(map) Rome, Lazio
Whilst browsing the towering stacks of wooden shelves, crowded with Italian and international wines (incuding Lebanese and Israeli) and delicatezze alimentari (culinary delicacies), one almost expects to bump into a Victorian gentleman selecting a fine Barolo.
A stone’s throw from bustling Piazza del Popolo, this negozio storico (basically “ye olde shoppe”) has inhabited its premises for over a century. In the 1700’s Via di Ripetta 19-20 housed carriages, but at some point in the 1800’s it became a thriving enoteca (wine shop), supplying vini, liquori, e champagne to the local citizens.
Some of Buccone’s earlier patrons may have sent their servants to purchase wine from Buccone’s street-salesman, as he wandered around the neighbourhood 
with a wine-laden wooden cart, but most would have brought their own meals to accompany their wine of choice, lending new meaning to “bring your own”. On leaving they could purchase olive oil, dispensed from an enormous terracotta urn just inside the shop’s doorway, and settle their scontrino (technically, receipt) at the ornate, pewter cassa (circa 1898), now resting atop the olive oil urn.
Today one can taste from Buccone’s wide range of wines, and enjoy lunch (Mon-Sat) or dinner (Fri & Sat) prepared on the premises.
- Contributed by Lynda Higgs, global nomad, writer, and observer of this beautiful and bewildering, fascinating and frustrating place in which I currently live.
March 10th, 2010 at 12:49 pm
Mi gradirei la pasta con fagioli, per favore.
Great shop, impossible to pass by without having a look (taste?) inside.
March 10th, 2010 at 1:33 pm
What a great shop!
March 10th, 2010 at 1:39 pm
Great Note, Lynda. Love your idea of being an “observer.” Thanks for observing for us and letting us know about this ye olde shoppe.
March 10th, 2010 at 4:27 pm
A sweet, sunny hello to you. What a lovely place to visit, I love finding little shops and enotecas anywhere in Italy.
March 10th, 2010 at 5:07 pm
I put this one in my list of Google maps. Somethings in life are more important than others!
March 10th, 2010 at 10:34 pm
this is such a great place. one of the many reasons that i love roma!
March 11th, 2010 at 8:03 am
I read this and wondered for a minute whether ‘Victorian ” was used historically or geographically .This Victorian gentleman will keep this note for reference on my next visit to Rome .
Paul Huckett
Victoria Australia
March 11th, 2010 at 8:22 pm
ciao Lynda!! che bello!!! è fantastico! thank for your information. You know that I’m not from Rome, so in this way also I can know more about this city!!
March 12th, 2010 at 4:55 am
Great article Lynda – you’re so knowledgeable! Putting this on the ‘to do list’ for Rome!
March 12th, 2010 at 9:04 am
Victorian is definitively figurative here :-) but I think that the actual (geographical) Victorian gentleman, circa 2010, would also enjoy this enoteca. One thing I didn’t include in my note is that Via Ripetta, despite being in the middle of popular tourist areas, and just metres from the ever-busy Via del Corso, is a really Roman street. At any time of day one will encounter a mix of Roman natives of all socio-economic strata, shopkeepers, ex-pats-gone-native, and students from the nearby art college. The street, and this shop, do not try to be anything other than what they are, which is why I like it.
March 24th, 2010 at 8:27 pm
Thats a great entry, thanks for writing it. I’ve saved your site and will be eager to reading more!
July 21st, 2010 at 4:07 pm
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