Piazza della Madonna dei Monti has long been one of my favorite squares in Rome. It is central (you can see the Colosseum if you peer down Via dei Serpenti), it has plenty of spots for sitting and chatting around the main fountain, in summer the creeping bougainvillea is unbelievably photo-worthy, and it offers a glance of daily neighborhood life as friends come together and families crisscross through.
Now that Mary Microforno (micro-bakery) has arrived, I have an even better reason to pass by. Named for the piazza (i.e., Mary for the Madonna/Virgin Mary), the tiny counter faces the square directly and offers expertly made artisanal baked goods and gelato. They also have a mix of kambucha, canned cold brew (but sadly, no hot coffee), and craft beer.
The main attraction is the pastries. There are buttery croissants (a welcome occasional change from Rome’s sweeter cornetti), and a range of sweet treats including pan Suisse and pastry-wrapped cookies(!).
The sweet pastries are flakey and perfect, but I’ll flag that they have artisan prices (around 5 euros). They are a far cry from industrial-cornetti but since there aren’t any tables or an indoor area, this is definitely a treat to take away or save for a warm morning when you have a bit of time to people watch in the piazza.
The real stars, however, are the croissant sandwiches. I took one bite of my prosciutto and cheese (from Beppe e i suoi formaggi) and I had to audibly whisper “wow.” It is the first time in a long moment that I have had something in Rome that reminded me of my beloved (and now-shuttered) Marigold bakery.
The cheese pull alone was worth the 8 euro price tag. The best toasted panino I have had in ages. This ham and cheese classic is always on the menu but you can also find seasonal flavors and vegetarian options like kale with parmigiano bechamel, butter and toasted hazelnuts.
I will be back for a savory breakfast sandwich or pop by later in the day to treat it as a lunch. The mushroom, toma cheese and honey croissant toast has my name on in.
Side note: I felt pretty old when I realized that the bakery’s little location used to be a shoe store and I definitely helped a friend pick out Camper boots here over a decade ago. But hey, proof that Rome is ancient but you can still find something new. The times they are a-slowly changing.
Mary – Microforno e Gelateria
Piazza della Madonna dei Monti, 9
Open 7:30 am – 10:30 pm every day.
