The "Grattachecca"

The Grattachecca is a very Roman cold treat, which have been around since ancient times, and its name evolved from the action of “grating” a huge block of ice – called a “checca” in Roman dialect – with a specially designed tool that produced ice shavings known as “ghiacciata” that looked a lot like snow.

Freshly squeezed fruit juice or syrups were poured over this “snow”, and often pieces of fresh fruit were added too. This Roman invention, a tradition that dates back to the end of the 19th century, quickly became a popular “street food”.

It is still much sought after today and you may be surprised to hear that it is still prepared by hand and served in the historic kiosks that are an essential feature of Roman summers.

A grattachecca is completely different to a granita, and the two should never be confused! In the first, fruit juice or syrup is poured over freshly grated “snow “and this enhances the taste sensation when the two separate elements combine for the first time inside the mouth. In a granita, on the other hand, water, juice and sugar are mixed together, frozen and only later crushed or chopped up and this means that every single ice crystal is flavoured.

SORA MIRELLA is one of the most popular and old kiosk where to take the real roman grattachecca. You can chose hundreds of different combinations of flavours, Rome Trip Tips favourite combination is the lemon-tamarindo-amarena with fresh pieces of coconut and real amarena cherry, but believe us, there isn’t any limit to the imagination!

The kiosk of Sora Mirella is located in Lungotevere Degli Anguillara at the corner with Ponte Cestio, in front of the Tiberina Island on the river Tiber.