If you have never been to Italy, you probably think of pizza as a quintessential Italian food, right up there with pasta. But both of these are typical of southern Italy, the poorer part of the country. (Which was, therefore, the part from which people emigrated elsewhere and brought their food traditions.) And on earlier trips to central and northern Italy, we did not find nearly as much pizza as we did in the south. But that has All Changed Now – and For the Better! Romans now like pizza as much as we do, nearly, and they eat all varieties at all times of the day. So read on to find out what you need to know about pizza in Rome, including what kinds there are and where to get it.
General Pizza Rules
Toppings vary, but are fairly similar to what you’d expect. Cheese, meat, vegetables. On the other hand, they often include vegetables like radicchio, eggplant, and zucchini flowers. But: please don’t ever tell an Italian that you eat pineapple (an American vice) or sweetcorn (a British one) on a pizza. We like both of these – or rather one of us does (you guess which one). But they will not win you fans in Italy. Neither will things like BBQ chicken. Reserve that stuff for your home life, friends!
Italian pizzas are typically round, and served in single-person sizes. (Which isn’t to say they aren’t fairly big; we have rarely finished one). As in the UK but not the US, a whole pizza is not pre-cut, so you need some fancy, or unfancy, knifework. Italians (and Brits) usually eat pizza with a fork and knife (see below for exceptions). One can share with one’s dining companions, but usually everyone orders individually. Takeout pizza has become extremely popular, but cold pizza has not.
Roman-Style Pizza
Roman-style pizza is even wider, never fitting onto any plate, no matter how big. They stretch it very thin, though, so you are probably getting the very same amount of dough as on a more compact version (we’ve never measured). We have learned that Roman pizza dough includes olive oil in the dough, which allows it to stretch more than in other areas. (It’s also cooked at a slightly cooler temperature.) The crust is so thin that in the middle it cannot support all of the weight of the toppings. Taken to an extreme, it’s floppy.
Pizza al Taglio
This was, allegedly, invented in Rome; it’s pizza cooked in long rectangles and cut with scissors. You pay by the weight and it is the exception to the silverware-using trend in pizza. Another way this pizza is exceptional is in the crustiness of the crust. Also, the huge variety of toppings. We have seen cauliflower, potato, and nearly anything else you can imagine, in wildly creative combinations, on these guys. (Still no pineapple or corn, though.) The crust is thick and so the toppings are usually substantial. Our favourite thing about this version of pizza is that you can try more than one flavour at a time, if you can get them to cut the pieces small enough (or bring a friend). This is the kind of pizza that kids often eat after school, as a snack, because it’s not enormous.
Pinsa Romana
From the Latin for “flatbread” – but it’s not especially flat. It is, however, usually oval rather than round or square. And the dough contains soy and rice flours, which, supposedly, makes it healthier and easier to digest than ordinary pizza. It’s actually very similar in taste to others, falling in thickness somewhere between traditional Roman and Neapolitan; so similar that you might not know you’re eating a pinsa.
Other (i.e., Neapolitan)
In Rome you can also get pizza characteristic of other places in Italy. Most particularly, Naples, which has a softer and thicker base. Pizza margherita comes from Naples, as do many other good things. This is the classic, chewy and puffy crust, loaded down with cheese and toppings.
Where to Eat Pizza in Rome
The debate rages. Oy, does it rage. Here’s the good news: probably any little bar you stop in, anywhere in Rome, will have pizza so good it knocks your socks off. But if you really want “the best pizza in Rome” here are our picks. We ourselves would never choose a favourite, either style or location, Because we want to eat all of the pizza, all of the time.
- Pizza al Nerone in Trastevere (Neapolitan style)
- Peppo al Cosimato in Trastevere (Neapolitan style)
- Antico Forno Roscioli near the Pantheon (al taglio, i.e., by the slice)
- Pizzarium Bonci in Prati (al taglio)
- Ai Marmi in Trastevere (Roman style)
- Nuovo Mondo in Testaccio (Roman style)
- Pinsere near Santa Maria della Vittoria (pinsa)
- And don’t forget Trappizzino, the hand-held pocket version, available in Testaccio and Termini’s Mercato Centrale
Happy eating!
