Eating Rome: Living the Good Life in the Eternal City

by Elizabeth Minchilli

Elizabeth Minchilli has been eating her way through Rome since she was 12 years old. Eating Rome, based on her popular blog Elizabeth Minchilli in Rome, is her homage to the city that feeds her, literally and figuratively. Her story is a personal, quirky and deliciously entertaining look at some of the city's monuments to food culture. Join her as she takes you on a stroll through her favorite open air markets; stop by the best gelato shops; order plates full of carbonara and finish the day with a brilliant red Negroni. Coffee, pizza, artichokes and grappa are starting points for mouth-watering stories about this ancient city. Illustrated with Minchilli's beautiful full-color photos and enriched with her favorite recipes for Roman classics like vignarola, carciofi alla romana and carbonara, Eating Rome is the book that you want if you are planning your first trip to Rome or if you have been to Rome a dozen times. And even if you just want to spend a few hours armchair traveling, Elizabeth Minchilli is the person you want by your side.

Genres: Italy, Travel, Nonfiction, Food, Cookbooks, Cooking, Foodie

256 pages, Paperback

First published April 7, 2015

About the author

Elizabeth Minchilli is the author of nine books on the joys of Italian life. Her latest book,The Italian Table, was published in 2019 by Rizzoli. She is also the author of Eating My Way Through Italy, (St. Martins May 2018) and Eating Rome: Living the Good Life in the Eternal City (St Martins2015). Minchilli's passion for Italy led her from her native United States, where she studied architectural history, to Italy in 1987. She writes on food, travel and culture on her blog, Elizabeth Minchilli in Rome, as well as her best-selling app, Eat Italy.
Elizabeth also leads delicious food tours in Rome and the rest of Italy.

Reviews

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

(3.5) Minchilli’s parents moved the family from America to Rome on a whim when she was 12 years old. Over the years she kept going back to Italy: to Florence as a graduate student, and then to stay when she married Domenico. She has written a number of coffee table books about Italian art and architecture.

Here, through recipes and personal stories (many adapted from her blog), she shares her enthusiasm for Italian food and for Rome in particular. I loved the sections on rules for drinking espresso and eating gelato (I was reminded of my first experiences with both in Tuscany last April), and about the etiquette of eating outdoors. Apparently the only two things you may eat while walking are gelato and pizza bianco. Anything else is considered uncouth; there’s a law against eating within 10 meters of a historical site.

Minchilli finishes each chapter with a list of favorite eateries, so this is a practical guide anyone would benefit from taking along on a trip to Rome.

Related reading: Gastronomy of Italy by Anna del Conte.

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Food...Rome...recipes...recommendations...rumination...what else would you want in a book that shares the best of eating in Rome?

[Ann Mah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am buying this for all my friends based on the meatball recipe alone.

[J.H. Moncrieff · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't normally get really excited about a trip (other than the moment I book it) until I'm on the plane. Elizabeth Minchilli's book changed that - I'm now beyond excited for my spring vacation in Italy - and, most importantly - looking forward to exploring Rome and its food scene. Which is a revelation, since previously people had told me, "See the Colosseum, the Vatican, and get out."

Eating Rome is a wonderful book for anyone interested it Italy and Italian cuisine, but it really shines as a culinary guide for foodies. I know I will be writing down a lot of Minchilli's recommendations and trying to find them when I'm there. And I have a feeling I'll return home with my backpack stuffed to the brim with amazing food.

The author's anecdotes and observations are interesting and fun to read, and this is hand's down one of the most enjoyable books I've read this year. I found it difficult to put down. Only two small annoyances kept me from giving this five stars.

One, Minchilli feels the need to stress her typically "Roman" behaviour, as well as her children's, in almost every chapter. There was an awful lot of, "Like any good Roman mother, I..." or "Like any Roman wife, I..." or "Like any Roman child, Sophie..." This got tiresome after a while, as if she were screaming, "I'm ROMAN! Really, I am! I belong here as much as anyone else!" You live in Rome; we get it.

The other repeated passage, which gave almost every chapter a slightly depressing feel, was Minchilli's need to tell us how much better things were EVERYWHERE in Rome back in the '70s, as if saying "We had these wonderful outdoor markets everywhere, but now they're all gone. Too bad for you." She rectifies this at the end with a paragraph or two about how change in the city is a good thing, but this is overridden by her lamentations throughout the book for a Rome that no longer exists.

People who don't live in Rome wouldn't know the difference if she didn't insist upon pointing it out. We'd be delighted with her finds. We don't need to know that they all pale in comparison to a Rome that existed before we got there. A Rome we'll never get to see. (Tourists ruined it, she also reminds us repeatedly.)

