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The Best in Rome
Rome Restaurants: TRASTEVERE, TESTACCIO
Surya Mahal
Arguably the most elegant Indian restaurant in Rome, Arshiya Noorani, daughter of the owner, has recently taken on direction of the family business, and along with her husband, they are in the process of revising and improving the already excellent menu, which includes many tandoor oven specialties. Some innovations already in place include a tasting buffet, available on Sunday and Tuesday evenings at euro 20, and an apperitivo hour, with a cup of warm soup, samosas, pakora and other snacks to nibble over a glass of Indian beer or wine at euro 8. In warm weather, the restaurant's lovely garden provides one of the best settings in town for outdoor dining, candlelit and tranquil, yet just steps away from the bustle of Piazza Trilussa. €€
Via di Ponte Sisto, 67 (Piazza Trilussa)
tel 06 589 4554 Open for lunch and dinner. Closed Monday.
Trattoria Quirino
Quirino’s is a recent addition to the long list of Trastevere restaurants. Unannounced from the outside, inside, an old mariner’s bar sign tells you where you are. Chef and owner Quirino, is a shy, taciturn man. Marsia, his more garrulous partner and pastry chef told us that he is driven by his love for Italian cuisine. She said that Quirino’s knowledge of food preparation comes from watching the women in his family and from learning to trust food combinations that appeal to his taste. He prepares traditional Roman dishes with just enough imagination to add interesting variations to the selection of pasta, fish and meat. The airy, informal dining room is decorated in soft colors with reproductions of 18th century Pinelli prints. The cantina, overseen by Marsia’s brother, offers a wide selection of regional wines, grappa and whiskey. €€
Vicolo della scala, 3 tel 06 5830 1885 Open for lunch and dinner.
Take Sushi
This restaurant attracts lines of customers on weekends, and many of the tables are filled by Japanese, who know good sushi from bad. We were impressed with both the quality and prices. A mixed sushi platter, at about 21 euro, was enough for two, fresh and varied, with a nicely spiced rice filling. In addition to sushi, there's a selection of traditional Japanese dishes. Try the eggplant as a side dish, it's amazing.
Viale Trastevere 4 tel 06 581 0075
Capo de Fero
One of Rome's few remaining authentic trattorie, this place has been in business for decades, and the low prices and high quality remain the same. Here you can have a lovely meal in a charming setting for a very decent price. The speciality is "rigatoni democratici." No one can remember how the dish got its name, but it's a wonderful pasta in a delicious creamy cheese sauce. The antipasto buffet is expansive and full of all the Roman specialities, perfectly prepared. They also do a wonderful pasta alla carbonaraas well as a variety of grilled fish and meats, and offer a nice selection of cakes and puddings for dessert. Outside tables during the warmer months.
Via San Cosimato, 16 tel 06 581 8038 Closed Wednesdays.
Tidirò
This cozy spot is a cultural center as much as it is a restaurant. Furnished with an eclectic collection of natural woods, oversized pillows, and images of 70's pop icons, it's not only one of the few places in Rome where you can find macrobiotic cooking. It's also a source for shiatsu massages (the first one is free), yoga, Tai-chi and cooking classes, as well as roundtables on philosophy, art and music. The reasonably priced vegan menu includes a delicious banana nut cake made without eggs or butter — you have to taste it to believe it. And the organic beer is produced by the only female brew master in Italy. Visit their website for more details.
Via Mattonato, 42 – tel 06 581 0626 www.tidiro.net
Pancotto
This family run traditional Roman trattoria is the real thing, filled with local Romans who come for the good, unpretentious, traditional cuisine, pleasant atmosphere and reasonable prices. Outside tables on the Viale di Trastevere attract the foot-weary tourists as well as the locals. In addition to the pastas, try the full-flavored chicken marinated with Gaeta olives. And, of course, one of their speciaities is panna cotta, a cooked cream pudding to die for. The Italians like to top it with a chocolate-hazelnut cream, Nutella.
Open everyday for lunch and dinner. Click here for their website.
