Whether shopping for ingredients to cook a meal while staying in Rome, or getting a taste of street food, wine and cheese, the Eternal City’s Trionfale Market is a culinary destination.
If it’s your first time at the market, which opened at the turn of the century and had a makeover in 2009, one strategy is to let your senses guide you to vendors with rows of cheese, heaps of tomatoes, and the catch of the day on ice. But some first-timers might want an expert to show them the way as with the Taste of Trionfale, from The Roman Food Tour. To get oriented before your next trip to Rome, this guide will help you savor the highlights of the Trionfale Market.
Get the lay of the land at Rome Trionfale Market
With its central location in the Prati neighborhood and minutes from the Vatican Museum, the market is popular with Rome residents and visitors alike, whether to buy daily produce or a quick meal. Closed on Sundays, and open from 7am to 2.30pm Mondays to Thursdays, timing is key — if you want to buy the freshest produce or fish, it’s best to come early. For an evening visit, you’ll have to stick to Fridays or Saturdays when the market is bustling until 11pm (but note that some vendors may close earlier).
With more than 200 food stalls, primarily with fresh produce and ready-made meals to reheat and or eat on the go, a quick study of the color coding system will help you find your way: produce vendors have green awnings, meat is red, fish is blue and yellow is for pasta and bakeries.
Starting from the main entrance and walking through the central hall, you’ll find stands that have held a post in the market the longest, with some dating as far back as the 1920s.
Taste what’s local, from cheese to honey
There are some foods you probably don’t want to leave Rome without trying, among them Pecorino Romano, whether alone, on pasta, or as part of an antipasti spread.
At Fratelli del Savio (stand #266) you can try Pecorino Romano, buffalo mozzarella and parmigiana di melanzane — they’ll reheat the parmigiana for you to eat right away or you can take it with you for later.
For eggs straight from the farm, with a focus on organic (an essential ingredient for pasta Carbonara), there’s Da Peppino (stand #192) one of the market’s longest running vendors, open since the 1920s. While organic eggs of all sizes are the main draw, Peppino also sells jams and honey.
Not all of the stands are standing-room-only and at Giovale Formaggi, you can sit down for a glass of wine, paired with cheese and antipasto plates, making stands 227 and 228 worth a longer stop.
Get your fill of pasta and porchetta
For fresh pasta, many sources agree that you’ll want to try Mani in Pasta (stand #229), which translates to hands in pasta. There, it’s not easy to decide which ones to choose among lasagne, ravioli and fettuccine. Though there’s only fresh pasta to cook at home here, there’s also an assortment of fried foods, such as suppli, a fried rice ball similar to Sicilian arancini.
There’s one compelling reason to go to Ivo and Arsenio (stand #102), and that’s porchetta romana from Leoni Randolfo from Ariccia, just southwest of Rome, following a recipe that’s been in the Leoni family since the 1940s. Ivo and Aresenio also sell eggs so fresh that you can eat them raw or add them to a mayonnaise or zabaione recipe.
Take a side trip for pizza
If walking through the market has your hunger in overdrive, you might consider a side trip for a pizza. Just outside the market is Pizzarium where there are dozens of types of pizza on offer such as fig and prosciutto and potato and mozzarella.
One of the best ways to get the most out of the market is to visit more than once and get lost among the vendors to see what you discover. Or sign up for a food tour to let an expert lead the way.
The Roman Food Tour offers a variety of gastronomic experiences and interactive cooking classes in Rome, Florence, Venice and Sorrento. Learn more about the tours and classes on The Roman Food Tour website.