I suspect a lot of the repetition comes from the fact that this book is comprised of posts pulled from the author's blog, but it did lessen my enjoyment of an otherwise perfect food memoir.

[Debby · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! Adventures in cooking, drinking coffee, and eating gelato in Italy - what could be better?

[Jules The Book Junkie Reviews · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Elizabeth Minchilli's book is not as much a cook book as it is a lifestyle book. There are some recipes, but recipes are not the primary focus of the book. Eating Rome: Lving the Good Life in the Eternal City is more about the Italian lifestyle at least as it involves food. The book is filled with beautiful photos as well as tidbits for travelers so they look a little less like tourists. However, I don't know how critical it is to know how and when to eat gelato.

In addition to helpful hints on eating cookies for breakfast and not touching the produce in a farmers' market, Ms. Minchilli offers up some colorful personal antidotes about her experiences in Rome as well as suggestions for restaurants and various menu items. Personally, I'm all for cookies for breakfast!

While the book was interesting and beautiful, it was not what I expected. I had hoped for a lot more recipes and not as many travel tips.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

An insider's guide to Rome that you won't want to miss! Whether you have visited Rome or want to - this is a perfect book about Italian culture and food. Love the restaurant recommendatations and recipes. I can't wait to go back to Rome! But in the meantime- enjoy this book.

[Becky R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great advice. I love the personal advice here & obvious love affair w/ Rome & its food. I can't wait to visit!

[Alohatiki · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading this book, I'm ready to book a plane ticket back to Rome.

[Rebecca Montemurro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read from front to back in preparation for our trip to Rome. Such a great read. Informative, lively, thorough, and makes you want to jump on a plane immediately! Can't wait to eat our way through Rome!

[Linda Kissam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Take a break from being a tourist. Put on your walking shoes and get ready to know and eat Rome like never before. This charming book is the perfect blend of cookbook, memoir, etiquette and guidebook. Elizabeth Minchilli’s Eating Rome: Living the Good Life in the Eternal City is a uniquely authentic frolic through the world of Roman food, district by district. It’s not just pointing out where to go, but also why Italians love the places mentioned.

Each chapter reads like its own story following a theme: shopping at local markets, ordering cof-fee, the tradition of cucina povera, the elusive Italian breakfast or the imposing Sunday dinner. Elizabeth’s personal experience is the thread holding the stories together, but at the end of each chapter, salient tips are listed for those who would take to the Roman streets themselves, along with her favorite Roman addresses and, of course, recipes. That being said, this definitely isn’t a cookbook in the traditional sense — some of the chapters only have one or two recipes, and many have none. But by the end of the book, it feels as though you’ve been to Rome, eaten Rome, lived like a Roman. And you have more than enough destinations for the next time you find yourself in the eternal city.

I thought it would be fun to invite review partner Adrianne Morrison to give her take on this blended cookbook as she has yet to travel Rome, while I have been there several times. Would it be meaningful or relevant to both of us, or just one of us? Read below and you be the judge.

Adrianne

EATING ROME is a fun and informative read, especially for those of us who have not yet visited or experienced living in Italy. A definite read-ahead before you travel, especially if love food and prefer a local rather than tourist experience. Elizabeth Minchille’s view of the city and her friendly delivery lifted me out of my easy-chair as I imagined exploring Rome by her side, struggling to catch-up as she quickly moves through her favorite city chatting away about her memories, stop-ping for a morning espresso and pastry, then on to the fresh vegetable market, and back to her kitchen to make Minestrone (recipe on p. 20). “Of course you can play around with the ingredients. And feel free to throw in an old piece of Parmesan rind, which will add extra flavor.” Who knew? But wait, what is Parmesan rind exactly - Do we have it in the States?

As she leads readers through Rome’s streets (I imagine myself arm-in-arm with Elizabeth as she gently admonishes me for displaying my American ways and embarrassing her just a little). It’s like having a BFF or big sister whispering in your ear how to act in public. “Today’s Roman food lesson involves eating in the street. Don’t do it.” (p.23) “But as with everything Italian, every rule has its huge gaping exceptions (which is why you need this book to help navigate the sometimes treacherous food landscape). So, to repeat, never ever eat in the street. Unless, of course, it is ….” (p.25) Can you guess? No? Not sure? I know the answer because I have this way cool new best-friend-in-a-book who shares her personal stories and favorite places to eat plus her recipes.

