Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Parma Violets
Pasticceria Torino,
with branches at
Via Garibaldi, 61 (
%
0521-235689),
and
Via
Farini, 60 (
%
0521-282796),
is an elegant, century-old shop-cum-coffeehouse,
where you can enjoy Parma violets—a prissy delicacy of violets coated in sugar
that you've probably encountered affixed to wedding cakes. Here, they come plain
or topping an assortment of cakes and tarts (and they make a great gift for pastry-
chef friends back home).
the ancient bar, take a seat at one of the long communal tables, or snag one of the
crowded little tables out on the flagstones of the street and settle in for an evening
of sampling any of hundreds of wines from Emilia-Romagna and beyond. There
are a couple of dozen available by the glass (
€
1.20-
€
3), though even a whole bot-
tle won't break the bank, as they start at
6.50, and there are a whopping 58
choices that cost
€
10 or less. For a truly special experience, though, flip to the
back of the wine list and the hand-scrawled page devoted to
“ottimo rapporto
prezzo-qualità”
(excellent value): 15 bottles of amazing quality that ring in under
€
€
16. To accompany your tasting, pick from among a dizzying 55 varieties of
panini (
€
2.10-
€
5) or a platter of local salamis and prosciutto (
€
6.50) or of
cheeses (
6). At lunch you can also get a simple plate of pasta like
farfalle piccanti
(
€
5), or a heaping salad (
€
6.50).
€
€
Pizzeria La Duchessa
(Piazza Garibaldi, 1b;
%
0521-235962; Tues-Sat)
is
the most popular pizzeria in Parma—open late and almost always crowded. You'll
probably have to wait for a table, especially if you want one outdoors, but there's
a lot of activity to watch in the piazza while you're waiting. Although you can eat
a full meal here, you're best off with the exquisite pizzas (
11) and meals-
in-themselves plates of pasta (
€
5-
€
8), washed down with a carafe of the house
Sangiovese or a bottle of Lambrusco, Italy's best pizza wine.
€
4.20-
€
€€
Diners are wedged in among an odd assortment of antique toys, movie
posters, and casks of the wonderful house Lambrusco in the maze of rooms inside
Gallo d'Oro
(Borgo Salina, 3A;
%
0521-208846; www.gallodororistorante.it;
daily, Sun only lunch),
a lively trattoria 1 block south of Piazza Garibaldi. The
huge antipasto platters of prosciutto di Parma and assorted salamis (
€
8) make a
satisfying late-night supper. The sublime
tris di tortelli
(
5
8) is a sampler platter of
homemade tortellini stuffed variously with cheese, herbs, or pumpkin. The lamb
with artichokes (
€
8) is nice, or take your cue from the Parmigiani in the room
and dig into a delectable
stracotto di asinina
(tender, braised donkey served with
sticky polenta;
€
7.50)—though I'd steer clear of the
pesto di cavallo
(basically,
horse hamburger patties served raw and cold;
€
6.50).
€
€€
-
€€€
The lunchtime crowd at boisterous
Trattoria Lazzaro
(Via XX Marzo,
14;
%
0521-208944; closed Thurs)
is mostly neighborhood businessmen,
