Where do locals go to eat in Rome?
Restaurants:
Taverna dei Fori Imperiali
Via Madonna dei Monti, 16 (Monti)
The family that runs this place is one of the nicest you will encounter in Rome, or anywhere else for that matter. The food is great and I always order caponata and one of the specials which change depending on the season. Closed Tues.
Trattoria Monti
Via San Vito, 13A (Esquilino)
Food from Le Marche served by 2 great looking perma-tanned brothers (their mom is in the kitchen). You must book a table if you want to have dinner here, preferably a couple of days in advance if you want to eat before 10:30pm. Its a small place. Their tortelli con rosso dell’ovo (a big raviolo filled with a runny egg) is pretty amazing. How does Mamma Camerucci do it? Closed Sun dinner and Mon.
Tempio di Iside
Via Pietro Verri, 11 (Celio)
They literally have the most people on the floor of any 50 seat restaurant in the city but the worst and least attentive service probably on the planet. But as long as you have 3 hours to kill on a meal, its worth it. Their crudi (raw fish) are unreal. I recommend getting all the raw antipasti and all the hot antipasti then go from there. The owner Francesco is spastic and almost definitely a cocaine addict and watching him drag whole raw fish to tables to show patrons the gills is a nice bonus.
Checchino dal 1887
Via di Monte Testaccio, 30 (Testaccio).
Famous for its quinto quarto (organ meats), this historic restaurant is dedicated to preserving Roman culinary traditions like trippa alla romana (tripe), rigatoni alla pajata (pasta with lamb intestines filled with mothers milk), and coda alla vaccinara (braised oxtail). The service is very formal and reservations are recommended.
Pizzerias:
Ai Marmi
Viale di Trastevere 53 (Trastevere)
Excellent suppli’ al telefono (fried rice balls stuffed with stringy mozzarella) and fantastic thin crust Roman pizza. The filetti di baccala’ and beans are a must.
A Ddo’ Masto
Via Giacomo Bove, 43 (Ostiense)
A Ddo’ Masto is my favorite place to get Neapolitan-style pizza in Rome. This place is hectic and crowded nearly every night of the week, proof positive that the pizza is great. The interior design is interesting–the posters of Naples’ soccer squad circa 1985 are peeling off the wall, but it just adds to the authenticity. Closed Mon.
Alle Carrette
Via Madonna dei Monti, 79 (Monti)
Although my friends at Food in Rome disagree with me, I quite like this pizzeria for a quick pie and some fritti. The pizzas have gotten smaller over the years but I’m still a fan. Dinner only.
Pizzeria Montecarlo
Vicolo Savelli, 13 (Navona)
066861877
Montecarlo has all the characteristics of a classic Roman pizzeria: thin-crust pies, a forno a legno, and a busy, informal setting. The challenge is finding a place to sit during summer evenings when crowded tables fill the adjacent street named for the powerful medieval Savelli family. Closed Tues.
Wine bars serving food:
Casa Bleve
Via del Teatro Valle 49 (Navona/Pantheon).
Owned by the Bleve family who run Rome’s wine scene, they have a fabulous lunch buffet for around 25 euros and have recently expanded their kitchen and now do dinner, a handful of hot dishes but mostly cold plates of cheese, salumi, and smoked fish. Ask to see their cellar which is built around a wall from the Baths of Agripps (c 19 BCE). Closed Sun and Mon.
Roscioli
Via dei Giubbonari, 21 (Campo)
Pricey wine bar with a great list, excellent food (try the burrata) and some of the slowest service around. Try the carbonara. Also, their bakery nearby on Via dei chiavari is to die for. Great for a quick sandwich or pizza al taglio. This is where I get my bread when I can’t make it to Testaccio.
Cavour 313
Via Cavour, 313 (Monti).
This wine bar is about 200 yards from my house and their list is pretty good, though the benches inside are horribly uncomfortable. Eat the carpaccio.
Cul de Sac
Piazza Pasquino (Navona).
Ditto on the bench situation. It is physically uncomfortable to eat and drink in this wine bar, but with their cheese list you are guaranteed to be in a food coma in minutes and you will barely notice.
Al Vino Al Vino
Via dei Serpenti 16 (Monti).
This is my local enoteca. I love to drink Quintarelli Primofiore with formaggi misti and caponata (sweet and sour eggplant made by owner Giacomo’s mamma). Great place to go to see how many lunatic drunks live in my neighborhood. Its also nice to duck in for lunch. Giacomo’s mom sends him to work with food she makes at home and he usually also has some torte rustiche as well.
Categories: Pizza, Restaurants, Rome & Lazio
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Hey, awesome list. A Ddo’ Masto is next for me, I miss the Neapolitan Pizza I used to get in Perugia.
But about the bread: where do you go in Testaccio? I’m not crazy about the standard roman filone that every panificio seems to offer, so I’m always trying to get l’ariano or some kind of grano duro from Naples instead.
Panificio Passi usually has something I end up liking, but a few times I’ve ended up with so/so bread, and often found something I like more at a little stall in the Testaccio market, or I head to Renella and get a giant fresh filone from them.
So when I saw that you come to Testaccio specifically for bread (if I’m reading that right), well, I gotta know what the hell’s going on here in Testaccio that I’m missing out on.
Many thanks Katie!
March 11th, 2009 at 12:29 amJordan, I go to Volpetti for bread. I love their variety and quality and can never walk away with just one type. I also like the treccie at a forno on Via Ginori or Via M Giorgio heading towards Via Galvani. I cant remember which street and in fact, when I was in Testaccio a couple of weeks ago I looked for it but found nothing. Maybe its closed, though it was siesta time. Anyway, let me know if you see a place called Acqua e Farina with beautiful braided semolina and veggie breadsticks!
March 11th, 2009 at 10:26 pmHello,
I have been to Rome 3 times and about to leave for my 4th time this thursday. this will be the first time we rent an apartment which is exciting. we will be staying in Trastevere. the thing that makes this trip even more different is that we are bringing our 7month old son along. im a little stressed about mealtimes. I know the italians love kids but this trip is a special one, my 30th bday and i wanted to eat somewhere nice (doesnt have to be fancy). is there a place you’d suggest for really incredible food that will allow the baby? thank you
March 23rd, 2009 at 3:36 pmchristina
Hi Christina, check out Taverna dei Fori Imperiali, one of the friendliest and accommodating places in town. Great blog by the way!
March 23rd, 2009 at 3:39 pmKatie,
Love your blog! Ever eaten at Il Pagliaccio? The menu is making my mouth water!
Best,
April 11th, 2009 at 7:07 pmBen Cummings
@Ben I have never eating at Il Pagliaccio. Its very expensive so Im saving it for a special occasion. Ill definitely post about it when I make it there.
April 11th, 2009 at 7:15 pmIl Pagliaccio is very high on my list this time. Katie, perhaps you should come with us
April 18th, 2009 at 9:23 pm@Michael Ha! I was just thinking about il pagliaccio today and debating over whether to go there to to L’altro mastai first.
April 18th, 2009 at 9:28 pmGreat list. We are heading up (from Catanzaro) in a few hours. Thanks for the recs.
April 25th, 2009 at 7:03 am@Cherrye you can add a few others to the list
Settimio al Pellegrino (near Campo)
Augustarello (Testaccio)
Il Comparone (Trastevere)
Buon appetito!
April 25th, 2009 at 11:07 amNo I am hungry.
Grew up in NY and this makes me want to go back!
Matt
November 12th, 2009 at 7:02 am