Last on the List

The last item on my list was to find a place so small it had no name. And I did! It wasn't a "bar" [which I've explained is actually a coffee shop], but a bakery. At the very beginning of school, we were walking up Viale dei Quattro Venti to get to AUR and happened to see a line spilling out from underneath this green awning. The heavenly aroma coming from inside never failed to make our mouths water! It's said that if Romans line up for food, it must be good, so we assumed this was the best.

[There's really no line here but trust me! This way you can see the tiny counter of the bakery :) ]

Us four girls stopped in to grab a small treat - we got castagnoles. They definitely satisfied our sweet tooth :) [Recently, I discovered these are not standard Italian treats. They are only around during the time of Carnivale! I was heartbroken after falling in love with the sugary filled donut-like pastries.] I returned another day and grabbed two cookies for Gianna and I. They were yummy, but like most Italian cookies, crunchy instead of chewy. Grr.

Finally, I purposely made a trip back with the intention of eating something "real"! Lots of families stock up on bread from there, but in the back corner I spied a tray of pizza. I'm really going to miss pizza. It's just not the same back home. I ordered a slice with broccoli & sausage, one of my favorite combos. It was divine! The crust it was on was so fluffy and tasty with lots of flavor in the seasoning of the toppings. My only complaint is I wish it was warmed up - I can't even imagine how incredible it would have been fresh out of the oven! [I wish I'd gotten a picture, but I devoured it too quickly!]

All in all, a successful mission. I have no idea the name or address of the place. In fact, if you want to go, you have to go early. They close in the afternoon and you'd never know it existed without the awning over the tiny doorway. A true hidden gem :)

[mystery bakery, viale dei quattro venti]