The Italian capital is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe, and while many people come to the city for its culture and history, there are also plenty of attractions for those who enjoy good food. Most people who are exploring Rome for its gastronomic tourism qualities will find that there are some amazing restaurants in the city, but it is also worth spending time enjoying the street food of this wonderful city. Here are a few of the highlights from the street food of Rome — a scene that shouldn’t be missed.
Suppli
Photo by Ayngelina Brogan
These deep fried treats are one of the most distinctive parts of a visit to Rome, and are generally eaten with the hands as the best street food usually is. Suppli appears similar to a large croquette, and it is made of a mixture of risotto rice, tomato sauce and raw egg along with a piece of mozzarella at the center, and it is then soaked in egg and covered with bread crumbs before being deep fried. The highlight of eating suppli is the moment when the crust is broken and you pull the two pieces apart, letting the mozzarella stretch before taking a bite. It’s ooey, gooey good!
Pizza
Photo by Sherylyn Oben CC BY
The quintessential Italian dish is one that has spread around the world, but the pizza that is available from street food vendors in Rome is quite a different beast to the round pizzas served in slices around much of the world. There are plenty of stalls and small booths on the streets of the city, and these will offer pieces of pizza cut into squares with a variety of different toppings, including many that aren’t so common in North America such as eggplant or tuna. This is a great way to get a filling snack on the go, and with so many different places serving pizza it isn’t hard to find.
Gelato
Photo by leeannzieboo CC BY
For those who are traveling in Italy during the summer, then there is no doubt that enjoying a cold gelato will be a big highlight on a sunny day, with the wonderful flavors and colors making it the perfect afternoon treat. While ice cream is common around the world, a gelato is a fresh type that is prepared in the morning with flavored egg custard that is then frozen, although there are some who do use a prepared commercial mixture to make their gelato. Served in a cone, a gelato is the ultimate sweet treat on the street, and flavors worth trying include pistachio, dark chocolate and the many fruit flavored varieties.
Hot Chestnuts
Photo by Ayngelina Brogan
While Rome in the summer may be a city for gelato, in the winter it can get a little colder, and there is no better way to keep the cold at bay than a nice hot snack that is filling and tasty. The chestnuts are roasted by hundreds of vendors around the city, and are then served in paper cones. These are not only tasty and warming snacks, but are also part of a tradition that has seen roast chestnuts served in the city for centuries.
Salted Cod
While the idea of a fillet of salted cod may not fill everyone with appetite, once this wonderful white fish is soaked, dipped in batter and deep-fried it becomes an entirely different prospect. The plump and tasty white fish contrasts well with the light crispy batter, and makes for a tasty snack that is served throughout the city. One restaurant near the Campo de Fiori, Fileta di Bacala is probably the most famous place in Rome to eat the salted cod, or ‘Bacala’ as it is known in Italian, and is a wonderful end to an evening in the city.
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