Carciofo alla giudia is the Roman-Jewish artichoke dish: a whole Romanesco artichoke trimmed, pressed open, twice-fried in olive oil until the outer leaves crackle like fritters. The Ghetto's classic.
The carciofo alla giudia originated in Rome's Jewish Ghetto, the 1555-founded papal quarter where Jewish cooks adapted the local Romanesco artichoke into a twice-fried dish that softened the heart while crisping the outer leaves to a flower-like fritter. The technique reached its modern form by the mid-19th century; Sora Margherita, Boccione and the Ghetto's restaurants codified the service ritual. The artichoke season runs March to May only, when Romanesco artichokes from the Castelli Romani are at their peak; out-of-season versions use frozen or imported globe artichokes and are not the canonical dish. Carciofo alla romana (braised in oil with mint, parsley and garlic) is the parallel non-Jewish Roman version.
4 editor picks for Carciofo alla giudia in Rome, ranked by editorial score. All Rome signature dishes · Carciofo alla giudia across every city.
Da Enzo al 29 ★ 4.4
trastevere · Via dei Vascellari 29, 00153 Roma
Da Enzo al 29 in Rome's Trastevere is the 30-seat trattoria with the longest queue in town. The carbonara is mantecata with raw yolks; the carciofo alla giudia is fried to order.
Antica Pesa ★ 4.3
trastevere · Via Garibaldi 18, 00153 Roma
Antica Pesa in Rome's Trastevere is the 1922-founded trattoria with a hidden walled garden, the celebrity-spot lunch room and the cacio e pepe that critics have argued over for decades.
Ba'Ghetto ★ 4.2
jewish-ghetto · Via del Portico d'Ottavia 57, 00186 Roma
Ba'Ghetto in Rome's Jewish Ghetto serves the cucina giudaico-romanesca canon under kosher supervision. The carciofo alla giudia is the dish you came for, fried to a fritter.
Nonna Betta ★ 4.2
jewish-ghetto · Via del Portico d'Ottavia 16, 00186 Roma
Nonna Betta in Rome's Jewish Ghetto runs the giudaico-romanesca menu with a wider modern carte than the strictly-kosher houses. The carciofo alla giudia is the order, with concia di zucchine.