Vicolo del Bologna 45, Rome 00153, Italy; map); 39-06-6830-7769; Pizza Style: Roman Oven Type: Wood The Skinny: Wonderfully prepared Roman-style pizza with a crisp, yeast-free crust and fresh ingredients. The abundance of locals and the Italian-only menu indicate that this is the real deal, not a tourist trap (although they will gladly have you) Price: €6 to €9
It takes a bit of work to find Dar Poeta, tucked away as it is in one of the winding back alleys of the bustling Trastevere District of Rome. You may be seduced by the more easily accessible restaurants that line the busy, well-lighted streets that lie in stark contrast to the dimly lit narrow walkway that leads to this cramped pizzeria, but hold out. Once you navigate the maze, you'll know you've arrived when you find a crowd—mostly speaking Italian but punctuated with other tongues from other places—amassed in front of Dar Poeta.
Those waiting literally stand over those eating in the tightly packed outdoor seating, but rather than being an imposition, it actually provides a barrier of sorts from street performers preying on a captive audience and from scooters, the only motorized vehicles that can make it down the street, sputtering their way through the crowd, brake lights casting eerie silhouettes on the ancient stone walls.
Waits can be lengthy, even after you are seated. Sit outside and chances are you'll have to ask several people to move so that you can take a seat. Once you do, getting your server's attention can be difficult. Some might consider the service gruff, but I think it is more that they're overburdened; I noted only two waitresses for more than 40 diners. The locals will blow Camel unfiltered smoke in your face, their car keys and drinks will spill on to your table and they will look at you curiously when you struggle to order from the Italian-only menu. But you won't care. The pizza will make the indignity of tourism worth it.
Dar Poeta's Lingua de Foco pie.
The pizza uses a yeast-free, slow-rise dough cooked in a wood-fired oven. The pizzas are made in the Roman model with a crisp crust. Those with a taste for some heat will enjoy the Lingua de Foco (tongue of fire) a tomato and fior di latte pizza spiked with a spicy salami. The cheese, creamy but with some tang, and the sweet tomato sauce are applied in pleasingly moderate amounts, allowing the smokiness of the crust to assert itself before the heat from the salami sets in.
Dar Poeta's Boscaiolo pie.
For a slightly tamer but no less flavorful experience try the Boscaiolo (mozzarella, mushroom, sausage). The cornicione looked far more pronounced than on the Lingua de Foco, and I was half expecting a Neapolitan-style pie, but the crust turned out to be crisp throughout, exhibiting little in the way of tip sag. The earthy mushrooms and creamy cheese provided a pleasing synthesis, and the sausage added a rich texture as it perfumed the pie with fennel.
Dar Poeta may be harder to find than other pizzerias in the neighborhood. Both the Google map on my iPhone and a hand-held GPS unit had trouble locating it as the narrow streets that surround it obscured the satellite signals. But once I found it, I was glad I persevered. The pizza was wonderful—well worth the wait in fact.
This looks wonderful! Overall, I wasn't blown away by the pizza in Rome as I found the pizza in Napoli/Campagnia to be far superior. What "buon fortuna" to enjoy this pizza on your trip!
My wife and I rented an apartment in Trastevere about two blocks from Dar Poeta on our honeymoon a few months ago and ended up eating there several times. Easily the best pizza we had in Rome. The quality of their apps was great too; the melon, prosciutto, and tomatoes were all top-notch and the mozzarella was outstandingly fresh -- it oozed buffalo milk when you cut into it.
There's a good gelato place and a weird-but-fun hookah bar within a block's walk too.
I was interested to read a review of this place by someone other than a person writing a guidebook. When I was in Rome last spring, all of the guidebooks I brought with me spoke really highly of this place so I showed up an hour before they were supposed to open to make sure I got a table. It was a rainy March night and I was the only person there. Luckily, the place filled up not too long after the doors opened. Maybe it was because mine was the first pie out of the oven that night, or maybe the hype was too much for the product, but the pie I had there was the weakest I had that week in Rome. I felt like I had been suckered into a tourist trap, which is why I was so interested to read this review. It wasn't a pad pie--but to be honest, I don't remember what kind it was. I only remember that I was disappointed. I've had better pizza at some of NY's lamest spots.