Speaking of recipes, think I’ll start out by making the Artichoke Lasagne (p. 62) since I like both but can’t quite imagine them together. And when I’m feeling really brave, I plan on mastering Gabriele Bonci’s pizza (p. 214) because, well, knowing how to make authentic pizza dough will be a feather in my cooking repertoire cap. Wish me luck in manipolazione — the handling of the dough.

Linda

Sure wish I had this book while I was there, especially beginning with trip two. I would have been familiar with some of the things she was talking about and places she takes the reader to, but now more open to suggestions and foodie adventures. My trip would have been less about trying to find my way around and more about really experiencing the food wine and culture of Rome like a native.

Eating Rome is one of the new hybrid cookbooks just now hitting the market. I find them fascinating and easy to read. They use personal experiences as the backbone of the book blending in practical recipes, tips and great pictures. This particular book is food-focused leading the way to a no-stone unturned foodie tour peppered with quirky advice. I would have paid any amount of money to have a guide that explains the proper way to order coffee at an Italian coffee bar, how to eat gelato like a Roman, how to love grappa or why there is no such thing as “one –stop-shopping” in Rome. These are the part of the simple indulgences that make a trip so fun.

I highly recommend this book as a birthday, holiday or bon voyage gift. Place in a basket with the ingredients for one of the decadent recipes and you’ve elevated your gift from “thanks” to “Ahh-mazing.”

[Martha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some people buy cookbooks intending to cook from the recipes; others buy cookbooks to read, regarding them as armchair travelogues with tasting notes. For me, books about food are among the most evocative writings about places and times, so I count myself firmly among the second group. It’s a moot point these days whether books with recipes have any future in a world where almost anything you want to cook can be found at the click of a google. There are still exceptions. The wonderful collections of recipes by Sami Tamimi and Yotam Ottolenghi are books to read and use. Their extraordinary Jerusalem is both a usable collection of recipes and an extraordinary chronicle of a remarkable city.

Elizabeth Minchilli’s Eating Rome, a delightful memoire of one American woman’s Italianization aspires to this tradition. It’s a tough act to follow, but Elizabeth manages to bring wit and passion to her stories of food-life in Italy.

When she was barely twelve years old, her suddenly peripatetic parents decided to move her and her two siblings to Rome. That experiment lasted two years, and left the author with an unquenchable passion for Italy. Later, university studies in Florence and marriage to Domenico from Puglia sealed the her fate.
Within the twenty-five food-centric chapters of Eating Rome, ranging from How to Feed a Roman Dog / How to feed a Roman Baby, through How to Eat Gelato, to Learning to Love Grappa, the reader gets a crash course on what Italian food is really all about, and in the process, is given a wry, loving portrait of life in modern day Italy.

Most of the chapters follow a similar pattern: an introductory section presenting the issues, followed by suggestions, where to buy ingredients, recommended cafés or restaurants and closes with two or three recipes. I’ve used Chapter 15, To panino or not to panino? That is the Roman question. As an example to stand for the rest, as it is typical.
Beginning with the vexed question of when do Italians eat panini, she explores the difficulty of persuading her Italian husband and daughters that ‘sandwiches’ can in fact be a real meal.
The next section, Anatomy of a Roman Panino, moves onto the construction,: the bread, with explanations of the different regional types used; followed, of course with: the filling: mortadella or … and finally after explaining the difference, several suggestions for enjoying old and new styles of panini. The concluding recipe section includes the Italian picnic and beach favourite, panino di frittata.

It’s a format that works extremely well. We get an sauce pot full of useful and accurate information about eating in Italy in an amusing, pain-free manner. The photography throughout, which is Mrs Minchilli’s own, is as delicious as the food she is describing.
My only real criticism is the America-centric-ness of it all. You do have European readers after all. I especially wish that metric measurements had also been more consistently provided alongside the American cup style. Nonetheless, for armchair travellers or anyone planning a trip to Rome in the near future, this will help you get through the long winter, or the weeks until your departure. 5 tasty *****

Caveat emptor: As a long time reader of Elizabeth’s blog and follower of her Twitter and Instagram accounts, when the ARC for this became available on NetGalley, I jumped all over it. My expectations were more than met.

[Ubiquitousbastard · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I started reading this book, I really knew very little about present day Rome or Roman culture. Somehow, in the barely 200 pages, I feel like I learned quite a bit. Elizabeth Minchelli wrote a book that is part travel guide, part memoir and part recipe book and yet I don't feel like she wasted my time. The elements all blended together perfectly...like several of the recipes that I must now try. For the recipes, she does give you opportunities for substitution and experimentation, which I absolutely appreciate. She also gives cultural context and sometimes historical context, which makes the recipes seem even more intriguing. Then there are the very pretty photos throughout the book. Only the offal looked bad to me, but offal always looks...terrible.

