ROME

ROME

Agustarello A Testaccio
Via Giovanni Branca, 100, 00153 Roma RM
+39 06 574 6585
The Testaccio has long been known for its hearty restaurants. This laidback osteria is one of the best – and serves one of the best cacio e pepe in Rome. Don't miss the rosetta ripiena: bread rolls stuffed with pancetta, pecorino and mozzarella.

 

Antico caffè del Moro
Via del Moro corner of Via della Pelliccia
+39 065816261
Antico Caffé del Moro is a historical café that doubles as a wine bar, serving traditional Roman pasta, whiskey, wine, and rum. If you're stuck between what to order, Laurentiis's go-to is the refreshing Frangelico Frizzante.

 

Antico Forno Roscioli
Via dei Chiavari 34 - Rome
+39 06 686 4045
Where's the best pizza, you might ask? According to Laurentiis, you'll want to head to Antico Forno Roscioli. Their pizza bianca (a white pizza with no tomato sauce, just cheesy goodness) is stuffed with mortadella, or Italian sausage, creating a warm and cozy meal.

 

Altrove Ristorante
Via Girolamo Benzoni, 34, Rome 00154
+39 06 574 6576
Dishes at Altrove, a bright new addition to the largely residential Ostiense district, are inventive, but not overcomplicated. Lunch is a casual, canteen-like affair, with a choice of daily-changing meats, grains and sides. Even vegetarians, normally unlucky in this carnivorous city, will find something to like, with salads, soups, and cheese, plus fresh-from-the-oven breads. Come dinner, the cosmopolitan menu offers creative takes on Roman dishes, such as ‘carbonara in giallo’ – A Roman carbonara with saffron, or shrimp ravioli in a coconut, ginger and lemongrass broth.

 

Armando Al Pantheon
Salita de' Crescenzi, 31, 00186 Roma RM
+39 06 6880 3034
Forget the touristy location, right by the Pantheon; this is the real, Roman deal, going back three generations. In a tiny, wood-lined room, and on tables outside, the Bib Gourmand holder serves classic Roman pasta dishes, seared pajata, and the signature dessert – a sour cherry tart. Reservations recommended.

 

Aroma
Via Labicana, 125, 00184 Roma RM
+39 06 9761 5109
It's all about the view at Aroma, the rooftop restaurant of Palazzo Manfredi hotel, which looks square onto the Colosseum. It has a retractable roof and glass doors that open up, leaving you to watch circling seagulls in the Colosseum's spotlights. Executive chef Giuseppe di Iorio's tasting menus take you through Roman classics, jazzing them up with modern touches.

 

Bistrot64
Via Guglielmo Calderini, 64, 00196 Roma RM
+39 06 323 5531
Stanley Tucci raves about the cacio e pepe at this restaurant, run by Japanese chef Kotaro Noda, who's won a Michelin star for his imaginative takes on classic Roman dishes. It's much cheaper than your average high-class restaurant, though; his five-course tasting menus start at just €50 ($60). Reservations recommended.

 

Cesare al Casaletto
Via del Casaletto, 45, Rome 00151
+39 06 536015
Cesare is a trattoria specializing in Roman cuisine, and it nails the classics; the starters, pastas, and mains get so much attention, in fact, that the excellent pizzas can be often overlooked. But take it from us: Share a paper-thin, delightfully crispy pizza rossa (a 16-inch round pizza brushed sparingly with tomato sauce and drizzled with olive oil, then baked in a wood-burning oven) as a starter. And don't sleep on the excellent fried starters like eggplant croquettes and shredded beef balls.

 

Flavio al Velavevodetto
Via di Monte Testaccio, 97, 00153 Roma RM
+39 06 574 4194
This Testaccio restaurant does a mean gricia, cacio e pepe, and amatriciana; but you're not really here for the food. This is one place you'll want to eat inside, since it's dug into the side of the Monte Testaccio: a grassy hill formed by a Roman rubbish dumb of terracotta amphorae – which you can see through a glass wall in the main room.

