Rome Restaurants: Reviews & Recommendations

[rshorens]

David, do check this forum for recommendations on restaurants in Rome. I forgot whether this is your first trip on not, but on my first trip to Rome, I had some bad experiences in Roman restaurants that detracted from my overall sense of Rome; on subsequent trips, I've had much better luck with finding friendly and delicious restaurants offering value for the sadly dwindling dollar. Post back here if you don't find what you're looking for on prior threads

Have a great time!

Roz

[balex]

We spent a week in Rome; staying in a flat near Campo de' Fiori. The flat was great because we could buy vegetables at the market, and some wine, and then eat at home in the evening.

I was a bit worried about the season (too late for truffles, and too early for peas), but in fact they had both of my favourite sort of tomatoes in the market, and lots of carciofi and different sorts of greens.

And puntarelli with the anchovy sauce. I was happy.

In no particular order:

Ice cream: we were quite near Alberto Pica, just by via Arenula. He is justly famous for

his rice and cinnamon, but his ricotta and caremalized figs falvaour is damn fine too.

Coffee: I have gone off St Eustachio as it is adulterated. Best cup was in the Gran Caffe La Caffettiera in Piazza di Petra which was two teaspoons of heaven. But pretty much everywhere does excellent coffee.

Pasta: Immodestly I will say I cooked it myself. It was with some perfect casalino tomatoes which are very red, soft, deeply grooved tomatoes with very thin skins, that have an exceptionally intense flavour best with parsley not basil. I was amazed to find them in February.

Bread: pizza bianca from the forno in Campo de' Fiori itself is so good. We were eating about a square foot each at least twice a day. You get some of that , some greenish tomatoes from Pachino,

a few slices of ham, and you are going to eat as well as anywhere on the planet.

Overall meal: we didn't go to anyplace very fancy. The best meal was at Da Nino, near the Spanish steps. I have in the past been slightly disappointed with the food here which is fairly standard Tuscan food. They have their own farm which they get their oil and some other stuff from.

I had -- carciofo Romano -- this is not the deep fried one, but the one which is cooked slowly.. Perfect intense flavour. Some tortellini and then some calf's liver veneziana -- everything was flawless. Only slight disappointed was the wine - Camartina by Querciabella which was slightly underwhelming.

Best wine was a Prunotto Barbera Casiamoli 97 at Girarrosto Fiorentina in via Sicilia with a vast and perfectly cooked steak.

Prettiest waitress: at Ditirambo which also has an exceptionally good wine list, but the food is a bit weak.

Best pizza: I always go to the same place and it is always perfect: La Sacrestia in Via del Seminario. This is Roman style so paper thin. Wood burning oven, home made sauce. Mmmmm.

Best wine shop:

Our flat was just near this newish place called Roscioli, which had lots of great wines, but the shop was a bit warm, and I ddin't really trust the storage conditions. I got a bottle of Dal forno Romano from Bleve in the ghetto, which has a good choice, and people that know what they are on about. They are a bit grumpy though.

Edited February 27, 2004 by balex (log)

[trillium]

That is one of my favorite spots in Rome, you made me hungry to be there. Have you ever tried growing the casalino tomatoes yourself? I've only spotted them once in the US, at the Madison farmer's market. The photo on the cover of Cooking the Roman Way has been taunting me and I'm considering trying to track down seeds for them and puntarelli.

regards,

trillium

[balex]

Nice to find another casalino fan!

I haven't ever seen them in England -- San Marzano ones make it over to a few specialists here, but never casalino. I have a feeling that they wouldn't ripen properly here.

Actually that's not quite true -- my carry-on on the flight home was 3 kilos, and we had delicious pasta for about a week afterwards, which dulled the pain of leaving Rome.

[divina]

Isn't that funny, here in Florence we call those pumpkin like tomatoes Fiorentini,

Florence style!!!

I've been gone too long!

[DaleJ]

JUDY: I didn't know that you frequented this board. Are you going into Florence to see if Il Ritrovo is open Easter? That would be a highlight of this trip. Ciao.

[divina]

I haven't had much time to surf!! internet time is expenisve in Italy.. but will try!

I am going down into FLorence Tomorrow and will check out the Easter possibilities!

[Craig Camp]

Welcome to eGullet Judy! Those that don't yet know Judy should take time to visit her wonderful website Divina Cucina which is loaded with useful information about Italian food and travel and about her wonderful cooking school in Tuscany. Thanks for joining us Judy we are flattered to have you here and look forward to your insights.

[divina]

Thanks Craig.. I can't wait until I can add my avatar!

[DaleJ]

'GUSTO

Ate here a couple of times last October and again twice last week (mid-April 04). Located at the corner of via della Frezza and via del Corea, a few blocks northwest of Piazza di Spagna. (Phone 39 063226273)

I'll wager that Mario Batali visited here before doing Otto. You enter into a room that probably seats twenty or so at tall tables. I've only seen late night diners there enjoying wine and salumi and/or cheese. The small bar (seats about ten) is to the left, and beyond that are two tops, perhaps ten total, and a small room where cheese is prepared. Also behind the bar is a beautiful hand cranked meat slicer which is always in operation. Up a set of open stairs is another dining area that I guess seats thirty or forty. Also up there is a wall of wine bottles, nicely organized. To the right of the end of the downstairs room is another room with four tops up and down in a sort of split level arrangement. All in the most modern mode.

The beauty part of the place is that if one wishes to wine and dine lightly one can order a liter of the day's special wine (last Friday it was a Puglian primitivo from the barrel) and a plate of salumi or cheese and escape for under 20Euro. And its all good and smartly presented. Full meals are, of course, available but reservations are recommended. Iv'e seen people turned away by the score in the late evening.

