Osteria Cacio e Pepe has that cozy, tucked-away Roman charm, with a simple exterior that opens into a warm, rustic interior filled with wooden tables and traditional décor. Located in Trastevere, one of Rome's most charming and atmospheric neighborhoods across the Tiber, the location is slightly removed from major monuments, and full of winding streets, nightlife, and local hangouts. The atmosphere is intimate and lively, especially in the evenings, with a mix of locals and visitors creating a welcoming buzz. At around 9pm on a Thursday night, the restaurant was about three-quarters full, and our party of five was seated immediately. The menu encompasses everything you could want from a traditional Italian restaurant: a plethora of pastas, pizzas, and large format entrees; there's also lots of reasonably priced drinks if you're looking for an aperitivo! Two members of our party ordered their signature Cacio e Pepe (€16.50), which came with a generous portion of housemade tonnarelli pasta, PDO pecorino cheese, and freshly-ground black pepper. Their pasta was perfectly al dente with just the right ratio of flour, eggs (from their own farm!), and water, and the ideal thickness to pair with the creamy sauce. The earthy, woody black pepper also lent an intriguing addition to the rich dish. Another two friends sampled their Amatriciana (€16), which is rigatoni with guanciale (cured pork cheek), pecorino cheese, and a fresh tomato sauce. Don't let the simplicity of the dish fool you; the ridged rigatoni soaks up the bright, acidic tomato sauce beautifully, and the savory guanciale adds a lovely textural contrast, with parmesan for a rich yet tangy aftertaste. I ordered their Abbacchio al Forno (€19), which came with a gargantuan portion of roasted lamb on the bone, served with tender herbed potatoes and fresh lettuce. The lamb was flavorful yet not overly gamey, and I appreciated the lettuce on the side, as it seemed vegetables were few and far between during our time in Rome! Lastly, we ordered four Tiramisus (€7 each) - this was a fairly traditional take on the classic dessert, with pillowy ladyfingers soaked in espresso, topped with whipped mascarpone and a light dusting of cocoa powder. Four orders was probably overkill; each portion can comfortably serve two. We truly loved our meal at Osteria Cacio e Pepe - the vibe is warm and fun, the food is delicious, and price-wise, it's perfectly reasonable, fitting for a sit-down Roman osteria that balances authenticity with accessibility. We appreciated the complimentary limoncello shots to close out the night - just another example of the Roman hospitality we'd received all throughout our trip! read more

Cacio e Pepe - Abbacchio al Forno (€19) - roasted lamb with herbed potatoes and lettuce - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

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Best meal during our visit thus far! Wife and I had a long day, and didn't have dinner until after 10. Fortunately this place was right around the corner from our hotel. Great find! Service was great! Food was very good! And we finally got to sit outside because the night had cooled off the heat of the day. Ate both apps, both entrees, and both cocktails. Decided to go down the street for gelato. We'd return! read more

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We have been to this restaurant a few times now - every time we visit Rome it seems. It is a local restaurant with seating primarily outside. They have a simple menu with all the Roman classic pastas - with generous portions and very reasonable prices. We had the carbonara and cacio e Pepe - both were fresh and delicious and came out very quickly. For dessert we tried the Limoncello cake and it was amazing as well. The servers are friendly and efficient and keep everyone happy without feeling rushed, even when they are super busy. Highly recommended! read more

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Their Carbonara and Amatriciana are to die for! This budget-friendly local restaurant is a true gem. Feasted here a few times and the service was always friendly and efficient. read more

This was our favorite place that we ate in Italy! The service was the best I have ever experienced at any restaurant and I could not believe how efficient and kind everyone was. Even though it was busy, I never had to wait on a server and our food came so quick every time I ate here. The flavors were my favorite, the dishes were my favorite and it was nice to sit on the street and watch the world go by as we ate. Overall, I highly recommend! read more

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Service was good and the people were nice but the last thing i recommend about this restaurant is the food. My hopes were high coming here because it had such good reviews but you're better off buying a meal from the store and making it yourself. The night after our meal the food affected my friend to the point where it woke her up in the middle of the night because she had to vomit. read more

Cacio e Pepe - Pepper pasta - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

This place was so good! We went twice it was so yummy and we wanted to try more menu items. Get there right when it opens to guarantee a table, as it gets pretty full or close to it. I believe they take reservations, but we just went when they opened both for lunch and for dinner. There are a lot of tables and you only sit outside. Part of the seating is shaded and part not. The Carbonara was Amazing! The second runner up for best dish for us would be the roast chicken. It just fell off the bone. read more