I would recommend going around the corner to Taverna La Scala and skip the lines at Dar Poeta. I had a sublime pie at La Scala with a sampling of toppings on each slice that included, but was not limited to fresh arugula, black olives, prosciutto, a fried egg, among others. The crust and the sauce were perfection and because it was a total surprise, that was one of the most perfect pies I had in London. The best, tho, was from Al Forno. Hands down, the best pie in the world. The. Best.
In my last post, the allergy medication caused me to type "pad" instead of "bad" and, probably more inexplicably, "London" instead of "Rome". There is no good pizza in London. None.
I wonder how it can be "yeast-free" and still be pizza dough... unless you mean it's made by allowing wild yeast to inoculate a sponge like a sourdough. No yeast = no rise = matzo, not pizza.
@DrGaellon: You would be correct. Any bread product inoculated with a natural/wild yeast is a sourdough.
No yeast meaning none is added by hand when formulating the dough bill. This usually results in a rather long fermentation.
Now, I wonder if their dough is fermented by yeasts already on their flour when received or from a variety already pitching a tent in their pizza shop, or living in the neighborhood in general.
@Nick Solares: How tangy was the crust...mild...strongly so?
I can give pizzaexpert a run for his money. First my son Michael visited LA recently and made a trip to Mozza. He's promised a review. I'm not holding my breath. Secondly, my son Derek is attending John Cabot University in Rome. Nice life. When I attended college I took the D to the N to the 6. Anyway, not only is Dar Poeta around the corner from his school, but it's one of the restaurants on his meal plan. I'm not holdingy breath waiting for a review from Jim either.
We ate at Dar Poeta earlier this summer on our last night in Rome. It was hands down the best pizza, incredible salad and the best damn dessert I have had in a long time - Ricotta and Nutella calzone. I was almost in tears during dinner and my husband still talks about it.
I was stopped dead in my tracks when I was that my dear Dar Poeta was on SeriousEats!
It is worth the wait, worth the extra time to find it and not a tourist trap.
I first tried Dar Poeta on the recommendation of a pizzaiolo at another place in Rome in 2003 I think..It was good for that style ,but it's not my personal favorite.I remember it being even thinner than these photos show back then.The nearest thing to it i've found Stateside is probably Doris & Eds' in Neptune ,NJ. which i really wouldn't go out of my way for again.Having said that,Dar Poeta has a good vibe about it and is worth seeking out even if only to get away from all the other tourists in the area!
That allergy medicine is messing with you. Of course, Doris and Ed's is an overpriced seafood restaurant overlooking the bay in Highland's, New Jersey. Been there a few times. They get an "A" for effort, but a "C" for execution.
Next time I'm in Neptune, I will check it out. And next time I'm in Trastavere, I'll try Dar Poeta again, but Il Forno will be the place I head to first, as soon as I get off the plane.
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15 Comments:
This looks wonderful! Overall, I wasn't blown away by the pizza in Rome as I found the pizza in Napoli/Campagnia to be far superior. What "buon fortuna" to enjoy this pizza on your trip!
bkbella at 11:00AM on 09/01/09
My wife and I rented an apartment in Trastevere about two blocks from Dar Poeta on our honeymoon a few months ago and ended up eating there several times. Easily the best pizza we had in Rome. The quality of their apps was great too; the melon, prosciutto, and tomatoes were all top-notch and the mozzarella was outstandingly fresh -- it oozed buffalo milk when you cut into it.
There's a good gelato place and a weird-but-fun hookah bar within a block's walk too.
Lawen at 11:45AM on 09/01/09
I was interested to read a review of this place by someone other than a person writing a guidebook. When I was in Rome last spring, all of the guidebooks I brought with me spoke really highly of this place so I showed up an hour before they were supposed to open to make sure I got a table. It was a rainy March night and I was the only person there. Luckily, the place filled up not too long after the doors opened. Maybe it was because mine was the first pie out of the oven that night, or maybe the hype was too much for the product, but the pie I had there was the weakest I had that week in Rome. I felt like I had been suckered into a tourist trap, which is why I was so interested to read this review. It wasn't a pad pie--but to be honest, I don't remember what kind it was. I only remember that I was disappointed. I've had better pizza at some of NY's lamest spots.
