Rome's Best Travel Routes

Not all pizza slices or supplì are created equal. The difference between authentic Roman street food and reheated tourist fare is obvious once you know what to look for. Street food should be cheap, tasty, and fast. If you feel you’re paying as much as for a sit-down meal, something’s wrong. Here’s what to avoid:

• Smell test: A real Roman forno smells of yeast, bread, and olive oil. Tourist shops smell of reheated oil or nothing at all.
• Forno vs Reheated: A true forno (bakery) has trays of pizza fresh out of the oven, cut on the spot. If it looks dry, curled, or already wrapped in plastic, walk away.
• Pre-sliced pizza displayed for hours: The cheese looks congealed, the crust soggy. Authentic pizza al taglio never waits long.
• Supplì quality test: Fresh ones are hot, crisp, and heavy. If they’re cold and reheated in a microwave, you’ll taste the disappointment.
• Street vendors around monuments: Prepackaged sandwiches and cold pizza near Colosseum or Vatican are overpriced and low quality.
• Queue check: If you see locals waiting, even briefly, that’s a good sign. Romans don’t waste time in bad places.
• Menu boards with dozens of languages: A Roman forno writes menus in Italian only.

📝 Local Tip: Don’t be shy about asking, “È caldo? L’ha appena fatto?” (“Is it hot? Did you just make it?”). Romans ask this all the time—it’s how they make sure they’re getting fresh food.