Testaccio & Ostiense – Local tips (shopping)

In times like these, when world capitalism is being questioned ever more so, an interesting place to visit is the Città dell’Altra Economia. This is an entire cultural center devoted to the promotion of an alternative type of economy: organic agriculture, fair trade, renewable energies, reuse and recycling, responsible tourism, and ethical finance.

CAE was inaugurated in September 2007 during the administration of Rome’s former mayor Walter Veltroni. It is located in a portion of Rome’s former slaughterhouse and cattle market in Testaccio. The buildings have been completely renovated so as to be eco-compatible and sustainable.

Within the center, you will find a “bio-restaurant” serving only organic food, a “bio-coffee shop” serving espresso, cappuccino and teas from fair trading partners, a fair-trade natural foods store as well as a reuse and recycle store selling objects and works of art made from recyclables.

There are also representatives from companies operating in the renewable energies, responsible tourism, and ethical finance sectors available to provide information and services. Last but not least, there is an “open communication” section focusing on the use of technologies and free-license software to foster the sharing of knowledge across peoples.

CAE offers a series of events, including book presentations, readings, concerts and fairs. Be sure to check CAE’s website regularly or subscribe to its newsletter. The bio-bar offers a Euro 5 after-hours “aperitivo” on Friday evenings from 19:30 – 21:30. The bio-restaurant offers a Euro 20 special three-course organic meal deal on Sundays at lunch.

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Citta’ dell’Altra Economia | Coffee & tea, Relaxing, Shopping, Restaurants (Organic)
Largo Dino Frisullo | Testaccio & Ostiense | +393488059332
Tue -Sat 10:00 – 20:00, Sun 10:00 – 19:00

Every third Saturday of the month, there is a small farmers’ market in the San Paolo neighborhood. Here, you will find organic vegetables, bread, jams and honey, soap and lotions.

In the food section, one of my favorites is Vittorio’s vegetable spreads stall.
I stumbled across this stall by chance, some time ago with a friend and remember the fun we had trying the different samples. “Try the broccoli spread, it’s great!”. “No, you try the eggplant, olive and peppers spread! This is simply delicious!” We went back and forth for quite some time and truly had a difficult time narrowing down the choice to select only a few to buy. Now, I am an loyal customer. In addition to making great gifts, these vegetable creams are a useful resource to have in your cupboard when hungry guests unexpectedly show up at your door. They can be used as bruschetta topping but also as condiment for pasta or risotto.

Vittorio’s farm is located in the southern part of the Lazio region, in the area around Cassino. He produces these small jars of pleasure with truly high quality ingredients. Here is a list of some of my favorite spreads: artichokes, broccoli, eggplant, hot chili peppers (truly hot!!), zucchini, sun-dried tomatoes, olives and nuts, and porcini mushrooms.
Oh, one last thing: I forgot to mention that Vittorio’s jams and preserves are also excellent. I recently tried his hot chili (peperoncino) jam -sweet and hot at the same time. Simply delicious.

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Mercatino Contadino di San Paolo | Shopping | One for € 5.00
Via Valeriano 3 F | Testaccio & Ostiense | +390659648311
The third Sat of the month 10:00 – 17:30

Just like Robert Neville in I am Legend, I seem to be immune to the virus afflicting many women: the shoe craze -the irresistible urge to buy shoes of every kind at any moment of the day and fill your closets with them. Yet, I am sympathetic to the Imelda Marcos urges that overcome some of my best friends.

Thus, many a Saturday morning is spent in the shoe corner of the Testaccio market. Here, you will be able to buy designer shoes at bargain prices. Why? Supposedly, these are shoes ‘da campionario’ (from samples, trade shoes). I simply think they probably buy large stocks at special prices.

In any case, Saturday morning is when the market stalls replenish with new merchandise and so you will have more of a choice and higher probabilities of finding your shoe-size. You also have to be ready to battle with similarly crazed women, who have to get their shoe-fix for the day. This, of course, happens between 7:30 and 8:30 am. So long for taking it easy and sleeping in on the weekend.

The shoe stalls are only a section of the Testaccio market, which is also a good place to go grocery shopping. So, if you are allergic to shoes, don’t worry, there is plenty to look at while your friend/s satisfy their shoe craze.

Saturday morning is the recommended time to do shoe shopping for the novelties and the variety but the shoe stands are open everyday during market hours.

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Mercato di Testaccio | Shopping
Piazza Testaccio | Testaccio & Ostiense
Mon – Sat 07:00 – 13:00

Freshly made tortellini, ravioli, fettuccine, gnocchi, lasagne, cannelloni, and crepes. This is what you can find at Renzo e Lucia’s, a fresh pasta shop in the San Paolo-Garbatella area.

There are lots of fresh pasta shops around Rome but what makes Renzo e Lucia so special is that their pasta is really, truly damn goood!! Additionally, it is also a rather good value for the money.

Quality foods are not hard to come by in Italy but sometimes they might as well be sold in a jeweler’s store. At Renzo e Lucia, instead, quality meets good value. This is so evident that people from all over Rome come to shop here.

At Christmas time, when everybody needs to buy their cappelletti for the first course of the traditional Christmas meal (cappelletti in brodo), you can see a crowd outside the shop: people religiously holding onto their queue-number and patiently waiting their turn to be served.

A friend I know buys large quantities of tortellini every time she is in my neighborhood. She then stores them in her freezer until she is ready to use them. “Tortellini in brodo make such comfort food and it’s great to have the best kind at hand throughout the winter” she once told me. So, if you also want your comfort food at hand, Renzo & Lucia is a great place to stock up on it.

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Renzo e Lucia Pasta all’Uovo | Shopping | 1 kg fresh tortellini € 11.00
Via Giustiniano Imperatore 288 | Testaccio & Ostiense | +39065414572
Tue – Wed & Fri – Sat 08:00 – 13:00 & 16:00 – 19:30, Thu 08:00 – 13:00