I’m usually pretty self controlled when it comes to eating. I have to be. I hang out in a lot of places where there is a lot of good food.
I’m especially good at not eating between meals, since meals – especially those in restaurants – tend to be multi-course explorations of as many items from the menu as I can manage.
But sometimes even I can’t walk by a whipped-cream-filled pastry.
Ok, I had my excuses handy. It was raining outside. I had just been to visit my accountant and needed a pick me up. I had had a really early lunch.
Take your pick. For whatever reason there was no way I was going to walk right past Natalizi without heading inside. For the first couple of seconds I even kidded myself that I was just going to have a coffee.
Hah.
It was those fancy cakes in the display window that drew me in and it was one of those luscious, totally unnecessary and absolutely delicious pastries that I was gonna have.
I hadn’t been to Natalizi in about 15 years. Mostly because it’s over on the boarder of Parioli, a neighborhood I don’t get to that often. Thankfully nothing had changed at all. It is one of Rome’s oldest pastry shops and its kitchens below the shop take care of catering some of Rome’s fanciest parties in historic villas. The glass display case still stretched along one side of the small store, filled with old fashioned eclairs, cream filled puff pastries and my personal favorite: a sugar encrusted, whipped cream filled choux pastry.
I paid the cashier, picked up my pastry and wiggled myself a space standing at the curved bar between neighborhood regulars. An espresso certainly woke me up on that rainy afternoon, and the sweet treat definitely made me forget my visit to the accountant. (I’m shallow that way)
I was sorely tempted to get another pastry. Just one of the cute, pink-icing-topped, mignon eclairs. But, well, I do have a modicum of self control. 
Natalizi
Via Po, 124-126 , Rome
+39.06.854.6213
Wow – I am a pastry junkie, and this is my idea of Heaven! What fabulous work these people do. I really have to come to Rome.
my soft spot… the delicious pastries in Rome and environs. I’ve spent almost a lifetime between the bars and pastry shops around Pza. Ungheria, Antonini in Prati and now the ultra-big pastries produced in the province of Viterbo….I missed these during a recent visit to the States…another reason why the lifestyle here is more to my liking.
They look so gorgeous. When would be a typical time Romans would eat those? I remember when staying in a hotel in Rome, near the train station, we were served pastries and donuts for breakfast.
These kinds of pastries would be a bit heavy for breakfast. More likely enjoyed after a meal, or else as an afternoon snack. Morning pastries are more like cornetti or – as you noticed – donuts.
Do they have pignoli cookies or sfogliatelle? If so, I’m there.
Sforgliatelle are typically found in pastry shops that specialize in Neopolitan pastries, which this one doesn’t. I didn’t see any pignoli cookies either, but then, I was pretty distracted by all the whipped cream going on.
Pastries in Rome on a wet afternoon; bliss! Nothing like slightly more inclement weather to bring out a latent carb craving. In Catania last January, while there for a working weekend, I had breakfast in a small side street bar. On the Sunday morning, dressed in full uniformed regalia, was some police chief (I never know the various police ranks and forces in Italy!). He was munching a very large, flaky, crema filled cornetto (croissant thing) with a nip of espresso. Icing sugar was dusting his immaculate navy uniform, clinging fast. Just wish I had had my camera, not that it would have been easy to photo him so close up. Don’t you just love Italian bars and pasticcerie for the life that revolves in and around them! Vignettes to cherish in bars and pastry shops from Milan via Rome to Palermo (my next stop end month!).
always top … I love your super nice blog 🙂
I work nearby and other than breakfast I can’t resist to a treat after lunch at Natalizi’s.
Those “tarts” in the window display are right up my alley! Good think I wasn’t there with you, although I could have said I was there to support you after your visit to your accountant! Yes, that would work!
my mouth is just watering, i just love my italian pastry, cld eat all i can
These just look delicious. In a way its good that they are in Rome because I would not be able to keep away.