As I mentioned in my previous blog, Sara, my Scottish-Italian friend, came to visit me in Rome last weekend. It was a weekend in which we reminisced a lot on the usual trip-down-memory-lane of course. At the same time, we spoke about our dreams, desires and everything that still lies ahead of us. I will spare you the endless chatter of two girls who had not seen each other for almost three years. Instead, I will use this blog for something much more useful that I’ve been regularly asked about lately. Where to eat and drink on a weekend break in Rome? Well, these are the places I took my best friend to, and I’m delighted to also share them with you. I hope you find them helpful and I’d love for you to let me know when you’ve followed one of my recommendations.
Where to eat and drink on a weekend break in Rome? Well, these are the places I took my best friend to, and I’m delighted to also share them with you
Friday late afternoon aperitivo at La Terrazza del Cèsari in the city centre
To officially start the weekend and celebrate the fact we were back together once again, I wanted to take my friend to a special place for an aperitivo. Therefore, I made a reservation at La Terrazza del Cèsari, a rooftop bar located on the top of the 9Hotel Cèsari in the city centre. A stone’s throw away from the busy shopping street and the Pantheon, this is an oasis with just the right balance of elegance and cosiness. They serve delicious cocktails and give you a blanket when the sun goes down and it gets a bit chilly.
La Terrazza del Cèsari, 9Hotel Cèsari, Via di Pietra, 89/a, Roma
Friday night dinner at Osteria delle Coppelle in the city centre
A weekend in Rome can really only be kicked off with the Roman classics, if you’d ask me. Precisely for this reason I booked a table at eight at the Osteria delle Coppelle, situated in a hidden square behind Piazza Navona. As a starter, we feasted on a tagliere di salumi, Italian cold cuts, followed by two classic Roman pastas. For me the cacio e pepe (which they prepare with three different kinds of pepper here) and for Sara the amatriciana. It’s one of those places where everything is simply perfect. The waiters are fantastic, it’s really only full of Italians, and the wine list is endless. As they are open until two in the morning, it’s also a place where dinner effortlessly turns into a nightspot, with many young Italians coming for an Aperol or Campari Spritz after dinner. Oh, and an insider tip: the cheesecake with red fruit is divine.
Osteria delle Coppelle, Piazza delle Coppelle, 54/55/56, Roma
Saturday morning breakfast at Caffè Settimiano in Trastevere
This is especially a good recommendation for when the sun is shining. Despite the fact that Rome is a sunny, Mediterranean city, you will notice that especially in Trastevere – a neighbourhood loved by tourists and locals alike – it can be quite difficult to find a nice spot in the sun due to the narrow streets and high buildings. So, for your coffee and cornetto (the Italian version of the croissant) in the morning sun, I’d recommend you to head to Caffè Settimiano. They only have a limited number of (wobbly) tables outside so you might have to wait a little. But as you know, a breakfast in Italy doesn’t take long, so there’s a good chance some will become available pretty soon, which is always the case for me. Their panini and fociacce are also delicious.
Caffè Settimiano, Via di Porta Settimiana, 1, Roma
Saturday lunch at Barzilai Bistrot in Monti
By sharing this lunch tip, I am also sharing the recommendation to visit the neighbourhood where it is located: Monti, which is bustling with nice boutiques and restaurants. It’s just a five-minute walk from the Colosseum, and yet it isn’t overcrowded with tourists at all. The atmosphere is what the Romans call “hipster chic”. Around the fountain on the little square, Italian youth usually chill out with a beer, and make music from time to time. At Barzilai Bistrot, you can expect delicious, simple dishes, prepared by the mamma of the witty guys who serve you. The polpette, meatballs and meatloaf are legendary. If you have to wait a little for a table, you can order a drink from the barman through the open window and enjoy it while standing outside in the sunshine.
