Bottega 67

Sometimes the best travel experiences are the ones you don’t plan at all. That was exactly the case for us when we found Bottega 67 in Rome. We had tickets for the Colosseum but arrived just a bit too early, so we decided to wander around the nearby neighborhood to find a little snack and a coffee to pass the time. We walked into Bottega 67 and were immediately greeted by the most glorious sight: an entire counter filled with freshly made pizzas. The choices seemed endless, and obviously, how could we possibly resist that? This is a spot that does pizza al taglio, or pizza by the weight. You choose which kind you want, they cut a slice for you, and then they heat it up for you to either eat there or take away.

We wanted to try absolutely everything, but we eventually landed on a slice of their Carbonara pizza. It was a white pizza with a creamy, garlicky base, topped with crispy bacon, a slightly jammy egg, and a generous crack of black pepper. Honestly, this may have been one of our favorite places we stumbled upon during our entire trip. The crust was so perfectly crispy, yet still light and airy. The pizza itself was incredibly flavorful, hitting all those rich, savory notes you want from a carbonara.

Now, I will say it’s a bit more expensive than many other pizza spots in Rome, but you have to consider the location—it’s right by the Colosseum. In this case, the convenience and the sheer quality of the pizza made it feel completely worth it. If you find yourself with time to spare near one of the world’s most famous landmarks, do yourself a favor and wander over to Bottega 67. You won’t regret this delicious, accidental discovery.