And its a headquarters for Rome's young glitterati so the visual aspect is more than the food and wine presentations. Its a happening place that I never miss when in Rome.

[calimero]

Try 'Gusto' on Sunday: they probably serve one of the best Sunday brunch in Rome.

[balex]

Trattoria St. Teodoro

Via dei Fienili, Phone 06 6780933

This is not a very well known restaurant but should be famous. It is located down by Bocca della verita behind the Campidoglio. They have some very good pasta -- I particularly recommend the spaghetti with fillets of red mullet and bottarga; I have also had very good abbachio there. Really good food; occasional errors -- I had some spaghetti with anchovies that was way too salty and I like a lot of salt.

But in general a refined cooking which has not lost touch with its roots.

Nice modern room, good wine list with lots of interesting wines at reasonable prices. Unusually good service by Roman standards which are very low.

[Paco]

Hi,

Very good friends of mine will be spending 3 nights in Rome in mid June and would like to know which are the best and cheapest italian restaurants in Rome (15- 30 euros per person).

I tried a search on this topic but wasn´t very succesful...

Thank you!

Paco

[DaleJ]

Its only a pizzaria, but my favorite in Italy. Take the Metro to Piramide and walk down Via Marmorata past Volpetti and turn left into Testaccio. Ask anyone you see for directions to Pizzaria Remo. Its a neighborhood institution. You may have to armwrestle for an outdoor table, but its worth it. The place rocks every night.

[Paco]

Thank you very much DaleJ, I just found out that the neighbourhood of Testaccio is quite popular for good and cheap food.

Any recommendation for a more special night? (But still affordable?)

Thanks

[chichi728]

My husband and I are taking our two teenage boys to Rome next week for 5 days. We'll be staying at the Grand Hotel de la Minerve across from the Pantheon. It's been way too long since we've been in Rome and this is the first time for my kids, who are somewhat finicky eaters...but they really love Italian pizza and pasta.

I'm interested in recommendations for "best pizza" and any other casual trattorias that are especially wonderful and easily accessible from our hotel. I've been known to travel to distant parts of cities in search of the best pizza so if there are any places that are definitely "worth a trip" I'd be happy to know about them as well.

Thanks so much for any recommendations.

[DaleJ]

I heartily recommend Pizzaria Remo in Testaccio. Take the Metro to the Piramide stop, walk down Via Marmoratta past Volpetti, turn left into the center of Testaccio and ask anyone for directions. You may have to armwrestle for an outdoor table but it'll be worth it. Terrific pizza and really good deep fried baccala. I was put on to Remo by locals and have never seen a non local there.

[Steve Martin]

We thought the famous Baffetto was excellent. Go early and drink beer.

Not far from you either.

Est Est Est! is also famous and the oldest, but our last visit was rubbish.

[chichi728]

Thank you, Dale J. and Steve,

We will definitely check out your recommendations. A friend recommended Da Francesco for not only pizza but classic primi and secondi. Does anyone have any comments on this establishment?

Any and all comments are most welcome...while my kids do not exactly have the most sophisticated palates (we're working on it, trust me!!), my husband and I are accustomed to great NYC cuisine. We always try to find places that we can all enjoy, however, especially when we travel. We will also be spending time near the Spanish Steps and most tourist areas so TALK TO ME, PEOPLE!!! Because I'm listening and am most interested. My husband is in charge of the tourism aspect and I'm delighted to be in charge of eating

[divina]

We had great pizza at Gusto

It is right down the street from Piazza di Spagna.. and has several venues..

We had Pizza in January on a rare warm day ( when it was snowing in Tuscany) outdoors!!! I had a pizza with MOzzarella and Zucchini blossoms ; touch of anchovy!

but they are a pizza place, wine bar... kitchen shop.. buffet.. jazz club.. all spread out on a city block near the river!

It is in the Piazza Imperatore Augustus.. right around the corner from Alfredo's.. where they chef that invented Fettucine Alfredo relocated!!!

( alfredo sauce only exists in Rome, the original restaurant being on Via della Scrofa)

I would also take your kids to see the Campo dei Fiori market, there is the Forno there where you can get Pizza Bianca, which is a flat bread with oil and salt.. FAB.

[divina]

wine bars are very hip and very in in Italy right now... there you can get light food and great wines by the glass.. there are fancy ones and simple ones..

I like Cul de Sac, Piazza Pasquino, 73

but here is a site with lot's!

wine bars in Rome

I like the area called San Lorenzo in Laterno..too

WE found some nice outdoor bars for people watching, great sandwiches, ice creams..and Romans!

The Trastevere and Testaccio are really local color..

if you can find the old edition of Gourmet,...June of 2003??? they had an incredible guide to ROme!

[chichi728]

Thanks so much, Divina. We will definitely try Gusto -- it sounds perfect for us!! I wonder, are zucchini blossoms in season now? I've had them in Florence in early July...deep fried or stuffed -- I love them any way they serve them.

Campo dei Fiori is most certainly on my agenda. I wouldn't miss it!

[giovanni]

I would also take your kids to see the Campo dei Fiori market, there is the Forno there where you can get Pizza Bianca, which is a flat bread with oil and salt.. FAB.

I strongly second that idea .....

[DeirdreStraughan]

Baffetto is wonderful but, since it's been picked up by the guidebooks, very crowded! Going early might help. If you can't get in, right around the corner is Antica Taverna, with excellent food (though maybe not pizza); see http://www.straughan.com/italy/travel/rome.htm (towards the bottom) for photo, description, and location. Especially try their antipasti; they had some unusual and very yummy ones.

[dfunghi]

I think it was March 2003 and Gourmet is SOLD OUT. I lost mine. It was an excellent guide. Try to find it.

D