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Slideshow
Top 5 wine bars in… Rome
When imbibing in Rome there is perhaps no better destination than an enoteca – essentially a wine bar and shop with food.
The concept of an enoteca is simple; to offer punters the chance to sample wines by the glass with the option on buying a bottle to take home, while tucking into a menu of traditional fare.
Over the past 20 years or so Rome’s enotecas have become increasingly popular with the concept expanding to include restaurants and bistros offering up wine lists from the small but carefully curated to the wide and far-reaching.
In any case, venturing to a quintessentially Italian enoteca is a must for any wine-lover. When in Rome…
Scroll through to check out some of our favourites….
Mimi e Coco
With around 10 tables tucked away inside this pretty bistro, Mimi e Coco is as cosy a spot as any to soak up the city’s atmosphere over a glass or two. Located in a former 16th century palace in the heart of Rome, it offers a host of wines by the glass and bottle, with a particular emphasis on the Italian. Enjoy a glass alongside platters of cold meats and cheeses or plate of carbonara. Having been open for just five years it is one of Rome’s newer wine bars.
Via del Governo Vecchio 72
Casa Bleve
Run by Jewish couple Anacleto and Tina Bleve, Casa Bleve’s dining hall was once the courtyard of a 16th century Palazzo with much of that former grandeur still evident today. It has made a name for itself as one of the pricier wine bars in town, but with rare wines on offer, hard-to-find cheeses and a top-notch menu to match it’s worth the trip. One of its speciality dishes is the House Bleve platter which includes delicacies such as roll pepper tuna mousse with capers and anchovies, swordfish roulades with seasonal fruit and pumpkin flower stuffed with ricotta cheese and pistachio nuts and mozzarella – a mouth-watering feast that will set you back €24.
Via del Teatro Valle 48
Ai Tre Scalini
Popular with locals, Ai Tre Scalini has been serving up wine and bar bites since 1895. Located in the Monti neighbourhood it boasts a lengthy wine list dominated by Italian wines and a delectable food menu which includes tasty morsels such as oven-dried strips of pork with chilli, truffle salami sausages and cured hams.
Via Panisperna 251
Trimani
Credit: Flickr – John Winder
Founded in 1821 Trimani is often cited as Rome’s oldest wine cellar and is known for its extensive selection of both Italian and French wines. With plates priced at around €8 and wines by the glass from three to ten euros, it is one of the best value spots in town, qualities which can draw a crowd and cause it to get busy at peak times. The only downside to its fantastic value and vast range is its rather uninspiring décor. Should any of its wines take your fancy, you can buy a bottle at its store around the corner.
Via Cernaia 37
Spiriti
Spiriti is a stylish and up-together wine bar located a stone’s throw from the Pantheon, and unlike many of the establishments around this tourist hotspot, does not charge a premium. Typical dishes range from crostini with eggplant, basil and parmesan at €10 a plate and mixed meats and cheeses, mustards and nuts for €25, to simple plates of pasta and rice at around €13. Here you will find a great wine selection at affordable prices, as well as the option on an American Martini.
Piazza di Pietra 32/33