Our first stop in Rome was Da Augusto in Trastevere, because obviously, bread and cacio e pepe are…read morelife's cure and you're in Rome so bring on the carbs. This cozy local gem made spinach and ricotta ravioli doused in cacio e pepe sauce, and somehow still served us with smiles even though we showed up late. Add in a caprese salad from tomatoes picked that day, and you've got a perfect first meal in Rome.

This was by far the worst restaurant we have tried on our trip. The service was awful, and the food…read morewas mediocre. We ordered meals with sides that they asked us to choose from only for our food to come out without them. When we asked they looked at us like we asked them for their first child and said "no more" then scurried away. Didn't offer from what they had available or even apologize. Save your money and your time! The ambiance is chaotic and you will feel rushed from start to finish of your meal.

Let me start by saying that this was the great splurge of the entire European adventure. This meal…read morefor 3 cost more than our lodging in at least two countries, but it was worth every last cent. Let's start with arrival, since this place has atmosphere! This is an old house converted into a multilevel dining experience. Each table in this establishment has a unique view, whether that be romantic garden balcony or the clean, bright dining room we were seated in. While our party did include a local quite fluent in Italian, the staff kindly brought us menus in English as well (since my American accent is unmistakable). Our waiter was also fluent in English, which made asking questions much simpler. Alas, the tale of the eponymous Angelina was not available in English, so only one of us could read the full details there. Not to worry, since our first courses zipped out of the kitchens quickly, moreso since we arrived well before the crowds. We can't recall the details of two of our appetizers, only that they were completely amazing. One involved some of the best roasted eggplant I've put in my mouth to date. Pictures are included, but I think they were seasonal specials since I can't identify them from the online menus as I review after the trip. For the second course, Raz and I ordered some of their pastas. Raz doesn't generally do pasta, but he was awed by the Carbonara. I went for the Cacio e Pepe, which is a simple dish of noodles, hard cheese, olive oil, and black pepper. The pasta was fresh, though, and that makes all the difference. I tried Cacio e Pepe every place that I could, and this was my favorite by far. Our third courses were slow in coming, as is expected, since European cultures tend to take more care over dinner conversation than we do in the states. To that end, I have to mention the acoustics of the place, which were excellent in that we weren't deafened by the echo and reecho of the myriad conversations from a house that was completely packed before our main courses arrived. That wait was worth it, as the dishes were even more impressive than our anticipation, especially Raz's octopus, which became our favorite in the world at the very first bite. Our local host had a tuna steak that was absolute perfection, and I went for the scamorza with prosciutto, which I think was technically a side, but completely a meal in itself, and decadent beyond imagining in its smoky, cheesy goodness. To top off our feast, we enjoyed the hazelnut and chocolate surprise of the tartufo, and the tiramisu which is right up in the top 5 that we've had in our lives. All in all, a stellar experience that we would recommend to anyone as a one-time splurge if they make it all the way to Rome

The food was ok, it wasn't the best. Also the waiter started bring all these appetizers that we…read moredidn't order and gave us two full trays of dessert that we didn't want nor did we order and they charged us more than 450 euros worth of appetizers and desserts.

While in Rome, my husband and I made a reservation for 19:30 at Dal Bolognese. Upon arrival, we…read morewere warmly greeted by the friendly staff. The restaurant was nearly empty, with only one other table occupied by a father and son. To our surprise, we were seated right next to them, despite the abundance of open tables. When we asked to be moved to a more private spot, we were informed that the restaurant was fully booked for the evening. Sure enough, within about 30 minutes, the tables were filled! The atmosphere was romantic, quaint, and quiet - perfect for a cozy dining experience. My husband ordered the sea bass filet and I ordered the bolognese tortellini, which was hands down one of my favorite meals in Rome! My husband loved the bolognese but found the sea bass too fishy and thought it didn't pair well with the vegetables on his plate. I happily disagreed and finished both his fish and the veggies. Overall, a fantastic dining experience with delicious food and a charming ambiance. Highly recommend making a reservation!

After consuming all the cacio pepe and carbonara we could eat, we decided to shift gears and head…read moreto Dal Bolognese for other italian options. Our concierge at the St. Regis was able to secure us a last minute booking on our final night and we were definitely grateful. The interior and diners were a little more "refined" than the osterias/tavernas we visited so I felt a smidge underdressed. Definitely a place for locals, our waiter spoke english. Service was great-helpful with suggestions, light hearted jokes-it really added to the experience. Food was outstanding. Obviously, I had to get the bolognese and it didn't disappoint. Rich and flavorful, I couldn't put the fork down. Same went to perfectly cooled veal cutlet. If hungry, don't miss out on the carpaccio. Prepared with cold smoked beef, it was a great additional flavor component. Reservations can be hard to come by but highly recommended.

You know that electrifying feeling when you just arrived to your travel destination from the…read moreairport, dropped off your luggage at the hotel, quickly freshened up, and are now wandering a new city in search of your first authentic meal? L'Antica Fraschetta was my introductory gateway to all the pasta I was about to eat in Italy. With its checkered red table cloths, string lights, and charming decor, the ambiance was everything I imagined an Italian restaurant would have. I had trouble differentiating if the decor was authentic or overly cliché. Or maybe just had trouble accepting that I was actually in Italy. I still don't know, but I loved it! I had the CACIO E PEPE as my entree. I opted for the truffled version. So good! That pecorino romano just hits differently when you're in Rome. I also quickly learned the pasta is cooked al dente everywhere in Italy, which means on the firmer side. The patrons at L'Antica Fraschetta seemed to be a mixture of both locals and tourists. There is a bar area as well. I had a cappuccino to wake myself up after a long journey. Despite what social media videos may say, you can order cappuccinos any time. After our meal, we were given complimentary LIMONCELLOS. Great first meal, thank you!

