Trippa alla Romana
Tripe Stew
"Trippa is slow-cooked beef tripe (cow stomach lining) in tomato sauce with mint and pecorino. It's nose-to-tail eating from Rome's slaughterhouse culture in Testaccio. The tripe must be cleaned, boiled, then stewed for hours until tender. The texture is slippery and chewy, which polarizes diners unfamiliar with offal."
Logistics
Affordable
Vibe
Traditional, challenging
Duration
1 hour
Best For
Adventurous eaters
The Backstory
Tripe was poor people's food, requiring hours of preparation. It's Saturday lunch food in traditional trattorias. Younger Romans rarely eat it anymore, making it increasingly rare on menus.
Local Secret
"Only order it at old-school trattorias, especially in Testaccio. It's traditionally a Saturday dish. Eat it with bread to soak up the sauce."