Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
recognize it by the lines of people outside waiting for a table). These pizzas are typi-
cally Roman style with a crisp, thin crust; the house special is generously topped with
tomato sauce, mozzarella, mushrooms, onions, sausages, roasted peppers, and
eggs. (If Baffetto's full, pop around the corner to La Montecarlo at Vicolo Savelli 12,
run by the daughter of Baffeto's owner.)
Down in the rapidly gentrifying working-class neighborhood of Testaccio, more
and more trendy bistros and bars are opening up in old converted warehouses. Yet
close to the outdoor food market in Piazza Testaccio—already an essential stop for
anyone who loves food—traditional cucina Romana is alive and well at Da Felice
(Via Mastro Giorgio 29; & 39/6/574-6800 ), a spiffed-up neighborhood trattoria serv-
ing time-honored favorites such as tonnarelli cacao e pepe, chunky egg-rich pasta
tossed with crumbled sheep's cheese and black pepper; or bucatini all'amatriciana,
hollow spaghetti in a sauce of tomatoes, onion, pancetta, and pecorino cheese. The
cozy, whitewashed cellar of Checchino dal 1887 (Via di Monte Testaccio 30;
& 39/6/5743816; www.checchinodal1887.com) began serving workers from the
area's former slaughterhouses in 1887, and the menu still features succulent butch-
er's leftovers—dishes such as rigatoni con pajata (pasta with small intestines), coda
alla vaccinara (oxtail stew), fagioli e cotiche (beans with intestinal fat), and, in winter,
a tender wild boar slow-braised with prunes and red
wine.
Across the Tiber in bohemian Trastevere, Sabatini
(Piazza Santa Maria 13; & 39/06-5812026 ) is a welcom-
ing neighborhood trattoria with homey beamed ceil-
ings and stenciled walls. It's a great place for seafood
(spaghetti with seafood sauce, grilled scampi), deli-
cious pastas, chicken and veal dishes (try pollo con
peperoni, chicken with red and green peppers), and, of
course, oxtail stew—the mark of any bona fide ris-
torante cucina Romana.
( Leonardo da Vinci International Airport (Fiumicino;
30km/19 miles).
L $$$ Hotel de Russie, Via del Babuino 9 ( & 800/
323-7500 in the U.S. and Canada, or 39/6/328881; www.
roccofortehotels.com). $ Hotel Grifo, Via del Boschetto 144
( & 39/6/4871395; www.hotelgrifo.com).
Al Moro in Rome claims to have
invented carbonara.
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