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Excellent local place good Cacio e Pepe was good as was sausage and potatoes Wine good and cheap also Carbonara good a must stop for a reasonable meal read more

Cacio e Pepe - Wine list - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

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It was just okay, food just okay. Not a very good selection. I asked for Capresse salad and they didn't have one to offer. We sat outside and it was okay, at least it wasn't raining. read more

This has to be one of my favorite casual spots in the area. I know you should focus on the Cacio e Pepe, but, I felt the best food there was the pizza. I got the fungi pizza, and it was.. absolutely fire. The food place was nice, ambiance was nice, and the prices were really good. I don't think I had anything but positive things to say, the mouth feel of every item was really nice, and I say the seating outside is really nice especially with the cross breeze. Great place to hang out with a nice mature crowd as well (looks of locals) read more

Great neighborhood restaurant. Outdoor seating. Mostly locals but some tourists. No formal menu but listed on chalkboard. Service was efficient. I ordered the cacio e Pepe, the best I've had in Rome. Pasta was perfectly cooked. Not overly creamy or cheesy. Just well made food. FYI. Place fills up fast. read more

Cacio e Pepe - Cacio e Pepe - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

Food is amazing, so much flavor and pasta is cooked perfectly. Service was great and very friendly. The Cacio e pepe is the best, must try. read more

Cacio e Pepe - Cacio e pepe - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

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We grabbed a quick lunch at this local restaurant. Delicious food and friendly staff, this is a great little neighborhood restaurant. read more

Cacio e Pepe - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

Our last day in Rome was made better after our visit here. We didn't have reservations so we arrived an hour early to ensure we got our name on the list. They were kind enough to seat us prior to their opening and took our order. We didn't get a chance to try any carbonara during our visit to Rome until we tried Cacio. Well, we were very happy we did. There's just something about simple, Italian carbonara that I can't get over and to this day, I still crave for it. Anthony Bourdain did no wrong in recommending those place. Though we tried other items like the meatballs, we didn't really like anything else. Next time - if there's ever a next time - we visit, I'm definitely ordered like 2 carbonaras to myself! They had a small size and a large size and I highly recommend ordering the large size for yourself. Warning: do not share! All in all, the hype is real guys. read more

Cacio e Pepe - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

Stopped in here for lunch in Rome. I ordered the Cacio e Pepe (half portion) and the Carbonara (half portion) so I could try and taste more things on the menu. They were only 6 euros each which isn't bad for Rome. Most of the customers seemed to be local Italians. The pasta was delicious. There wasn't a big difference between the two pastas, they were both well made. However, the restaurant is very chaotic and the servers seem very strained. It would probably help if they closed checks faster. I saw probably 10 people waiting for a table while I was trying to get my check to close out. I eventually had to just push to leave. The server was running around like a chicken with his head cut off. Could definitely have better service. The woman who brought out my food wasn't my server and she had no clue whether my order was mine or not which is something I really disdain even in the United States. Paying at the end was a little weird too. Overall the pasta was good, prices were good for Rome, service could be better. read more

Love this place. This is the 3erd time, and it's always as good as I remember. I had the Carbonara . Delicious. My Husband had the Cacio e Pepe. Got there at 7:45pm. Place was packed at 8. Definitely would recommend. Will be back read more

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Best Cacio e Pepe so far that I've had in Italy. It's def not creamy and cheesy as other places I've had, so I don't feel sick and bad after eating it. Anthony Bourdain recommended, so it's a must. We got here right when it opened, and it started filling up fast--def come early or make ressys. read more

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Wonderful atmosphere! This is where the locals go to eat! Our 70 yr old Taxi driver dropped us off and said that we chose a superb place to dine! We got a seat within 15mim in spite of the long line. The servers work super fast and efficiently. Pasta was amazing! Best place so far since we have been here in Rome! Very clean. We ate outside and 90% were local customers. I highly recommend this place as a must eat osteria! read more

Cacio e Pepe - Cacio e Pepe! Super yummy! - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

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We joined some friends here for dinner. Great outdoor seating area. The service was quick and friendly. Side note: there is not a paper menu, but they will tell you what they have and give a good explanation! Our group got a variety of things including the Cacio e Pepe, Bacini (Cacio e Pepe with bacon), and the carbonara. The food was quite tasty. The only complaint was that the Cacio y Pepe was a bit on the dry side. Other than that we enjoyed the restaurant and the company! read more

