Mercato di Piazza del Mercato
Every morning except Sunday, the covered market on Piazza del Mercato fills with stalls selling volcanic-soil vegetables, fresh ricotta from Ariccia shepherds and the season's first strawberries from the fields below Velletri. It is the most honest window into daily Frascati life and the best place to assemble a picnic before heading into the Tuscolano hills.
What to Buy
In spring look for puntarelle — the bitter chicory shoots that Romans dress with anchovy and garlic — and bundles of misticanza, the wild herb salad mix that tastes of nothing you can buy in a supermarket.
The cheese stall run by the Fabrizi family has been here since the 1970s; their fresh pecorino romano, still warm from the morning's pressing, is worth the trip alone. Pick up a wedge of aged pecorino stagionato for the train home.
In autumn the market overflows with porcini from the beech forests of Monte Cavo and small, intensely sweet Castelli figs that vendors sell by the punnet.
Market Etiquette and Timing
Arrive before 09:00 for the best selection; by 11:30 the vendors begin packing up and the choice narrows significantly.
Bring cash in small denominations — most stalls do not accept cards — and a reusable bag. Prices are marked but a little friendly bargaining on larger purchases is not unusual.
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