Quarticciolo Neighborhood Market

A market that is also a community project

The Quarticciolo Neighborhood Market is much more than a simple market: it is the visible heart of a solidarity-based economy project that enlivens one of the historic districts on the eastern outskirts of Rome, in Municipio V. Born from the experience of the Polo Civico Quarticciolo—the network of self-organized groups including the popular after-school program, the Roma Est Popular Clinic, the popular gym, and the catering laboratory—the market brings about twenty direct-producer stalls to Parco Modesto Di Veglia and the spaces of the Casa di Quartiere.

Short supply chain and local products

The guiding principle is the short supply chain: seasonal fruit and vegetables, cheeses, wines, craft beers, and fermented products that arrive without intermediaries from small farms in the Roman territory and the areas of Zagarolo and the Castelli Romani. Producers who have enlivened past editions include L'orto di Teo and Agricola Janas, while the beer is provided by the Birrificio Popolare Quarticciolo, a cooperative born in the neighborhood.

• Seasonal produce with zero food miles
• Wines, craft beers, and fermented goods from small-scale producers
• Micro-productions and artisanal processed goods from the region
• Popular cuisine from the neighborhood catering lab

Much more than just shopping

Every edition is designed as a true neighborhood festival: alongside the stalls, there are tastings, live music, workshops for children and families, and moments for public debate. Throughout the day, there are book presentations and meetings on the relationship between the climate crisis, the right to housing, and social justice—themes dear to a neighborhood that has made self-organization its hallmark. Food thus becomes an opportunity for socializing and reflecting on the right to good, accessible food, even in the suburbs.

Quarticciolo, the rebellious district

Built in 1943 as a rural settlement, Quarticciolo is today a dense, working-class neighborhood that has built a dense network of grassroots solidarity in recent years. The Neighborhood Market is one of its most successful expressions: an event that combines social economy, environmental care, and the desire to return the neighborhood to its inhabitants. For those visiting Rome away from the tourist circuits, it is an opportunity to discover the authentic, communal face of the Capital.