 

Il Goccetto
Via dei Banchi Vecchi, 14, 00186 Roma RM
+39 06 9944 8583
There are hundreds of wines (literally – over 800 at the last count) to choose from at this gorgeous, old-timey bar in a building dating back to the 16th century. There's a rotating selection by the glass; pair yours with their extremely elevated bar snacks.

 

Imàgo
Piazza della Trinità dei Monti, 6, 00187 Roma RM
+39 06 06 6993 4726
This extraordinary Michelin-starred restaurant sprawls over the sixth floor of the iconic Hassler Hotel at the top of the Spanish Steps. The views of the city are incomparable; and the food, by 29-year-old wunderkind Andrea Antonini, matches it. The six-course tasting menu (with multiple amuse bouches) is a stunningly inventive take on traditional Roman and Italian food, from pumpkin flowers stuffed with prawns and spaghetti with mint, pecorino and sea urchin, to a sublime take on Italy's famous rabbit dish, coniglio al cacciatore. Reservations recommended.

 

La Tavernaccia
Via Giovanni da Castel Bolognese, 63, Rome 00153
+39 06 581 2792
La Tavernaccia is old-school Roman all the way. Start with the misto affettati, a plate of cured meats and cheeses. Next, go for rigatoni all’amatriciana—a mix of chunky pork in tomato sauce, topped with pecorino cheese—then move on to the main event, maialino al forno (suckling pig served with roast potatoes). Wash the entire thing down with a generous helping of house red and a palate-cleansing lemon sorbet.

 

Osteria Chiana
Via Agri 25, 00198 Rome
+39 06 853 04430
More smart-bistro and less old-school osteria, Osteria Chiana offers an energizing menu of Roman classics, including an excellent tonnarelli pasta with cacio e pepe. But it’s the ever-changing seasonal dishes that are most inspiring, like the breaded lamb cutlet served with fried artichokes, or the meatballs with fresh tomato and arugula, served with a side of chicory. Save room for the tiramisu, which can be enjoyed outside in the garden on balmy summer nights.

 

Per Me
Vicolo del Malpasso, 9, 00186 Roma RM
+39 06 687 7365
Chef Giulio Terrinoni has won a Michelin star for the "striking originality" at his restaurant, 'For Me.' Go for the full 10-course tasting menu at dinner to get a handle on his work; for something more informal, try lunch, where he makes tapas-style "tappi." Reservations recommended.

 

Piperno
Via Monte dè Cenci, 9, 00186 Roma RM
+39 06 6880 6629
Family-owned since 1860, this stalwart of the Jewish Quarter — which dates back over 2,000 years and was behind many of the city's most famous dishes — serves some of Rome's most memorable meals from rich-sauced pasta to the city's famous carciofi alla giuda artichokes. Eat outside on the pedestrianized, cobbled square. Reservations recommended.

 

Pipero
Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, 250, 00186 Roma RM
+39 06 6813 9022
Ciro Scarmadella is the young chef at the helm of this super-sophisticated Michelin-starred restaurant, but maître d' and host Alessandro Pipero is the one whose name it bears. Try the innovative seven-course Carta Bianca ('carte blanche') tasting menu or stick with the more traditional à la carte. Reservations recommended.

 

Pro Loco Pinciano
Via Bergamo 18 00198 Rome

+39 06 8414136
Pro Loco Pinciano feels a bit like your stylish Italian friends’ holiday home, all farmhouse brick and stone, with an open deli stacked with cheese and jars of local jam, plus fat prosciutto hams dangling from the ceiling. It's not all for show: when you order a martini, the bartender garnishes it with a prosciutto slice. As for the menu, there’s something to suit every taste here, including crisp pizzas, bowls of pillowy ravioli, and platters of finely sliced cured meats.

 

Roscioli Salumeria con Cucina
Via dei Giubbonari, 21, 00186 Roma RM
+39 06 687 5287
This is a true Roman institution – a deli-restaurant hybrid using top-quality ingredients. Sit at the counter to watch platters of everything from cold cuts to anchovies being prepared, and try the pizza rossa, straight from the Roscioli family's own bakery. Reservations recommended.