Barzilai Bistrot, Via Panisperna, 44, Roma
Saturday evening aperitivo at Mimi e Coco Trast in Trastevere
You probably know this by now, but in Italy, it’s very common to go for a drink before dinner: the aperitivo. Since I had figured out that we would be spending our Saturday night in the always bustling streets of Trastevere, we went to a bar called Mimi e Coco for a glass of Prosecco for me and an Aperol Spritz for Sara. Inside and out, it’s equally cosy, and the crowd is always a colourful mix of tourists, American students (the American university is nearby) and Italians.
Mimi e Coco Trast, Via della Scala, 1, Roma
Saturday night pizza at L’Elementare in Trastevere
It was time for pizza. A Roman one! Unlike the Neapolitan pizza, the Roman variant has a thin, more crispy edge. To be fair, according to my Roman friends it’s rather difficult to find a good pizza in Trastevere, but I still managed to do so. L’Elementare is a very casual place with delicious pizzas and great fritti, the typical Roman fried antipasti. Like the supplì, those typical fried balls. Here they make them with fillings of pasta caciao e pepe, amatriciana, and more. Beer lovers will totally be in their happy place, as each pizza comes with a recommendation for an artigianal beer pairing. They have many, including Belgian and Dutch beers.
L’Elementare, Via Benedetta, 23, Roma
Sunday day trip to a vineyard outside Rome including lunch and wine tasting
Do as the Romans do and leave the city for what it is on a Sunday. Enjoy the peace, lush and fresh air of the countryside. That’s exactly what we did when we took the train to Frascati in the morning, located in the hills south of Rome. We spent the day with my friends from the Minardi family, who run a vineyard that’s currently steered by what’s the ninth generation of the family already. And it is everything you expect it to be. Rows of vines planted on the rolling hills with spectacular views across the valley where you can easily distinguish Rome and St Peter’s Church. This is a place where family and friends come together, where music is played, where food is served in the beautiful vaulted room, where wine is tasted, and where the sun and breeze can be enjoyed outside in the vineyard. They also organise pizza and pasta workshops. If you want to go there, I’m more than happy to tell you more.
Minardi vineyard, Frascati
Sunday evening dinner at Ristorante Carlo Menta in Trastevere
You won’t believe it, but despite the extensive lunch in the countryside, we were quite hungry again on Sunday evening. It must have been the fresh air. For dinner, we went to Carlo Menta. They have it all: pastas, pizzas, salads, secondi (meat and fish dishes) and desserts. It’s absolutely not the restaurant with the best food in the area, but if you don’t want to spend much and you’re fine to eat a dish that won’t blow you away, it’s a good place to go to. Here, a pizza Margherita only costs four euros, a saltimbocca, a typical Roman main course, seven euros, and a litre of wine around eight euros. You still find yourself in the heart of Trastevere, and in the street you find plenty of bars if you want to go for a drink after dinner.
Ristorante Carlo Menta, Via della Lungaretta, 101, Roma
Monday morning breakfast at Trecaffè in Monteverde
Just before Sara had to catch the train to the airport on Monday morning and the weekend really came to an end, we went to Trecaffè, the bar opposite my house, for a typical Italian breakfast: a cappuccino and a pastry. There are four Trecaffè branches in Rome. If you happen to be in the vicinity of one, I’d highly recommend you to go. For your cappuccino, they also have almond and soya milk, and they have a variety of vegan options for breakfast.
Trecaffè, four branches across Rome, also in the city centre (see Google Maps)
And that’s it! The weekend came to an end far too quickly, as always. We ate, we drank, but most of all we enjoyed the city, the countryside and each other. We said goodbye promising each other that it definitely won’t be three years before we see each other again. And now? Now it is time for lots of salads, grilled vegetables and fresh fruit. Because when living in Italy, you automatically become an expert in always finding the right balance…
Your blogs are always Amazing. You have great taste and give excellent recommendations. You so thoughtfully planned out a wonderful visit with your friend. I’m sure that she loved and appreciated it all. Most of all your company! ❤❤❤