Volpetti Specialty Food Store in Rome’s Testaccio Neighborhood

When I first moved to Rome, Amazon was a pipe dream.

Yelp? Didn’t yet exist here.

(Not that it would have mattered so much, because though I paid handsomely, my internet barely functioned).

And just so we are clear on timelines: New York got Eataly before Rome did.

All this to say- if you needed something specific, you were going to have to go out and find it yourself.

So before Eataly, there was Volpetti.

Located just up the street from the Non-Catholic Cemetery, on the edge of Testaccio, Volpetti is still where I head when I need ricotta salata because my Sicily-withdrawals are becoming too acute to ignore.

Cheese and meat, wines and olives, pasta and pates. There is goodness a-plenty on display in this small gourmet food shop.

If you want to really impress at a picnic, stop here for your tagliere di salumi.

At Volpetti, you will pay for the quality but the prices are fair for the incredible selection. 

 

You can’t take all the food from Italy to the US, but it is a great place to stock up on Rome souvenirs in the form of dried pasta, unique conserves, and extra virgin olive oil.

If you can’t wait until you get home to eat it all (or just want to sample some of the glorious deli offerings yourself), I suggest ordering a sandwich. Anything behind the glass (and the meats in the back shelf) can be cut and placed on your choice of bread, then wrapped up to go. You simply pay based on weight, the same price as if you were taking the ingredients individually, but they are magically transformed into a panino.

If you prefer a sit-down meal, Taverna Volpetti is a lovely bistro-style restaurant around the corner. 

Volpetti was sold by the family who founded it a few years ago, which is when the tavola calda closed and the fancier taverna opened. I personally think that the quality and service is still as lovely as always.

Volpetti
Via Marmorata, 47,
00153 Roma, Italy

Open: Monday to Friday, 8:00 am – 2:00 pm, and again from 5:00 pm to 8:15 pm.  Saturdays continuous hours from 8:00 am – 8:00 pm. Closed Sundays.