la fucina {pizza in rome}

I’m not sure if it’s a good thing or a bad thing that all of the best pizzerias in Rome are in hard to reach neighborhoods. If they were closer to where I lived, I would go more often. But if they were closer to where I lived, then I would go more often. Double edged sword if you understand what I mean.

In any case I made the effort to head up to La Fucina a few weeks ago. This is one of the better known pizzerias in Rome, and is located off the Via Portuense. In other words: far off my usual beaten track. But my friend offered to drive, and so I was very happy (and grateful) passenger


La Fucina is known for a few things. The superb quality of their pizzas and the inventive toppings they layer on.

But these two things definitely come at a price. La Fucina is also known for the more than usual cost of their pizzas. 22 to 34 Euros for a pizza? Please stay with me, it starts to make more sense once you get there.

First of all, the pizzas are big. And made to be split. And this is another completely unique thing about La Fucina. You decide on several pizzas for the entire table, and then the owner decides which order they should be served in. They then start to come to the table, one after the other, each taking their turn. And each already sliced into 8 neat and tidy servings.

This is fantastic! Especially if you’re like me and want to try at least four different pizzas. You can! And not be called a pig.

And speaking of pig. When you decide to go , make sure you and your friends are kind of on the same page when it comes to toppings. We went with a no pork guy one night, and so didn’t get to indulge as much as we would have liked into the whole lard and mortadella thing.

But it was all very good, and even the no-pork options were creative and delicious.

We started out – as per the owner’s suggestion – with a ‘simple’ margherita. Tomatoes, mozzarella and basil. Sounds simple, but was anything but. The San Marzano tomatoes were bursting with the taste of summer, and the mozzarella was scattered across the top, barely melted and still oozing with tenderness, just as it should be. And at 12 euros, this pizza was considered one of the classic pizzas.

We then went for a pumpkin and potato pizza, topped with delicate shavings of aged parmigiano. Both pumpkin and potato had were jullienned, and gently steamed before finding their way to the crust. The sharp cheese was the perfect balance to their sweetness.

My favorite was the pizza made with barely wilted Swiss card then topped with conciata di san vittorio (a type of pecorino from DOL) and finally glistening ribbons of guanciale.

And like most of the great pizzerias these days, there is a fantastic craft beer list.

Pizzerias are not usually known for their desserts, but the chocolate gelato bomba filled with raspberries was completely out of this world. We were all fighting over the two we ordered for the tables.

This is definitely the kind of place you have to know about. We were absolutely the only English speakers there, and there was not a tourist in site. On a Friday night it was full to the brim with big Italian families, groups of friends and…us. Everyone with huge pizzas in the center of the tables. And everyone very happy.

La Fucina
Via Giuseppe Lunati 25/31
06.559.3368
Open Sunday – Friday (closed Saturday)