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Our Rome food tour with The Roman Guy recap. We always return with good memories and this time was no different. We were delighted to visit family, revisit old favorites as well as discover new ones. On this particular visit, we were also able to have a unique experience courtesy of The Roman Guy Tours.
This Rome food tour was an awesome way to sample some of the best Roman food and drink. Being used to homemade Italian food, I am very fussy about it when we dine out. I am happy to say that this Rome food walking tour is definitely recommended by yours truly. Here are reasons why this is a great food tour in Rome and should be on your must do list on your visit.
Rome Food Tour:
Trastevere Food Tour in Rome with The Roman Guy: Why do it?
- Small group tour
- Knowledgeable and personable guides
- Selection of the best food in Rome
Any visitor to Rome surely puts food high on their list of things to do. After all, Rome is known not only for their history but for their cuisine which is popular all over the world. Being in Rome gives you a chance to sample truly authentic Roman food. It’s very easy to fall prey to the overpriced eateries that surround popular sights such as the Colosseum and Spanish Steps.
I’ve heard people complain of the food eaten at such places as being truly horrible. Of course they are. They are pandering to the masses and are just in it for quick money. This is where The Roman Guy and their Best Rome Food Tour comes in. They take the guesswork out of the equation and take you to the little gems, even in the popular areas. A walking food tour should be on your list of things to do in Rome.
One of my favorite things about The Roman Guy is the fact that they only do small group tours. Maximum size is ten. This makes it really easy for the guide to communicate with everyone and keep track. On our particular tour, we actually had a group of 2 other couples aside from us. It was a perfect size and we became fast friends by the end of the evening. It turned out that each couple were from the States as well so we never ran out of conversation. One couple had just gotten off a cruise ship while the other couple were just out to discover Italy on the whole.
Rome Food Tour Starters:
Wine and Cheese:
Our guide Luca was an awesome one. He was prompt and we set off on time. We met up at a plaza that was in the Campo de Fiori area, a neighborhood l have written about previously. Our first stop was to sample some yummy Italian cheeses at a little shop. The store actually has no name :-). Its reputation sealed over the years, there is no advertisement of any kind, just a door, and rows of cheese. In the back room, we were able to sample seven different kinds of cheese, including Pecorino Romano Cheese (with a spicy kick), real Parmesan, and Burrata (firm on the outside and so soft and creamy on the inside.
Burrata is my favorite and l love the fact that we can find it in the grocery store here in Spain), Buffalo mozzarella (Federico’s favorite. He could exist on just this alone. I like it too, but love the extra step that makes it burrata), and aged Sardinian cheese. There was also a saffron-flavored one that just tasted so delicate. All tastings were accompanied by some prosecco between tasting to cleanse the palette. The history of each type of cheese was described to us by a very knowledgeable Luca. The aging times ranged from one week to one year for the ones we tasted.
Baccala in Rome is a must!
From there it was on to my absolute favourite part of the tour. Baccala is one of the most popular street food snacks in Rome. It is deep fried cod fish. Long time readers of the blog know l have mentioned this particular place before. It is just a tiny little shop that specializes in this delicacy and it’s not unusual to find lines snaking around the little square when they’re open. No need to sit, just get yours and eat as you walk.
We were there with this guided tour (another advantage of being with The Roman Guy, the welcome mat) and were ushered to a saved table. We were served piping hot baccala and we tucked into it properly, along with some more wine. Trust me when l say this is something you need to eat in Rome. It’s simply mouth-watering and so, so delicious. Flaky on the inside and the outside is crunchy. I’ve had baccala in Spain and in Portugal, but prefer the way it is done at this tiny hole-in-the-wall place.
Our next spot brought us to the Trastevere area, one of the liveliest and picturesque areas of Rome. Crossing from the Campo de Fiori area, you cross the Ponte Sisto bridge. Despite the fact that l had crossed the bridge quite a few times, I had no knowledge of its history. This was righted by Luca and his history lesson which l enjoyed thoroughly.
Bruschetta in Rome on a food tour:
What is Bruschetta? It’s simply an antipasto (starter) of toasted Italian bread with various toppings. Our next stop was to an antipasto place where they only served organic farm-to-table foods. From what l understood, the offerings change daily depending on what farm products were delivered. On this particular evening, we had bruschetta with carrots and also the traditional tomato.
I had secretly hoped for the more traditional Roman one which is simply rubbed garlic, salt, pepper, and olive oil on plain bread. I shouldn’t have worried as it was on the menu down the line. All this with more wine of course! We also had helpings of prosciutto and Coppa (pork cold cut).
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Eating Italian Food: Main
Pizza: a must on Rome tours
Since you can not mention Italian food without mentioning pizza, it was a no-brainer that we had to go by a pizzeria. This pizzeria is famous for the delicious variety of its pizza al taglio which means by the cut. We sampled a couple, the classic Margherita – plain with tomato and mozzarella, the other with potato and rosemary. I didn’t have any as l was full by then :-).
Federico was more than happy to eat my share and said the tomato one was one of the best he has had in his life. That’s saying a lot as he loves pizza. The only complaint l heard from the other couples was that the portions could have been bigger, so small disappointment there. Someone requested a third kind and Luca got it for her.
Pasta in Rome:
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Our next stop brought us to a very popular and crowded restaurant in a plaza right in the center of Trastevere. Once again, we had a reserved table on the outside patio. Along with wine, we were served a dish containing two types of pasta. Along with this, some more bruschetta (including the Roman type), Crostini, and Prosciutto melon (love it). You can imagine how completely full l was by then. I think all the women were, but the men looked like they could have eaten more. The good thing is that you could ask for seconds, but l could barely finish what was on my plate.
