Chef Giuseppe Di Iorio gets away from the bustle of the Aroma restaurant by heading high up to Gianicolo Park. (
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Where do Rome’s top chefs go when they can’t stand the heat and have to get out of the kitchen? We asked chef Heinz Beck of the three-Michelin-starred La Pergola, and chef Giuseppe Di Iorio of Aroma, a Five Star Diamond Award-winner atop the Relais & Chateaux Palazzo Manfredi, for their go-to spots — and what are musts for visitors to the Eternal City.
Heinz Beck
“A good coffee bar in the city center is Ciampini (Piazza di San Lorenzo 29, http://www.ciampini.com); have your coffee outside in the piazza. For fantastic starters and very good quality fish, I go to ilSanlorenzo (Via dei Chiavari 4, ilsanlorenzo.it); plus it’s open on Mondays, my only day off. For a great selection of wine, Enoteca Trimani (Via Goito 20, trimani.com); they have a small area there to eat and drink, as well. I buy my vegetables and fruit at the Circo Massimo farmers market (Via San Teodoro 74) on Sundays [open weekends only]. Everything comes directly from the producers to the consumers.
“To relax, the Giardino Degli Aranci [in Parco Savello, on the Aventine Hill]. Near the park, look for a small square and a large gate [called the Knights of Malta] — look through the keyhole and you have a perfect view of St. Peter’s dome. The best view of Rome is from Villa d’Este (http://www.villadestetivoli.info), in Tivoli. It was a cardinal’s villa that has beautiful gardens and a fantastic fountain. In summer, when it’s very hot here, it’s cooler there, and the air is fresh. For art, Palazzo Altemps (Piazza Sant’Apollinare 46) has an impressive collection of marble and sculpture. My favorite building in Rome is the Pantheon. When I go in there, I feel the greatness of the place; even though the cupola is not so high, it just makes you feel very small.”
Chef Heinz’s must-dos: Try as many classic Roman dishes as you can including coda alla vaccinara (oxtail stew), bucatini all’amatriciana (with guanciale), maritozzo con panna (“like a brioche”) and carciofi alla giudìa (fried artichokes).
Giuseppe Di Iorio
“For coffee, Caffè Euclide (Piazza Euclide 45, leuclide.it); I live a 5-minute walk from there [in the Parioli district]. It’s great for breakfast — the best croissants — and has a classic aperitivo. It’s where the jet set of Rome comes. Restaurant Agata e Romeo (Via Carlo Alberto 45, http://www.agataeromeo.it) is the place to go for traditional Roman cuisine; it’s formal but very welcoming, too — and gives a very typical Italian experience. Inside the Westin Excelsior (Via Veneto 125, starwoodhotels.com), the Doney Bar [also called H Club>Doney] is a relaxing place for a drink. It’s upscale, with DJs, but it is for everyone ages 25 to 75. I go there with my team after midnight; there’s nice music and nice people. For fruits and vegetables, I go to the Trastevere Market at Piazza San Cosimato, one of the oldest in Rome and filled with Romans shopping. The best view of the city is from Gianicolo Park [on Janiculum Hill]; it’s a classic view. I go there to relax at lunchtime, eat ice cream, just take a walk. Every day at noon a cannon fires [to indicate the time].”
Chef Di Iorio’s must-dos: Visit a typical Italian market: “There’s lots of screaming, lots of communicating with hands; it’s fun.” And do Rome by night: “Walking around, going to bars — the city is less crowded with tourists and becomes very romantic; do this and you’ll live the Italian lifestyle.”