I think my three complaints about this book are: the pushing of her app. I get it, you have an app you want to sell. I have a book I want to be reading about Rome. I also didn't like the few instances of repetition; I get that if it's read as a recipe book (not straight through like I read it) those instances aren't noticeable, but for me reading it to learn more about Rome and find some new recipes along the way, it was annoying. Third, she focuses far too much on cheesy things. I know, that shouldn't be a sin, but it makes me kind of doubt her taste since if its cheese and olive oil, she's down.

Overall: I need to go to Rome now, because it sounds quirky and historic and just plain weird and that's amazing. I'm absolutely glad that I read (and won) this book.

I received a copy for free through Goodreads First Reads.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having spent two stints living in Rome, I was excited to read about the Eternal City’s food and how our experiences compared.

Elizabeth Minchilli’s Eating Rome does not disappoint. I found Minchilli’s advice for navigating the Roman food world extremely accurate and her infusion of personal experiences charming. From the Italian take on breakfast to successfully ordering a gelato, how to shop the open markets to the best way to eat a Bianco pizza, Minchilli takes the reader on more than a culinary adventure.

Originally I thought Eating Rome would be a guide on what to eat: where to find best pizza, gelato or cappuccino. It has all that, but also so much more. Minchilli captures the allure and essence of Rome and its’ residents. It is the experience of navigating the open markets or trying to buy a cornetto. Plus there are the delicious recipes, which I can’t wait to try.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't read this book on an empty stomach! This book was a pure joy to read, from start to finish. Elizabeth Minchilli is so likable, and I loved reading about her experienes as an American expat living in Italy. I also learned a lot about Italian and Rome food culture - like not eating within ten feet of a historical monument in Rome! I went to Italy in 2006 and 2007, and reading this book made me nostalgic for all the wonderful food I ate, and seriously made me want to book a flight to Rome and eat at all the places she recommends in the book. The recipes at the end of each chapter seem great - I haven't tried them yet but they seem like something that even I could do - and I'm a wreck in the kitchen.I especially loved the chapters about eating the whole animal and Sunday lunch.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
This is part memoir/lifestyle blog, part cookbook, and part travel guide. The lifestyle part is somewhat charming but I could not make it through it in large chunks. I guess, there was such a preoccupation with the "correct" and uniquely Roman thing to do and the rules to follow at all times that I simply could only take it in small chunks. Minchilli imparts a lot of information however, in a charming way. The photographs are unpretentious but well done. As a recipe book, the header notes are often very long meaning the title can be on a different page from even the ingredients. However, the verbosity in the header notes translates into thorough cooking instructions. As a travel guide, I've never been to Rome but I'll certainly look up some of Minchilli's recommendations when I do.

[Me · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book free through First Reads. I honestly loved this book. The author is an American who first moved to Italy at age 12. She takes you on a tour of Rome through food. You learn cultural differences, such as it is taboo to actually handle the produce you intend to buy at an open market. Other cultural tips abound, such as it's only socially acceptable to eat pizza or gelato while walking down the street. Each chapter contains several recipes and an entire chapter is devoted to artichokes. This book makes you want to visit Rome for the food alone and if that is out of your budget, you can armchair surf via this book. I can't wait to try some of the recipes. My only warning: don't read this book while hungry or you'll be tempted to gnaw on the pages of photographs.

[Johanna Haas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three books in one! First, Minchilli has written a food memoir of her life in Rome - all the places she goes, her favorite foods, family, farmers markets, gelato. Second, she includes a guide book for anyone who goes to Rome to find her favorite places. Finally, she provides recipes for many of the foods she discusses - mostly food one cannot find in standard Italian cookbooks. For me (and I love to read cookbooks) it was a page-turner. Why not 5 stars? Grammar. She writes in a very conversational style, which is nice, but the book is full of sentences-that-are-not-sentences and odd informal English. I found myself catching on the words and asking, what is she saying, a few too many times. Still, loved it.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know when you travel to a big foreign city and you think to yourself "I wish I knew someone here to show me around"? Well this book is like a friend telling you where (and how and when) to eat in Rome...and considering the overwhelming choices in the city lives to eat, that's some seriously welcomed info.
Part memoir-in-present-tense, part travel guide to Rome and part recipe book, I can tell you as a frequent traveller I wish there were more books like this.
As someone who's travel is led by her stomach, I am re-reading this all over again now that I've just booked a trip to Rome.

