Restaurant review | Fast Food, Italian Style

If you saw my last foodie post and enjoyed it, you’ll be in shock with this one. Yes, I do love my fine dining experiences and all that beautifully presented food, but sometimes a three-and-a-half hour meal ain’t gonna cut it. Hangry Luce isn’t a good thing, sometimes a girl has just gotta eat and eat now! So yeah, I’m talking fast food today – but not like Maccy’s and that crap, proper Italian fast food! Surprisingly, it’s something they excel at. I just had to share these two places I visited in Rome, because they are well worth checking out if you’re in the city and just need a pit stop!

Paninoteca Slurp - Via Degli Scipioni 62, 00192 Rome (Trip Advisor)

After visiting The Vatican, I came across the little sandwich shop and had seen the reviews on Trip Advisor were decent. I loved that this place was away from the tourist traps and there were even locals sitting in, having a casual lunch together. Predominantly a sandwich shop, Paninoteca Slurp also serves large salad bowls and pasta dishes – with a deli counter showcasing various meats and cheeses. Of course, it was a sandwich I went for – and this was no ordinary sandwich. For 6€, I got a freshly made sandwich and drink – and you could genuinely not even compare this to Subway; it was unreal! The bread was slightly toasted, so the outside was super crunchy, but the middle was soft and doughy. It was perfect. I chose mozzarella, prosciutto and tomato with ‘special sauce’, which was winning combination. There was even a large joint of pork that had been slow-cooked, which was served with rocket and that was amazing too! It’s only a small place with seating for about 10, so if there’s no room to eat in, definitely get a takeaway!

Bottega Rocchi - Via Del Caravita, 9, 00186 Rome (Trip Advisor)

So this place is a little different, on arrival you place your order and your guided to your table by the owner. You’re then free to help yourself to drink and then wait until your name is called to collect your food. It’s plastic cutlery, but food is incredible – and the portion sizes large. The restaurant has that diner-meets-trattoria feel and if you don’t wish to stay, there’s a deli and takeaway service directly next door. Obviously choosing as you walk in, I panicked and went for the chicken salad (one of my favourites) but was pleasantly surprised to see a giant salad bowl of leaves, tomatoes, peppers, carrots, sweetcorn and olives with plenty of beautifully marinated and grilled chicken. I was also given the option of olive oil and balsamic and went for both. It was so filling. When you’re ready to go, you just go to the counter and pay. The pizzas and pasta dishes looked really good too – there were queues of people outside the shop waiting to collect their takeaway pizza.

Don’t you just love it when you find a little gem like these?

Love, Lucy xx