This guide won’t take you to the Colosseum or St. Peter’s Basilica … but it will take you to some of the best-kept secrets in the city. I’m not a tour guide, but I know food — well. So spend a day with me and we’ll walk some of the less known streets of the Eternal City. Let’s eat (and drink) well together.

My first stop was the butcher. I don’t speak French and was unable to communicate what I wanted. Luckily, a young man behind me spoke English and kindly translated. The chickens weren’t ready – they needed to roast for another 30 minutes – but the butcher promised he’d set aside two. Next, I was off to the market.

As you walk down the narrow, uneven cobblestone street of Via della Madonna dei Monti in Rome’s hip Monti neighbourhood you’re surrounded by Italian buildings from different ages. Buildings that house generations and are home to street level bars and restaurants. Just a ten-minute walk from the Colosseum, the last thing you’d expect to find is a cafe devoted to avocado.