Nino’s Favorite Rome Restaurants
THE FAMOUS AMATRICIANA AT OSTERIA DA FORTUNATA, ROME ITALY
Once you eat in Italy, Italian food in America just won’t be the same. Pasta and pizza take on an entirely different meaning in Italy. The sauces, flavors, ingredients and experience is just on a whole different level. Not fancy, usually quite simple, authentic, and natural. Flavors burst like you’ve never experienced. This was farm-to-table before farm-to-table became a thing.
Of course there are plenty of bad options, especially in the high tourist zones. You can usually spot these from their colorful menus, pictures of the food on signs, barkers standing outside the establishment urging you to come in. In general, Google reviews, Yelp, Tripadvisor, are your friend. Look for the highly rated and read through some of the reviews for details on what dishes to order and what to avoid as even highly rated restaurants can vary from dish to dish.
Ask locals where the best food is and where they go for a good quality authentic meal. But, be careful asking your taxi driver, or hotel host, as they likely have arrangements with local establishments that give them commissions.
We’ve had incredible meals all over Italy. Overall though, Rome has several of our absolute favorite restaurants. There are too many to list, but I want to share with you those that were so good, we go back to them every visit. Also, it’s important to note that we aren’t big spenders on food. So, we don’t have much to say about the fanciest of restaurants…not just because of our restrained budget but we also enjoy “home cooking” style and casual meals.
We will be updating this page, likely adding more suggestions, photos and info with future visits, so please check back often!
Without further ado, here are our Rome restaurants you should not miss!
Sora Margherita
Piazza delle Cinque Scuole 30
Our first time in Rome, we asked our Vatican tour guide where she goes to eat. She emphatically said Sora Margharita. At the time, it was only known by locals and you had to have a “membership” to dine there. That sounds so bougie, but it is actually the most basic, unfancy, nonna’s-kitchen type of place. It can be difficult to find, although google maps street view makes it so much easier now.
A small entrance in what looks like an alleyway that ends in a parking lot (technically a mini piazza) in the Jewish quarter of Rome, this is worth the search. Challenge is, now enough people know about it that reservations are highly recommended (“membership” no longer needed). It’s tiny, and cramped, but the pesto pasta, the agnolotti, and meatballs make it worth it. The house wine is pretty tasty and cheap, and has led to our happy wandering a few times. Some swear by the fried artichokes, which is a popular dish in this neighborhood of Rome, but I’m not a big fan.
For an inexpensive and tasty meal like your nonna wishes she could make, Sora can’t be beat.
Osteria Da Fortunata
Via del Pellegrino (original location)
Piazza della Cancelleria (2nd location)
Corso di Rinascimento (3rd location)
We discovered this place by chance. In 2013, on our 3rd visit to Rome, and first with our son, we were strolling around Campo di Fiori. I wanted to use Tripadvisor and find a place to eat, but Dawn and Alexander were getting hangry, and they didn’t want to wait for my usual exercise in researching, reading reviews, and likely a long walk. They insisted we try whatever nearby place looked good.
Osteria was right around the corner from Campo di Fiori, and against my protests of “restaurants so close to main tourist areas are usually crap,” Dawn and Alexander went in, and I had no choice but to follow. I was especially concerned because Osteria has this open-air window to the street where cute little old Italian ladies roll and cut the pasta. I thought this is a gimmick and not a good sign.
I was wrong! The fresh-made pasta was the perfect texture and chewiness yet held onto the sauce. And that sauce! Our favorite was the Strozzapretti pasta with Amatriciana sauce. It was so good, we had to hug the pasta-maker in the window.
Osteria da Fortunata is a must do every time we come to Rome, and we always say hello to our favorite Pasta Lady, Antonia!
When we started going, Osteria was just one modest location. But, people have discovered their amazingness, and they have now expanded to 3 locations in Rome and recently opened a location in Milan. I know I’ve told anyone and everyone that this is the one restaurant you must put on your list when visiting Rome, so I like to think I helped them grow. I’m hoping they keep the quality and care as they expand, and I look forward to trying their new locations (along with returning to the original) in the future.
Roma Sparita
Piazza di Santa Cecilia, 24
Supposedly my man-crush’s favorite restaurant in Rome, Anthony Bourdain featured Roma Sparita in one of his episodes of No Reservations. But, he refused to name it. He said he loved it so much that he didn’t want everyone to know about it so he could keep it his little secret. Did he mean it, or was it just a genius marketing ploy knowing that it would send internet sleuths hunting? Well, whatever. All that really matters is he was 100% right that likely the best Cacio e Pepe is here. We had been wanting to try this Trastevere neighborhood restaurant for a long time. Finally, we were able to make reservations during our 2018 trip. Wanting to sit in the same seats or near where Anthony filmed his episode, it was especially poignant that we were there 10 days after his death. We toasted our apperitivos and enjoyed the Cacio e Pepe in his honor.
