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As much as all these “OMG I’M FINALLY ABLE TO TRAVEL AGAIN” posts are probably getting tired and old, they’re the truth. Some might say I’ve been overly cautious; not even traveling to the city except for absolute necessities, and only leaving my house to buy groceries or walk the dog, but I’d rather be safe than sorry. So it’s my turn to finally say: “It feels good to get on a train and see somewhere other than my own four walls.” I was beginning to wonder if the world outside my town still existed. Luckily, it did. And when you live in South Italy and you need a breath of cosmopolitan air, there’s no better place than Rome.
It felt great to be outside again, in the thick of it, walking around in a bustling city and going about my business. And the fact that I could eat out worry-free? Incredible. Just hearing the city noises and watching people go about their daily lives… It was cathartic. I didn’t do anything special– nothing touristy– I just ate, ate, and ate some more.
After checking into a typically Roman apartment in the lovely Pigneto area, it was lunchtime. My first stop was just around the corner:
Vitaminas 24
Vitaminas is a cute little plant-based bistro with lots of delicious options in the menu. I had a lentil “meat”loaf with asparagus and carrots, and my husband had a beetroot burger.
The next day, it was off to another part of town.
Piazza Testaccio: a truly Roman square
As I sip my second coffee of the day at Gran Caffè Testaccio, overlooking the square, I realise it’s the perfect place for people-watching. So I look around. All I see are people: old people, young people, and everyone in between. They’re having their second breakfast, buying daily groceries, discussing what to prepare for lunch, reading the paper, doing crosswords, meeting friends, and children running around with water balloons. You can tell that this area is still untouched by mass tourism and you get a feel of what life in Rome might be. Of course, you can still see local life in other, more famous neighbourhoods like Prati and Monti, but there are always throngs of tourists. Testaccio still fells like the real Rome, whatever that might be.
Testaccio offers a variety of shops and well-known restaurants. The next time I go to Rome, I will definitely be staying here to really get a feel of the place.
Emporio delle Spezie
This shop is tiny– miniature even. You can smell it from a block away. And that’s a good thing. The owner is super helpful and knowledgeable, and she helped me pick out some great stuff. I also got some spices that are harder to find in my neck of the woods.
Mercato Testaccio
This bustling local market is not only filled with produce, flower, and food stalls, but it also has one of the city’s only exclusively vegan stalls. Definitely worth a visit to speak with local producers and have a quick bite. I didn’t, but it’s a great spot to do it. Next, it was lunchtime.
Marigold
Tucked away off a main road, I’m not sure I would have found it if I wasn’t looking for it. It’s wonderfully not Roman. It’s nowhere close to being your typical Roman spot. It was a wonderful breath of fresh air on a hot day. I felt like I was transported back to my Shanghai days. It has friendly staff, great advice, organic wines, and fresh and seasonal food.
Grilled asparagus, plums, hazelnuts, tahini 
Spelt, quinoa, marinated apricots, pecan nuts, green beans
Gli Esploratori
Essentially a bookstore that sells wine (and food too); need I say more? I found this place on Le Strade di Roma. It seemed like an interesting place to explore. This place also hosts events, and the night that I was there, there happened to be a presentation about Contemporary Italian Cinema. Unfortunately, I didn’t hear any of it, since covid restrictions limited the number of people indoors, but people seemed to be reacting positively. It was a fun night.
Yalla Yalla
Just around the corner from the Colosseum, I stumbled upon Yalla Yalla: typical Lebanese street food. It reminded me of my university days when I would grab a quick bite during my lunch break at one of the many nearby Lebanese restaurants. I ordered all the plant based options, which were: Fattouch, Hummus, Tabouleh, Warak Enab, and the Batata Harra.
Dundun
Of course, Dundun had to make an appearance. She loves tagging along to different cafés, restaurants, and shops. She had her own culinary tour of Rome too, lying at my feet eating her kibble and anything I could spare from my dish. Most of the places I went to was very happy to provide her with some water and a few ear scritches.
Iamotti Gelateria
While walking around, looking for Gli Esploratori, I happened upon Gelateria Iamotti and figured Why not? Not only did they have vegan flavours, they had more than the typical two: dark chocolate and exactly one fruit. We were spoilt for choice! All their vegan options were made in-house and were nut-flavoured. While my husband waited outside, I went in to grab a cup to share, but after one bite, he knew he would need his own, so we went in an ordered another. As you can tell from the photo, we couldn’t wait to take a picture.
I had pistacchio, nocciola, and croccante di mandorla. Mike had crema di nocciola, noce, and mandorla.
Two other places unfortunately didn’t make this post because I was enjoying the food too much to remember to take photos. They are: Veg-Joy. Located in the San Giovanni area, down an eerily empty lane between two residential buildings, this small vegan bistro has a full menu that is guaranteed to satisfy. Ma và: a fully-fledged Roman restaurant, where you can get veganised versions of all the classic Roman fare.