There are so many wonderful things about getting to spend a week in one city but the best 2 things, for me are that you get to explore the city at a leisurely pace and there’s good time to make a dent in my food list. On this trip, what I learned was with a week in Rome, it was great to be able to return over (and over) again to the places I enjoyed.
Ditirambo sat on my list because it was close to my apartment and was recommended by my in-laws as a good place for lunch and dinner. After an epic walk the first day to get a good feel for the layout of the city, it was with tired feet that we came upon Ditirambo for a late lunch. There were few people in the restaurant, but a good mix of locals and tourists. The menu was packed with good Roman staples, and I was happy to indulge in a carb laden lunch with a salad chaser. From my memories of past trips to Italy, I knew that fresh produce was something I’d have to consciously work at getting into my body.
I ate so well at so many different places in my week in Rome and when it came time to choose a dinner for my last night, there were still so many on my list of places to try. My list shortened a bit, because my last night was a Sunday and many places I was curious about were closed and after some guidance from some locals, I learned that a few places on my list weren’t up to snuff. Because of my Nonna Betta experience, I was a bit gun-shy to try something new so I decided to make a return visit to Ditirambo. I’d yet to have a good version of the 4th Roman pasta, cacio e pepe, and I was confident I’d get just that there.
One of the “top things to eat in Rome” lists I saw included a fried baccala restaurant which happened to be just downstairs from my apartment. With a few tables of seating outside, I passed by this crowded spot every night vowing to give it a try. A little part of me nagged thinking that I might be wasting a meal on fried fish, but I was able to justify it by working it into a night out at my favourite wine bar (below).
I’m happy I trusted my gut feeling on Dar Filettaro as their fried fish and salad turned out to be some of the best things I ate in Rome. So much so that I went back!
The best find in Rome (in my opinion) was a little wine bar in Trastevere. I found it a bit by accident on my second night in Rome. After eating too much at Ditirambo at lunch, an evening out with a glass of wine and tiny nibbles seemed perfect.
I had over 8 recommended wine bars on my list and funny enough, Enoteca Ferrara wasn’t on it. This is a great little place which is part of a much bigger restaurant. They have one of those tap systems, but Andre the bartender doesn’t use it, preferring to unhook the bottles to free pour himself.
6 sparklings, 8 whites and 16 reds on offer each night, there was so much Italian goodness to choose from, (which is part of the reason to keep returning). When you order a glass of wine, you also receive a plate with which you can fill your tummy with the (carb-heavy) goodness placed on the bar.
On our first night, I was also treated with a complementary plate of parmesan cheese to nibble on as I worked my way through the big Italian reds.
On my second visit, a sampling of prosciutto magically appeared in front of me as I explored their selection of bollicine (bubbles).
I visited on last time on my final evening in Rome, but when I arrived, there was no room at the bar, which turned out just fine because it gave me the opportunity to sit outside to watch Rome move in front of me.
If you can become a regular in one week, I would say that I did at the wine bar at Enoteca Ferrara, but mostly because of the friendly service from Andre.
