Gastronomia Volpetti, one of Rome’s best specialty food shops, is in the Testaccio neighborhood. Monte Testaccio, now a grassy 36 meter-high mound, was Rome’s terracotta dump from about 140 to 250 AD. It is made of potshards from the amphorae that supplied Rome with olive oil, wine, wheat, and other staples.
Claudio and Emilio Volpetti opened their shop in 1973 and stock “pleasures of the table,” their tag line. The brothers come from Norcia in Umbria. Many of Rome’s deli owners are Norcian. Alessandro, the next generation of Volpettis, also works in the shop and showed us their carefully selected range of olive oils. Interestingly the shop doesn’t stock any Tuscan oils, not because they aren’t good, but because they are easily found elsewhere. Instead, Umbrian oils are favored.
The Volpettis also own a cafeteria right around the corner from their shop. While the shop’s prices can be a little intimidating (we told friends we’d been shopping at Volpetti and they quipped “why not at Bulgari”) their cafeteria is very reasonable. When we go we like to greedy down cacio e pepe rice croquettes made with pecorino and pepper and a plate of greens. The cafeteria has a service island for condiments, where certain of the shop’s extra virgin olive oils can be sampled.
Gastronomia Volpetti
Via Marmorata 47
00153 Rome
Italy
Tel. +39 06 5742352
Related Articles
Mar. 21, 2024
New Law in Italy Incentivizes Young People to Become Farmers
The legislation includes favorable tax rates for young people starting businesses, along with grants to buy land and equipment.
Aug. 19, 2024
Terroir, Organic Farming Yield Award-Winning Results for Sicilian Farmer
The producers behind Agrigento-based Naru attribute their World Competition success to sustainably-grown local olive varieties.
Nov. 4, 2024
Italy Mints Special Labels for Its PDO and PGI Olive Oils
The Italian Polygraphic Institute and State Mint craft the labels to guarantee the traceability of extra virgin olive oils with geographical indications.
Dec. 7, 2023
Police in Spain and Italy Uncover Olive Oil Fraud Ring
A Europol investigation led to the arrest of eleven accused of adulterating extra virgin olive oil with other products.
Jul. 24, 2024
Organic Olive Cultivation in Italy Continues to Expand
More than 6,000 hectares of olive groves were converted to organic agriculture in the last year as Italy inched closer to achieving European sustainability goals.
Nov. 13, 2024
Danish Family Crafts Award-Winning Olive Oil in Tuscany
The family behind Casale 3 Danesi reflect on what it takes for a small farm to produce award-winning olive oil after a challenging harvest.
Apr. 12, 2024
Global Production May Exceed Expectations, but Not Enough to Move Prices
Analysts predict climate change will result in new price dynamics, with high-quality extra virgin olive oil and other market segments behaving differently.
Oct. 1, 2024
Citizen Groups in Rome Harvest Local Olive Trees for Charity
Volunteers in the eastern outskirts of the Italian capital care for olive trees in public parks, harvesting their fruit to produce oil for charity.