In this article, I present five gourmet addresses in the heart of the Eternal City, for all tastes: pasta - risotto - pizza - gelato... life!
SUMMARY
For Roman classics: Da Tonino (Via del Governo Vecchio, 18-19)
For a risotto: Risotteria Melotti (Via della Vetrina, 12a/b)
For a pizza: Tacito (Via Tacito, 18)
For more sophisticated dishes: Il Sorpasso (Via Properzio, 31/33)
For an ice cream: Come il Latte (Via Silvio Spaventa, 24/26)
1. For Roman classics: Da Tonino (Via del Governo Vecchio, 18-19)
Two Roman pasta specialities: pasta alla carbonara (guanciale, egg yolks, pecorino and pepper) and pasta all'amatriciana (guanciale, tomato, pecorino and red pepper) and tiramisù
If you are looking for a restaurant to satisfy your cravings for Roman specialities, this is the place to go! This small trattoria is traditional in its decor, but the welcome is warm and the service is fast.
As for the food, it is delicious. We tried the pastas alla carbonara, all'amatriciana, the Roman style rabbit (rabbit, garlic, wine and rosemary) and the tiramisù, all of which we approved. Moreover, the portions are generous and the value for money is excellent, which is not to be disliked.
The restaurant is located right next to Piazza Navona and does not take reservations. So it's best to arrive early if you want to get a table right away. Otherwise, the wait is worth it! The restaurant is open every day from 12pm to 11pm.
If you want more information, you can visit their Facebook page.
2. For a risotto: Risotteria Melotti (Via della Vetrina, 12a/b)
First risotto with pistachio cream and stracciatella di bufala, second traditional house risotto with pork, veal, cinnamon and rosemary (Risotto all'Isolana nel Pentolino) and tiramisù
For fans of risottos (or coeliacs) (or gluten intolerant people) (or those who simply can't stand the pasta - pizza duo), this is THE place to be!
Here, everything is based on rice and Mamma Rosetta's recipes: the antipasti, the many risottos offered of course, but also the biscuit for the tiramisu, the beers, etc., and it's delicious. All the more delicious because this family-run restaurant chain, which is also present in Isola della Scala (near Verona), Florence and New York, produces its own rice in Isola della Scala.
The restaurant is rustic in its decor, but the welcome is pleasant and the service very fast.
As for the food, we tried the risotto with pistachio cream and stracciatella di bufala, as well as the traditional house risotto with pork, veal, cinnamon and rosemary, served in a lovely cassolette on a board, and, finally, the tiramisù. Everything was absolutely delicious.
The restaurant is located near Piazza Navona and takes reservations on The Fork, on its website or by phone (0039066868093). The restaurant is open every day from 11am to 11pm. Finally, they also deliver via Deliveroo and Glovo.
If you want more information, you can check their official website, their Facebook page or their Instagram page.
3. For a pizza: Tacito (Via Tacito, 18)
First pizza "Flower" with fior di latte, courgette flowers, Pachino tomato and burrata, second pizza "Fume" with mozzarella, caciocavallo, herbed ham, Datterino tomato and burrata, and the dessert, "Rocher" (gianduja parfait, gianduja sauce and cocoa dacquoise)
Tacito is a restaurant that I would recommend a thousand times over for its pizzas, which are absolutely delicious and whose dough, which was grown for 72 hours, was based on wholemeal flour, making all the difference. But all the other dishes offered on the menu also looked very tempting (meat, fish, pasta, etc).
The restaurant's setting is very pleasant, with space and an industrial feel. You can see the cooks working behind a glass roof. As for the service, it is fast and extremely warm.
The restaurant is located in the Prati district, near Castel Sant'Angelo and takes reservations by telephone (00390642990584). The restaurant is open every day, all day (but the kitchen is open from 12pm to 3pm and from 7pm to 11pm).
If you want more information, you can check their official website, their Facebook page or their Instagram page.
4. For more sophisticated dishes: Il Sorpasso (Via Properzio, 31/33)
If you want to feel fully Roman for an evening, this restaurant is the perfect address!
We had dined on the (heated) terrace because, although we arrived early in the evening, the indoor restaurant was already full. The service is not only attentive but also quick.
The menu (only in Italian) changes daily and we had the opportunity to taste pasta with worked flavours, absolutely delicious. I would also like to make a special mention for the dessert that was the best of my 6 days in Rome (yes, it surpassed my addiction to tiramisu): the ricotta - blueberry cheesecake, a pure wonder. Note that this is also the place to enjoy charcuterie and cheese boards, but there are no pizzas on offer. There is also a nice wine list. The price/quality ratio is excellent.
The restaurant is located in the immediate vicinity of Vatican City and takes reservations by telephone (00390689024554). The restaurant is open Monday to Friday from 7:30 am to 1 am and on Saturdays from 9 am to 1 am. It is closed on Sundays.
If you want more information, you can check their official website or their Facebook page.
5. For an ice cream: Come il Latte (Via Silvio Spaventa, 24/26)
This elegant shop offers creamy ice creams that are, how can I put it, a must try while in Rome (special mentions for pistachio, hazelnut and smoked chocolate)! They also offer (among other things) ice cream and chocolate filled biscuits which were also tempting.
Everything is made from natural and organic ingredients. The value for money is very good for such a quality product. The only downside is that although my husband and I had taken the same size of pot, I had relatively little ice cream compared to him, who had chosen a container in the shape of an embossed flower, with a thick layer of chocolate at the bottom, just to add a little pleasure.
Note that there are soft benches to sit in front of and enjoy your ice cream, which is very nice!
The ice cream parlour is located near the Villa Borghese park and is open Monday to Thursday from 11am to midnight, Friday and Saturday from 11am to 1am and on Sunday from 12pm to 1am.
If you want more information, you can check their official website, their Facebook page or their Instagram page.
=> I hope that this article has helped you in the preparation of your stay in Rome and, if you have any questions or comments, don't hesitate, I'll be happy to get back to you!