Testaccio Market in Rome: Where to eat at Mercato Testaccio
Testaccio Market is one of the best-known food markets in town. It's large, easily accessible by metro and bus, and has a wide variety of stalls. There are plenty of produce stands but what makes Mercato Testaccio really special is its food stalls. From vegan and health food, to pasta on the fly, meat and cheese boards with €2.50 glasses of wine, to its amazing sandwich options. All of these are perfect for a quick lunch, whether you're working in Rome or if you're visiting the city and want to try out some really great food. One food stall that I just tried is the famous Mordi e Vai, or Bite and Go.
These guys are famous in Rome for their fast, take-away sandwiches that are based off of typical Roman dishes. Their panini con allesso (stewed beef), lingua (tongue), trippa (tripe), or polpette (meatballs) are fun takes on the classics and for a quick sandwich shop, the food is great.
I found this one using one of my favorite ways to find a great spot when you have many options: by seeing where the local crowd is. When I saw the line around Mordi e Via, I knew I needed one of their sandwiches for lunch.
Sandwiches are prepared on the spot with the fillings pre-made off the premises. They range from €4 to €6 and work well as a filling lunch. The only catch is you have to take your sandwiches to go and fight for a spot in the open communal courtyard. Another option is to take yours for a walk around Testaccio or into the Non-Catholic Cemetery park for a picnic lunch.
If you're not interested in mouthwateringly tender meat piled on a crispy bun, Testaccio Market has many other food stands or you could just pick up some food for home. We did both.
More Info
Monday-Saturday 7:00 am-3:30 pm
Via Beniamino Franklin, 00118 Roma (near metro stop Piramide)