AmyJB

Hi there,

I now live in Rome and wondered if anyone could recommend where to buy the best produce from. I know there are markets but I don't know when they are open/closed and I really need to find the best place for fish cos I'm quite picky and my local supermarket doesn't come up to scratch!

Also the best food in season, probably farmers markets? I live in the Re di Roma area but am quite willing to travel.

Asian cuisine - spices/chillies
Health food shops?

And what do you reckon is the best (closest to British, so actually prob not as healthy) butter? I miss the stuff back home - the butter here is really hard but the margarine is awful!!

I have seen some shops selling english food, but for crazzzzy prices, but if anyone knows an english supermarket nearby?

I know Italian food is fantastic and everything but I really have had enough pasta now....show me the shepherds pie!

duffer

The budget supermarkets are worth a try every now and again as they are sourcing stuff from various places. Try Lidl, D-Piu' and Prix Quality. But there will probably be chains local to Roma as well. Ask around for your local Discount supermercato. What I find is that the stuff sells out very quickly. The other week my OH found some cranberry juice in Lidl and bought 2 cartons. I went back the day later to get some more but they were all gone!

chris120

You said you can travel so the best place to buy fish is off the dock at Fiumicino just about any day except sundays or if there have been storms

AmyJB

Brilliant thanks! A bit of a hike, but that's about as fresh as actually jumping in and getting them yourself!

Do you know exactly whereabouts to buy it?

chris120

Well you will find various people selling along the harbour wall towards the sea but probably the most choice is from the small fisherman's market where there are lots of stalls near Via del Pesce Volante & Via delle Carpe

Mick_P

Welcome to Roma.

Piazza Vittorio market (no longer in the actual square, but just off it and under cover) is extremely varied and also carries a lot of fish. Whether or not it's up to your standards is another matter, but especially if you go on a Friday you'lll find some good stuff. That market is also very good for Asian spices and a more exotic variety of fruit and veg than you're likely to get elsewhere. Many of the stalls are run by Asians, but there are also Polish and Filipino stalls among others.

Just round the corner from the market, on Via dello Statuto (about 150 yards down that road on your left, coming from the piazza), there's a tiny shop (just after a fur shop called 'Jenny') called something like International Foods, which sells all manner of Asian and African spices etc. Also certain British brands, such as tea and sauces.

A word of warning about flour. Whether you buy your flour at Piazza Vittorio or that small shop I mentioned - we like less usual flours such as chick pea (farina di ceci), or oat flour (farina d'avena) - freeze it for 24 hours when you get home. We've frequently had a problem with moth infestation, which is quite common. Sounds disgusting, but honestly, if you freeze the flour it kills any eggs and you're non the wiser.

Rome is full of local markets and many of the stall holders are also the growers - it's like having a farmers' market in most neighbourhoods and on most days. The one near to us (Mercato Ostiense) is crammed with great stalls full of extremely fresh, seasonal local produce. Just ask around your area for the mercato. Otherwise, if you don't mind coming across town, you could try Testaccio market, which is very good.

Though we avoid supermarkets when possible, my wife rates the fish at the GS chain.

As far as butter goes, there's an excellent one called Burro Occelli which is available at various supermarkets. I think it won some British good food award some years ago.

Ask if you have any more questions. Buon appetito!

Mick

Mick_P

I just wrote a long reply to you and got an 'invalid' response when posting, and against my better judgement failed to copy the text before posting - just in case. So this will be a briefer verision. Sorry if I sound brusque:

Fish, Asian foods/veg, Italian fruit & veg: Piazza Vittorio market (no longer in the actual piazza, but in a covered building just off it. Ask anyone to point you to it. Big, busy, interesting. Best fish on Friday, of course.

Asian/foreign food shop: off Piazza Vittorio on Via dello Statuto. Walking from the piazza, about 150 yards down on your left, just after a fur shop called 'Jenny' there's a tiny shop called something like International Foods. Lots of interesting things in there, including some British brands, such as tea. Loads of spices and interesting raw ingredients, also Jamaican hot sauces and that sort of thing.

Fish: my wife rates the fish counter in the GS chain of supermarkets.

Markets generally: Rome is full of local markets, just ask in your area where the mercato is. Many stalls are run by people who grow their own produce, so it's like having farmers' markets all over the place and most days. You'll soon learn which are the best stalls, and produce should be very fresh, seasonal and local. These are things people pay a premium for in Britain, but it's the norm here. Don't accept anything less.

If you don't find anything you like in your area, Testaccio market is very good.

Butter: Burro Occelli is excellent and available at various supermarkets. It won some Briish food award a few years back.

Any more questions, just ask. Buon appetito!

Mick

AmyJB

Wow, thank you that was brilliant - I'm not a fish conosieur (hmm, can't spell it), but I just wonder how fresh it is, I'm sure that market is fine. By-the-by do you know the names of fish here such as Cod/Haddock in Italian?

I grabbed some white fish before but it tasted a bit strange - frankly I just don't know what I'm buying! I've been told to stay away from a certain fish that lives in Vietnam, as it is cheap here but grew up in disgusting waters!

I'll certainly check those places out. But yuk! Didn't think about the flour, I have just bought some from the supermarket and think I might stick to it!

TestaRossa

I'll pass that on to my OH in Spain - he has been wondering how they get into the flour when it is in an airtight jar!! This is from places like Lidl in Spain in normal flour. No matter how tightly they pack it it still gets them in - now you have explained it!