Sometimes New York restaurants take Italian food very seriously. Bad Roman takes a different approach: put a crispy pepperoni cup on a plate, add ranch, and let the good times begin.
The restaurant’s wildly popular ‘Roni Cups & Ranch has become one of the signature reasons to visit the over-the-top Italian-American restaurant at The Shops at Columbus Circle. Currently priced at $14, the appetizer is exactly what its name promises: curled, crispy pepperoni cups designed for dipping into ranch.
And somehow, it works brilliantly.
Think of it as pizza’s rebellious little cousin. The pepperoni crisps up into miniature edible bowls, concentrating all that salty, savory goodness into every bite. Then comes the ranch—a creamy, tangy counterpoint that turns the whole thing into a gloriously unapologetic snack.
Bad Roman has built its reputation around this kind of culinary maximalism. Located on the third floor of the Deutsche Bank Center at 10 Columbus Circle, the restaurant combines theatrical décor, Central Park views, cocktails and playful Italian-American food. Bad Roman
The ‘Roni Cups & Ranch fits the restaurant’s personality perfectly. It is fun, photogenic and just ridiculous enough to make you immediately text someone, “We need to go here.”
It is also proof that an appetizer doesn’t have to be complicated to be memorable.
The Infatuation has previously singled out the dish as one of Bad Roman’s most enjoyable orders, while Time Out has highlighted the pepperoni cups as one of the restaurant’s eye-catching signatures.
So, if you’re heading to Bad Roman for dinner, don’t overthink the opening act.
Order the ‘Roni Cups & Ranch.
They’re crispy. They’re cheesy. They’re wonderfully excessive.
And they may be the rare NYC appetizer where ranch dressing isn’t just allowed—it is absolutely encouraged.
Because sometimes the best Italian-American dining philosophy is simply:
More pepperoni. More ranch. No regrets.
