When most trips are on hold, do you find yourself looking back on your travel memories? @TsekoV and I recently talked about how much we missed the feeling of boarding a plane and heading to a new destination. We found out we have both visitedRome before, so we thought to share our amazing and diverse experiences there.
For starters, we want to present to you four toothsome desserts we tried in the Italian capital. We looked up the locations of the restaurants and pastry shops on Google Maps to see what other Local Guides like about them and share in their reviews while supporting local businesses.
Gelato
Tseko: The first treat I enjoyed in Rome was the renowned Italian gelato. Prior to our trip, one of my friends found Venchi Cioccolato e Gelato on Maps, an LGBTQ-friendly ice-cream shop right next to the Pantheon. The long queue we saw outside when we got there was promising.
As we entered, we discovered that there were many flavors to choose from. I loved the chocolate gelato because it was quite intense and creamy. It tasted just like frozen homemade chocolate spread. Another thing that impressed me was the ice-cream cones dipped in chocolate and covered with crushed nuts, coconut shavings, and other decorations, which made this dessert irresistible.
Local Guide Massimiliano Cirulli says about the shop that is an “elegant classic store,” and he loves the captivating “colorful lights from the immense walls of chocolate.” Meanwhile, Local Guide Francesca Artale praises the knowledgeable staff who answered in detail her questions about the lactose and gluten content of the gelato.
Tiramisu
We had our first dinner in Rome at Ristorante Pizzeria da Michele, close to the Colosseum. It was a restaurant our Airbnb host recommended when we asked him about a traditional restaurant in the neighborhood where locals loved to go.
Unsurprisingly, the menu was only in Italian, but it was easy to pick our favorite desserts. I got tiramisu, curious what the original taste would be like. It was light, soft, and creamy, and I loved it.
In her review, Local Guide Maggy Pico says that she enjoys “the welcome, the service, and the quality of the dishes.” And even though Local Guide Lisa Esse admits that she visited the restaurant a few years ago, she hopes to return soon and have more of its “simple and delicate” cuisine.
Boris: It’s difficult to see everything in Rome unless you spend a lifetime there. My last trip there was all about relaxing while discovering the local flavors. That was when I experienced the do-nothing philosophy farniente and the sweetness of la dolce vita.
Sicilian cannoli
As I was walking along Viale Libia, a cozy little shop with the name AMMU Cannoli Espressi Siciliani caught my eye. The shop’s interior was white with colorful ornaments here and there, and a smiling woman stood behind the counter.
Despite its name, the place didn’t offer only cannoli. There were other sweets, chocolates, and drinks, but the cannoli were the stars. They consist of fried tube-shaped dough shells and a cream filling, usually with ricotta cheese.
It wasn’t the first time I was having a cannolo, but that one was huge. When I ordered it, the woman put the filling and decorated it on both ends. I sat at the only table in the shop, as the place was mostly for takeaways, to enjoy my real Sicilian cannolo, just like Local Guide Gaetano Pavia confirms in his review.
Aragostine
Unlike the cannoli, which I had tried before going to Italy, the aragostine sweets were a real discovery. The name aragostine comes from the Italian word aragosta, meaning “lobster.” It describes the shape of the dessert, which resembles a lobster tail.
Thanks to their crispy taste and creamy filling, the aragostine became my favorite thing to eat on my trip. Whenever I stopped by a bakery, they were the first thing on my mind. Among the many places where I had them was Pasticceria Marinari, which Local Guide Michel Salim says is one of the best pastry shops in Rome. One bit of advice from me: do not visit Italy if you are on a diet!
What is your favorite dessert you had while traveling, and where did you have it? Feel free to share a link to your reviews in the comments.
. I believe you can gain some kilos just looking at all those places and their delicious creations 
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A combination of 4 desserts? This is divine. 
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