For some reason Giggetto gets a bad rap from a lot of people. They think it’s too touristy, or don’t like their food. But I’ve been going there since I was 12, and can truthfully say I have never had a bad meal here. In fact, it is one of my favorite restaurants in Rome.
Don’t look to Giggetto for fancy, or creative. Do run here for all the Roman classics – amatriciana, carbonara and gricia are all excellent. Since they are located in Rome’s Jewish Ghetto, they naturally specialize in Roman Jewish dishes, and have been doing so long before it became trendy.
My favorite are, of course, the famous Carciofi alla Giudea: deep- fried artichokes. Absolutely do not leave Rome without having tried one. To see how they are made, I’ve posted a video (with me) getting a behind the scenes tour at Giggetto, at the end of this post. I was there last week and my favorite waiter was there as he always is, every Tuesday and Thursday, prepping cases and cases of artichokes for frying.
And just to be clear, Giggetto uses fresh, local Roman artichokes when they are in season. But they do extend the period by importing gorgeous artichokes violettes from the south of France. Me? I’m ok with that. A lot of my colleagues moan about not everything being 100% local, but….well…these ones taste pretty darn good.
I took these photos last week, when I stopped by for lunch. We started out with the carciofi (of course) which were perfectly crispy on the the outside, and melt-in-your-mouth tender near the heart. The zucchini flowers were the first of the season and stuffed with a salty anchovy before they were deep fried in batter.
The gricia was among the best I’ve had, made with hand made taglierini. The dish came with a mountain of freshly grated fluffy pecorino on top, and just enough pasta water at the bottom of the dish. A few twists of a spoon and fork and it was perfectly amalgamated in a creamy richness flecked with pepper.
Our main course were a few grilled baby lamb chops, abbacchio scottaditto, with a side of vignarola (the last of the season).
The location, right under the ruins of Portico D’Ottavio, can’t be beat, so sit outside if weather permits. The restaurant is still family run, and the brothers are very much in charge with mamma behind the cash register. Stefano, the older brother, actually owns the bakery next door, Dolce Roma, which supplies very non-traditional (sacher torte and cheese cake) desserts, so make sure you save room.
Giggetto
Via Portico d’Ottavia 21/a
Rome
06 686 1105
I am definetaly going there on my next visit.
Loved the video! Great to hear a non-Jewish family continues the Jewish traditions!
that pasta looks to die for!!! delicious!!
Yes!!! Let the snobs go elsewhere. I plan to have. Artichokes and tripe at least twice next month.
Thank you for absolutely wonderful blogs which make me always want to be in Rome right NOW!!! (and to be eating/shopping wherever you are talking about). You are amazing. Please don’t stop!
Nellie: yes, you have to try it!
Italy Vacation: It was fun making the video.
Mary: It was delicious!
Ed: I hope there will be artichokes when you get here.
Anonymous: Thanks so much!
My mouth is watering. So glad I’ve found this blog. Thanks, Travel & Leisure!
Nina: I haven’t seen the article in Travel & Leisure yet. Glad to hear you have, and it worked!
AHHH. I have one night in Rome and I really wanted the authentic traditional Roman Jewish food, but my one night is Monday and they’re closed!Other suggestions? how about Al Pompiere?
This is a great restaurant and one of two that I also visit when in Rome. The other – Ristorante Piccola Cuccagna is at the south entrance of Piazza Navona.
David, you could try Piperno or Pompiere, and also Sora Margerita. But I can’t say for sure if they will have artichokes or not, since this time of year they are coming from France. Piperno should have them for sure, but is much more expensive than the rest. (but a beautiful restaurant)
I find your blog a bit confusing as it is supposed to be about writing the good stuff in ROme but it seems you write more about other places (Paris, Barcelona, etc.) perhaps i have landed on the wrong page? also I love Giggetto as well but have to agree with the other bloggers who dont agree that importing food products from other countries just to suffice travellers when tourists come to Rome to eat the local foods and experience local traditions.. not to mention the carbon footprint of bringing an artichoke in from France it goes against the new movement in the world of farm to table.. look forward to more Rome articles!
Anonymous: Sorry to confuse! But if you look at the ‘about’ page of my blog, I am based in Rome, but every so often write about other great places I travel to as well. Certainly the vast majority of the posts are about Rome, then Italy, with a few posts thrown in when I travel. This being summer, I’m traveling more than usual. (expect posts about London and Sicily soon)
Regarding the artichoke issue: If you know me, and follow my blog, you’ll know I’m a big supporter of eating sustainably, locally and in season. I”m lucky to count people like Alice Waters and Michael Pollan not only as huge influences on my life, but also as personal friends. But I’m also not a fanatic (and neither are they). All I’m saying here is that I’m not going to take points off a fantastic, family run traditional restaurant like Giggetto just because their artichokes are coming from the South of France for 6 weeks of the year. If we said that every ingredient in every restaurant in Rome had to come from the surrounding countryside then I think it would be a pretty sad situation.
