quite classic Roman flavors. Again, Pecorino Romano is extremely, extremely vital, as is coarsely ground black pepper. With a touch of pasta water and some skill, you’re looking at a sauce that’s simultaneously creamy and spicy, clinging perfectly to each strand of that pasta. It sounds straightforward, but let me tell you, it needs true mastery to achieve it well.

One false move – like not using enough starch pasta water – and your dish could be a very sad, clumpy mess. Da Felice a Testaccio, very another Testaccio favorite, is frequently cited for their superb cacio e pepe. This one spot has seemingly perfected that art of getting that velvety sauce, and, their use of great pepper genuinely does create such difference. This dish genuinely displays the value of letting excellent ingredients shine. Trust me, with that good Cacio e Pepe, that’s one you will remember. I’d say this food journey isn’t complete without pasta!

3. Supplì: Roman Street Food Gold

So, are you up for one thing you could grab on the go? Supplì are that truly fantastic Roman street food. They’re sort of like arancini’s smaller, that simpler cousins. Typically, that involves a ball of rice, often leftover from that risotto or ragu, formed around a piece of mozzarella, then breaded and deep-fried. The result is actually this golden, crunchy orb of goodness, that, when broken open, boasts a gooey, melted cheese center – hence that expression, “supplì al telefono” because of those cheese strands appear sort of like telephone wires. Actually, it’s one of my favorites when going around the capital.

Supplì typically tend to be more about these everyday moments. You’ll find them in pizzerias, friggitorie (that’s quite the fried food shops), and snack bars all across that city. Each establishment usually has its spin – some use a plain tomato rice, others pack a meaty ragu into it. So, you’ll also find it in many food markets, ready for that consumption! For what’s frequently hailed as truly the finest supplì in Rome, so you’ll head to Supplì Roma. It’s arguably a bit out of the way from that tourist center, yet these supplì are totally, totally worth going to explore. Another location would be Bonci’s Pizzarium that actually has, like some quite the serious gourmet versions.

4. Saltimbocca alla Romana: Jump-in-Your-Mouth Flavor

Okay, now we go into that area with something very meaty. Saltimbocca alla Romana is its, the translation literally is, “jumps into the mouth!”; yet that’s definitely the promise. This dish comprises thinly sliced veal topped with prosciutto and a fresh sage leaf, then pan-fried and deglazed with white wine. This is easy enough, right? This quite the mix gives that incredibly great explosion of flavor: that savory veal, salty prosciutto, aromatic sage, with a bit of that wine, all just working quite well. As a meaty and savory flavor, its pretty well-balanced!

While, similar to numerous other Roman recipes, it looks so simple, quality is what that means all in regards to saltimbocca. Be that, that super thinly sliced veal or good prosciutto, ingredients really matter. For quite the perfect saltimbocca, head over to Armando al Pantheon. Its location near that Pantheon makes it perfect for the delicious supper, right? The atmosphere seems to always just enhance all those flavors! So if I were you I’d defenitely check if it’s available at the location.

5. Frascati Wine: A Taste of the Roman Hills

What, you figured I’d cover everything on that subject matter, without offering some stuff for that of-age folks? What! Okay, so for those drinks, we take it far from downtown, so we may visit those Roman hills. Frascati is that it’s actually one of those iconic wines of Lazio, originating from the hills southeast of Rome. It is usually a dry, crisp white wine. Also, if you just ask someone to select it as a default Lazio wine. Yet I feel it isn’t getting the respect it might get these times.

What a classic, nice Frascati can it just have this quite delightful harmony of those subtle fruit, crisp acidity, as well as this smooth finish which creates it, which gives us that which, a flexible addition that a great number of various plates can have. So yeah, even that heavy carbonara might seem lighter, because it is followed by those very flavors. However what exactly would work also? Light pasta recipes like, let’s suppose a Primavera-one; perhaps sea-food appetizers are as good as you may hear! A local might very probably recommend checking out little, those fraschette-type places for those Castelli Romani area to have that genuine local-experience! Did anyone invite me? So I may actually have some amazing local food that time… A proper taste is crucial here, just give a try!