Rome has some of the best wine bars in the world, yet it also has an emerging craft beer scene that now competes for my attention to lounge in cool bars and imbibe terroir-driven beverages. See my post on 6 Amazing Rome Wine Bars. While I typically design my Rome adventures around wine, I’m now surprised to find myself squeezing-in Italian beer establishments as well. As I devised my recent wine itinerary across Rome, I kept running in to a recurring craft beer theme. As a new convert to the many fine attributes of craft beer (as it appeals to my terroir sensibilities), I was immediately curious to investigate further. My preconceptions of beer in Rome had derived from previous travel observations – and amusement – of numerous out-of-the-box Irish pubs dotted around Rome’s Centro Storico. Italy is known for its delicious, but homogenous food and wine traditions – not for cutting-edge food trends. So, the thought of a modern Rome craft beer scene intrigued me. We narrowed it down to two Rome Craft Beer spots: the domus birrae that had started it all – Ma Che Siete Venuti a Fà – and the hip Open Baladin, related to the pioneering craft brewery.
Rome Craft Beer Maven Ma Che Siete Venuti a Fà
One evening we decide to head to Trastevere for a beer aperitivo. Though early on a Monday evening, the compact bar space fronting Ma Che Siete Venuti a Fà was already buzzing with a friendly vibe. Its name is a bit of a mouthful – and locals just call it Macchè. The hipster bartenders were bustling behind the counter, pulling beers from their numerous taps. Though busy, the bartenders were happy to take time to help us choose the right craft beer. We had no problem explaining in English what we were in the mood for, and the bartender was full of helpful recommendations. I went for a local IPA from the Lazio region, just outside of Rome. We decided to move to the backroom in order to snag a table, and fortuitously access outlets to charge our electric devices. Macchè has a hole-in-the-wall sensibility with definite sports bar overtones. It’s great that they have this spillover space in the back with TV screens where you can keep your eye on the futbol game, but it doesn’t nearly have the convivial ambiance of the front bar. As we left Macchè, the bar had begun to fill up even more. Instead of moving to the back room, local patrons had spilled freely onto the ancient cobblestone streets of Trastevere, making a festive scene. This looks like a much more fun option when the bar fills up, not to mention the fabulous local view. While Macchè has been around since 2001, beer was just never on my Rome radar. And really, only in the last decade has craft beer in Italy really started to take off. The only downside about Ma Che Siete Venuti a Fà is there is no food option. Luckily, if you need food to absorb the mass quantities of delicious Macchè beer you’ve just consumed, Bir & Fud is just a few convenient steps across the way for recommended dining and additional interesting craft beer.
Drinking Rome Craft Beer at Hip Open Baladin
On one of our last nights in Rome we decided to stroll the backstreets of Campo de’ Fiori, exploring cute hole-in-the-wall artisan shops, looking for those last-minute unique Rome gifts. As the Roman sky opened up in a torrent of rain, we huddled with knowing locals in old world doorways, our umbrellas no match for the deluge. We had one more Rome craft beer place on our list, and with it being so close-by, we determined this was a perfect time to make a run for it. Not so easy on slippery cobblestones along the twisty-turning ancient streets of Campo de’ Fiori. Like an oasis emerging in the rain storm we saw the lights of Open Baladin beckoning to us like a beacon in the wet, dark streets. Everyone else in Rome apparently had the same idea, and the spacious modern front room was packed and buzzing. The wall of beers behind the bar lit up the ambient room. Only one empty table remained, and it was reserved. The host offered to guide us upstairs. At first we were disappointed to leave this vibrant main spot, feeling relegated to the bowels of Open Baladin. Along the way we passed through various cozy dining rooms that contrasted with the modern entrance, wending our way up the vintage stairway. This place was huge. As the host escorted us into our destination, we were thrilled. At the top of the stairs we found ourselves inside a Bohemian, old world room with comfy couches and cushy chairs. Perfect. We parked ourselves in a cozy corner, peeled off our wet outer layers, and plugged in our electronic devices. Ahhh. The beer list was massive and our waitress helped us choose from a long list of international and local craft beers. I always go for the local draught option – and I chose another beer from Lazio; my friend went for Belgian. For a snack we opted for the quintessential housemade potato chips in various flavors, which arrived all crispy in a cone container. Although Open Baladin has a long list of comfort food such as burgers, we were saving ourselves for dinner. We loved this place – and it wasn’t just because it was warm and dry. The space was architecturally fantastic, the vibe great, and the beer options amazing. This was one of my favorite new finds on this Rome trip. And it now goes on my list of Rome regulars.
