Una gran pastelería se esconde en un local de Trastevere y permanece abierta todo el día

Da Etta in Rome is the Trastevere restaurant and bar for any time of day. Its strong point is the all-female pastry shop, led by the talented pastry chef Selene Coppotelli. From leavened pastries to plated desserts, the selection is extensive, always crafted with a focus on quality.

Just steps from Tiber Island, in the Trastevere district, there's an all-day dining establishment we've already mentioned. It's Da Etta, named after the diminutive used for many Roman names. Opened in April 2023, the establishment spans approximately 400 square meters, featuring five large windows overlooking the romantic Piazza in Piscinula, one of the few areas in the area still untouched by mass tourism (where even a quick bite is a given). Etta is a vibrant and diverse project, the flagship of the Oste per Caso group (Vanda, Puntarella, Osteria der Belli).

A bar in the morning, a modern osteria for lunch and dinner, this Trastevere address also features a large outdoor area and a wine cellar stocked with over 5,000 select wines. The interior is spacious and welcoming, with wood and brick accents, including room for a grandmother's cupboard. The beating heart of the establishment is the 40-square-meter pastry shop, open all day, well-equipped and a firm commitment from the owners. Pastry chef Selene Coppotelli arrived here two years ago, taking over the reins of the pastry production, redefining and evolving it while never betraying tradition.

Selene Coppotelli's challenge from Etta to Rome

"This workshop was strongly supported by the owners, who cared deeply about their leavened products. It was a significant investment. Few establishments have a space like this, perhaps only hotels," explains Selene, who comes from the world of Michelin-starred pastry making. Born in Ciociaria, but trained professionally between Rome and Milan, she took her first steps in the kitchens of Hassler in Rome, with Francesco Apreda and Dario Nuti, before moving on to the Mandarin Oriental in Milan with Antonio Guida and Marco Pinna. "I learned everything from them, especially about the culture of brioche for breakfast, and then also about the human side," adds the pastry chef. Predictably, her arrival at Etta's made a difference, and when she accepted the main challenge posed to her, that of raising the bar for leavened products, making them competitive with other Roman establishments, she didn't hold back.

“When I arrived, I saw that the sourdough starter was almost dead” she recalls. “I could have called a colleague and gotten it, but I said, 'No, I have to do it all myself.' I gave it just one refresh, and it was perfect. At that point, it was almost a sign. Everything started from there. I said to myself, 'I want to win this challenge.'” The support she received from the owners was crucial, starting with their request for quality raw materials. “They told me, 'This is the lab, you take care of it.' So I did.” Today, the sacrifice has paid off.

A challenge Selene won, who, emulating her mother, enjoyed playing with dough since she was a child. "I have this memory of myself handling a ball of fresh dough so much that it turned black. For me, sourdough is life, almost like a child. I even think it recognizes the pH of my skin when I work with it," she tells us, demonstrating a visceral passion for her profession, where her second in command, Benedetta Mattioli, accompanies her daily work.

Desserts at Etta's in Rome, including leavened pastries and plated desserts

When we ask Selene to define her concept of pastry making, she has very clear ideas: staying within tradition, without losing sight of technique, which is a means of reviving the former with even greater study and refinement. "I take a lot of inspiration from France, but I think people also really like simplicity. My concept of pastry making is that it must be classic, but also technically modern." Thus, even a cream cannoncino or a millefeuille can coexist with more innovative and less conventional creations, such as the puff pastry shaped like a Pugliese trullo, a popular choice with customers.

Breakfast certainly proves to be one of the most interesting experiences at Etta's, with its leavened and flaky pastries. It starts with the basics, with the croissant: "Ours is a cross between the Italian and the French, a croissant with a very small amount of egg," just enough to make it more compatible with the palates of Romans, less accustomed to the traditional French version, which lacks it. Then there's the orange and dark chocolate kranz ("I don't even have time to take it out before it's gone," admits Selene) or the raisin swirl.

Other options on the menu include the pain suisse, which has become increasingly popular in the capital's pastry shops, or the ever-present maritozzo. Added to these are: apple Danish pastry, cruffin, pancakes, or brioche bread with jam. Another option is the baked desserts, from plum cakes to cakes. Those with a savory appetite will not be disappointed at breakfast, with mini pizzas, eggs prepared in various ways, toast, and avocado toast.

Snacks and plated desserts at Etta's in Rome

Another time of day to savor Da Etta's sweet treats is during the afternoon snack, featuring miniature creations paired with teas, herbal teas, filter coffee, and house-made cold beverages. For those who choose to stop by for lunch or dinner, the menu is enriched with plated desserts: profiteroles with vanilla chantilly cream, chocolate and cognac sauce, pavlova with strawberry water, risotto, or a diplomat with homemade puff pastry. And then there's the iconic Viscioletta, a reinterpretation of the ricotta and sour cherry tart with buffalo mozzarella and tonka bean mousse. "Here, almost everything is made fresh, I minimize freezing," explains Coppotelli, whose kitchen also creates the desserts for the group's other locations, tailor-made for each occasion, from tiramisu to chocolate salami.

Da Etta. Piazza in Piscinula 42-47, Rome. Tel. 06 581 6249. Website. Facebook. Instagram. Open 8 a.m. to midnight.