Rome Eating Tour: Dessert
Gelato:
A perfect ending to one of the best food tours in Rome, Italy concluded at last with a stop at a gelateria. This was my second favorite stop. I love gelato. Luca explained to us the difference between gelato and ice cream. Gelato is denser as it uses less cream and more milk and is churned slower. He also told us how to spot a true gelateria as opposed to the ones who skimp. We had our choice of two flavors. I chose pistachio and coconut. Absolutely awesome. Tip: Get a cone. You get more as opposed to the cup :-).
Thoughts on The Roman Guy Walking Food Tour:
Our Rome walking food tour of Trastevere ended with our dessert. The three hours flew by, thanks to the wonderful Luca and our very friendly companions. I wouldn’t hesitate to take it again and definitely recommend The Roman Guy. They take you to sample some of the best Italian food in Rome, and at places, you would never find by yourself as a tourist in Rome. Take it from a Roman, the food is awesome.
They have a rotation of several places so the tour differs. My advice to you is to come with an empty stomach and have on extremely comfortable shoes to fully enjoy the experience since there is a lot of walking. You will not be disappointed with what l believe is the best food tour in Rome.
Pin it for later:
Have you been to Rome? If yes, did you take a food tour? What was your favorite food in Rome? If not, would you like to visit and take a walking foodie tour of Rome?
I love this post!!!
Thanks so much 🙂
Ah, such a mouth watering article! The Bruschetta look absolutely amazing and I wouldn’t mind sampling all those pizzas, to be honest!
This type of tour is perfect for those who look to discover the authentic taste in a touristy area. Usually, we’re attracted by large restaurants and shiny places, when the real delights are hidden from the tourist’s eye. Great stuff!
Aha! I can just picture you drooling too :-)! I think Federico would have liked to sample all the pizza as well. I can’t tell you how much he loved the margherita pizza which l just don’t get. I like condiments on my pizza. He said he was so happy l declined mine but l was so full already at that point. It’s true, these places are hiding in plain sight. It’s a perfect way to find some awesome authentic places to eat good good.
I wish I had known about this food tour when I last visited Rome…don’t need an excuse to visit Rome again, but this food tour is definitely a good one. Italian food is just superb…I love it. Finishing with a gelato…perfect😄
Gilda, I can’t think of a better excuse to revisit Rome! Food! The samples of food were so good. I still dream of some of the saffron cheese that was so good. Who would have thought it as l am not a big lover of cheese except for burrata and mozzarella. It was a fantastic tour and yep..the gelato was the happy ending :-).
We have taken several walking tours, but never a “food tour” when we visit a new city. What a great way to discover local places. I pinned your recommendation for the next time we are in Rome.
It’s an awesome way to real get the taste of the city. The comments from the other couple were telling as the food was different from the Americanized versions :-). Now, you have a delicious reason to go back :-). I think you really would enjoy the tour. I was actually thinking of you that day..haha! I bought a pair of Skechers go walk while there and wore them for the first time that evening. You are right..very comfy for flat feet and now part of my walking shoes arsenal :-).
Funny, I suspected that the “portions are too small” came from an American!
So cool about the shoes. Skechers needs to pay me for advertising! When they get gross, just throw them in the wash – air dry.
Haha! Yes..I forget about the portions in America.. :-). Yeah, the shoes are really comfy and are fast becoming in my top 4. Will do as far as washing them. My MIL got 2 pairs as she spends a lot of time on her feet and is loving them so far. I tried to talk her into the Nikes Sequent 2 which l love but she said even though she loved them she could get 2 pairs of the Skechers for the price of that. Can’t beat that logic :-). They should pay you for advertising, I agree..
The reason, a ‘selection of the best food in Rome’ has my vote for a walking tour. What fun and what a great sampling of so many tastes. Ah, but the gelato – that would have been the high point for me! 🙂
I know you and your love for gelato :-). We have to find one here for when you visit. It’s been more like frozen yogurt for me here since l hadn’t had any for years since we left. My highlight was definitely the baccala. The samples were awesome and at the end, I was just very full :-).
No need to stand on ceremony. Italian food is delizioso!
Yep! we loooove Italy and have been many times, but it’s been a while since we’ve been to Rome! I had planned a birthday present for Frank to go to Rome in March, while our son was on a school trip to Spain, but I didn’t want to go too far away, so we opted for Austria instead!
Our last visit to Tuscany was in 2012, but my visit to Rome was back in 2003. I don’t think they were doing food tours then!
p.s. My favourite food was real Italian pizza, home-made pasta, seafood, and lots and lots of wine!
I totally agree :-). Austria is definitely a good choice as well. Still a place we need to visit and l could kick myself as we had a relative working for the embassy who had invited us to stay with her and we never could fit it in..now we have to pay :-). Pizza l can take or leave, but pasta..that has my heart. Seafood of course l don’t have to tell you how much l love it. I bet you wouldn’t mind a return visit to Rome would you? :-). I know l would as l never tire of it.
Sounds like a food tour we had in Florence! Always fun and there’s so much good food and wine in Italy. Not very many vegetarian options though on those food tours (speaking for Spanky).
Yea..you tend to miss out as a vegetarian on a lot of these tours. You’re sort of stuck with bruschetta and lots of wine and cheese..haha! That might not justify the cost. It was definitely fun! 🙂
Wow! A food tour in Rome seems like an awesome idea. I would love to experience it. How long does it last?
It was fantastic Agness, and the company of the other foodies made it even more so. It lasted just a few minutes over 3 hours :-).
Gorgeous tour, you inspired me. I love Italian food. I will need to go on such a tour!
Glad to hear it Tori. This was such an excellent tour, and now l’m hungry again :-).