The Up and Coming Italian Craft Beer Scene
When I’m traveling, I prefer to choose local options with interesting stories to get a sense of food-drink culture that I can’t typically get at home. So this minor encounter with the Rome craft beer scene had whetted my appetite to know more about Italian beer culture. I suppose it’s not surprising that beer would begin to take off in Rome – and Italy in general – given the worldwide craft beer explosion. Italian craft beer bars certainly feature exciting beers from all over the world, yet Italian microbrewers have proliferated in the past decade, working diligently to forge their own distinct craft beer industry while melding Italian tradition and terroir. In Italy over the past decade Italian microbreweries have grown to well over two hundred. And while the Italian beer industry may have been influenced by classic Belgium and German beers, the Italian craft beer industry is taking on a unique life of its own and finding inspiration in their own backyard. Like its ancient wine tradition, Italian beer-making looks to a terroir-focused approach that reflects “place,” using ingredients and methods that are unique to the Italian regions from where the beer is made. Brewers might use such ingredients as local honey, lemons, chestnuts, or grapes in their beer to impart the sense of place and culture. In particular, some brewers seek to incorporate heritage grains that reflect Italy’s ancient roots. Others may use wine barrels to store the beer, creating distinct Italian craft beers. However, unlike the Italian wine industry that is heavily regulated with strict rules for geographic appellations, the nascent beer industry in Italy is currently able to be creative and experimental due to fewer restrictions. Italy’s unique beer style is even reflected in the details of bottle design, which tends to feature beautiful bottles reminiscent of wine.
The cradle of Italian Craft beer is purported to be in the north of Italy thanks to pioneering brewers Baladin and Birrificio Italiano. And while there is still a concentration of microbreweries in northern Italy, craft beer production has infiltrated the rest of the country. In Italy, you can find a great range of Italian microbrews in beer bars, alongside an eclectic range of interesting world craft beers. I’m already formulating my next trip to Italy as a craft beer trail of Italian microbreweries and craft beer bars.
More Craft Beer in Rome…
In addition to Ma Cha Siete Venuti a Fà and Open Baladin, these recommended Rome Craft Beer spots look pretty enticing, by neighborhood…
Aventino
Queen Makeda: The Queen boasts both 40 beers on tap with a more upscale food menu than some beer spots, but still with that comfort food spin. It has a sleek modern design with a bonus bamboo beer garden. The Queen is vegetarian / pescatarian friendly, and also serves lunch.
Monti
Antigallery: Antigallery looks like a hip and cozy spot in my favorite Rome neighborhood.
Piazza Navona
No.Au: This gastro pub appears to have a cozy rustic interior, serving market-based items such as sandwiches and cheese plates. No.Au is a collaboration between pioneer Italian craft brewers Teo Musso and Leonardo Di Vincenzo, as well as baker Gabriele Bonci.
Pigneto
Birra Piu: You’re really going local when you head out to Birra Piu in the Pigneto, which will take you beyond Esquilino and Rome’s iconic basilicas. Birra Piu’s focus appears to be more on British and American craft beer, but you’ll still find Italian options. In this area, you’ll be rewarded with some great street art for your journey. The neighborhood has its own convenient Metro stop.
Portuense
Just below Portuense and across the river from Testaccio, Brasserie 4:20’s space if modern-meets-ancient interior, in a location close to the river with a roof garden. 4:20 serves American style comfort food such as burgers. It also has a bottle shop for takeaway. You could easily find yourself in this area when visiting the MACRO museum just across the river. Bonus – it’s open till the wee hours of the morning.
