When in Roma: Weigh your options at this Wickenden St Roman style pizzeria

At Roma Capoccia you buy pizza by the weight, just like you would on the streets of Rome. This is pizza al taglio, or as we know it, pizza by the slice. But literally it translates, “to the cut,” which is more accurate to what you’ll find in both Italy and Roma Capoccia. Instead of walking into a shop and ordering a pre-cut triangular slice from a big, round pie, you’ll find large rectangular slabs of pizza that are reheated when you order them. (The dough is actually designed to be reheated, due to its high hydration and the fact that it must be fermented for 90-120 hours.) And then you pay based on weight.

In Rome, prices are listed by the kilo (which is why a listed price of €16 may seem alarming, but it’s unlikely you’ll eat two pounds of pizza). At Roma, you’ll find pizza priced by the ounce. This seems like a frightening concept for those of us with an inability to judge what “one ounce” looks like, and for those of us with a proclivity toward one-of-everything-please. I hear you. The first time I got Fro-Yo at a self-serve shop, I ended up footing a $14 bill. I could only imagine that ordering pizza by weight would result in my racking up $75 in charges.

Good news: That didn’t happen. At Roma, I was guided by a pizzaiolo, a helpful employee wielding giant scissors, and she made the final cut. She indicated the size of one ounce by holding her fingers in a small square and told us which pizzas were likely to be heavier based on their toppings. She also gave us an “average” size that people choose, which was a long strip across, about 3” thick. I ordered four of those, as did my friend. It ended up being $13, which means I spent more money on frozen yogurt than I did on pizza.

The best news? Each of those strips was big enough to share, meaning my friend and I got to sample eight different types of pizza! This is bliss, my friends. The menu changes regularly, and the toppings range from traditional (eg, margherita) to inventive (sweet potatoes, candied orange, chestnuts, goat cheese, sage and garlic aioli — this was my favorite). They also offer vegan options, and wine and beer. I recommend the Frescobaldi Rémole red, not only because it’s fun to say, but because it’s delicious. 

Rhode Island’s first Roman-style pizzeria is worth its weight … in pizza, and maybe gold, too.

468 Wickenden Street, PVD; @romacapocciapizza