For a country that literally borders France, Italy does bread terribly.
It is as though this country focused all of its collective passion for carbs on pasta and forgot about bread entirely.
Well, Italy is also prey-ty good at pizza. So when I need bread in Rome, I actually usually go for pizza bianca from Forno Campo de’ Fiori or Roscioli.
But even the perfect pizza can only get you so far, so I had to seek out Rome’s newish French bakery Le Levain.
Le Levain’s French trained Giuseppe Solfrizzi has packed the bakery with sweets and savories. Croissants, croque monsieurs, pain au chocolate…
I did not stay for lunch but the mix of seasonal and classic offerings looked fantastic.
Le Levain could also be a good choice for a cozy aperitivo. They have a selection of all natural wines and will slice up a croissant sandwich for you.
However, I had baked goods on my mind so I ordered a baguette (€1.60) and a few macarons (€1.20 each) and skeedattled.
As soon as I got outside and ripped the bag open, I knew that I had found it.
The Holy Grail.
Good bread in Rome.
I arrived triumphantly home to an equally-bread-loving and very excited Irish husband who had already called me en route to ensure the endeavor had been successful.
We had one of those silent marital standoffs, where you try not to care who really has the bigger half, but you definitely know the other person got more baguette and though you love them, you also cannot speak to them right now.
Instead of talking, we sliced the baguette and drizzled it with olive oil (new, naturally) and coarse sea salt.
It was delicious. We ate it all and momentarily banished any thoughts of a real dinner.
The only thing, I promised myself, is that I would still make dinner at some point.
I definitely would not eat the macarons for dinner.
I 100% ate those macarons for dinner.
I 0% regret it.
Le Levain
Via Luigi Santini, 22-23,
00153 Roma, Italy
Open: 8:00-20:30 Tuesday-Sunday.
Greetings from America — I found your blog by chance while searching for something else and am so glad I found it. Your bits on things to see and do in Rome are great.
Hi Tom! Thanks so much– I am so glad to hear that!
Haha I feel the same about bread in Italy, I mean it can be pretty good (hello Princi Milano) but it can also be quite meh a lot of the time (as can their cakes be oh my GOD they do not know how to make cakes!!) I made the mistake of telling my colleagues this when I was still living there. They were not best pleased! xxx
Lucy @ La Lingua Italy
Haha! This is my biggest thing about Italy.. fantastic places to eat can be super inconsistent. But when you need bread, you need bread!!
TBH, I think (Canadian living in Rome) that the bread if pretty good, but yah, the baguettes suck. Even the baguettes at Le Levain, while miles beyond other baguettes is not what I truly desire. But their Kouign Amann, wawaweewa!
emmm, I am not sure how to take this.
with the amount of bakeries Panifico, and panetterias on almost every block! I find it hard to believe the bread is bad! I dont know, I am from Turin (closest to france?) LOL but I know in the south BRead is wonderful,and many bakeries which focus on fresh bread is amazing. the pastries too.
I can not compare with France because I havent really traveled much in france.
Cakes? yes, italy is certainly behind the times when it comes to cakes and pastries compared to Japan, USA, and Australia, NZ, or the UK. etc.
It seems Italy just love to stick with all things Italian only.