CITY RAVIOLI – CULTURE ALLA CARTA
A festival of art, food and communities across Rome’s Fifth District
16–31 October 2026 Pigneto · Torpignattara · Centocelle
A programme of workshops, performances, talks and tastings to discover these neighbourhoods through food and the cultures that call them home.
From 16 to 31 October 2026, Rome’s Fifth District welcomes CITY RAVIOLI – Culture alla carta, a new festival conceived and curated by TWM Factory, taking place across multiple venues. Workshops, performances, tastings, talks, exhibitions, screenings, DJ sets and buffets bring Pigneto, Torpignattara and Centocelle together, connecting contemporary creativity, culinary traditions and local communities.
The raviolo is the thread running through the festival. This familiar shape, found in many different food traditions, becomes a starting point for sharing stories, recognising connections and discovering differences. Food becomes a shared language, opening up a route through restaurants, independent shops, artists’ studios, workshops, bookshops and cultural spaces, inviting visitors to discover the neighbourhoods through the people who live and work there every day.
The cultural diversity of Pigneto, Torpignattara and Centocelle is reflected in a programme that brings together Chinese dumplings, Kurdish fusion cuisine, Palestinian stories and local food memories. According to Rome’s municipal population records as of 31 December 2025, 18.3% of residents in the Fifth District hold foreign citizenship. CITY RAVIOLI takes these exchanges as its starting point, recognising them as part of the neighbourhoods’ cultural identity and everyday life.
“Every culture has its own raviolo, and every raviolo holds a different filling. By following its folds, we rediscover those of the city and the cultures that inhabit it,” explain Carlo S. Battisti and Nicola Brucoli, the festival’s curators.
The project is supported by Roma Capitale – Municipio Roma V through the public funding programme “Quartieri in scena – Cultura, Comunità e Tradizione nel Municipio Roma V” and was created to celebrate the area’s cultural, creative and culinary organisations and businesses.
At a time when many opportunities to socialise and come together revolve around spending money, CITY RAVIOLI offers spaces for connection that are as accessible as possible, with most events and tastings free of charge. At its heart is a desire to celebrate East Rome as a place where contemporary culture is created, exploring food through the people, gestures and memories that surround it, beyond the polished portrayals of food culture found online.
The programme features 13 main events curated directly by TWM Factory, connecting artistic practices, food cultures and local venues. Alongside these, the OFF Programme brings together initiatives proposed by a network of local organisations and businesses, reflecting the area’s identity and enthusiasm for taking part. Installations, special openings, talks, workshops and shared meals enrich the programme, bringing the festival into the spaces that shape everyday neighbourhood life.
There is no single route to follow. Everyone can put together their own menu of experiences and move freely between Pigneto, Torpignattara and Centocelle. The festival map, available online and in print at participating venues, helps visitors build their own itinerary through places, flavours and cultures, one stop at a time.
“Food and gathering around the table are among our earliest expressions of affection, holding memories of family life. Sharing a dish becomes an opportunity to get to know someone else and rediscover something about ourselves. At a time when differences often create distance, we believe food can bring us together,” the curators add.
THE PROGRAMME
Three neighbourhoods, a taste of the menu
A selection of events offers a glimpse of the variety of experiences at CITY RAVIOLI. The full programme, including dates, times and participation details, is available through the link below.
PIGNETO
In Pigneto, the festival opens on 16 October with L’ombelico di Venere by UTOL Ceramica, a workshop inspired by the shape of the tortellino and the legend of Venus’s navel, where participants can try out different clay modelling techniques. From 6 to 8 pm, L’oste curioso offers a free buffet featuring creations by Forno Necci, bringing UTOL’s ceramics into dialogue with the culinary arts. At 6 pm, Mercurio Pigneto hosts a conversation between the artists of Condotto 48 and chef and content creator Irene Volpe.
On 17 October, Oh My Veg! at Spazio Cosmo brings together cinema, an aperitivo and a conversation about vegan cooking, with a screening of the documentary Maledetti Vegani.
On 18 October, BBQ Ken guides participants through the preparation of Chinese dumplings, from shaping and folding techniques to a final tasting.
TORPIGNATTARA
In Torpignattara, on 23 October, Dal Kurdistan a Torpignattara, hosted by Bazar Taverna Curdo Meticcia, offers a discussion of migrant and diasporic cultures, accompanied by a Kurdish fusion buffet.
On 24 October, at Libreria Tempesta in Testa, Storie da gustare al Palazzo dei Dim Sum invites children to take part in an interactive storytelling session followed by a creative workshop.
On 24 and 25 October, Archivio presente and Il ricettario della domenica at Okapi explore food memories through recipes, personal accounts, vintage photographs and shopping lists.
On 25 October, SOS Sangalli Open Sagra at Parco Sangalli hosts a community lunch open to the neighbourhood, organised jointly by Piano Zero, SOS Serbelloni Open Space and local businesses.
The first edition concludes with the City Ravioli Closing Party at Bar Volo, featuring DJ sets, a bar, food and ravioli throughout the day.
CENTOCELLE
In Centocelle, on 24 October, L’Arte Perfetta and Menabò present a day dedicated to the dining table and the art of plating, featuring porcelain painting, a demonstration and an aperitivo.
On the same day, Studio Palmira hosts IDENTITeat – ML, Much Love, Much Laugh, a performance by Progetto Fatuo built around a sensory picnic. At Libreria El Topo, Pop Palestine combines a book presentation, a talk, a pop-up stand and a Palestinian buffet.
CITY RAVIOLI – CULTURE ALLA CARTA
16–31 October 2026
Most events are free of charge.
Booking is required for some activities with limited capacity. Admission details and any applicable fees are listed in the individual programme entries.
Full programme, times and bookings
Website: https://twmfactory.it/city-ravioli/
Email: cityravioli@twmfactory.it
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cityravioli/
CITY RAVIOLI is a project by TWM Factory, supported by Municipio Roma V and under the patronage of the Consiglio del Cibo di Roma (Rome Food Council). Academic partner Department of History, Representation and Restoration of Architecture, Sapienza University of Rome; media partner CheMangiamo; technical partner Acqua Wami; in collaboration with S.O.S. Serbelloni Open Space and Mercato Arabo. Developed within the public funding programme “Quartieri in scena – Cultura, Comunità e Tradizione nel Municipio Roma V”.