Okay, silly title, but working at Stefano Callegari and Antonio Pratticò’s, Sforno was an awesome experience.

I started out watching and helping them make dough.  I had a quick family meal with all the cooks (and all the cute waitresses) and then watched as they made around 200 pizzas in about 2.5 hours.  It was an impressive process to watch but it was more impressive that each pizza came out perfectly.  And I didn’t miss a single pizza.

The working atmosphere at Sforno seems rare in Rome – it’s fun, the cooks and pizzaiolo like working there, they’re passionate about pizza, and the food is better because of it.  Maybe it’s due to the way Stefano and his business partner, Antonio run the place or maybe it’s because the restaurant is outside the Rome Centro and is devoid of annoying tourists.  I think it’s definitely more likely that it’s the capos (bosses), both of whom were flight attendants with Alitalia before deciding they wanted to open a pizzeria together.  If it isn’t obvious already, I think Sforno is a very special restaurant.

Anyway, this place is definitely worth a trip if not a few trips.  They’re known for the their Cacio e Pepe pizza — I now like it more on pizza than on pasta — which they use a secret method to make.  Also their suppli are legendary, a MUST.  It’s easy to get to on Metro A from the Subaugusta stop.  Saturday may be the night to go since the metro runs until 1am.

Stefano, Antonio and Kabir, Sforno’s pizzaiolo, also own 00100 in Testaccio which is definitely worth a trip as well and is much closer to the Rome Centro.  Trappizini are also sold until 4am at Brasserie 4:20 near Porta Portese.  4:20 also sells burgers.  They’re pretty good.

Sforno
Via Statilio Ottato, 110/116
00175 Roma
Tel. 06 71546118
Closed Sundays

Brasserie 4:20
Via Portuense, 82
00153 Rome, Italy
Tel. 06 5831 0737