Food shopping
Tap a shop, then tap each item for what to look for.
Roscioli Salumeria
Via dei Giubbonari 21 · Day 1 · 9am–11:30pm daily
Guanciale
Priority
Cured pork cheek — fattier and more complex than pancetta. The correct fat for carbonara and amatriciana. Not substitutable.
What to ask forAsk for vacuum-packed so it travels. Confirm it's guanciale, not pancetta — they stock both. One piece (~200–300g) is enough.
Colatura di Alici
Priority
Aged anchovy liquid from Cetara — fermented fish sauce, Italian style. More refined than Southeast Asian fish sauce, slightly sweet. A few drops finishes pasta. Never cook with it. Does not duplicate your Sicilian salted anchovies.
What to ask forAsk which producer they currently stock. Nettuno and Delfino Battista are reliable. 100ml bottle — small, worth it.
DOP Monocultivar Olive Oil
Priority
Single-variety olive oil with protected designation. More complex than blended oil — you taste the specific olive. Changes significantly by cultivar.
What to ask forAsk for monocultivar, dark bottle, harvest year on label. Current harvest: 2024–25. Ask about Coratina (peppery, robust) or Itrana (fruity, softer). Get 500ml not 750ml — saves weight.
Pecorino Romano
Consider
Aged sheep's milk cheese — hard, sharp, saltier than Parmigiano. Essential for cacio e pepe and carbonara. Fine with lactose intolerance (hard aged cheese).
What to ask forOnly if you don't have aged cheese already. Ask for a small wedge vacuum-packed. A little goes a long way.
Mercato Testaccio
Via Aldo Manuzio · Day 2 · Mon–Sat 7am–3:30pm
Peperoncino secco varieties
Buy
Dried chilli — but the point is variety, not just heat. Different cultivars have different flavour profiles: fruity, smoky, floral. Roman producers stock things you won't find in supermarkets.
What to askAsk the vendor to explain the differences before buying by heat level. Get small quantities of 2–3 types. Dried = minimal weight.
Fiori di Cappero
Buy
Caper flowers — the bud, not the berry. More subtle and floral, less acidic than standard capers. Used as a condiment or in pasta. More interesting than anything you've already bought.
What to look forUsually in brine or salt. Ask for Sicilian or Pantelleria provenance — those are the best. Small jar, light weight.
Porchetta di Ariccia
Eat here
Slow-roasted whole pig, herbed, crispy skin. Roman speciality from Ariccia. The best version in Rome is at Testaccio. A sandwich at the stall is the correct format.
NoteEat here, don't carry. Won't travel well and you don't need more meat in the bag.
'Nduja
Consider
Spreadable spiced pork from Calabria — soft, fatty, intensely flavoured. Melts into pasta sauce or spreads on bread. A little goes a long way.
What to checkOnly buy if vacuum-sealed. Confirm it's 'nduja not a generic spreadable salami. Skip if bag is tight — heavy and messy if the seal fails.
Castelluccio Lentils
Only if labelled
Lentils from Castelluccio di Norcia — small, earthy, hold their shape when cooked. One of Italy's most prized pulses. DOP protected.
What to look forOnly worth buying with clear provenance label (Castelluccio di Norcia). Generic lentils — skip. Weight not worth the genericism.
Campo de' Fiori
Campo de' Fiori · Day 1 · Until ~1pm
Browse only — no priority buys
Skip buying
The market is real but skews tourist. Prices are higher than Testaccio for equivalent products. Good atmosphere, not the right place to make serious food purchases.
ExceptionIf you spot something genuinely unusual — a small producer, a regional product you haven't seen — consider it. Otherwise walk through on the way to Roscioli and keep moving.