Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
EATALY
Surrounded by a gritty urbanscape of former factories and warehouses, Rome's gleaming
Eataly
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
( 06 9027 9201;
www.roma.eataly.it
; Air Terminal Ostiense, Piazzale XII Ottobre 1492;
shop 10am-midnight, restaurants noon-11.30pm) is the largest venue for this international chain devoted entirely
to artisanal Italian food. The enormous mall-like (and somewhat confusing) store rises above the district of Os-
tiense, at once out of place and perfectly situated. The building was converted from the nearly derelict Air Ter-
minal Ostiense, an art deco-influenced edifice built in the late 1980s and designed by Spanish architect Julio
Lafuente.
The shop is full of books, cookery implements and foodstuffs from all over the country, and is also home to 19
cafes and restaurants, including a
panini
(sandwich) bar, a
gelateria
(ice-cream seller),
friggitoria
(traditional Ro-
man fried food), a restaurant specialising in Lazio-sourced vegetables (serving salads, minestrone, etc), a slow-
food
rosticceria
(for roasted meats) and the fine-dining Ristorante Italia on the uppermost floor, headed by chef
Gianluca Esposito.
Depending on your tolerance for department stores and malls, the experience will either leave you exhilarated
or with a bit of a headache. However, there are some first-class, good-value eating options here. The pizza (thick-
crust, Neapolitan style) and pasta (try the gnocchi) restaurant serves up excellent-quality meals, and the 1st-floor
microbrewery is a splendid place to sample craft beers. The complex is about a 10-minute walk from Piramide
metro station. There's also a large car park (free for one hour, then €1.50 per hour) next to the building.
Ostiense, San Paolo & Garbatella
ANDREOTTI€
( 06 575 07 73; Via Ostiense 54; 7.30am-9.30pm daily; Via Ostiense)
Film director and Ostiense
local Ferzan Ozpetek is such a fan of the pastries here he's known to cast them in his
films. They're all stars, from the fragrant almond biscotti and buttery
crostate
(tarts) to the
piles of golden
sfogliatelle romane
(ricotta-filled pastries). There's even a supporting cast
of savoury gems such as
frittini
(fried canapés) and cute-as-a-button
bruschettine
(mini
bruschetta).
PASTRIES & CAKES
ESTROBAR€€
ITALIAN
( 06 5728 9141;
www.estrobar.com
; Via Pellegrino Matteucci 20; meals €40; lunch Mon-Fri, dinner Mon-Sat;
Via Ostiense)
Designer denizens head to this slinky restaurant-bar-gallery to deconstruct
the likes of Claudio di Carlo over a bottle of Brut or a
cocktail benessere
(fruit- or veggie-
based cocktail). Fuelling the cultured conversations are chef Francesco Bonanni's Italo-fu-
