Rome gelato, Cafes,
ice cream parlors, confectionery shops

We also e recommend Fonte della Salute (the Fountain of Health, in Via Cardinal Marmagi 2, tel. 065897471). Another fine parlor is Fiocco di Neve (Snow Flake, in Via del Pantheon 51, no phone). We also recommend Gelatone, in the Monti quarter (Via dei Serpenti 28, tel. 064820187). Chef Paolo prepares about 100 flavours, including some he creates (for ex. "Crema Antica" - Ancient Cream). If you like granite (ice cream slush), and particularly granita di caffe' (coffee ice cream slush), we recommend Cremeria Ottaviani (Via Leone IV 83/85, tel. 0637514774).

Il gelatone

Pasticcerie, or confectionery shops

There are many pastry shops in Rome, but few prepare excellent regional desserts. A good one is the Forno del Ghetto (the Ghetto's Baker, in Via del Portico d'Ottavia 20/b, tel. 06687637, closed on Friday after sundown, Saturday and on Jewish holidays. It is a tabby little place, literally a hole-in-the-wall, with women only personnel and no sign outside, preparing delicious Jewish take-away pastries made of a combination of candied fruit, raisins and marzipan (they are called Pizza Ebraica although they are sweet). They also prepare memorable ricotta cakes (with sour cherry jam or chocolate). Traditional Roman cakes include Mostaccioli, Panpepato and Pangiallo, made with dried fruit, nuts and honey. In the same street, just before the Portico (porch) of Ottavia , you will find Dolceroma (Sweet Rome, tel. 066892196), a classical pastry shop, with excellent Sacker Tort, and - surprise - American pies. For more details, please visit the page of the Roman quarter or Ghetto.

The Forno del Ghetto

The Italian coffee terms you always wondered about

First of all the Italians make a difference between Espresso (prepared at the bar with specific machines) or Moka (prepared at home with specific coffee pots, called "caffettiere").

The "philosophy" of the Italian coffee is that water under high pressure should pass as fast as possible the coffee powder, thus the name espresso (express coffee). It is intensely aromatic, and very strong, and the Italians usually like it very concentrated (in this case it is called "caffe' ristretto", or simply "ristretto"). If you want it more diluted, and hence with coffee filling the small cup up to the edge, ask for "caffe' lungo" (long). To most non-Italians, this is still too little, as it barely fills the small espresso cup.
If you are American, we thus recommend that you ask for "Caffe' Americano": the barman will put the normal Italian coffee in a larger cappuccino cup, and dilute it with hot water. If you want some liqueur, then ask for "caffe' corretto" (literally revised coffee). Finally ask for "caffe' macchiato" (lit. stained coffee), if you want instead an additional splash of milk.
Of course then you know about cappuccino. Perhaps you don't know though that the name originates by its colour, which is the same of the habit of the Capuchin monks. As you know, it looks like a frothy white coffee. In fact, to prepare it with the espresso machine some steam is pumped into some milk, and then a normal espresso coffee is added. Some Italians add some cocoa powder on the surface, and in this case it is usually called "Mokaccino" (there are also other jargon terms for it, changing to place to place).
The cappuccino must not be confused with caffellatte (milk and coffee, in which a generous quantity of hot milk is added to a normal espresso, without steam), and with latte macchiato (milk with a splash of previously prepared, cold coffee).

What about American coffee in Rome and in Italy?

American coffee doesn't exist practically in Italy. It is not only a matter of shortage of American coffee supply or of percolators. The sheer fact is that for Italians American coffee is taboo. Italians are very open-minded for all and for everything, but not for three things: coffee, pasta, and pizza. American coffee is not acknowledged as real coffee by Italians. They consider it something strange, quasi-coffee, with a somewhat childish taste, and for them practically undrinkable, or not even coffee.
In Rome you can purchase it however in one specialized shop near the Vatican. The shop is called Castroni, in Via Cola di Rienzo (click on the link to go to the page presenting it).
We recommend that you use the normal Italian coffee in American coffee percolators (supposing you find one - they are difficult to find for the same reasons of coffee). When in Rome...

In bars, you might ask for "Caffe' Americano" which doesn't mean they'll give you an American coffee (which as mentioned is just taboo) but an espresso in a cappuccino cup, diluted with hot water at leisure (and they will look at you as if this were strange).