Drogheria Alesse since 1961 in Monte Mario, a family grocery store turned bistro, where wine does not accompany: orient. Iolanda Maggio talks about it.
Well no, I did not know him but it was a wonderful discovery. In Monte Mario, off the beaten path of Roman dining, there is a special place. If you walk past it you run the risk of not noticing it, hidden among the stalls in the busy market square of Piazza Pietro Thouar. But anyone who loves good food and, above all, the chance to drink well even at more than honest prices cannot fail to go to Drogheria Alesse.
The beginnings with Lorenzo and Lucia
The story begins in 1961, when Lorenzo and Lucia arrived in Rome after the war, leaving Leonessa, a small town in the province of Rieti. Those were hard times; they had suffered from hunger and the hardships of World War II. Like so many at that time in history, they arrived in Rome to work. It was a internal migration, often from the hinterland of the Apennines.
The big city offered opportunities but in their hearts they carried memories of the flavors they had left behind. They first opened a coffee roaster, then bread and pasta that was sold in bulk, in paper bags. The grocery store gradually becomes a neighborhood landmark, Without ever really changing nature. Cured meats and cheeses and children arrive, and the neighborhood grows around them.
With Paolo, the store comes to the table
Today that story continues with Paul, who picked up the baton without turning it into a nostalgic tale. The turning point comes in the 2019, when the workshop comes to the table. The bistro, but not as a repositioning operation but the natural consequence of a passion nurtured by the intense aromas of sliced meats and the fine, curious palate for new wines and historic names.
Shelves become part of the scene, products only leave their sales function to find a place directly on the plate. The wine, already present, takes more space and structures a proposal that has the pace of the neighborhood wine shop, with a broad but not dispersive look. Tastings are organized, you can stop by for a glass at cocktail hour. One can choose directly from the shelves and with 5 euros more open the bottle to accompany the meal.
Dishes “from home” in Tiziana’s kitchen
In the hall it is Paul who leads, with a direct, cheerful and engaging approach. In the kitchen is his sister Tiziana, who prepares tasty dishes, something different every day. Dishes “from home” but with excellent ingredients. With mom Lucia still supervising and greeting guests she knows as she walks among the tables. The starter can be endless. From small fried foods to anything you want straight from the charcuterie counter. Among the starters are the Early Roman classics, lasagna, homemade pasta. Then excellent meat, battered vegetables and the ever-present Leonessa potatoes.
What is striking, besides the food, is the atmosphere in the whole. The grocery store did not become a restaurant: it simply made visible what it already contained. The cuisine is an extension of the selection, the wine is part of the discourse and not an accompaniment.
A place “saved” by the absence of tourists
Monte Mario, in this sense, is not just a backdrop. It is the condition that has allowed such a place to remain consistent. Without tourism, without the need to simplify the narrative. Here you still come by proximity, or by choice.
Drogheria Alesse works like this: it does not try to be other than itself. And that is precisely what makes it fascinating today as few places still have a long and solid history behind them. To add that it is affordable for all budgets, which doesn’t hurt these days. Then of course from the shelves peep important bottles and very high quality products so it is not always easy to “hold back.”
Congratulations to Paul and Tiziana.
