Remembering Your Roman Dinner
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| After a hectic day of sightseeing, Rome's off-the-beaten-path restaurants offer deserved respite from the tourist scrum. |
By Rick Steves
Rome is a tough city. Many don't like it. And many who do like Rome seem to enjoy it because of their evenings. For a romantic yet affordable meal that will leave you with tasty and treasured Roman memories, consider these places:
The colorful Trastevere is getting pretty touristy. Still, Romans join the tourists to eat on the rustic side of the Tiber River. You can eat with tourists enjoying the ambiance of the famous square; or wander the back streets in search of a mom-and-pop place with barely a menu.
For home cooking Roman-style, Trattoria da Lucia lets you enjoy simple traditional food at a good price in a great scene (open Tue-Sun 12:30-15:30 & 19:30-24:00, closed Mon, cash only, homey indoor or evocative outdoor seating, Vicolo del Mattonato 2, tel. 06-580-3601, no English). Osteria Ponte Sisto, small and Mediterranean, specializes in Neapolitan cuisine with a menu that changes often. Just outside of the tourist zone, it caters mostly to Romans, and offers beautiful desserts and a fine value, but be careful when ordering the unpriced fish dishes. It's also easy to find: Crossing Ponte Sisto (pedestrian bridge), continue across the little square (Piazza Trilussa) and you'll see it on the right (open daily 12:30-15:00 & 19:30-24:00, Via Ponte Sisto 80, tel. 06-588-3411).
While touristy, the Campo de' Fiori offers a classic romantic square setting. And, since it is so close to the collective heart of Rome, it remains popular with locals. For atmosphere over food value, circle the square, considering each place. Bars and pizzerias seem to overwhelm the square.
Nearby, on the more elegant and peaceful Piazza Farnese, Ostaria da Giovanni ar Galletto has an upscale local crowd, pleasant outdoor seating, and reasonable prices. Say hi to Angelo, who's committed to serving fine food. Regrettably, service can be horrible and single diners aren't treated very well. Still, if you're in no hurry and ready to just savor my favorite al fresco setting in Rome, this is a good bet (Mon-Sat open 12:15-15:00 & 19:30-23:00, closed Sun, tucked in corner of Piazza Farnese at #102, tel. 06-686-1714).
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| Remember to save room for dessert! Two of Rome's top ice cream joints are a cone's throw from the Pantheon. |
Osteria Enoteca al Bric is a mod bistro-type place run by a man who loves to cook, serve good wine, and listen to jazz. Wine-case lids decorate the wall like happy memories. With candlelit grace and no tourists, it's perfect for the wine snob in the mood for pasta and fine cheese. Aficionados choose their bottle from the huge selection lining the walls as they enter. Beginners order wine with help from the waiter after they order their meal (open daily 12:30-15:00 and from 19:30 for dinner, closed Mon June-Sept, reserve after 20:30, 100 yards off Campo de' Fiori at Via del Pellegrino 51, tel. 06-687-9533).
Trattoria der Pallaro, which has no menu, has a slogan: "Here, you'll eat what we want to feed you." Paola Fazi — with a towel wrapped around her head turban-style — and her family serve up a five-course meal of typically Roman food for €22, including wine, coffee, and a tasty mandarin juice finale. Make like Oliver Twist asking for more soup and get seconds on the juice (open daily 12:00-15:00 & 19:00-24:00, indoor/outdoor seating on quiet square, a block south of Corso Vittorio Emanuele, down Largo del Chiavari to Largo del Pallaro 15, tel. 06-6880-1488).
Osteria da Mario, a homey little mom-and-pop joint with a no-stress menu, serves traditional favorites in a fun dining room or on tables spilling out onto a picturesque old Roman square (open Mon-Sat 13:30-15:30 & 19:30-23:00, closed Sun, indoor/outdoor, from Pantheon walk 2 blocks up Via Pantheon, go left on Via della Coppelle, take first right to Piazza delle Coppelle 51, tel. 06-6880-6349).
Ristorante Enoteca Corsi is a wine shop that grew into a thriving lunch-only restaurant. The Paiella family serves straightforward, traditional cuisine at great prices to an enthusiastic crowd of office workers. Check the blackboard for daily specials (gnocchi on Thursday, fish on Friday, and so on). Friendly Juliana, Claudia, and Manuela welcome diners to step into their wine shop and pick out a bottle. For the cheap take-away price plus €2, they'll uncork it at your table. With €6 pastas, €9.50 main dishes, and fine wine at a third the price you'd pay in normal restaurants, this is a superb value (open Mon-Sat 12:00-15:00, closed Sun, a block toward the Pantheon from the Gesù church at Via del Gesù 87, tel. 06-679-0821).
Rome's most famous and venerable ice-cream joint is a minute's walk in front of the Pantheon. Gelateria Caffè Pasticceria Giolitti is good, with cheap take-away prices and elegant Old World seating (just off Piazza Colonna and Piazza Monte Citorio at Via Uffici del Vicario 40, tel. 06-699-1243).
Updated for 2008. For lots more information, check out our best-selling Rick Steves' Rome guidebook — or join us on one of our free-spirited tours in Rome.