Where do locals actually go for aperitivo in Rome?

The short answer is Pigneto, Ostiense, and Testaccio — neighborhoods where the ritual hasn't yet been priced for tourists. Pigneto's main drag, Via del Pigneto, has a cluster of bars where a spritz runs around €5–6 and the snacks are substantial enough to count as dinner if you pace yourself. Necci dal 1924 is a reliable reference point, though it attracts a mixed crowd these days. Deeper into the neighborhood, smaller spots with plastic chairs on the pavement are the ones worth finding. In Testaccio, the bars around the Mercato and along Via Galvani draw a crowd that actually lives nearby. Trastevere used to belong on this list; it no longer does. Romans typically start aperitivo around 6:30–7:30 p.m., order one drink, eat whatever comes with it, and transition to dinner without treating it as a separate event. The volume is usually loud, the lighting bad, and the spritz Aperol unless you ask otherwise.

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