 

SantoPalato
Piazza Tarquinia, 4 a/b, 00183 Roma RM
+39 06 7720 7354
Young chef Sara Cicolini has created an ultra-modern take on the "quinto quarto" – the 'fifth quarter,' or Rome's beloved offal. Unlike more traditional places, here it's jazzed up, so you'll get dishes like a frittata poached around a heart of chicken offal; wagyu heart tartare; and oxtail meatballs with a sauce of peanut and cocoa powder.

 

Seu Pizza Illuminati
Via Angelo Bargoni 10-18, Roma, Lazio 00153
+39 065883384
Cool and minimalist with Saarinen-style furniture and contemporary art, Seu Pizza Illuminati isn't your typical old-school pizzeria. The pies incorporate local products in nontraditional ways; even classics will surpass anything you've ever had. Keep an eye on the antipasti; the fritti and deep-fried tramezzino sandwich are both delicious. It's no surprise that the chef has been winning award after award for his amazing and creative work.

 

Trattoria al Moro Restaurant
Vicolo delle Billette, 13
00187 Rome RM
+39 06 678 3495
This 1920's Roman restaurant feels like dining in a home-style kitchen with a comforting ambiance and pasta dishes that will have you reminiscing on the flavor for months on end. "We always sit in the back room and order their spaghetti alla moro or spaghetti alle telline, but you can't go wrong with any dish," Laurentiis said in an interview with Forbes.

 

Urbana 47
Via Urbana, 47, 00184 Roma RM
+39 06 4788 4006
This is in hipster Monti, and it doesn't disappoint. Locally sourced food with an extra zing – like three types of pepper on the cacio e pepe pasta – it also does take-out pasta (or freshly rolled if you're staying in an apartment). Reservations recommended.

 

SORRENTO

O’Parrucchiano
Corso Italia 71 80067 Sorrento NA
+39 081 8781321
If you want to eat the most classic of Sorrento cuisine, then the right address is the restaurant “O ‘Parrucchiano – La Favorita”, famous for over a century for its “cannelloni” pasta, invented here in 1870. Restaurant with an ancient tradition, founded in 1868 and became famous in the world for the “cannelloni” today, together with the traditional dishes, it offers an infinite number of dishes that enhance the aromas and flavors of the Mediterranean and the Gulf of Naples. It is the ideal place to taste the typical Neapolitan, Sorrento dishes and other traditions.

 

Bagni Sant’Anna
Via del Mare (Marina Grande) - 80067 Sorrento NA
+39 339 6206647
It is a restaurant with a bathing establishment: lunch and dinner are served on a platform in the middle of the sea. The restaurant’s menu is mainly dedicated to fish-based specialties, prepared following regional and national recipes with local products carefully selected by the chefs. It is also open in the evening, and with the complicity of the lights and scents of Sorrento, the atmosphere is thus even more relaxing and evocative. The menu has a creative touch. The house specialties are pasta with mussels and potatoes, spaghetti with squid, fried fish from the Gulf, fillet of sea bass, as well as the babà with orange.

 

Donna Sofia
Via Tasso, 45 80067 Sorrento NA
+39 0818773532
Lush gardens surround the Donna Sofia Restaurant. It consists of an external room and two internal rooms. The one on the lower floor is dedicated to those who want more intimacy and tranquility. The restaurant is dedicated to Sofia Loren, whose image dominates the great hall. The restaurant has a veranda equipped for the summer and a large garden with cuisine dedicated to Campania flavors. The environment is comfortable and welcoming, the staff is polite and qualified, and the food is excellent. The restaurant’s specialties are king prawns, squid in green sauce and Sorrento cannelloni. The ingredients are very fresh and the combinations of very special ingredients—note of merit for the paccheri pasta with broccoli and cod.

