When in Rome…Have a Panini!

by Cristina Wollenberg

On my recent trip to the land of pasta, pizza and Prada, I fell in love with a panini. The Crociante, to be exact. In my opinion, a gift from the Roman Gods to humanity. This magnificent version of the popular Italian sandwich comes with Stracchino cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, Parma ham, rocket salad and is served on a bread that is prepared by a local bakery and especially baked at exactly 200°, hence the name of the eatery, Duecentogradi (200 Degrees) Bread and Condiments.

One late night, after wearing off my boots zigzagging through tourist-infested streets and breathtaking landmarks in Rome, I saw the tiny sandwich shop right across from our bus drop-off/pick-up location. It was flooded with notoriously beautiful and stylish Italian people. I went to sleep that night super curious about the place. It was our second night in Rome and we were yet to have a nice meal. The next morning, Duecentogradi, which is conveniently located next to Vatican City and a few blocks from the metro station, was our first stop. We arrived around 11 a.m., a little early for lunch, allowing us to take our time to browse through the 60 plus items on the menu. Right around noon locals start to arrive and the chill establishment becomes a mad house until the time it closes. Since my partner in crime and I had no idea when we’d be back to Rome, we decided to have lunch there everyday for the rest of our stay. That was one of the best decisions we made on that trip. The freshness of the ingredients and the taste of that bread cannot be easily replicated.

Three Guys, an idea and a Panini Place

Duecentogradi started when Christian Milone, Gianni Mancini and Mirko Napolitano decided to reinvent the traditional Roman sandwich.  Their paninis are a combination of tradition and invention. Their shop counts with a modest, but modern setup and it offers an array of fresh and hand selected ingredients and a large range of sauces, including their famous 200° sauce.  The sandwiches are named after some of the most famous piazzas in Rome, making them characteristic and unmistakable.  And if you happen to be one of those picky eaters, you may personalize your sandwich by picking your favorite ingredients and creating your very own version of the most delicious panini in the world. The title stands until I can find a panini that can beat this one, which could be a hard task, but one that I’m willing to take on.