Viale di Trastevere, 8-14 (near Ponte Garibaldi)
tel. 06. 5806334
Il Boom
Giant photographs of Marcello Mastroiani, Sophia Loren and Anna Magnani grace the walls of this cozy restaurant. Sixties music plays on the old jukebox and in one corner, a vintage TV plays videos of the boom era. But the theme never overpowers the food. The antipasto misto for two is a meal in itself, each offering a delight, varying with the seasons. Choose from traditional pasta or a second dish or opt for one of the big salads. And by all means, save room for the homemade desserts. Live music on Tuesday nights after eleven, both sixties nostalgia and jazz. €€
Via dei Fienaroli, 30/a tel. 06 589 7196.
Closed Mondays and at lunch
Osteria Checco er Carettiere
Francesco “Checco” Porcelli was descended from a long line of carettiere, carters who carried barrels of wine from the Castelli Romani into Rome with horse and carriage. In 1936, he opened his restaurant in the heart of Trastevere. The homey atmosphere, garden seating and traditional Roman dishes quickly attracted a celebrity clientele, beginning with the poet Trilussa and continuing through Federico Fellini to Roberto Begnini. The walls are papered with photographs of the many personalities who have dined there. Porcelli’s children and grandchildren have continued the family tradition, maintaining the kitchen, while raising the prices. In recent years they opened an adjacent bakery, “Il Dolce di Checco er Carettiere” and a gelateria, dispensing outstanding pastries and ice creams. It’s a favorite place in the mornings for a quick cappuccino and a cornetto hot out of the oven.
In the last year, they have added a modern osteria, an updated and less expensive version of the original restaurant. The décor is clean and sparse, although the old frescoes still grace the walls. And the casks of wine, stored in the basement, can be seen through glass bricks in the floor. The menu of is written each day on a large sketch pad displayed on an easel by the door. It’s a mixed selection of traditional dishes like eggplant parmegiano and more adventurous suggestions. Mixed seafood is beautifully prepared, very lightly fried calamari, shrimp and fish. And the desserts from the family restaurant are worth every calorie. €€
Via Benedetta, 10-13 tel. 06.580 0985
Checchino dal 1887
Five generations of the Mariani family have presided over this bastion of authentic Roman cuisine in the working class Testaccio neighborhood. The original “Checchino,” a diminutive for Francesco, was the grandson of the restaurant’s founders. As it was just across from the slaughterhouses, the butchers got into the habit of bringing over the offal, leftover parts of beef, which they were given as part of their salaries. These “extra” bits of meat were called the “quinto quarto,” the fifth quarter of the cow, and the neighborhood came to be known as the “quinto quartiere.” Roman specialities, such as trippa alla romana (tripe in tomato sauce) and coda alla vaccinara (braised oxtails) were created in the kitchens of this historic restaurant. Vegans be warned.
Speciality meats aside, the cuisine is world-class. This year, Checchino was named one of the fifty best restaurants in the world by Restaurant Magazine. The Testaccio district was once just a mound of broken pottery, a sort of ceramic dumping ground for discarded olive oil jars and wine amphora known as the “monte dei cocci.” An excavation in the mound now forms the restaurant’s wine cellar. €€€.
Via Monte Testaccio, 30 tel. 06.567 6318 Closed Sunday and Monday.
Da Lucia
Whether they are seated in the rustic dining room or at one of the outside tables in the tiny vicolo, visitors sigh with pleasure, certain that they have discovered an authentic Roman trattoria, only to be disheartened by the presence of similarly pleased tourists at nearby tables. The restaurant's enthusiastic mention in many guidebooks does attract tourists, but plenty of Romans swear by the place, as well. Although Lucia herself passed away some years ago, the family has maintained the kitchen, serving traditional Roman dishes. The seppie with piselli (cuttlefish with peas) and the rabbit stew are particular favorites, as are the tagliatelle alla gricia (pasta with Italian bacon, pecorino and hot pepper) and spaghetti cacio e pepe (pecorino cheese and fresh ground black pepper). Don't forget to order a steamed Roman artichoke in the spring when they're in season. €€
Vicolo del Mattonato 2 tel. 06.580 3601 Closed Monday.
