The traditions at the table

Cuisine has always been an important element of the great Roman Empire. Saying that they were born simultaneously might seem an exaggeration, yet it is truly realistic. Taverns -CAUPONAE – have always played a significant role in the socio-economic life of the city, as has the culinary tradition. In fact, the De Re Coquinaria, the first collection of Roman recipes compiled by Marcus Gavius Apicius, a renowned chef and gastronome of the time, is dated back to the era of Tiberius (14-37 A.D.).

There are, therefore, significant historical testimonies that demonstrate it is a culinary tradition built over the centuries. From Ancient Rome and then through the Sixteenth Century—and beyond—the habit of eating in the city’s taverns and inns remained very much alive. The dishes offered were simple yet delicious, prepared with what the Agro Romano provided: not only herbs, vegetables, and greens, but also goats, sheep, and pigs.

Eating in Rome means socializing.

That’s why the food in Rome is a feast that repeats itself every day throughout the city.

The strength of Roman cuisine lies in its use of locally sourced ingredients and seasonings.

The magnificent vegetables such as broccoli, chicory, artichokes, tomatoes, fava beans, and the fresh and crispy puntarelle are the perfect and essential side dishes on Roman tables, especially during festive days. The wide variety of flavorful and genuine dairy products, as well as the exquisite and tender meats and legumes typically sourced from the Agro Romano, give us legendary dishes like pasta and beans with pork rind, oxtail stew, spaghetti alla carbonara, bucatini all’amatriciana, gricia, as well as fettuccine and tripe alla romana. All these dishes are often complemented with the fabulous Pecorino Romano.

The paths of taste lead through the ‘popular’ neighborhoods where the tradition remains alive, such as Trastevere and Testaccio, more central areas, but also the districts of Garbatella, San Lorenzo, and Ostiense, where numerous traditional trattorias can be found. In the evening, these areas become the preferred destinations for finding historic restaurants and inns that pay little heed to fashionable reinterpretations of dishes and evoke atmospheres where the aromas of the food blend with local charm.

This is Rome: a blend of refined nobility and a straightforward people, accustomed to living with the evocative power of a city that was for centuries the capital of the world and has maintained its most authentic identity even in the transmission of its culinary tradition.