TRAPIZZINO: MODERN ROMAN STREET FOOD THAT SHOULD BE TRIED BY ALL
The Cost -$7 per person
The Atmosphere – The Trapizzino outpost located in the Trastevere neighborhood of Rome is one of the first of its 13 locations throughout Italy. It sits right in Piazza Trilusa, the heart of the charming area, which is within walking distance of famous Roman sites like the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, and Rome’s Jewish Quarter. The Trastevere location offers both indoor and outdoor dining and is an extremely popular spot for locals and tourists alike. There are no reservations available so expect a line for both take-out and dine-in if you are arriving at the restaurant during peak hours.
Chef Stefano Callegari opened the first Trapizzino location in Rome in 2013 with a menu focused on one signature dish: the Trapizzino. A triangular pizza pocket made from wheat flour and Southern Italian yeast that has been kept alive for over 100 years, each Trapizzino is stuffed with a filling that gives it a pizza-like experience when bit into. While the restaurant does offer some other food items such as suppli, we checked out Trapizzino for its namesake dish and tried three of the fourteen different filling options on the menu that day.
The Order – Pollo alla Cacciatora, Doppia Panna e Alici, and Coda alla Vaccinara Trapizzini.
The Fantastic – In what was a surprise to us, the Doppia Panna e Alici was the best Trapizzino of the meal. A pizza pocket filled with a layer of stracciatella, followed by a layer of Cantabrian anchovies and then another layer of stracciatella, the flavors were classically Italian and were on point. The stracciatella, the inside cheese content of burrata, was creamy and delicious while the anchovies gave each bite a salty and slightly fishy taste which was delightful without being overpowering. This triangle of happiness is a must-order for anyone who is not completely turned off by the idea of fresh anchovies.
The Great – The original, and most popular, Trapizzino is the Pollo alla Cacciatora (chicken cacciatore) and it did not disappoint. The pizza pocket was filled with large chunks of chicken in a lovely cacciatore sauce made with white wine and rosemary. The chicken was nicely prepared and had good flavor and the filling really went well with the excellent dough that makes up the pizza triangle which has a bit of a crusty outside and a soft inside. Given the more universal appeal of chicken cacciatore as compared to anchovies, it is easy to see why this Trappizino is the most frequently ordered one.
A modern Roman dish, coda alla vaccinara is a stew that features oxtail that is braised with tomatoes, red wine, celery and a number of other vegetables. The Coda alla Vaccinara Trapazzino takes a wonderful version of that stew and uses It to fill the same triangular dough pocket used in the restaurant’s other Trapizzini. Overall, this Trapizzino does feel a bit different because the stew makes it taste a little less like pizza but that doesn’t take away from the fact that it is very tasty. The coda alla vaccinara is the most like home-style comfort food out of the order and is a great way to try a classic Roman dish in a fun way.
The Verdict – The Trapizzini at Trapizzino are excellent and the restaurant’s budget-friendly, yet high-quality food makes Trapizzino a great dining option for most. It is a place that should definitely be on your list if you are looking for a casual meal in Rome and we expect the restaurant to open more locations throughout Italy and the rest of the world in years to come. But know that if Italy isn’t in your plans anytime soon, there is now a Trapizzino location in New York that offers many of the same menu items as the eatery’s Italian outposts, though we have not yet been there to confirm whether the food is as great.