When In Rome Do As The Romans Do… When In Tucson Do Roma!

Hello and welcome! In today’s post I’m going to show you another amazing place to eat in Tucson, that isn’t Mexican food. The place I’m talking about is Roma Imports, located at 627 S. Vine Tucson, AZ 85719. In 1999 Lillian Speith, started Roma as a wholesale business, importing and making Italian food. When I first visited Roma, the thought that entered my head was, “This would be a great place to dump a body!” Not that I think about that often, but it was a few years back at the height of the show “The Sopranos”. The location is off Kino Parkway and it leads to an industrial area filled with tall fences topped with razor wire , warehouses and a huge lot where the local cable company parks all their trucks, there’s even a scrap yard across the street. Right in the middle of all this sits a pristine white building with a beautiful awning in the colors of the Italian flag. It’s an oasis for those transplanted New Yorkers or anyone from the Northeast where Italian food is so delicious, yet sometimes taken for granted.

From the outside you might expect Roma to be a tiny space but as you approach you’ll see the menu on a sandwich board out front, then as you open the door ,it becomes apparent how much stuff is inside this store! As I go in I always feel like I’m walking into a New York Deli or maybe Falcio’s Pork store on Bleecker Street in the Village. Actually, if Zito’s Bread and Tutta Pasta were still in the village, it would feel like walking into all of those stores combined with Murray’s cheese shop, if you can imagine that! Roma sells everything you need to make a delicious Italian dinner at home. They also have a restaurant with seating at the rear of the store. While I was looking into the deli case I heard three separate groups of people paying for their food and exclaiming how delicious their meals were, if that’s not an endorsement I don’t know what is. A lady at the deli counter was buying imported anchovies and began to tell me all about them and how she uses them in her dishes and that these anchovies are the best she’s ever eaten. So I took that as a good sign also.

The store has one wall lined with refrigerators and freezers. Inside you will find homemade fresh and frozen Italian dishes of every type. You’ll also find other meals like, Beef Bourguignon, Saag Paneer, Indian curries, homemade Spätzle, Lamb Moussaka, or Shepard’s Pie. I really enjoy their selection of homemade sausages, ravioli and sauces. Imported dried pasta along with many different types of fresh pasta will surely please just about every palate. You can buy overstuffed Italian sandwiches like a Chicken Parm or Prosciutto Caprese. Don’t forget to save a little room for dessert, like a nice cannolli or a rainbow cookie. I could list everything they sale but Roma is a place best explored in person on an empty stomach, because it won’t be empty for long!

I left Roma with some Gorgonzola and Spinach Ravioli, a container of homemade marinara sauce and a huge slice of their freshly made pepperoni bread. I wish I could have taken more with me but I literally became overwhelmed and knew if I didn’t leave when I did I would have spent over $100. It would be very easy to do so at a place like Roma Imports. I’ve been there a few times and have yet to try their pizza. I know it seems odd but, I don’t want to be disappointed because it is very hard to find a decent slice outside of NYC. Some say it’s the dough and I’m inclined to believe that. I have had good pizza outside of NY but it’s still been in the Northeast. I’ll also give a shout out to the pizza at Pizzeria Bocce in Cottonwood , Arizona, I wrote about them here. I’m sure one day I’ll go to Roma and try the pizza, but for now I’m content with all the other amazing dishes they have. If you have a hankering for some authentic and delicious Italian food, I highly recommend checking out Roma Imports, when you’re in Tucson.

If you have any questions or comments, please leave them in the box below. If you’ve been to Roma, let our readers know about your experience. Thanks for stopping by and until next time, Boone Appétit!