Daniele Sartor grilling at last month’s special opening.

I’m not so into Halloween. I do love sweets and normally I’m on board for any activity that may result in piles of bite sized Milky Ways. But I hate dressing up. Ask Mamma Parla: I wore my travel soccer uniform as my costume for from 1990 to 1997. I was the worst. And now that I am too old for free candy, I really don’t have any use for Halloween. When I moved to Rome, I was pretty psyched to find that it wasn’t celebrated at all, but that has changed and this year there are tons of festivities, including a special Halloween-themed late opening of the Mercato di Testaccio. From 7pm until midnight on Saturday October 31, market stalls will be serving food and drinks alongside pumpkin and skeleton decorations (and, according to the flyer, 80s music).

Mordi e Vai will have their usual awesome menu, but the butcher shops will be grilling meats, the fishmongers will sell seafood salads, and the produce vendors will serve vegetarian dishes and macedonie. Artenio told me he’s getting a big old barrel of wine to serve by the glass with pumpkin lasagna. I am particularly excited about Sartor’s menu; the butcher shop will serve polenta with sausage (€5) and meatballs (€3 a portion). And they will be grilling arrosticini (5 for €3, 10 for €5), as well as hotdogs, hamburgers, and sausage sandwiches (€3 each). So head on down to the Mercato di Testaccio for a good time. No costumes required.

https://instagram.com/p/7ik6pNH-ab/?taken-by=katieparla