Rome turns into a kitchen bar.

This Spritz and Spaghetti class pairs classic Roman pasta with cocktail making, so you’re not stuck just watching. The vibe is playful and social, but the skills are real: you’ll learn how to craft pasta dishes like carbonara, plus master the timing and flavors behind spritz variations. I love that the experience feels like a hands-on meal you actually finish and enjoy, not a short demo that rushes you out.

I also like the way the hosts work the room. People often mention guides such as Bart, Marcella, Sherry, Angela, and Laura for keeping things laid back, funny, and clear while you’re cooking and mixing. One thing to consider: the menu is not built for everyone, so if you need gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, or have coeliac disease, gluten intolerance, or lactose intolerance, this class may not work for you.

Key things to know before you go

• Three spritz variations you’ll learn to make with the chef-mixologist: Aperol, Hugo, and Limoncello spritz
• Handmade Roman pasta from scratch, including carbonara and a vegetarian cacio e pepe option
• Alcohol plus pace control: spritz flows during the session, but you’ll also have unlimited water and soft drinks
• Recipes included, so your effort at the stove doesn’t vanish when you get home
• English-led instruction, with hosts known for humor and keeping the group comfortable
• Dietary limits are strict, since the class uses dairy and gluten ingredients

A tipsy Roman kitchen where spritz meets pasta

Rome has plenty of food tours. This one takes the idea a step sideways. Instead of only walking around and sampling bites, you settle into a working kitchen setting and actually build dinner: pasta first, then the fun part—spritz cocktails—alongside (and with) the people teaching you.

The theme is called tipsy cooking, and you’ll feel that in the flow. It’s not a nightclub act, though. It’s more like: you’re learning technique, and the chef-mixologist keeps the energy up with cocktail-making sessions that fit the meal. That makes it a great pick if you like food with personality—hands on, a bit chaotic in a good way, and still grounded in classic Roman flavors.

If you’re the type who gets stuck on tours that feel too formal or too scripted, you’ll probably like this format. The cooking school setting is designed to keep you moving, tasting, and adjusting. And because it’s in a class environment, it can also be a welcome break from Rome’s heat.

Meet at Via Cesare Balbo and plan for the 3-hour timing

Your starting point is Via Cesare Balbo, 19, 00184. Look for a sign that says Rome With Chef outside the class. The session runs about 3 hours, and the specific starting time depends on availability, so check the schedule when you book.

This is a “back to the start” kind of experience, meaning it ends back at the same meeting point. That matters if you’re planning the rest of your evening. You’ll finish with recipes in hand and dinner done, so you may not need a follow-up stop for a full meal.

What to expect in the room: you’ll be cooking, mixing, and eating as the session runs. The pace is guided, but it’s not a sit-and-watch lecture. If you’re arriving hungry and ready to participate, you’ll get more from the full three hours.

Three spritz cocktails: Aperol, Hugo, and Limoncello

The spritz portion isn’t just a drink in your hand. You’ll learn how to make three Italian spritz variations during the class, guided by a professional chef and mixologist.

From the menu plan, you’ll work through:

• Aperol spritz
• Hugo spritz
• Limoncello spritz

The practical value here is the method. You’ll see that spritz recipes are less about complicated equipment and more about proportions, balance, and timing. That’s the part you’ll use again later if you want to recreate them at home without guessing.

And because you’ll get more than one spritz style, you’re not just making one safe default. You can compare how the flavor profile shifts across the three—an easy way to build confidence with Italian aperitivo culture. You’ll also have unlimited water and soft drinks, which helps the experience feel fun rather than sloppy.

One small consideration: since this is alcohol-included (spritzes are part of the included items), keep your evening plans simple afterward. You’ll leave with recipes and a full stomach, but you might not want to hop straight into anything that requires total focus.

Handmade pasta from scratch: carbonara and cacio e pepe

Now for the part that makes food lovers smile. You’ll make handmade pasta and sauces during the session, with a focus on traditional Roman dishes.

The centerpiece is carbonara, plus there’s a vegetarian option: cacio e pepe. The class is built around Roman technique, which is exactly why carbonara works as a teaching dish. It rewards attention to timing and how you combine ingredients—get it right and it tastes like Rome.

Here’s what makes this more than just cooking for fun:

• You’re learning the structure of the dish, not only eating it
• You’ll understand how the sauce comes together and why texture matters
• You’ll leave with a repeatable recipe (so the skill sticks)

Also, because lactose intolerance can’t be accommodated and gluten-free options aren’t offered, the pasta and sauce choices reflect traditional ingredients. If that’s your dietary reality, this becomes a “skip it” situation rather than “maybe a swap.”

If you’re cooking confidence is low, this is still a strong choice. In multiple experiences with this program, hosts have been praised for technique and for keeping things laid back. In plain terms: you’re not being judged for not knowing how to roll pasta or mix sauce. You’re being taught.