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Friends from Rome selected this place as a dinner spot. The ambience is casual and the menu is simple but the entire experience was amazing. The signature pasta dish is cacio e pepe and it didn't disappoint. The prices are very reasonable and the staff are very customer focused. Highly recommend for a casual traditional pasta meal. The seconds weren't innovative but were all tasty and well prepared. read more

The best restaurant we had in Rome by far. While dinner is truly an experience in Italy, easily lasting hours, we had yet to feel like we were eating at someone's house until we came here. The owners had huge smiles on their faces and were working just as hard as the waiters. The older gentleman came by several times to check up on us and playfully correct my pronunciation for the ordered dishes. Taking the first bite into the meal, I immediately felt the pride for their food and was just glad we had stumbled into this little restaurant. The bruchetta with ricotta cheese, tomatoes and beans were awesome. The sausage was awesome. The cacio e pepe with guanciale was awesome. Oh, and the eggplant lasagne (no pasta and it wasn't fried) was also awesome. I could easily go on but I my hands would cramp up and the carpal tunnel would flare up. Truly simple food that made a lasting impression on me. I will not forget you Cacio e Pepe! read more

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Great service!!! Family own? I think I see the boss going around checking tables. Real friendly atmosphere. They speak decent English so it is helpful. The menu is on the chalkboard, it was difficult to see at night and there aren't translations. However the servers spend the time to tell you what is in the dish. I ordered carbonara pasta, it was alright. Very hearty and quickly fulfilling. I don't know if we could customized orders but I would definitely ask to mix in mushroom and spinach for next time to balance the taste buds. We ordered additional meatballs to share and that was good. read more

Cacio e Pepe - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

I know I am supposed to love this place, but I just cannot give it more than three stars. There is no doubt their signature dish (cheese and pepper) is fantastic! However, in my opinion, they have a ways to go on everything else. I understand the concept of a limited menu, however to only post the menu on a blackboard is a little inconvenient for the clients, especially if they are tourists. Although, maybe they do not care about the tourist trade. When we ordered our wine, we also asked for "still" water, they brought us effervescent water. They corrected that mistake, however, they did not bring us additional glasses and we had to request them. We did not want to drink the effervescent water, nor did we want to pour it out onto the street. We all ordered a first course of pasta. Two of us ordered their signature dish, one ordered carbonara, and one ordered a pasta with a red sauce. They were all absolutely great. The problem is with the second course, which was meatballs for all. Although tasty, about half of them had cold centers, and a couple of them were very cold. It was obvious they have been refrigerated for a while. Will not return. read more

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Why get anything other than Cacio e pepe and carbonara? Ask for half and half toget the best of both worlds! Two carafes of their house wine and you're feeling good!! I love being here! What a fun & tasty dining experience! read more

Excellent in all categories! This place fills up within minutes of opening so get there right away!

Oh my! This is what I was looking for when visiting Rome! I can't remember how I found it, I did read a lot of review sites and this one popped up. Now I didn't have many examples of cacio e pepe while in Italy, but this was a great rendition of it! Now the restaurant is situated in a neighborhood which reminded me of the Lower East Side in NYC. The majority of the seating is outside in the street, and the store front itself is quite small... just enough for a large table, the kitchen and upstairs bathroom. The atmosphere for us was great, being that we were the only obvious tourists there. It was packed full of locals dining on the street. Our server spoke some English so it wasn't bad, but I knew what I wanted to order so there wasn't a problem at all in translation. Maybe if you wanted a description I could see some trouble, but it's simple... get what the place is named after with some wine. Throw in some other dishes and dessert, and then you're good! The cacio e pepe looks heavy but it wasn't. It had a good balance of everything. The pasta was al dente. We also had the carbonara, and though it looked the same, it tasted completely different! For our second course we had the polpette (meatballs) and parmigiana (eggplant), they were good, but even to this day I can't stop thinking about that cacio e pepe. Another thing you must do while in Italy, is try the many different types of tiramisu... they had one of our favorites! I'll be sure to come back again just for that dish here! read more