 

Enjoy the Little Things
Via S. Cesareo, 85 Sorrento, Campania
+390818785947
The menu at Enjoy Restaurant features classic Italian dishes such as spaghetti carbonara, gnocchi with almonds, garlic, and bacon, and Caprese salad. The bruschetta with salmon and cream cheese is a standout appetizer. Cocktails like the Limoncello Spritz and soft drinks like San Pellegrino are refreshing options to pair with your meal. The wine list is extensive, with both local and international options. (RESTAURANT GURU-Enjoy the Little Things)

 

Fuoro51 
Via Fuoro, 51  Sorrento, NA
+39 081 8783691
If more than a dinner, you want something to tease with a good glass of wine, look for this winery in the alleys of the historic center. The restaurant is of contemporary design, while the very intriguing menu presents the house’s dishes with a trendy touch. The Sorrentine gnocchi are excellent; particularly the burrata and the anchovies that are served in a very refined way. The wine shop is well-served, and the staff is very attentive to customer needs. Try the vast choice of wines and platters of cold cuts and cheeses. Very high-quality food, highly qualified dining room staff, and a very welcoming environment.

 

L’ Antica Trattoria
Via Padre Reginaldo Giuliani, 33 80067 - Sorrento NA
+39 081 8071082
The restaurant is really nice, in the center of Sorrento, with a flowery terrace and well-kept rooms furnished in a classic style. Ideal for a romantic evening. In the “à la carte” menu we have lemon tagliolini, served in a lemon; ravioli and linguine with seafood; caprese with buffalo mozzarella, tomato variation, basil pesto and mozzarella in carrozza; “Antica Trattoria” tagliolini with lumpfish roe, red prawns, cream of spinach and white lemon sauce.

 

Soul and Fish
Via Marina Grande 80067 Sorrento NA
+39 081 8782170
The Soul & Fish Restaurant is aimed at those who love fish-based cuisine made with traditional recipes from Campania. For those looking for a restaurant in Sorrento, it offers good food and a suggestive view of the Sorrento coast and the islands of the Gulf of Naples. It has been a guarantee of fresh fish and genuine dishes for two generations, the ideal place for ceremonies, parties, birthdays, and candlelit dinners. The new generation of this historic family of Sorrentine restaurants has completely renovated this restaurant giving it a new modern look while maintaining the traditional spirit.

 

Tasso
Via Correale, 11d  80067 – Sorrento NA
+39 081 8785437
The restaurant Pizzeria Tasso is in fact located a few meters from the historic center and the main square of Sorrento. The proposed cuisine is Mediterranean in style; here, you can enjoy delicious fresh fish dishes but also the excellent pizza, prepared according to the classic Neapolitan tradition. Try the Gragnano paccheri with lemon clams.

 

Trattoria Da Emilia
Via Marina Grande, 62 - 80067 Sorrento NA
+39 081 8072720
Among all the restaurants in the fishing village of Marina Grande, it is the oldest and most traditional one: among its tables some scenes from the movie “Bread, Love and …” with Sophia Loren were shot. Since 1947 this restaurant offers family and home cooking with a sea view. It does not accept reservations: you take a seat at the first available table. The dishes are prepared with the freshest fish. Large portions and low prices. Try the gnocchi with seafood. The wine offered is of the house, and this simplicity conquers. Dehors outside the restaurant that allows you to eat just a few meters from the sea.

 

Zi’ Ntonio
Via Luigi de Maio, 11, Sorrento NA
+390818781623
It is a large restaurant between Piazza Sant’Antonino and Piazza Tasso, where it is easy to find a seat even without a reservation. The restaurant is very nice, with a predominance of wood and warm tones and simple but welcoming decor. The service is friendly and attentive; the dishes are traditional and well-cooked. The menu is typically Sorrentine and Campania, with both sea and land courses. Its strong point is the “risotto special” served in large pans: a rich seafood risotto with more lobster and prawns to be shared between two or more people. And also stuffed courgette flowers (with ricotta and ham) and seared shrimps with black pepper.  (RESTAURANT GURU – Zi Ntonio)