Lunch or dinner with the cocktails, and why the order matters

The class includes lunch/dinner, and the meal is part of the experience—not an extra add-on. You’ll eat what you make, which is a big deal. Cooking classes that serve a small snack after 90 minutes of demo can feel like a tease. This one is built so you leave fed.

The spritz flow is also designed to match the meal rhythm. You might not get a strict time-stamped schedule, but the idea is clear: drink-making and cooking are happening in the same window, so you’re never waiting forever with nothing to do. The hosts tend to keep energy up, and the class length supports that pace.

Practically, think of it as a guided evening that becomes dinner plus a small skill workshop. That’s the reason people like it: you get a story you can tell at home, and you also get food you’d happily order in a Roman trattoria.

The hosts set the tone: Bart, Marcella, Sherry, Angela, Laura

A cooking class lives or dies on the people running it. This one gets strong praise for the personalities in the kitchen and for how they teach.

You’ll see names like Bart and Marcella paired with Sherry in accounts of the experience, and Angela and Laura also come up as hosts. The common thread is style:

• they keep the mood light
• they explain technique clearly
• they keep the group involved, not just seated

One particularly useful detail from how the class is described: the hosts pay attention to the comfort and participation of the whole group. That matters because the biggest fear with hands-on cooking can be feeling left out when you don’t move as fast as others. If you want a fun class where you can laugh while you learn, the host energy here is a major selling point.

It also helps that the session is English-led. When instruction is clear and pacing is friendly, you pick up technique faster. Even if you’re not fluent in Italian cooking terms, you’ll still understand what to do.

Price and value: what $100.82 really buys you

At $100.82 per person, this isn’t the cheapest way to eat in Rome. But value isn’t only about cost. It’s about what you get for that money—and this experience includes a lot.

Included items you’re paying for:

• Workshop led by a professional chef and mixologist
• A local culinary expert
• Fresh, locally sourced ingredients
• Three spritz variations (Aperol, Hugo, Limoncello)
• Unlimited water and soft drinks
• Handmade pasta and sauces (carbonara and cacio e pepe)
• Lunch/dinner
• Recipes to take home

For a 3-hour session that mixes cooking education with a meal and multiple cocktails, the price starts to make sense. You’re not just buying a drink ticket. You’re paying for instruction, ingredients, and a real meal you make yourself.

The “gotcha” is dietary limits. Because the class can’t accommodate coeliac disease, gluten intolerance, vegan diets, or lactose intolerance, you don’t get the flexibility that many travelers assume a modern cooking class might offer. If your diet requires special handling, this price stops being good value and becomes a mismatch.

But if you can eat dairy and gluten normally, this is the kind of evening that turns into a memory plus a skill you can repeat.

Who this Spritz and Spaghetti class is best for

This works especially well if you:

• want a hands-on Rome food experience instead of another walking tasting
• like aperitivo culture and want to understand spritz styles beyond guessing recipes
• want to learn carbonara technique (with a vegetarian cacio e pepe path)
• enjoy social cooking with guided humor and energy

It’s also great for occasions like birthdays, since the format naturally turns into a shared moment at the table. If you’re someone who likes to do one structured activity during a trip and then free up the rest of your time, this gives you a complete evening within a clear 3-hour window.

Skip it if you:

• need gluten-free, vegan, or lactose-free options
• dislike any chance of alcohol being part of the meal flow

Should you book? My quick take

Book it if you want a fun, skilled, not-too-serious Rome food night. You’ll learn real technique for pasta and you’ll make three spritz variations with a chef-mixologist, then eat the meal you made. The host energy is a big part of why it lands so well, with names like Bart, Marcella, Sherry, Angela, and Laura standing out in how the experience is remembered.

Don’t book it if your dietary needs can’t be handled by a menu that includes gluten and dairy. In that case, you’d be paying for something you can’t fully enjoy.

If you fit the menu, this is one of those “you’ll want to repeat it at home” experiences. You come away with dinner, drinks, and actual recipes.

FAQ

What is the duration of the Spritz and Spaghetti cooking class?

The class lasts about 3 hours.

Where does the class meet in Rome?

It starts at Via Cesare Balbo, 19, 00184. Look for a sign that says Rome With Chef outside the class.

What spritz cocktails are included?

You’ll learn three spritz variations: Aperol spritz, Hugo spritz, and Limoncello spritz.

What pasta dishes are you taught to make?

You’ll make handmade pasta and sauces including carbonara, with a vegetarian option of cacio e pepe.

Is the class suitable for gluten-free, vegan, or lactose-free diets?

No. The class cannot accommodate coeliac disease, gluten intolerance, vegan diets, or lactose intolerance because it uses dairy products.

Is instruction available in English?

Yes, the class is led in English.

What does the price include?

The included items are led by a professional chef and mixologist, fresh ingredients, the three spritz variations, unlimited water and soft drinks, handmade pasta and sauces, lunch/dinner, and recipes to take home.