[Veronica Moss · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great alternative to a Lonely Planet or another travel book about Rome. Every time I travel, great food and excellent drinks are a central focus of my trip. This book is authored by an ex-pat who passionately shares personal stories, Roman history and her best recommendations on open air markets, gelato, apertivos and, my favorite, carbs (pastas and pizzas!!!). I went directly to TripAdvisor to save some of the most salivating suggestions.

[Gillian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am lucky to have Elizabeth as a close friend and neighbor here in Rome. Now with her newest book you can too. The time you spend reading her words and making her recipes is like spending an afternoon over pasta and cocktails and coffee in a pretty piazza.

[Laura Bedingfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prep work for Spring break. Part cookbook, part guide book, all fantastic...if you are planning a trip to Rome.

[Janelle Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

51: Eating Rome: Living the Good Life in the Eternal City by Elizabeth Minchilli...read on the way to Chicago to catch our flight. I read it aloud to my sister and took pictures of any/everything I thought to be important, from how to get good coffee, to which pasta is what, to the best restaurants, and more. I'm still soooooooooooooooooo excited to use/try the recipe sections of the book to reminisce. As for the text of the book and its advice or suggestions, some panned out, and some did not. I did not see a single vendor anywhere in Rome, for instance, selling "pizza bianca," which I had absolutely craved and needed to eat to satisfy that craving that was created by Minchilli's description. So that was a bummer. Additionally, she recommended five favorite "trattorie," but never mentioned that in August many, MANY restaurants are completely closed for vacations...just a handwritten sign on the overhead doors, indicating that they're closed until the end of August or even the beginning of September. I wish I had known that, as we walked to all four of the five that were deemed to serve dinner...and not a single one was open or still a reality! BUMMER! However, her description of cacio e pepe, the simplest of Roman pastas, with just three ingredients: pasta, cheese, and black pepper, was spot on and prompted me to order only that dish the two evenings we ate dinner out...as well as try making it myself at home (maybe the second time will go better; I didn't have Minchilli's recipe). It definitely was the right book to read right before heading to Rome, even if it didn't all pan out.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Eating Rome book is a mixture of Elizabeth's Helman Minchilli's life from childhood, moving to Italy from America when she was 12 years old with her parents and two siblings, studying, finding love and living in Italy as an adult.

The book contains places to eat or drink when visiting, along with a list of do's and don'ts (such as ordering coffee and when to sit at a table or stand, not to eat within 10 feet of historical monuments), how Italy does not do breakfast as we know it - coffee only or cookies instead of cereal.

The book also includes some wonderful sounding recipes, with detailed instructions at the end of each chapter to try yourself along with interesting information on portion sizes.

There are wonderful pictures throughout the book, from food to street scenes, which adds beauty to the book.

I would certainly like to include this book on my shelf.

I received this book from #netgalley in return for a honest review.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is yet another one in what has become a lengthy list of food memoirs—American girl goes to (Some European city) meets wonderful man, with colorful relatives, has kids, and is transformed with blissful happiness and food YOU can’t get. This book is glossy and gorgeous but seems overproduced for the contents—a lot of places you’re going to need well functioning GPS to find, and some decent recipes—although I don’t think I really needed one to tell me to mush up fava beans and boil greens, then put them side by side on a plate. A decent armchair travel and some good recipes make for a pleasant weekend read.

[Annette Cass · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every night I read a chapter - and it felt like having a 3 week trip to Rome. I am still perplexed about how much I enjoyed this: have never bothered to even rate books that focus on recipes. It helps that the author writes well, has lived in Rome for much of her life - yet has the American experience to be able to compare the two countries. Did I mention that there is a large autobiographical piece to this.

[Maisey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like the author, I am an American who has lived in Rome for over 20 years. This is the first book I have found that really explains Roman food and lifestyle accurately, with neither over romanticizing nor condemming. She touches on both restaurants and gelaterie as well as family Sunday dinners and baby food. I will recommend this book to all my friends and family who also ask me the big question: Where should I eat. Thank you, Signora, for giving us a go to list to send out!

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s been almost 15 years since I studied in Rome, and Minchilli transported me back to one of my favorite cities via its food. What a gift! Rich photography, mouth-watering recipes, and thoughtful ruminations on the eternal city. Bonus points for chapters dedicated to carciofi and grappa.

[Kamryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I have not made the recipes. I borrowed this purely to read about the Roman food scene, and time will tell if this book is still mostly accurate or outdated. She covers a lot in good depth, though, so I feel confident it’s earned at least a 4⭐️ rating from me.

[Jessica Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some fun insights into eating in Rome. Also includes recommended restaurants and shop, and recipes (which it seems unlikely I will make). Still, Elizabeth Minchilli frames everything in a fun way, so this was a quick and enjoyable read!