What is a maritozzo?
The maritozzo is a lightly sweet brioche bun, split in two and filled with whipped cream ("con la panna"). Its name comes from "marito", husband: tradition says a suitor would give it to his betrothed, sometimes with a ring hidden in the dough. It is eaten mainly at breakfast or as an afternoon snack, with a coffee or cappuccino.
A few pointers for choosing one:
- The cream is whipped on the spot or generous but not over-sweet: a good maritozzo is eaten in two or three bites and does not collapse in your hand.
- The bread is soft and airy, not dry or dense.
- There is a cream-free version, the Lenten "maritozzo quaresimale", with raisins, pine nuts and candied orange peel; you find it mostly before Easter.
- Savoury or very creative versions (pistachio, chocolate, unusual fillings) are recent variations: taste the classic first.
Where to eat a good maritozzo
- Pasticceria Regoli (via dello Statuto 60, near Santa Maria Maggiore): a pastry shop open since 1916, often cited as the reference for the classic cream maritozzo. It is close to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore and the Esquilino and Termini area.
- Roscioli Caffè (near Campo de' Fiori): the café-pastry shop of the Roscioli family, where the maritozzo is filled to order. It is a short walk from Campo de' Fiori.
- Neighbourhood bars: many Roman bars serve a maritozzo in the morning, often delivered by a nearby bakery. If the tray has been sitting for a long time and the cream looks set, walk on.
Do not give in to the first counter in front of the Trevi Fountain or the Pantheon: as with ice cream, walk a few streets to find better. To compare with other sweet and savoury things to eat on the go, read street food in Rome.
The oven bakery: forni and pizza bianca
The forno, the neighbourhood bakery, is a Roman institution: you buy pizza bianca (an olive-oil-and-salt focaccia) by weight, pizza rossa (with tomato), biscuits and small cakes.
- Antico Forno Roscioli (via dei Chiavari 34): a well-known forno near Campo de' Fiori, appreciated for its pizza bianca and pastries.
- Forno Campo de' Fiori (piazza Campo de' Fiori 22): right on the square, renowned for its pizza bianca, often with a queue of tourists.
To eat like a Roman, buy pizza bianca by the slice, by weight, and eat it on a bench. The Campo de' Fiori market and Via Giulia are next door.
The Ghetto: Roman Jewish pastry
In the Jewish quarter, Pasticceria Boccione (via del Portico d'Ottavia 1) has made for generations the pizza ebraica, a dense, caramelised cake with candied fruit and almonds, and the torta ricotta e visciole, a ricotta and sour-cherry tart. The shop has no decor: you buy, pay and leave. It is closed on Saturday (Shabbat) and during Jewish holidays: check opening days before you go.
Other Roman sweets to know
| Sweet | What it is | When |
|---|---|---|
| Maritozzo | Split brioche with whipped cream | All year, mostly at breakfast |
| Crostata | Jam tart (sour cherry, apricot) or ricotta tart | All year |
| Pizza ebraica | Dense cake with candied fruit and almonds | All year, Ghetto |
| Maritozzo quaresimale | Sweet bread with raisins and pine nuts, no cream | Lent |
| Pangiallo | Christmas cake with dried fruit and honey | December |
| Castagnole | Sweet fritters | Carnival |
How to choose and order well
At a bar counter you pay at the till first, then show the receipt to the barman, who prepares the coffee and the pastry. Eating standing at the counter is cheaper than sitting on a terrace, where you pay for the service. The maritozzo goes with a morning cappuccino: Romans consider it a morning drink and rarely order one after lunch.
These breaks combine well with a day of sightseeing: see what to do in Rome in one day and, for the rest of the meal, what to eat in Rome.
Going further
After a pastry shop, carry on with artisan gelato or a historic café. Addresses and hours are a guide as of October 2026; check before you go.
