Table of content
- What is a Maritozzo?
- What’s the story of the Maritozzo?
- Where does the name “Maritozzo” come from?
- Where to find a good Maritozzo
- The best Maritozzo in Rome
- Map of the best Maritozzo in town
- Save this article for later!
Have you ever tried Maritozzo? This wonderful cloud of whipped cream inside this sweet bun? When it comes to Roman food, there is a wide selection of street food and desserts to try out. So make sure you start your trip to Rome with an empty stomach!
In fact, Rome has been nominated Best of the Best Destinations for Food Lovers by Tripadvisor Travellers’ Award 2023!
How to resist those irresistible pasta dishes and those yummy gelatos? 🤩 These alone are worth a trip to Rome!
But there is so much more than pizza and pasta in Rome for you to try.
When in Rome in fact, one specialty that you should absolutely try, is the Maritozzo!
At the end of this article you will find my top favorites maritozzo in town 😉
What is a Maritozzo?
It is a traditional dessert from Rome and the Lazio region and it’s usually eaten for breakfast. In fact, you may find it difficult to find maritozzo in the afternoon.
Maritozzo used to be the traditional Roman pastry matching our breakfast cappuccino, until the French croissant became popular in Italy.
It’s as simple as that: a sweet bun cut in half and filled with whipped cream.
Even though you won’t find them in every single coffee shop, it represents an ancient local tradition.
What’s the story of the Maritozzo?
The story of this dessert goes as far as Ancient Rome.
The maritozzo used to be a loaf made with raisins, honey and dried fruits (whipped cream was not included in the original version).
It was made by the ancient Roman women for their husbands who were spending the whole day working as day labourers in the fields.
The maritozzo back then was not very sweet as today. It was considered more to be a very practical meal to take to work, and not a sweet treat like today.
In the Middle Ages the maritozzo became something else. In fact, the maritozzo became the only sweet treat allowed during the period of Lent (without the cream of course).
During this time the Romans gave it a funny nickname calling it the “Saint Maritozzo” 😜
Where does the name “Maritozzo” come from?
There are many stories and legends about the maritozzo.
It seems like there was a tradition taking place every year on the first Friday of March, where young men gifted a maritozzo to their fiancés and that inside they could insert a ring or a golden object.
Which means you should have resisted eating it all at once and be careful not to eat the present! 😜
And this is where the name probably comes from: maritozzo comes from “marito” (husband in Italian), because of the future husbands that were gifting this to their fiancées.
In recent years we have a day dedicated to this sweet bun, the Maritozzo day!
It takes place on the first Saturday of December and lots of artisans, pastry shops and bakeries around Rome offer you a maritozzo for free, or for as little as €1.
Where to find a good maritozzo?
You will find Maritozzo in bakeries, cafés and pastry shops, mainly in the morning.
If you go late morning (around 11AM or noon) they might be sold out already in most places, unless it’s a bigger bakery or a bakery specialised in maritozzi.
The whipped cream has to be fresh, so usually you’ll eat maritozzi which were made only a few hours before. Even better if it is filled before your eyes when you order one!
You will also find some places that make the savoury version, but here we’ll take into consideration only the classic one, with whipped cream.
I’ve done my research and quality checks for you, so that I could recommend to you my favorite places where you can try a good maritozzo! 😜
The list might grow in the future, in case I find more Maritozzi that steal my heart over time 😜
My top favorites Maritozzo in Rome
Il Maritozzaro ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This is my super favorite. Located nearby Trastevere train station, it is considered by many the best maritozzo in town.
Il Maritozzaro is a historic place, making wonders since 1960. You also have a selection of other pastries, but if you come here, you must try the maritozzo first!
Do not expect a fancy bar. This pastry shop is very simple and small, there are no tables where to sit. So you take a maritozzo and you eat it while standing.
📍via Ettore Rolli 50
Linari
Linari is another favorite of ours, located in the Testaccio district of Rome. This is a pasticceria making pastries since 1971 and we discovered this place during the Testaccio Food and Market Tour. A great stop during a tour through this very off-the-beaten-path area of Rome 😉
📍Via Nicola Zabaglia, 9
Regoli
Located in the area of Piazza Vittorio, not too far from Termini station. You can reach it through the metro A, Vittorio Emanuele stop.
Regoli is considered to be an institution for Maritozzo in Rome, since 1916! This pastry shop is a cute little gem, starting from the old-fashioned window outside 🤩
As you enter, you will be overwhelmed by the perfume of pastries all over. You enter and suddenly you want to try the whole display!
Be ready to long queues in the weekends.
Regoli is a must if you are in the area of the Esquiline hill, Piazza Vittorio, Termini station. You can match this maritozzo with a visit to a hidden gem in piazza Vittorio: the Horti Lamiani archaeological site!
📍via dello Statuto 60
Roscioli Caffè
In the very heart of Rome, close to Largo Argentina and Campo de’ Fiori.
Their Maritozzo is soft and super full of cream. Roscioli also offers the savoury version for the aperitivo.
There are two more Roscioli boutiques in the same area, which are “Roscioli Salumeria con Cucina” and the “Roscioli Bakery”. The Maritozzi can be found in the Roscioli Caffè.
📍Piazza Benedetto Cairoli 16
Map of the best Maritozzi in Rome
Save this article for when you’ll be in Rome 😉