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Arriving late to the airbnb in the heart or Rome, we wanted to avoid the touristy places surrounding our place (even though they looked so fun with musicians and bustling crowds!). We researched and found that cacio e pepe is Rome's regional dish so we looked for the best one known for it, this one blog recommended Cacio E Pepe restaurant, on the other side of the Tiber, north of the Vatican. So there we headed! It was about 30 min walk from the heart of Rome which was a nice stroll with sightseeing along the way The restaurant at 10pm was bustling with mostly outdoor seatings! There was menu written on the wall but basically, every table only had this one dish. It was crazy! Our waitstaff could speak a bit of English and basically said we only have cacio e pepe or carbonara tonight. So we ordered each with house red wine. The pasta was the best! The sauce lightly coated the golden al dente pasta perfectly. Cacio e pepe was simple but really allows for the pasta to shine. However IMO the carbonara was the true star! There's no scramble egg-y texture, just pure light yellow thin sauce with crispy bacon. The moment you slurp the pasta--the bacon fat fragrance immediately hits your palate and olfactory. Giving this amazing amalgamation of umami flavor I haven't experienced in any other carbonara. During our trip we would eat other variations of carbonara throughout the city and the other place that came close to perfection was Osteria Del Sustegno. We ended up going back to have it again before we left. The second time we also tried the Amatriciana ("angry sauce") which was this light tomato sauce with pancetta and red pepper that gave a nice clean fruity heat finish. It was a great contrast from their cacio e pepe& carbonara and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Ordered one to-go as well :) Also, this place offers "half order" of almost everything on the menu (€6 instead of €9-10) so order half's so you can try the secondi like eggplant parm and meatballs. We came here twice during our stay in Rome, not realizing that it was revered by the late Anthony Bourdain which made this experience all the more special. The owner was working and sitting amongst us eating. I highly recommend this place for you. Btw, if you take a stroll back, stop by Neve di latte for their awesome raspberry and limone sorbet and fresh cream on top. It will make your perfect night. Service- typical Italian style, don't complain when you don't speak their language! They are much nicer when you try to order in broken Italian than assume they will have to speak English back. read more

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Food and service was very good! Close to where I'm staying so i just walked a few blocks.

Cacio e Pepe is *the* place to go to in Rome to try - you guessed it - cacio e pepe. This pasta dish is made with only olive oil, butter, black pepper, and grated Pecorino Romano cheese. Simple yet delicious. I've heard from some locals that the carbonara here is just as dope, so I'll have to give that a shot next time. read more

Cacio e Pepe - Cacio e Pepe (€8) - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

Reading some of the past reviews that were written in 2016 and before, I was a little hesitant on trying this place. But man, it was one of the best surprise for our visit to Rome!! It lives up to all the good reviews of the Cacio e Pepe. We attempted 2 other restaurants but none could deliver. I must say that my hubby and I don't know what Cacio e Pepe should taste like but this is how we liked it. Simple, light and just enough black pepper to balance it out! Yum! The carbonara was delicious too. The pancetta added just enough salt to the pasta. We also had porfiterole and fruit tart was one of the best desserts at a restaurant we have had. The crust on the tart was heavenly. My husband loves this place. I called it a hole in the wall but he said it was more like a hole in the street. We were literally sitting in a tent off the street...not the side walk even. Only in Rome, haha. If we had more time, we would eat at this restaurant again but we are off to the next city tomorrow. Next time. read more

Cacio e Pepe - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

A bit of a walk from Rome's city center but Anthony Bourdain said they have the best pasta so I'm sure it is definitely worth the walk. We arrived right as they were opening and were seated right away. It seemed like a local hot spot serving Roman food fresh and rather quickly. There is no physical menu but they do have a blackboard by the restaurant entrance listing a few of their specials. The Anthony Bourdain special I watched mentioned their Cacio e Pepe dish, so I ordered that one. It's very simple, but oh so good and full of flavor. It's literally just pasta with olive oil, pepper and parmesan cheese. THAT IS ALL FOLKS. That. Is. All. The pasta dish along with wine totally hit the spot. They had a covered patio area where we were sitting (it was covered because it was in October and there is a chance of rain), but I think its usually uncovered. By the time we left which was within an hour of the place opening, it was completely PACKED. So come early and expect a wait. Definitely worth checking out if you are in Rome. read more

Best pasta I had in all of Rome during my 3 month stay. The cacio e pepe is extremely rich. It's a simple atmosphere with mostly outdoor seating, but it's a must try. In fact, it's a must try at least 10 times. Try. The. Cacio. E. Pepe. read more

Cacio e Pepe - Cacio e pepe - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

HANDS DOWN the BEST Cacio y Pepe in Rome. Pasta itself was flavorful and perfectly al dente. The dish was not overly sauced as other cacio y pepe dishes tended to be at other restaurants. Simple dishes with minimum ingredients can be hard to pull off, but every ingredient was on point making it the best pasta I've ever had. Every dish we had from the carbonara to the meatballs, eggplant lasagna to dessert did not disappoint. The place fills up quick, so get there right when they open. read more

