The unexpected pizzeria hidden in an ancient synagogue in Ascoli Piceno

At the edge of Ascoli Piceno’s iconic landmarks, the evocative alleys of the old town conceal a world of stories and also interesting places to eat.
An ancient city, said to have been founded around 1,600 years before Rome, Ascoli Piceno is called the city of a hundred towers, though in the Middle Ages it actually had twice that number. Famous for its marvellous Renaissance Piazza del Popolo, Ascoli should be visited slowly, strolling among alleys, travertine palaces, stone walls and flowered balconies, which together recreate an atmosphere almost suspended in time.

Rue and ruette of Ascoli

Here, as early as the 12th century, it was customary to call the various secondary streets “rue”, faithfully retraced on the ancient Roman layout of the city, about 1.8 km long. The term (and the diminutive “ruette”) has uncertain origins, immediately recalling the French “rue”, though the word itself seems to have pre-Roman roots.
Today they appear to us as characteristic medieval lanes, narrow and evocative, which attract both residents and tourists, even in summer, when they become shady retreats. At the Officine Brandimarte in Ascoli (in Via Bengasi), an exhibition entitled RUE explored in recent months the most intimate aspects of these pathways of the city’s memory. Each rua carries in its name a piece of the city’s history, through illustrious figures, ancient trades (in the 19th century, for example, Ascoli was one of the capitals of silk) and religious institutions.

The unexpected pizzeria in the rue

Right inside a 16th-century synagogue, with outdoor tables set along the ruette (where one can dine by candlelight), stands La Nicchia, a safe haven to taste local cuisine and an excellent pizza inspired by the Neapolitan tradition. The restaurant run by the Nardi brothers is welcoming and well cared for, the historic walls create an atmosphere of great charm and make it elegant and private, perfect also for special evenings.

The culture of the territory, of flours and doughs, grows year after year, and the quality of the offer benefits from it. The wood-fired oven dominates the dining room. The menu offers hand-rolled pasta, fried specialities, local meats and, on the pizza front, great classics and territorial interpretations, such as the Margherita di Monte San Vito, with jervicella flour dough, Monte San Vito tomatoes, lightly seared buffalo mozzarella from Campania, and basil emulsion. Also worth tasting is the fragrant cacciannanz’ (a typical local white pizza, traditionally the “test bake” before putting the bread in the oven) with extra virgin olive oil from Ascolana tenera. Interesting fried dishes include the olive all’ascolana, an unmissable starter, and artisanal cremini. The wine cellar is well stocked, constantly evolving, with local wines as well as important labels from other regions.

La Nicchia – Largo dei Cataldi, 9, Ascoli Piceno – Tel. 0736 257684 Website