6 Seafood Dishes You Need to Try in Rome
While Rome’s traditional cuisine leans heavily on meat and dairy, with pork products and sheep cheese taking center stage, the Italian capital is just 20 miles from the coast. This proximity means seafood dishes are readily available. Fresh fish is typically bought on Tuesdays and Fridays, but you can find delicious seafood options every day in the city’s restaurants or take a short trip to nearby coastal resorts for a fish-based meal with a sea view.
Here are our favorite authentic fish dishes to savor in Rome:
Filetti di Baccalà
A staple of the Roman fritti (fried food) family, these fillets of salt-preserved cod, or baccalà, are dipped in a light batter and deep-fried until golden and crispy. Look for them in Rome’s pizzerias, where they are served as an antipasto (appetizer) alongside other fried classics such as supplì, olive ascolane (stuffed fried olives), and fiori di zucca (battered zucchini blossoms filled with mozzarella and anchovy). Baccalà can also be found pan-fried and served with vegetables or chickpeas, and is traditionally eaten on Fridays in Rome.
Spaghetti alle Vongole
Nothing says summer in Italy like a dish of spaghetti with plump clams cooked in garlic and white wine. The simplicity of the ingredients allows the taste of the sea to shine through, leaving behind enough garlicky juice for a satisfying scarpetta (mopping up with bread). Pair this with a crisp white wine and a sunny day. For a variation, some restaurants may offer the dish with a tiny, sweet variety of clam called telline.
Pesce in Guazzetto
Pesce in guazzetto is a type of fish stew or soup, featuring a variety of different fish and shellfish served in a tomato broth with plenty of bread to soak up the sauce. Common ingredients include monkfish, sole, red mullet, clams, mussels, squid, and swordfish, making it a versatile dish that showcases the fresh catch of the day.
Frittura di Paranza
Named after a type of fishing boat called a paranza, this fried appetizer is a mix of small fish, shrimp, and squid, lightly floured and quickly deep-fried to create a crunchy exterior. The fish are cleaned but typically served whole, accompanied by a squeeze of lemon and a glass of something bubbly.
Aliciotti con l’Indivia
A typical dish of Roman-Jewish cuisine, this recipe consists of layers of fresh anchovies and curly endive, drizzled with olive oil, and baked in the oven. The dish dates back to a 1661 papal order that restricted the Jewish community from consuming luxurious foods, making cheap, abundant fish like anchovies and sardines a staple in their diet. It’s still served in the trattorias of Rome’s Jewish Ghetto.
Zuppa di Broccolo e Arzilla
This classic Roman soup of skate and romanesco broccoli may not be as common in restaurants today, but it epitomizes the Roman way of combining inexpensive, simple ingredients to create something full of flavor. The skate wings are boiled to make a fish broth, which is then used to cook the other ingredients. In Roman homes, it is often served on Christmas Eve when the consumption of meat is forbidden by the Catholic faith.
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