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Absolutely a destination place! THE best carbonara I've ever had!!! It is a quaint, friendly place. The owners are there, meeting guests and helping the waitstaff. It feels like family. The food is truly the best we had in Rome! read more

Cacio e Pepe - My Son and I with our wonderful hostess/owner. What a sweet memory of Italy! - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

Local Roman food served fresh and quickly. Hearty plates at this local restaurant. There is always a line up so be prepared to wait a little. For a proper taste of Roman food, don't miss it. read more

Cacio e Pepe - Cacio e pepe (mac and cheese, with pepper) - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

I'm sorry to say I am not as excited about this place as other people seem to be. The menu is all in Italian and written on a chalkboard so it was kind of hard to understand what we were ordering. There was not a huge variety on the menu. The wait staff seemed annoyed with us because we were not Locals. The waitresses were running around like crazy so the service was not that hot. The restrooms were kind of gross. We ordered the signature dish but it was just extremely peppery so I was not that impressed. I wish we had chosen someplace else for our last night in Rome. read more

Loved this place!!! I got to chat with the owner Gianni who happened to be friends with the late Anthony Bourdain. Ate the famed Cacio e Pepe while making it onto Gianni's Instagram. Also got to try the carbonara. Next time we are in Rome - we will definitely be back!!! read more

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Cheese and pepper, such a simple dish but these folks make it perfectly. For 9 euros you get a hot plate of freshly made pasta, with cheese and pepper you can smell from the other table. For the lines they had, service was fast and friendly. I will be dreaming of this dish for months to come! read more

Cacio e Pepe - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

Authentic Roman cuisine. Good prices and a very casual atmosphere. Try the carbonara or cacio e Pepe

Sigh I miss this place now that I'm back home. Our taxi driver dropped us off down the street since this place was on a one way street. The neighborhood was very quite, almost empty. I guess it was because it they had a national holiday. When we came upon Cacio e Pepe it was like an oasis in the middle of the emptiness. It was a beautiful sunny day in Rome so we sat outside in the sun. We got there a little after they opened, a normal timed lunch for us, but according to Italian's it would probably be an early one. So it wasn't very crowded at first. A few locals and one other table with tourists. Our waitress spoke english, but with a thick Italian accent. No menu, she just told us what they had. I, having watched Anthony Bourdain like the foodie I am, ordered the classic cacio e pepe. My Aunt got the artichoke lasagna and my Dad got the same as me. There was a little bit of confusion in our order because we weren't sure if she got my Dad's order. She didn't ask Dad what he wanted so we thought she didn't put the order in. We asked her a little later and she told us she got the order which was a relief. Just some communication problems, but it worked out ok in the end. When our food came the place started to bustle. Lots and lots of Italians, it was overwhelming, they all just appeared seemingly at the same time. Our food, oh my god, it was the best pasta I've ever had. I blocked everything out, the beautiful day, the loud locals sitting inches away from us and just ate. Visually it was jaw dropping. Yellow gleaming noodles of perfection. It was so simple yet incredibly appealing. This is real pasta. You have never eaten pasta until you have eaten pasta here. The dish was so balanced and every bite felt like the first. I struggled at the end to finish my plate, but I couldn't leave one crumb. I tried a bite of my Aunt's lasagna as well. Melted bubbling cheese on top with a soft cheese and fresh artichoke filling. A seasonal savory dish. We finished full. We saw that our Italian neighbors were getting more food even after their pasta. They also got some sort of beef dish. My Dad say that they had a nice jug of white wine so near the end of our meal he ordered a quart of white wine. I just had a couple sips of the wine because I couldn't just have one. I'm normally not a white wine person, but this wine was somewhat sweet and refreshing. It went great with our cheesy pasta. Before we left I went to use their restroom which is up a narrow staircase. I passed the kitchen and saw they had a lot more dishes than what our waitress had told us. There were huge meatballs simmering in a molten red sauce and a whole row of hot trays filled with dishes I didn't even know existed. I wished I wasn't full so we could ask about them, but we left without trying them. By the time we left all of the outside seating was taken and there was a line of a couple parties waiting for their seats. I only saw a total of two small groups of people who seemed like tourists, which is a good sign to me that this place is totally authentic. If I'm lucky enough to come to Rome again, this will be my first foodie stop. read more

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