Yes, farm to table is the best and most fantastic way to eat whenever possible. Do you only eat locally 100% of the time? Have you had a banana lately? Or a pineapple? Or coffee for that matter. Why everyone is getting so upset about an artichoke that is coming from a part of France that used to be Italy anyway is beyond me.
I have strong beliefs, but am also flexible. Life is more enjoyable that way.
So I can’t figure out the bias against Da Giggetto either. I’ve been three times and I’ve loved the food every time. And I was surrounded by Italians, not tourists, while there (but I never go to Rome in June, July or August, either).
Last time I was in the Jewish Ghetto I tried to branch out and tried Il Pompiere — I wasn’t that impressed. I’ll go back to Sora Margherita or Da Giggetto again though, probably in September.
Brava Elizabeth! Being flexible is a good first step to enjoying life, people and food
Giggetto has always been a favorite place of mine too, including when I lived in Rome. But I was there for dinner about a month ago (about the time your post was written) and ordered those artichokes, which I have always loved. It might have been a bad night, or past the prime artichoke season, but they were so tough, they were inedible. Disappointing. The rest of the meal was not memorable either.
What a great post about one of my favourite discoveries since moving to Rome (deep-fried artichokes that is – I have yet to go to the Ghetto for a sit-down meal). I grew up eating artichokes on summer holidays in France but must admit the boiled artichokes dipped in a mustardy vinaigrette never appealed that much to me. Then when I moved to Rome I first came across the carciofi sott’olio and can’t say the little grey lumps appealed to me any more than the French way of eating artichokes. But a couple of months ago a friend from Bari came to visit me in Rome, we went to La Carbonara and he basically ordered the entire menu for our table of 5, including the deep-fried artichoke. What a revelation – I feel like a deep-fried artichoke would make the perfect accompaniment to a cold beer on a hot summer’s night, so much flavour, amazing texture, and after all the crisp leaves you are left with the sweetness of the stem and the artichoke heart.
Nice post, going here today 🙂 FYI you may want to watch your spelling. The name is Giggetto and the title is right but you only have one G elsewhere. In mapquest if you type Gigetto you get a pizza place near the Bourgese Gallery, not near Jewish Ghetto. :-). Grew up in Central Calif, Artichokes were/are a part of my life.. Can’t wait .
We are here a month in Italy, traveling around the world for 3 years ( started last October) trying to find a good cooking class, everyone is not answering their emails :-(. any ideas? Then 2 months in Florence.
Thanks for the spell check. I’m a horrid speller, in all of the languages I speak. There are great cooking classes all over Italy, not sure where you are looking.
Brava Elizabeth, definitely one of the best trattorie in Rome and THE place for Roman Jewish cooking. Love their mixed fried antipasto plate – not to miss!
Went there on my first trip to Italy in 1985. I think it was the first restaurant for dinner on that trip. I was very sad I wasn’t Italian-Italian instead of Italian-American. First time I realized there might be a difference.
I’ve come a bit late to this blog – and specifically this page – but I love it. I’ve been visiting Rome for nearly 30 years, and I’ve always enjoyed Giggetto. Casual (which other restaurants in the ghetto are not – like Pompiere), with just humbly good food. Of course, I love the artichoke season – as a Californian, I was raised on artichokes – and try to always coincide my trips with the blooming of this beautiful thistle. Giggetto knows how to make a perfect fried artichoke – but don’t forget their other dishes, like their spot-on carbonara. I’m drooling, just thinking of it right now. I might have to go home and make some! Thanks for the wonderful blog – it makes me miss Rome terribly.
Glad to hear you’re a Giggeto fan too!
I humbly suggest that in light of your praise of 2011, you revisit the restaurant. I just ate there this past week. My guests and I found the food to be uniformly mediocre at best. Do you need specifics? The artichoke was a greasy, tasteless mess as were the zucchini flowers. The veal in the Saltimbocca alla Romana was floury as was the accompanying sauce. Sometimes it’s difficult to recognize an old friend is no longer the same. Elizabeth…be brave. There are just too many wonderful restaurants in Rome to waste time, energy, money, and your appetite here.
ps Have I mentioned how bad the House Red is?