Tuesday, April 13, 2010

SAID...A place in Rome for lovers of chocolate

A few weeks ago, my friend Matt was in Italy for research and we met up in San Lorenzo. His New York Times cover story on Italy's Home Food program ran last weekend. HERE is the article. Warning...do not read it if you are hungry.

A good friend of mine now lives in San Lorenzo so I have been spending more time there. It's a very funky neighborhood, near the university, with a lot of interesting street art.

San Lorenzo was the area in Rome most damaged by Allied bombing during WWII, which is ironic given the area was very anti-fascist. You can still see some of the damage.

A couple months ago my friend Marco pointed out a chocolate store located in side alley. We passed it after dinner. The store was closed and I made a mental to return.

When Matt suggested we check it out during a cold, wet day I couldn't be happier. I was not prepared for what awaited my eyes and nose.

I'm not even a big chocolate person (I'm more into Jelly Bellys and Swedish Fish when it comes to candy) but this place is INSANE.

The SAID Antica Fabbrica Del Cioccolato has been around since 1923. I kind of wish I didn't know about it. I actually schlepped across the city just to buy some chocolate. I savored every single piece. My favorite bars so far are ones with cinnamon and the ones with little pieces of biscotti.

There is a restaurant in the back. I was too distracted to look at the menu.

SAID DAL 1923
Via Tiburtina, 135
+(39) 06 446 9204

We were there before Easter. They had great baskets, eggs and bunnies.


Jars of chocolate covered goodness.


Matt trying to decide what to buy. He said the hot chocolate was amazing.


I need some chocolate.

12 comments:

erin said...

ok. YUM!!! This place looks dangerous.

Anonymous said...

yummmyy! its like this place called the Chocolate Bar here.. definitely will stop there when I am in town...

Eleonora Baldwin said...

I'm still recouping from the news that you are friends with Matt Gross. I read his piece the other day and loved it, printed it and slammed it in my mom's face.
I have been insisting for *years* she sign up as a Cesarina, but nothing. She just won't budge. "It's a Bologna thing," was always her argument.

Next. SAID.
I am a chocolate person, with serious addiction issues. I pride in my Rome knowledge of all things edible... But I didn't know about SAID!

My thighs and other contiguous body parts are thanking you in advance, I on the other hand am jumping on the tram to Saint Lawrence this minute.

Thanks!!

Hande - vinoroma said...

Isn't that place great? The food is supposed to be good, too. (not tried yet)
Eleonora, didn't you see it in Feb? (http://tinyurl.com/y3mjrta)

Bella Italia said...

LOVE YOU BLOG!!! Please, please contact me at Travel@BlackGirltravel.com

Ciao Bella,
Fleace ( Fee lee che)

gibber said...

is it shallow of me to come on here and simply post that i think your friend matt is cute? no? ok, good.

Anonymous said...

I would never leave that shop!

Here is a clip from SNL - Brownie Husband. Thought you might get a chuckle out of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qD82AB3ij_0&feature=player_embedded#

Ms. Violetta

Madeline said...

mamma mia this place looks incredible, thanks for sharing!

milanesemasala said...

Thank god I didn't know about this place last week. I would have gone straight there and never left! Oh, when I remember I must give you the address of that place where I had the most amazing carbonara.

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

erin - it's fantastic.

oi - I highly recommend it.

elenora - you're welcome! I think the program started in Bologna but now it's all over Italy. It's a great idea.

hande - I would like to go back and try the food.

bella italia - thanks for stopping by.

gibber - ha!

ms. violetta - thanks for the link. Will check it out.

madeline - Mamma mia is right. It's bananas!

mm - The place is bigger than it looks there's a whole other section. Good thing it's so far from my apartment or I would be there every week.

Anonymous said...

er, do you REALLY like San Lorenzo?
@_@

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

anon - I don't know the area well enough to have an opinion one way or the other.

Like I said in my post, it's a funky area with a lot of street art. My post is about the chocolate shop there, not whether or not I really the neighborhood.