Buff Trastevere: Farm-to-Table Calabrian Food in Rome

Maybe I am dating myself, but I remember when Buff Trastevere was a Bodum store.

The French presses and simple kitchen gadgets are now gone, replaced with a cool and contemporary Calabrian eatery.

Calabrian food? In Rome?

Yep.

Everything served at Buff comes from Azienda Agricola Favella, the owner’s farm in Calabria.

That includes literally every single ingredient from wild artichokes to cheese to jams – all of which we slowly sampled as we made our way through a tagliere of goodies.

Not surprisingly, the cheeses were my favorites.

The farm does not have any cows or goats, so all the cheese served here is bufala cheese. (Get it? Buff).

Bufala cheese doesn’t age well, so expect newer and softer cheeses – all of which are excellent. There is also mozzarella, which I think I ate too quickly to photograph.

But the standout dish for me, and the one that I am still dreaming about, was this exceptional risotto.

Topped with mozzarella cream, cream of asparagus, sweet oven dried tomatoes and toasted almonds, the textures and flavors were surprising but so well harmonized that I almost wanted to order another as soon as I finished.

It was a work of art on a plate, and it is really lovely to know that every single ingredient came from the same farm – which has a big commitment to using sustainable practices.

But keeping with the bufala theme, I decided to save a second risotto for another day and we moved on to slow roasted bufala with carrots and potatoes, which was hearty and balanced.

Unbelievably, I still had room for dessert. Candied clementine oranges dipped in melted chocolate.

All at a farm-style table in the heart of Trastevere.

Buff’s modern take on Calabrian food is a welcome addition (and a welcome break from Roman classics).

It is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Buff
Via di S. Francesco a Ripa, 141
Rome, Italy (Trastevere)
+39 06 581 9667

Open everyday from 7 am – 2 am.

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