Rome’s outdoor aperitivo immersed in a green park
When the sun comes out, nothing is better than enjoying an aperitivo al fresco in a beautiful green area. And if you think you’re asking for too much for Roman standards, you obviously haven’t been to Tree Bar yet! A concept dear to the ancient Romans was ‘rus in urbe’ – or bits of the countryside in the midst of the city. Take tram 2 from Flaminio to Piazzale Manila and you will find just that: tucked beneath the greenery, Treebar lives up to its name. Inside or al fresco one can eat and drink at wooden tables, at a welcome tangent from the city bustle.
As Luca, one of the managers, will tell you, the link with the countryside is also there in the fare on offer. The grain used in the pizza, for example, ‘comes from our fields in Tuscia, once the Etruscan heartland, and is stone-ground for fragrance and digestibility’. (Other interesting dishes are ‘Roast beef in green sauce,’ and ‘Salad with spinach, nuts and vegetables,’ to cite at random).
If the food is ‘the fruit of our own agricultural endeavor’, then the beer is home-brewed. Rare in Rome, the Birra Rossa is a bitter in the true English sense while the ‘white’ is based on a Belgian recipe containing hints of ‘orange, coriander and bergamot’, as explains the appetizing card it comes served with. At 5 to 8 euro a glass, wines vary from Alto Adige whites to deeply Sicilian Nerello, not forgetting French champagne or various cut-price Italian equivalents.
Tree Bar also has a great aperitivo – the price of your drink of choice comes with side snacks like pizza and fritti that change daily. Your cocktail also comes with a good selection of music pumping from their outdoor speakers.
A bit of country smack in the middle of the Eternal City, Tree Bar is a real neighborhood gem situated on the way to or from the nearby Auditorium or MAXXI.
1 Comment