I would recommend going around the corner to Taverna La Scala and skip the lines at Dar Poeta. I had a sublime pie at La Scala with a sampling of toppings on each slice that included, but was not limited to fresh arugula, black olives, prosciutto, a fried egg, among others. The crust and the sauce were perfection and because it was a total surprise, that was one of the most perfect pies I had in London. The best, tho, was from Al Forno. Hands down, the best pie in the world. The. Best.
obsessedwithpie at 11:53AM on 09/01/09
In my last post, the allergy medication caused me to type "pad" instead of "bad" and, probably more inexplicably, "London" instead of "Rome". There is no good pizza in London. None.
obsessedwithpie at 11:59AM on 09/01/09
I wonder how it can be "yeast-free" and still be pizza dough... unless you mean it's made by allowing wild yeast to inoculate a sponge like a sourdough. No yeast = no rise = matzo, not pizza.
DrGaellon at 1:00PM on 09/01/09
This makes me miss Italy. When my husband and I biked across Italy in May, our favorite meals were the wood-fired pizzas. Yummy!
cupcakeactivist at 1:10PM on 09/01/09
@DrGaellon: You would be correct. Any bread product inoculated with a natural/wild yeast is a sourdough.
No yeast meaning none is added by hand when formulating the dough bill. This usually results in a rather long fermentation.
Now, I wonder if their dough is fermented by yeasts already on their flour when received or from a variety already pitching a tent in their pizza shop, or living in the neighborhood in general.
@Nick Solares: How tangy was the crust...mild...strongly so?
Good write-up......Roma is fantastic!
Pizzablogger at 1:49PM on 09/01/09
I can give pizzaexpert a run for his money. First my son Michael visited LA recently and made a trip to Mozza. He's promised a review. I'm not holding my breath. Secondly, my son Derek is attending John Cabot University in Rome. Nice life. When I attended college I took the D to the N to the 6. Anyway, not only is Dar Poeta around the corner from his school, but it's one of the restaurants on his meal plan. I'm not holdingy breath waiting for a review from Jim either.
Ciao,
Paolo Gee
pauliegee at 3:22PM on 09/01/09
We ate at Dar Poeta earlier this summer on our last night in Rome. It was hands down the best pizza, incredible salad and the best damn dessert I have had in a long time - Ricotta and Nutella calzone. I was almost in tears during dinner and my husband still talks about it.
I was stopped dead in my tracks when I was that my dear Dar Poeta was on SeriousEats!
It is worth the wait, worth the extra time to find it and not a tourist trap.
Top Sheff at 6:28PM on 09/01/09
I first tried Dar Poeta on the recommendation of a pizzaiolo at another place in Rome in 2003 I think..It was good for that style ,but it's not my personal favorite.I remember it being even thinner than these photos show back then.The nearest thing to it i've found Stateside is probably Doris & Eds' in Neptune ,NJ. which i really wouldn't go out of my way for again.Having said that,Dar Poeta has a good vibe about it and is worth seeking out even if only to get away from all the other tourists in the area!
seriouspizza at 10:52PM on 09/01/09
BTW obsessedwithpie.....Have you tried:
Napule Fulham Broadway,Donna Margherhita Lavender Hill,Franco Manca Brixton Market?
seriouspizza at 11:04PM on 09/01/09
Correction! I should have said Pete & Eldas in Neptune .It's my allergy medicine......
seriouspizza at 11:12PM on 09/01/09
@seriouspizza
That allergy medicine is messing with you. Of course, Doris and Ed's is an overpriced seafood restaurant overlooking the bay in Highland's, New Jersey. Been there a few times. They get an "A" for effort, but a "C" for execution.
famdoc at 12:19PM on 09/02/09
"You get an E for effort and T for nice try...." --Phife Dawg, Tribe Called Quest "Butter"
Pizzablogger at 1:09PM on 09/02/09
Next time I'm in Neptune, I will check it out. And next time I'm in Trastavere, I'll try Dar Poeta again, but Il Forno will be the place I head to first, as soon as I get off the plane.
obsessedwithpie at 1:18PM on 09/02/09