The food was delicious! We were recommended to try the place and boy were we happy! So much we went…read moreback a second night. The food was delicious, service impeccable!

We came to the Monti district to look for food and were overwhelmed with choices. Some places…read moreseemed to have a long wait when we came but we were lucky to find this restaurant. There was unfortunately only indoor seating at the time we came so we missed out on some ambience. Prices were very reasonable. The food was decent here and wine was very cheap! Service is a little more than slow (I know what to expect in Italy, but there really was no care at all). That being said, we still had a good time (I guess it's all about the company). Mushroom pasta was ok (expected more chewiness to noodles and more creaminess. Arrabiata pasta was good and cured meat place was alright. We still really liked this place overall though. No such thing as a bad meal in Italy :)

Decent spot for a quick lunch. Prosciutto and melon was delicious! Pizza was soggy in middle and…read moreshould have been cooked a bit longer. Service was ok but did not get checked on after food was delivered.

NIGHT MADE & SAVED…read more My #ThankfulThursday goes out to the beautiful women within the walls of Osteria del Gelsomino. As first time travelers to Rome, my husband and I had no idea what we were doing. Prior to this meal, I had been feeling very off my rocker. It was our second day in Rome and the city was not what I expected. On this particular night, we were suppose to try to go more into the city but decided there was no way we wanted to try to fight the crowds again. In a random Yelp search at 7:50pm, I found Osteria del Gelsomino was a block away from our Airbnb and that they had a reservation available at 8:00pm. We swiftly and easily booked online, then walked over. We were surprised to find the restaurant was tucked away off the main road. The inside looked rustic, old school Italian while the outside had a cute patio with string lights and privacy shrubs that enclosed it to the public. I thought it was very charming! We were happily welcomed and shown to our table on their patio. Instantly, I recognized that this was a local spot. There were men and women (who unlike us did not seem clueless) comfortably seated, chatting and enjoying the night. I remember looking at my husband and mouthing, "I think this is going to be GOOD!" Soon after being seated, the owner came to our table. I think she could see the deer in headlights look in our faces. She asked us, "How hungry are you?" We replied, "Medium." To that, she confidently told us, "Okay, you are having bruschetta, amatriciana and the specials: one chicken, one pork." We looked at each other, shook our heads and said, "That sounds perfect!" *A pro tip we learned early on that if a local tells you what to eat, you should full heartedly trust them and let the magic unfold. That's exactly what happened here. bruschetta: AMAZING amatriciana: AMAZINGG chicken special: AMAZINGGG pork special: AMAZINGGGG Everything kept getting better & better! And, yes we kept adding G's to our amazings being thrown between each bite. :D Throughout the meal, the owner and her staff would stop by our table. Every interaction was full of kindness, friendly banter and laughs. We never felt rushed or unseen. We felt so taken care of from start to finish. So again, here is my BIG THANK YOU to the women who poured their hearts into serving us that night in September. Thank you for making me feel more at ease in a city that completely overwhelmed me. You made a huge difference to us and to our trip. Plus, y'all sure served us up one AMAZINGGGGG meal!!!

On a family trip of 5 adults, we were looking for a late dinner near our home rental. This…read morerestaurant is open until 1230am and located very close to Vatican City and the San Pietro train station. We walked in and were greeted warmly. We were offered physical menus in Italian and directed towards a QR code for a digital menu in English. We opted to use both since some of the translation wasn't available. We each ordered different items so we could try more food and everything was delicious! The standouts were the Tripe alla Romana and Bucatini Amatriciana. The local red table wine was also great to accompany all of the food. The staff here are wonderful. We loved that they make all of their pasta in-house and everything was so fresh. The vibe here is casual and traditional. The value is decent as we fed 5 adults for €89 with some leftovers they packed up to take away. If you're in the area and looking for a nice meal, you can't go wrong here.

No one in this restaurant spoke english but us, and I loved that. The menu comes to you on a chalk…read moreboard brought to the table. House white wine of course! Pasta and veggies and meatballs OH MY! Everything was really good, and we were able to observe lots of italians in their natural habitat! I had a pumpkin ravioli that was outstanding with its butter and sage sauce. Service was slow and laid back in a way that made us want to linger over all our yummy courses.

Good food and good service. Everyone enjoyed their meals, and really enjoyed the desserts…read more A very charming Italian restaurant. Despite them being super crowded, we never felt pressured to hurry so they could turn our table. We came have stayed all night. very popular with the locals. The night we went it was very busy, which I bet it is all the time. Best to have a reserved. We had a reservation for 7:00, which is when they opened. It was nice and quiet for the first half-hour or so until all the locals started pouring in. By the time we left, it was quite noisy inside.

Hidden Gem!!! Came…read morehere beginning of December 2026 and I had the impression the restaurant was run by the owner, the chef, and a waitress. Even tho it was short handed, the service was amazing and the food as well. The owner was quite charismatic, energetic, and helpful with suggestions. No reservation was needed to dine in here We ordered Salame Lucano, Cauzuni, Orecchitelle, and Baccala del giorno. They were all amazing, tasteful, delicious and fresh. The decor and ambiance was amazing and noise level was low. Quite enjoyable place for dinner. Definitely worth coming and an amazing place to come for dinner. Will definitely come back here when in Rome : )

This meal was one for the ages. I seriously think this was the culinary high point of my life - 3.5…read morehours, 14 courses with 6 Italian red wines, champagne and 2 digestifs. We chose the "whims of the chef" menu. Decadent beyond words but what an amazing experience! I can't say enough good things. They just kept bringing food. What a lovely lovely memory for first time visitors to Rome. The restaurant is warm, welcoming and cozy. Thank you!