Dining at Barred is never a disappointment. It’s a small and unassuming bar-slash-restaurant managed by two young bothers (a sommelier and a chef). The food is delicious and creative without being pretentious, and they serve an interesting selection of natural wines and great cocktails. It’s the perfect place to experience the local scene.
ProLoco Trastevere is both a shop that sells amazing products from Lazio (like cured meats, cheeses and olive oils) and a restaurant celebrating the cuisine of that region. It opens from noon until 1am and makes incredible cocktails. Owner Vincenzo Mancino has become a good friend of mine. He’s a smart guy who has devoted himself to finding and promoting the best products from the Lazio region.
The most anticipated opening was that of the W Rome [hotel], which took place at the end of 2021. It features Giano Restaurant run by Sicilian chef Ciccio Sultano and the young and clever executive chef Nicola Zamperetti. The cuisine is their contemporary take on Sicilian comfort food. The setting is equally elegant as it is lively and welcoming. The W Lounge Bar makes great cocktails, crafted by Emanuele Broccatelli and serves a Sicilian-inspired aperitivo.
For typical, local food try SantoPalato, a modern trattoria run by Sarah Cicolini, who is often (and deservedly) featured in TV shows. Romanè is a restaurant that opened recently by Stefano Callegari and also serves traditional Roman cuisine. Its pollo alla cacciatora (Italian chicken stew with peppers) is outstanding! Trattoria Pennestri offers a brilliant modern take on Italian cuisine in a warm and friendly atmosphere. Cesare al Casaletto remains my comfort place. The atmosphere is unfussy and it serves great, traditional Roman dishes using simple recipes.
La Gatta Mangiona was the first place to serve good pizza in Rome, so I’m an aficionada, but many others have opened since. 180grammi and L’Elementare Trastevere make some of the best pizza in the city. They have revived the tradition of making good-quality, round Roman pizza: thin and crunchy. When in Rome, you can’t miss out on pizza al taglio (by the cut). It’s a Roman staple and Gabriele Bonci’s Pizzarium is deservedly the most famous address for it. There are many other great places that make it that, together with other food writers, I’ve created an entire guide dedicated to the best addresses in Rome for pizza al taglio. Lievito Pizza, Pane deserves a mention for pizza al taglio too. Young Francesco Arnesano is the most talented of Gabriele Bonci’s pupils. For me, Seu Pizza Illuminati‘s pizza is the best in all of Rome. The dough is light, fluffy and perfectly risen, and the toppings are imaginative and delicious. I also love Sbanco and Trapizzino, the genius pizza “pocket” concept by Stefano Callegari (from Romanè) filled with typical Roman sauces to eat on the go.
Casa Manfredi is the best pastry shop in Rome. It’s also my favourite place for breakfast: It makes gorgeous modern cakes, French-style croissants and pain au chocolat, and the best maritozzo (sweet Italian cream buns) in town! The masterpieces by chefs Fabrizio Fiorani and Cesare Murzilli at the Zucchero pastry shop inside the W Rome hotel are also worth trying.
I love Zia, which has only been around for a couple of years and already earned itself a Michelin star. The food is creative and is served in a warm atmosphere. The format at restaurant Marzapane really surprised and conquered me from the minute it opened. It has since moved to a new location in a very nice period building and has made a huge impact in the dining scene. The kitchen is run by two young chefs who have created a brilliant Italian version of “bistronomie”. It is possibly the most interesting place to dine in Rome right now.
Retrobottega offers a really unique experience, and is my favourite restaurant in the city. I’ve met and become friends with so many interesting people from all over the world while dining there. It was one of the first restaurants in Rome where you could share a table with other guests and interact with the chefs. They serve a high-quality, fine-dining cuisine in an informal setting and personally source their wild herbs and fruits. They have a fresh pasta atelier from which they sell pasta and other products, perfect to take home.
I really love the Divinity terrace restaurant at the Pantheon Iconic Hotel, where one can enjoy drinks, wine, pizza, pasta and other simple, delicious food with a stunning view. Chef Francesco Apreda is also the chef at fine-dining restaurant Idylio on the hotel’s ground floor.
Matiere Bar à Vin is a wine bar with an impressive selection of mostly French wines and good, simple food. It’s close to my home, and owner Paky Livieri knows a lot about wine. La Barrique in the Monti borough is a special place that’s full of happy memories for me. It’s where I built up my wine knowledge, sharing many great bottles with friends and owner Fabrizio Pagliardi, who’s now a friend. He also opened Barnaba, a bar à vin that serves food. It’s also close to my house, so I’ve become a regular!
To really experience the local food culture is to visit the Testaccio [food] market, where there are a number of great food stalls.
When I have something special to celebrate, I often choose Il Pagliaccio, a great fine-dining restaurant with probably the most cosmopolitan food and ambiance in Rome. Enoteca La Torre a Villa Laetitia is another elegant and very romantic place suitable for such occasions, and where the food is also extremely good.
I really love Pascucci al Porticciolo, located just outside the city. They come up with the most creative recipes using outstanding, fresh fish.
Sora Maria e Arcangelo is where I go to treat myself to a Sunday lunch out of town. It serves tasty food in a warm, unpretentious atmosphere.