Enoteca Ferrara
This spacious and modern restaurant began life as a small wine bar, but with its popularity, it has expanded to include several rooms occupying a former seventeenth century convent. The décor is clean and sparse, pale wood and lots of white, the tables topped with colorful painted tiles. It's run by two sisters, one an expert sommelier, who offers a staggering selection of wines, the other a talented chef, who imaginatively updates traditional Italian cuisine. Attached to the restaurant and wine bar is a shop selling gastronomical specialties and wines. Among the antipasti, the Bavarian of goat cheese with dates and pears is especially memorable, and the fish entrees are all fresh and prepared wth a flair for originality. An exceptional apertivo buffet is served in the wine bar from six in the evening. €€€
Piazza Trilussa 41 tel. 06.583 33920
Glass Hosteria
An unlikely haven of cool, contemporary style in the midst of Trastevere's most raucous area, Glass Hosteria is designed with attention to every detail, from the glass displays set into the floor, to the granite placemats, the hanging garden of cone-shaped lamps that adorn the ceiling — even the rest rooms are sleek. The menu tries to match the décor in its modernity. This is not the place to order classic dishes. Instead, try the parmesan "ice cream" — little balls of creamy cheese served with pears, grapes and a balsamic vinegar sauce. Among the primi, the risotto with roast pigeon, fava beans and blueberries is not only unusual, but really delicious. Some of the main dishes tend to go a bit over the top, with a lot of specialty meats, like roast deer chops served with nettle dumplings. The desserts are just as imaginative. A coconut semifreddo served on a bed of carmalized bananas is a pleasure. But you might pass on the lasagnette of ice with mousse of vegetable carbon and a pollen sauce. Huh? The wine list is more than respectable. And the price, is very reasonable. Five-course tasting menus are available for €30 and €40. €€
Vicolo del Cinque, 58 tel. 06.583 35903
Jaipur
All your favorite Indian dishes — vindaloo, curry, Tandoori chicken — prepared with skill and authenticity in a spacious restaurant where the service is friendly and efficient and the flavor to price ratio is outstanding. Sidewalk tables are available, and generally well-occupied. In the colder months, meals are served in a spacious dining room. Reservations are rarely necessary. €
Via San Francesco a Ripa, 56 tel. 06.580 3992 Closed Monday lunch.
Le Mani in Pasta
A classic, inexpensive osteria, attracting the locals with handmade pasta, grilled meats and fresh fish. Not to be missed: the pasta with ricotta and pancetta heavily scented with fresh nutmeg, the seafood antipasto platter, the carpaccio of fish with shaved truffles, the gorgonzola ice cream in an almond pastry shell. One of the few restaurants in Rome with a separate dining room for smokers. Reservations suggested. €€
Via dei Genovesi, 37 tel. 06.581 6017 Closed Monday
Roma Sparita
Although the church of Santa Cecilia, built on the spot where the saint was allegedly martyred, is a stop on many tourist routes, the piazza is just far enough off the beaten track to maintain an air of traffic-free calm. Roma Sparita, meaning the Rome that disappeared, is the name often given to the Trastevere district, and it certainly seems appropriate at this address, perfect for a relaxing meal on warm days when the outside tables afford a view of the square with its ancient architecture still intact. And the food is good, an excellent value for the price. At night, the pizza oven is fired up, but at lunch, don't miss the delicious cacio e pepe, a Roman pasta specialty, served here in a basket made of cheese; or the rigatoni alla Norma, the linguini with fresh shellfish, and in season, the perfectly crisp fried artichokes. For dessert, try the hot apple tart with homemade ice cream. €€
Piazza Santa Cecilia 24 tel. 06.580 0757 Closed Monday
Sora Lella
In 1943 Elena Fabrizi known as "Sora Lella," sister of the famed Italian actor Aldo Fabrizi, opened a restaurant, where she served traditional Roman cuisine, prepared with great skill and care. Italy was in the midst of the Second World War, and times were hard, but the restaurant quickly became a favorite haunt of Italy's celebrity crowd. In 1959, the restaurant moved to the Isola Tiberina, the tiny island in the Tiber river, between Trastevere and the Ghetto. Now managed by Sora Lella's son, Aldo Trabalza and her grandsons Mauro, Simone, and Renato, who is the current chef, the restaurant remains a pleasant place to enjoy an excellent classic lunch or dinner. The service is always friendly and gracious, the cuisine carefully prepared and beautifully presented. Try traditional dishes like eggplant parmagiana, made here with the addition of ricotta cheese, honey and nuts, the calamari stuffed with eggplant and steamed in white wine, the baccalà (cod) alla Romana, or the potato gnocchi all'amatriciana.
