Oddly enough I’ve never written a stand alone blog post on Piperno. This is, if memory serves me correctly, one of the first restaurants I ever went to with my parents when we lived in Rome in the ‘seventies. And it continues to be one of my father’s favorite places which means I’ve been there about 4000 times since then.
Piperno’s, in case you don’t know it, is one of the oldest restaurants in the neighborhood of the Jewish Ghetto. (Although whether or not it is precisely in the Ghetto or not is a topic I’ve been discussing with my father lately. He says it’s definitely not in the Ghetto. I always thought it was. The website is somewhat vague, saying it’s on the boarder. I’m not 100% sure it matters food wise.)
Like all of the other original restaurants in the neighborhood (Giggetto, Sora Margherita and Pompiere) Piperno’s, while serving some Roman Jewish dishes, is neither Kosher nor Jewish owned. But it has been serving traditional Roman food since 1860. And doing it very well.
Like all of the restaurants in this neighborhood, their speciality is carciofi alla giudea. While the season has now ended, Piperno continues to prepare them into the summer, using imported artichokes from France. During a recent lunch there (with my father, of course) we ordered both the deep fried artichoke as well as the very last of the vignarola (made with big hunks of guanciale, just how I like it) While I love their carciofi, there is always plenty of other things to keep me happy during the rest of the year. At  lunch my step mother ordered one of my favorite dishes there: saltimboca alla romana. (and yes, it was difficult not to grab a piece of bread, reach over and sop up the juices) Sophie and I instead went the fishy route, which is always a good choice here, ordering grilled squid and shrimp.
But what I love best about Piperno’s this time of year? The outside seating. It’s surprisingly difficult to find a good restaurant with comfortable outdoor seating in Rome these days. And by comfortable I mean not in the middle of traffic, and not exposed to passing pickpockets ( a real issue these days unfortunately). Since Piperno’s is situated in a tiny piazza that even Roman taxi drivers have a hard time finding, it’s tranquil and safe. And as an added bonus instead of using rickety outside furnishing, they just pick up and move the entire bentwood back dining room outside. How elegant is that?
Since we had eaten quite a bit during our lunch and were all kind of gearing up for summer bathing suit weather, we just ordered strawberries for dessert. And of course a coffee in what have got be the cutest espresso cups around.
What we didn’t order? Grandfather’s Balls. Palle di Nonno. Deep fried, chocolate studded ricotta dumplings which are a house specialty that I’ve never seen anywhere else in Rome. And that look like…well, you get the picture. If you do go you should definitely order them. And take a photograph. I dare you.
Piperno
Monte de’ Cenci, 9
+39.06.6880.6629
Lunch and Dinner
Closed Sunday evening and all day Monday
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Nice romantic image of a ghetto. However, The “Cenci”, who owned, and occupied Palazzo Cenci, were powerful Tax collectors for the Vatican. They were definately not Jewish, and did not live in the ghetto. This is the same for the other great Palaces that surround, border, and helped define the Ghetto. Pals.Orsini, Matei, Costagutti, Etc. Certainly, the people living in and around the ghetto knew who and where they where.
Who knew? Thanks for clearing this up ‘Robin’ 🙂
The last meal I had there was delicious and my guests did order the Palle di Nonno.
They were very “interesting” looking.
Wow, Robin really knows her Jewish Ghetto history.
Yes, doesn’t he. I meant she.
Our mutual friend Danny Berger sent us there for the first time more than 20 years ago. It was just before New Years’s and he booked and told them to take good care of us. And they did!
One of my favourites, lovely food ! & thank you Robin for the interesting history lesson
My heart aches looking at this picture. My husband and I were in Rome last May. Yes, we ordered the “balls” and they were fantastic!!! The Jewish Ghetto was one of my favorite places in Rome – we went there for pastries (Jewish Bakery) and ended taking tours and learning so much history – it was an experience I’ll never forget!
I read about this restaurant in your book and now this post makes me want to jump on a plane and go there! By the way-your book is wonderful.
Thank you!!! So glad to hear you liked the book.
OK…no more…our list is so long that we now have to stay for 3 months and not 3 weeks. BTW this is on the list!! Curious to see the fall menu items! Making the vignarola this weekend…the local fave have now arrived…and the recipe I have uses guanciale….just pass some bread and pour some vino!
Fall means funghi!!
On your recommendation my sister and I went to this restaurant recently whilst visiting from Australia. We loved the food and the atmosphere – we went for dinner so sat inside. Saltimbocca is one of our all-time favourite dishes (cooked for us for years by an Italian friend’s mother) and the one at Piperno was fantastic. As an added extra our former Prime Minister and her partner were also eating there!
Really? That’s pretty impressive about the prime minister! They do get their fair share of famous folk.
My daughter and I enjoyed our last dinner in Rome here this last June, on the recommendation of Alessandra Branca. The outside piazza is just as you describe and oh! the artichokes were simply amazing! Your app also reinforced this recommendation and we are still swooning over our experience at Piperno!
We LOVE artichokes and are looking forward to indulging in Rome next week (April 17).
I have read all your articles and blogs but still cannot decide between Piperno and Da Enzo for lunch.
Please help!
Anna
It depends what experience you’d like, since both of these places couldn’t be more different. Da Enzo is a trattoria that doesn’t accept reservations and so you usually have to wait. Piperno is a high end restaurant, so more expensive, but with high quality service and setting.