One of the first recommendations I got (if I remember correctly, the email hit my inbox less than five minutes from publishing my plea for travel tips) came from none other than David Lebovitz. An expert on the subject of icecream, he recommended Gelateria San Crispino near the Trevi Fountain, which I came to love and frequented daily from our very first visit. I especially liked the hazelnut meringue icecream, but have to say that the fruit flavours cannot equal the ones I find at my local Gelateria Danieli in Richmond... great tip nevertheless!
Gelateria San Crispino, Via della panetteria 42 (near Fontana di Trevi), http://www.ilgelatodisancrispino.com/
This one actually came recommended by many people, but here's Jill's account: "I only have one gelataria to recommend: San Crispino's near the Trevi Fountain. Wow...I have never had such pure, unadulterated, and scintillating gelato. They have exotic, all natural flavors such as Vanilla Bourbon. But the one sorbet that almost brought me to my knees was Grapefruit. It sounds very dull, but wow! The mixture of honey and grapefruit tasted fresher than any real grapefruit I've ever had. The gelato is so pure that they only serve it in paper cups so they don't hinder the flavor of the gelato with a conetto. The workers there are food snobs though. I asked for Mint Chocolate and the person working there wrinkled their nose as if I was low or something. (They apparently don't make such common flavors)I found it funny." (Jill)
For more gelaterie, cafes and bars and some shopping, read on...
Gelateria La fata morgana, Via Lago di Lesina, 9/11 (Silvia, who lives in Rome)
And in terms of gelato, there's a place called Della Palma, which is AMAZING (Kate)
Giolitti, just nearby the Parlamento (Saffron)
Giolitti, closed to Parlamento-Pantheon. The best ice cream in Rome or at the lest the best ice cream+cream (amazing). I go there often for my sunday dinner when I don't want to cook (Rossella)
Cafes
A good coffee at Piazza Sant'Eustachio. And a great "grattachecca" at the kiosk in Isola Tiberina, and....more and more! (Saffron)
Tea to drink: the russian tea house closed to Largo argentina-Piazza delle tartarughe. Good teas, charming room, not so expensive (compared to the tea house in Piazza di Spagna), and good cakes (Rossella)
Be sure to have an espresso at La Tazza D'Oro! (Ivonne)
Bars
Café della Pace, Via della Pace off Piazza Navona: go in the afternoon and after supper. It’s one of the oldest bars in Rome and very chic and also very beautiful. All the paparazzi hang out there after midnight when lots of celebs (mainly politicians and ugly actors with beautiful models) turn up. A great place to spend hours sitting outside watching people in the day or night. (Charlotte)
Vineria in Campo dei Fiori – for the aperitivo or after dinner. This is where all the Romans hang out after work. (Charlotte)
Ombero Rosso, Piazza S. Egidio, off Sta Maria in Trastevere – go in the evening, has Jazz band early evening on Saturdays. Very arty, lots of musicians and poets hang out there and lots of crafty-type stalls selling things on the piazza. (Charlotte)
Shaki Wine Bar – very small and modern, they also do really good salads and are in spitting distance of Via Condotti. With your back to the Spanish steps, it’s the it’s the 3rd street on the right off Via Condotti. (Charlotte)
Cavour 313 is an incredible wine bar on via Cavour 313. (Petra)
Shopping:
would definitely recommend walking around the Campo dei Fiori during the day (open vegetable market, very active, fantastic scene) and then returning at night to observe/partake in the bar scene (the bars themselves are not really anything to write home about, though). I don't know the name of the bakery where I bought them, but be on the lookout for "Mele in Gabbia" -- the best baked good that I've ever tasted (Kate)
oh Roma what can I say DO NOT MISS going to Panella on Via Merulana 54-55 Tel.06/4872344 or 4872435. An absolutely fabulous bakery/specialty store. I highly recommend having their Negroni Apertivo - one of the best that I have ever had - and while you sip you can figure out what it is that you are not going to buy. Don't miss Volpetti in Testaccio - their outdoor market is also quite wonderful. Il Giardino del Te is a wonderful tea emporium - i love their Dolce Vita : via del boschietto 112A Tel: 06/4746888 (Petra)
Volpetti now also have a branch in the centre, in Via della Scrofa near the Piazza Navona if I remember correctly - more upmarket, less selection, but great to pick up foor for a picnic or to take home.
I also bought bags full of oil (from Lazio, apparently milder than Tuscan oil, but I haven't tried it yet), balsamic vinegar, mostarda from figs and strawberries as well as truffle honey. My memory is letting my down and I can't for the life of me think of the street, but it's called "olio e vino" and is in one of the tiny streets in the quarter between piazza di spagna, via condotti, via del corso and via del trittone. (Johanna)
tea to buy: try this shop. the owner is a gentleman, very charming and honest. He gives you many many advice: http://www.biblioteq.it/?PHPSESSID=3533b1cf7208603120985bc1b8b224be (Rossella)
food to buy: go to Castroni. the first and I think the biggest shop is in via Cola di Rienzo. a lot of food and ingredients from Italy and abroad (Rossella)
Gusto is a brasserie, massive, with 3 different restaurants plus bar and cooking shop. Always really buzzy, food quite good. Piazza Augusto Imperatore, just off Via del Corso. (Charlotte)
There are words and then there is hazelnut meringue ice cream...my gosh that sounds great. Sure wish I was headed to Rome, I'd love to try all of these places.
Posted by: Tanna | Jul 17, 2006 at 04:20 PM
Hmm, nothing better than sampling copious amounts of ice-cream abroad! And that flavour sounds great - but I have to agree that there is some seriously stiff competition from Danieli in Richmond. Mmmmm, pistachio...
Posted by: Jeanne | Jul 21, 2006 at 02:27 PM