The fraschetta (plural fraschette) is a Castelli Romani institution — a simple wine bar that has been serving local wine to locals since at least the 16th century. The name comes from the frascone, the branch of greenery that innkeepers used to hang above their doors to signal that the new vintage had arrived. The format has barely changed: plain tables, carafes of cold white wine straight from the barrel, and basic food — porchetta sandwiches, bread, cheese, cured meats — either brought from outside or sold at the bar.
There are no menus, no cocktails, and no pretension. The wine is the point. Several fraschette are tucked into the backstreets and alleys below Piazza Marconi; the tradition is still largely local rather than touristic, which is why it has survived intact.