Rome: Pasta & Spritz Cooking Class near Piazza Navona

4.91

(1660 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

First thing I noticed was the clatter of plates and that faint basil smell drifting out onto the cobblestones near Piazza Navona. We’d barely found the door before someone waved us in—Giulia, our guide for the day. She had flour on her hands already. There were only a handful of us, maybe ten or so, and everyone seemed a bit shy at first. That changed fast once we started making Spritz. I poured too much Prosecco (is that possible?) but Giulia just grinned and said, “That’s how you know it’s yours.” The orange slice slipped right out of my glass onto the counter—nobody cared.

Making pasta dough is messier than it looks on TV. My hands were sticky with flour and egg, and I kept glancing over at the older couple next to me—he was rolling his fettuccine way too thin but looked proud anyway. The kitchen windows let in this late afternoon light that made everything look a little golden. At some point, someone started talking about their grandmother’s pesto recipe back home, which got Giulia telling us about her own nonna in Trastevere who still refuses to use a blender for pesto (“Only mortar!” she insisted). There was bruschetta with tomatoes and oregano—simple but honestly perfect after all that kneading.

Sitting down together felt like we’d known each other longer than two hours. The fettuccine with tomato sauce tasted brighter than I expected—I guess it’s true what they say about fresh pasta. Maltagliati with basil pesto came next (I probably butchered the pronunciation; Li laughed when I tried). Wine flowed easily and there was this gentle hum of voices bouncing off tile walls. Someone passed around homemade tiramisu at the end—I’m still thinking about that creamy coffee bite days later.

I didn’t expect to feel so relaxed in such a busy part of Rome. Maybe it was the limoncello at the end (or maybe just being surrounded by people who were all a little flour-dusted and happy). If you’re looking for a pasta & spritz cooking class near Piazza Navona that feels more like an afternoon at a friend’s place than a formal lesson, this is probably it.