Metro stop coming soon/who knows when!
Man oh man, I love me a night out in Pigneto. As if I don't get enough 'outside the city time' in Monteverde! Pigneto holds a special place in my heart, partly due to (wisely) celebrating my 30th birthday here, chugging vino rosso and stuffing myself full of the most divine porchetta to ever have been roasted. Also not to be forgotten, an incredible show by the incredible brothers Pontiak at the excellent venue, Circolo degli Artisti. This industrial working class neighborhood certainly shares similarities to Monteverde. Pier Paolo Pasollini filmed here, too, calling the outskirts, "la corona di spine che cinge la città di Dio" (the crown of thorns which surrounds the city of God). Indeed, Pigneto stands in stark contrast from the grandeur of Rome central. Still, Pigneto has endured much and the strength of it's inhabitants and strong cultural history are to be admired. Now justly starting to receive the attention it deserves, Pigneto is the kind of place you feel lucky to explore. You'll also be glad you are hungry (and thirsty!).
Like Monteverde, Pigneto is outside of the city walls and is easily accessible via public transit. Although it is possible, If not recommended to walk, an option which became known to me on the aforementioned birthday night when there was not a bus in sight! So, take a bus, OK. Or, it seems that very soon the metro will connect out here which will be great for commuting but is bound to change the vibe.
Vini e Oli,Via del Pigneto 18. Bus:Circonvallazione Casilina 85 00176, Pigneto. Closed daily from 2-6pm and all day Sunday.
One of my favorite things about Pigneto are the vini sfusi joints dotted about town. I have briefly mentioned this and I will be brief here, too. Vini sfusi, or vino sfuso spots are little storefronts which sell 'loose' or 'bulk' wine from stainless steel drums on draft. Dispense your selected wine into your plastic jug and pay for it by the liter, usually between 1.50 and 3€. In some of the smaller neighborhoods and outside the city center of Rome, you will see these spots on nearly every street. Buying an entire liter is the best deal by far and many places simply won't sell you a glass, preferring to sell by the liter. The nice thing about some of Pineto's vini sfusi spots is the possibility to order 'vini in mescita' (by the glass). Plus, most of the sfusi spots serving up individual glasses will also provide a few snacks and a nice glass will run only 1€. We looked into several of these hip spots for research purposes (you're welcome!) and each had there own merits.
Our first stop of the night was at the charming Vini e Oli (wine and oil!). This is a convivial and low key affair. Here we drank nice pours out of plastic cups on the sidewalk for about 1€. Panini and snacks are available, too.
Our first stop of the night was at the charming Vini e Oli (wine and oil!). This is a convivial and low key affair. Here we drank nice pours out of plastic cups on the sidewalk for about 1€. Panini and snacks are available, too.
Vini Sfusi Vecchia Cantina, Via del Pigneto 118, 00176 Pigneto, Roma.
My top pick (and everyone else's, it seems) was the sweet little corner shop of La Vecchia Cantina. For 1.50€ you can grab a bicchiere (glass) of fresh wine from inside and bring it our front to sit and any number of ad hoc seating areas. We sat on a ledge in front of the shop and they set up a tiny folding table to perch our wines, in real glasses, upon. Within minutes a big bowl of bright green, meaty, buttery and delicious Castelvetrano olives appeared and a nice dish of crunchy, salty tarallucci (little ones) crackers.
Antipasti at La Vecchio Cantina.
I Porchettoni (Trattoria Pigneto),Via del Pigneto, 68, 00176 Roma 388 872 3723
The folks here were overly kind, gracious and patient and they also serve some really great looking meats and antipasti, but we were headed to porchetta nirvana, so held off. I had (what else!) the Pecorino at both of these spots. Both were great but I preferred our second stop with it's lovely brightness and crisp acidity--simply perfect with the (free!) provided snacks.
On to the pork! Some years past on my first visit to Rome, I had sought out a tasty place which fit our modest budget at the time. This brought me straight to Pigneto and to the charming porchetta restaurant, I Porchettoni (aka Trattoria Pigneto) and it's promise of perfect porchetta and fair prices. It was true then and so remains!
Have you ever seen such a marvelous thing?
Porchetta is found all throughout Italy but originated in the Lazio region near Rome. Stuffed in a roll as a panino or sliced, wrapped in paper and sold by weight, Porchetta is one of my favorite pork preparations and I like to try it whenever I spot a vender. Here the prochetta is melt in your mouth tender with the layers of fat so smooth and tasty, almost like whipped lardo or butter. With a crunchy and perfectly seasoned outer skin and nicely flavored with rosemary and garlic, I didn't care when I accidentally ordered nearly a pound for the two of us. At about 2€/etto (100 grams) you'd probably order 4 etto's, too!
This food was about 250 billion times tastier than it appears in this photo, maybe more.
I also ordered a trio of bufala mozzarella, stracciatella and burrata. I wish they's have told me they were out of the burrata before they brought us two balls of bufala instead (tragedy, I know). Luckily, nothing goes with a pound of porchetta like a pound of bufala mozzarella.
Fresh favas, Pecorino Romano and a luxurious amount of bufula mozzarella.
Being recently introduced to the Roman tradition of fresh fava beans and pecorino, I ordered those as well. All of this, a basket of bread, a big bottle of water and a liter of house red cost around 35€. If you aren't being a pig like the little guy below (or me) two could easily eat and drink well here for closer to the 20€ mark. They also make pastas and salads.
The real joke in this picture is the basket of fruit in the background. Yeah right.
This is such an incredibly fun and delicious place to eat. The service is friendly and fast and the patrons rowdy and full of cheer. You are sure to share a communal table with lots of nice folks and if you are lucky, may even get to share in song.
After all this, you'll be ready for a nightcap!
After all this, you'll be ready for a nightcap!
Rosi Snack Bar, Via del Pigneto 117 00176 Roma Pigneto.
Luckily, all you need to do is stumble across the street to the charming and cheap Rosi Snack Bar and order up an amaro, Liquore Strega (witch juice) or, my choice, Sambuca con la mosca (with flies). Don't worry, the flies are espresso beans and the only thing witchy is the hour (don't miss your bus!). This is a great end to a great night!
Sambuca con la mosca.
The three espresso beans are said to represent health, happiness and prosperity, isn't that nice? Buonanotte!