Best Sandwich in Rome: "Mordi e Vai"
The creators of this delicious sandwich are Sergio Esposito and his wife, Mara Cipriani and they prepare it In Testaccio Market, In the district with the same name Testaccio, at the box number 15, called “Mordi e Vai”.
The winning idea is simple: take the grandma’s dishes, make tasty sandwiches with it and then ... bite-and-go (Mordi e Vai)!
The locals love Testaccio market because it caters to those living or working in this popular central neighbourhood. As it was recently renovated, it’s particularly pleasant and clean. It’s a great place to buy fresh food and to enjoy a cheap and delicious snack. Infact you can find here fresh fruit and vegetables, bread, seafood, deli products, top quality meat and all manner of other market produce. You'll also find several creative and unconventional stalls selling kitchen accessories and design objects.
At Sergio’s stall you can choose from an assortment of classic Roman main dishes (tripe, oxtail, coratella, braised beef, meatballs, to name a few) and he will slice open a roll and fill it with the selected item.
Sergio Esposito and his wife prepare theirself the meat who show a convincing and authentic Roman cuisine since july 2012, when they first opened their 20-square meter stall near the market’s Via Beniamino Franklin entrance. It was among the first market stall in town to sell Roman fast food: hot, homemade meals rooted in local flavors intended to be eaten on the fly.
The dishes, which are displayed behind the plexiglass counter, include a range of local classics, some of which have disappeared from menus as Roman cuisine has evolved. The allesso, for example, the house specialty tender simmered beef slices, rarely appears on home or restaurant tables, while picchiapò, is even less common. To complete the allesso sandwich they add vegetables and aromatics. The finished product is sliced and served on bread soaked in the meat’s savory juices. Picchiapò, on the other hand, is made from allesso scraps, which are shredded, then cooked in a tomato sauce enriched with onions and chili. It is served on a sliced roll, which absorbs the deep flavors of this forgotten Roman classic.
Today, Mordi e Vai is by far the busiest stall at the Testaccio Market and hundreds of people queue up every day for sandwiches filled with meat in various forms, as well as tripe with tomato sauce, kidneys and onions, tongue with salsa verde, and tomato-braised intestines.
Another reason to add at their success, besides the quality of the food, it’s because they offer the city’s traditional flavors and deliver them in a portable, affordable format. Infact the sandwiches cost 3 to 4 Euros, and can be accompanied by good fried meatball (always allesso), which cost € 1.50 each, or scottona that cost €2, a price that makes this destination even adapts to the daily lunch breaks.
Sergio is very kind and very proud of his reviews on Tripadvisor, who printed and exposed on the counter, and proves to be very curious about the web, mysterious entity which seems to bring him very well.
Even the famous chef, food writer and american television personality, Andrew Zimmern, came here and didn’t lost the chance to taste the amazing sandwiches of Mordi e Vai.
Nuovo Mercato Comunale di Testaccio, Via Beniamino Franklin, 12/E (box 15) +39 339 134 3344 Open: Mon-Sat 8:00am-2:30pm
Recap: if you have the possibility to come in Testaccio district don't miss the change to go at "Mordi e Vai" stall and taste the "Panino con l'Allesso".