Via Ponte Quattro Capi, 16 tel. 06.686 1601 Closed Sunday
Spirito di Vino
Owner Romeo Catalani will regale you (in English) with the story of his restaurant, built on the site of the oldest synagogue in Rome. "As you go down the steps to our wine cellar," he will tell you, "you are going back 75 years with each step. And when you get to the bottom, you will be in a space even older than the coliseum" — which may seem hard to believe, but as places go in Rome, the Coliseum is really not that old. Then he'll meticulously describe each of the wonderful dishes on the menu, prepared by his wife, Eliana. The menu changes with the season, but try not to miss the clafoutis of artichoke, the very essence of the vegetable. Or the pasta with truffle sauce, or the roast pork cooked for days in red wine and a myriad of spices. The wine list, under the surpervision of the owners' son Francesco, is substantial. €€€
Via dei Genovesi 31a/b tel. 06.5896689 Closed Sunday and at lunch.
Uva Rara
Next to a large restaurant that attracts busloads of Italian tourists, this charming little wine bar takes advantage of the excellent kitchen next door, while providing a quiet and cozy atmosphere. The walls are lined with shelves laden with bottles, and the waiter's suggestions have always turned out to be excellent in our experience. The daily fare, displayed on a blackboard, is simple, but superbly fresh and perfectly prepared: artichokes, grilled fish, wonderful desserts. Ask about their weekly wine tastings. €€
Via S. Criscogono 31 tel 06 58 06 941
The Pizzerie of Trastevere
Trastevere is known for its plethora of restaurants, from the high-end, to the humble osterie on down to the pizzerie at the absolute bottom of the price list. The best of them serve authentic Roman pizza, baked in a forno a legna, with crusts so thin the edges are often burnt.
For the most genuine of working-class Trastevere experiences, pay a visit to Ai Marmi , so popular that the tables are always full and on weekends, there's a crowd waiting to get in. The service is perfunctory but super fast. The pizzas are cheap and good. And the fritti are freshly made and never greasy. Try the fried stuffed zucchini blossoms. The place has been affectionately nicknamed the "l'obitorio " (the morgue), for its unadorned white marble tables, which stretch out onto the sidewalk in summer. € Viale di Trastevere 53 tel. 06.5800919 Closed Tuesdays and at lunch. Open late.
You'll find a young crowd at Dar Poeta, named for the beloved Roman poet Trilussa, whose portrait dominates the rear wall. Many people find the pizza here to be superior, and the selection of toppings is long and tempting. No reservations and there's usually a crowd. Plan to go by the restaurant, leave your name and then pop into one of the bars on Via della Scala for an apertivo. € Vicolo del Bologna 45 tel. 06.5880526 Closed at lunch.
Ivo a Trastevere A favorite neighborhood haunt, and good enough to attract clients from all over the city, Ivo serves pizza, grilled meats and traditional Roman trattoria dishes like spaghetti all'amatriciana (a bacon and tomato sauce) and scamorza. (melted smoked cheese). Noisy and busy with waiters furiously navigating among the wooden tables. € Via San Francesco a Ripa158 tel. 5817082 Closed Tuesdays and at lunch.
Pizzeria San Cosimato A tiny restaurant with most of its tables downstairs in the former cellar, the place is always packed with locals, who come for the excellent, thin-crusted pizza and traditional pasta dishes. € Via di San Cosimato 14/a tel. 06.580 0353
In Rome Now Travel Guide: Restaurants Rome, Italy Trastevere
