Image by Lidia Tagnesi

This is a great big place if you like the underground scene; it has 2 rooms for live music or concerts, a disco room and a pub.

The music is varies from electronic, hip-hop, and rock and house, and often they also have performances based on contemporary art.

Inside there is also a corner shop to buy CD’s, t-shirts and magazine and they also offer dinner. The corner shop is situated near the stage and it is a place to listen, buy and discuss music, but you can also buy tickets for future shows, such as concerts, theater or sporting events.

This is also a good venue if you like live music, and hang-out with your friends for an alternative evening to the usual bars and clubs.

A good spot if you are in a group that have all different tastes, it will be a good compromise for everyone.

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l circolo degli artisti | Bars, Music | Entrance € 6.00
Via Casilina Vecchia 42 | S.Lorenzo & Pigneto | +390697250663
19:30 – 04:00 daily

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Image by Annalaura D'Errico

If you would like to heed Fat Clemenza’s advice even while in Rome, you should definitely stop at Mizzica.

There, you will find a bit of Sicily in Rome and you will be able to try the whole gamut of snacks Sicily is known for:1) Cannoli. Mizzica offers two varieties: the traditional one with white ricotta cheese filling and the green ones made with the addition of pistachio and almond flavor. A problem with cannoli is that the pastry shell may get soggy after a while upon contact with the ricotta filling. For an optimal experience, kindly ask the waiting staff to fill your cannoli on the spot.

2) Arancine. These ‘little oranges’ can be reductively described as deep-fried balls of rice with different fillings. A Roman supplì, which you may have tried as an antipasto to your pizza, pales in comparison to a Sicilian arancina. At Mizzica, try the traditional one ‘al ragù’ with peas, carrots and meat ragù, the ones with ham and mozzarella, and the ones with eggplant or spinach filling.

3) Gelati and granite. Even for what concerns ice cream and water-ice, the Sicilian versions are simply superior to their Roman counterparts. You may want to try the lemon, coffee, pistachio, or gelsi flavored granite. Additionally, Sicilians like to eat both with a brioche (a sweet bun) and that too is a sign of cultural superiority!

There are two locations. The other one is at: Via Lucrezio Caro, 14/22.

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Mizzica | Snacks | Cannolo € 2.00
Via Catanzaro 30/36 | S.Lorenzo & Pigneto | +390644236024
07:00 – 22:00 daily

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Image by Eleonora Baldwin

I’m a huge fan of Pigneto’s offbeat vibe. The great restaurants and wine bar scene draw me here often. But there’s another reason why I take numerous buses and cross the train tracks into the gritty pedestrian-only Via del Pigneto thoroughfare. And that’s the bling.

R-01-IOS is the abbreviation for the Rome flagship store of edgy jewelry brand Iosselliani, whose unoxidized metals, unpolished silver jewels, handbag and novelty ornament collections grace the trendiest boutiques from Tokyo to L.A.

Iosselliani’s funky necklaces, cool bracelets, original earrings and signature stacked rings exude style. But R-01-IOS can’t be defined as only a jewelry store, in its diversified incarnations it also doubles as an exhibition space and workshop, where up-and-coming artists design personal creations that are then sold on the premises.

Progressive and contemporary trend setter Iosselliani brand was born in 1997, when Pigneto resident Roberta Paolucci-designer and interior decorator-met Paolo Giacomelli, an illuminated artisan goldsmith. Paolucci is also the clever owner of the nearby Primo al Pigneto restaurant (check the Primo al Pigneto article), and an innovative sponsor of the trendsetting village and its rocketing popularity.

The minimalistic, post-industrial ambiance of the boutique also mirrors Pigneto’s laid back opening hours: you won’t find R-01-IOS open before 6 pm, that’s when the area’s popular wine bars and restaurants start serving aperitivo. But you can peruse the black-tinted displays spilling silver and gold until midnight. You can come here to shop or simply enjoy the gorgeous jewelry on display like I do, glass of wine in hand.

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R-01-IOS | Art & culture, Bars, Shopping | Signature stacked rings € 200
Via del Pigneto 39 | S.Lorenzo & Pigneto | +390670613527
Tue – Sat 18:00 – 00:00, Sun 16:00 – 22:00

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Rome

Image by Eleonora Baldwin

This Pigneto bar-a favorite of bohemian film types and radical literati-is a great casual hangout at any time of day. Great for lazy cappuccino mornings and unhurried newspaper reading; Necci is also perfect for a quick lunch, and ideal for happy-hour conviviality and relaxed dinner.

For about 6 years now, Pigneto has been the “it” neighborhood for contemporary culture pundits. I like the laid back vibe, the rainbow of cultures and ages that inhabit its tree-lined streets, the trendy bars and edgy boutiques that sit adjacent to the old corner haberdashers that still sell buttons and zippers to local housewives. Near Via del Pigneto is the automobile-free main drag of the shabby chic quarter, and the original filming location of Pasolini’s Accattone and Rossellini’s Roma Città Aperta.

I come to Pigneto’s hook-up institution Necci to take advantage of the bread-making lessons taught here by a group of fun-loving vegetarian hippies. But when I’m here just to hang out, and not attend any classes, I like to sit by myself, kick off my shoes and bring a book to go along with my sunset aperitivo.

In summer Necci organizes an evening vintage market garage sale. Here you can find old vinyl albums, revamped second hand clothes, crafty objects, cool furniture, books and CDs; you can munch on outstanding dishes and simply relax, drinking chilled beers in the garden or bold wine by the fireplace.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Necci dal 1924 | Art & culture, Bars, Coffee & tea, Music, Relaxing, Snacks, Restaurants (Italian)
Via Fanfulla da Lodi 68 | S.Lorenzo & Pigneto | +390697601552
08:00 – 01:00 daily

Copyrights Spotted by Locals Rome