Rome is one of the greatest gastronomic cities in the world, but the spoils go way beyond pizza, pasta and gelato. Italian-Australian chef and restaurateur Nino Zoccali, of Sydney’s Pendolino, shares his love for abbacchio (suckling lamb) and where to find the best versions in Rome. 

Romans love eating young animals and have been eating high quality fresh meat products for millennia. As for many other places around the globe renowned for high quality meat, Rome’s secret lies largely in the diet of its livestock, in this case the very unique flora from the semi-wild ancient pastoral plains around Rome where sheep, goats and pigs have been tended for thousands of years.

Butchery is also a factor in Rome. In Italy, butchery is an art form and nowhere in Italy is this more apparent than in Rome, where you will find some of the very best butchers in the world and some of the most famous meat dishes in the world – from the ubiquitous porchetta and saltimbocca alla Romana, to the current topic of discussion, the amazing Roman baby lamb abbacchio.

As product of both history and geography, lamb largely differentiates Rome from many other Italian regions. It has a special place in the Roman kitchen and isn’t even eaten in much of the rest of the country. If you like beautifully flavoured grilled, roasted or slow cooked meat dishes, be sure to try abbacchio at least once whilst in Rome.

Note: some of the Roman lamb production is strictly protected by the EEC which assures quality and provenance. Look for Abbacchio Romano IGP (Indicazione Geografica Protetta) or the English PGI (Protected Geographical Indication). Abbacchio Romano is one of only two lamb products under this protection in Italy.

Best places to eat abbacchio in Rome:

Spring will obviously be the best time for abbacchio (March, April & May) although it is generally available all year round nowadays. If it’s on the menu when you happen to be in Rome, either Checchino dal 1887 or Palatium Enoteca Regionale are ideal for abbacchio. Alternatively abbacchio is a popular choice of the many Michelin starred and higher end restaurants in Rome (of which there are now quite a few). Likewisem most reputable osterie in Rome will feature abbacchio on the menu. Look for the abbacchio Romana IGP.

Note: As much as Rome loves suckling animals, they also love offal and are specialists in the field. If you are into some of the more “delicate” parts of the animal, Rome is a great place to be and Checchino dal 1887 is also great for offal as well (very traditional).

Best abbacchio dishes to try in Rome:

Abbacchio alla Romana, Abbacchio alla scottadito di Roma and abbacchio alla cacciatora are the classics.