All you need to know for a sweet visit to SAID Antica Fabbrica del Cioccolato, Rome’s chocolate factory and restaurant for chocolate lovers
If you love chocolate, then there is one address in Rome you need to add to your favorites: that of SAID, Rome’s chocolate factory!
Nestled in a small street in San Lorenzo, SAID chocolate factory is not just what the name suggests but also a lovely chocolate bar, restaurant and chocolate shop.
It is the perfect escape for a rainy afternoon in Rome, a lovely and unusual place for a romantic evening and also a great address for buying gifts. It is also a good place to visit if you are visiting Rome with kids!
If you have a chocolate lover in your life, this is the perfect place to pick up a nice present!
We love Said and go often with the kids or when we feel like a chocolate treat (this is not a kids shop but it is family friendly).
This is all you need to know to plan a visit this Rome hidden gem.
Rome’s chocolate factory: address and how to get there
SAID address: Via Tiburtina, 135, 00185 Roma RM, Italy
Closest bus stop: Piazzale del Verano, buses 71, 88, 163, 492, 542, tram 3 and 19. Closest metro stop: Policlinico
SAID Rome’s chocolate factory is in San Lorenzo, a short walk up towards Termini coming from Piazzale del Verano.
It is located in a small hidden alley as you walk up Via Tiburtina, on your right before you reach Villa Mercede, and has a welcoming and refined entrance.
The door is framed by a pretty chocolate brown tent and little lights shine through the door, making it enticing and surprisingly upscale for such an understated location.
What’s in a name: why it is called SAID
The name SAID is an acronym that stands for Società Anonima Industria Dolciumi, which can be loosely translated as ‘Anonymous Confectioners Society’.
The interesting part of this acronym is the A: while this may seem a modern gimmicky marketing move, there is a historical reason for it, which also ties in with the story of the area of San Lorenzo, where the factory still is.
SAID started production in 1923 in cooperation with a Swiss chocolatier with the name ‘Zurich’ but soon had to change the name due to the rules of the fascist regime.
The factory suffered from the bombing of the San Lorenzo area but managed to reinvent itself and reopen in the same location as before, staying loyal to the artisan vocation of the place and its long history with its name, decor and spirit.
SAID chocolate factory: the shop
The first thing you encounter as you enter SAID is the chocolate shop.
Dark bookcases cover the walls and chocolate confectionery is everywhere: on trays, in glass jars, mason jars, baskets, you name it, they have it!
The atmosphere is elegant yet relaxed and the place feels a little like an old pharmacy, in the best way possible, a place that evokes competence and artisan skills.
The bar / café / restaurant
As you pass the shop, you enter the main bar area which is hip and welcoming.
Several tables dot the place but you also have some plush corners with comfortable sofas and puff chairs.
The space has very cool, chocolate-inspired decorations in the form of chocolate molds attached to the walls and cool chocolate making machines.
The molds are fascinating: the whole place is covered in them and some are so peculiar, they will be a sure conversation starter!
The style is vintage and industrial with the dark tones of chocolate and metal machines working as nods to international design (think leather sofas, large god frame mirrors etc).
The decor blends perfectly the history of the place with the desire to make it appealing to costumers of all walks of life.
This is a place where you can easily come with different generations (we usually come with the kids and grandparents) and it is also a cool idea for a coffee with work colleagues.
Table service is available but the main bar has chocolate trays on display to help you take your pick.
Among the many things on offer you have hot chocolate, chocolate cakes, chocolate cocktails and many chocolate creations, all offered in variations to suit your own taste.
You can order a simple hot chocolate or order hot chocolate (of the type you like) served in a chocolate glass (of the type of chocolate of your choice), which a chocolate spoon (made with The type of chocolate of your choice!).
So yes, you can have several types of chocolate in one order!
More straightforward options such as chocolate pancakes and cakes also are possible and you will also find non-chocolate items on the menu in the stylish B-Said restaurant, which has a variety of dishes and a romantic and cool atmosphere.
This is a peculiar place in Rome that we recommend you visit for all your chocolate needs or when you want to do something a little different or warm-up on a cold afternoon.
You can find their official FB page here