At the end of our two week stay in Italy--Florence and Rome, we decided to spend our last couple of…read moredays in Lido di Ostia, as it is near the beach and convenient to the airport for our trip home. We chose to eat at Povero Pesce, which seemed to get good reviews online, and especially on Yelp. We found out, as we tracked toward the location, that Povero Pesce no longer exists in Lido di Ostia, but has been replaced by Il Pesce di Ostia. No matter, still a fish-based menu, which is what we were looking for on the beach after a couple of weeks of going completely off our diets! We approached the restaurant and started questioning if it was inside the McDonalds next door, as we could see the M through the front patio window. Again, not to worry. This little place, a bit off the beaten path in Lido di Ostia, was a beautiful small sit-down restaurant of its own. Quaintly decorated of perhaps the Victorian era, the nice woman at the front of the house led us to a table. We were glad we got there at opening, as it the dining room was quite small, and by the time our meals were served, it was full. We like to find restaurants that haven't been "Americanized", and were rewarded here. They had an English menu, but nobody that we could find spoke English at all. Almost completely a fish menu, there was a daily special at each course. We had a bit of trouble understanding what these were because of the language barrier, but the server was very helpful, using her iPhone when necessary to show us the words :). This was one time that I felt self-conscious about not being able to speak their language a bit better (or at all), but they did not make us feel like we were imposing. We each ordered a starter, first course, and main, and each were very fresh and delectable. Mussels and calamari were prominent on the menu, and my husband and son loved every bite of the salads and pasta dishes containing these mollusks. I ordered sea bass for my main, and it was wonderful--moist, nicely roasted, with a lovely beurre blanc. The white wine was to my husband's liking, as well, and although the menu here was very small, they did seem to pay attention to providing fine local wine options. As usual, based on our experience in small Roman restaurants, dessert and espresso are always graciously offered. We found a different style of dessert in Lido di Ostia. Cheesecake and Tirimasu are always an option, but not what you expect. Each came in what I would consider to be a large bowl full of a creamy custard. The cheesecake offered a swirl of either chocolate or berries in syrup, with the graham crust sort of a chunk at the bottom of the bowl, covered with the creme anglais-type cheesecake. The Tirimasu was similar, with the lady fingers offered at the bottom of the bowl, and not soaked as a part of making the dish so that it was more like a crunchy crust rather than the moist layered cake-like experience I was expecting. While delicious (who doesn't love coffee or cheese-cake flavored cream?), they are definitely a shareable, unless you are ready to consume what must be an outrageous number of saturated fat calories! We had these similar desserts served at both the restaurants we sampled in Lido di Ostia. I mean, who isn't ready for a splurge when you are on your Italian vacay?

Great food and kind staff! Nice small place that had a good atmosphere, would definitely recommend.read more

We ducked in here during a brutal rainstorm and after our sunny visit to Ostia Antica in November…read more2023. The staff welcomed us in and we had a great table to take in the beautiful atmosphere here. Lots and lots of vines give this place "that" look. We had the fried appetizer sampler and also a seafood sampler. Both dishes were perfect for sharing and offered a good slice of local cuisine. Our very friendly waitress kept the wine coming. It was a great spot for losing track of time and waiting out a healthy Mediterranean storm.

This was a really cool find on the coast of Ostia. We decided to visit for lunch after our morning…read morewalk through the ruins of the ancient port. It was a great decision. If anything, for the atmosphere. I really love the interior dining area with all the hanging plants. It was quite lovely. We were greeted as we walked through the terrace to the entryway. I think it had just opened for lunch because there were only a few people seated. We had our pick of tables. The seating arrangement was comfortable. The service was good. It was a little detached, and that's okay. I like to have some interaction with the server, but that's not always possible when you're a tourist in a new place. We chose this restaurant more for the varied menu. Ostia is full of seafood, and my husband is more of a land lover. He ordered the Diavola from the Pinse & Roman Pizza side of the menu. I selected the Paccheri from the Pasta first course side. We shared an appetizer of Fritto Misto while waiting for the meal. We especially loved the fried ascolane olives & supplì (filled with rice, tomato sauce, and mozzarella). These were very tasty. The Paccheri sauce (carbonara) and seafood (mussels, clams, & octopus) was absolutely delicious. The pasta was a little too al dente for me. I think it's preferred that way in some regions. I forgot to ask them to cook it longer. It's a thicker pasta, so I didn't really know. My husband's pizza looked wonderful. He appeared to enjoy it. I'll let him write his own review. I would definitely revisit if ever in Lido di Ostia again. There were so many great options on the menu with affordable prices. It appears to be a popular restaurant. There weren't many seats left indoor or outdoor as we were leaving. The cooler weather in the month of May was perfect. It was a beautiful day!

They accompanied our party of five and were very accommodating. The negatives are the food and they…read moredon't accept cards--cash only.

The food preparation was great! Not crazy about peeling the shrimp and I asked for no octopus and…read morethey gave me a plate full of octopus. The ambiance was great. Be aware...They will charge you for the placemats and napkins. WTH It may be because we are Americans.

Right on the beach, walking distance from the train station (especially if you are coming here…read moreafter being on the water), super friendly service, sheltered seating outside as well as a huge seating inside. Ordered the seafood pasta (obvi given I was on the sea) and it was so delicious full of fresh seafood and also homemade pasta. I didn't have room for starters but everything else others were ordering looked amazing. The fresh ring of calamari were also almost white which meant the oil must have been fresh. Tiramisu for dessert is standard. I would definitely come back here next time I'm on the beach.

What a great dining experience. The food was fabulous and their roof top patio allowed us to view…read morethe people headed out for the evening from their flats. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful.

We came here Christmas Eve and cannot day enough about this place!! Amazing food, amazing staff and…read morethese guys went above and beyond. We came here by accident but glad we did. The portions were good size and very tasty. We had many differebt dishes along with appetizers. The food was fresh and made to order. Don't look over this hidden gem!!!

In Italy, looking for a break from pizza, pasta, etc. Searching for steak. Hotel referred us to…read morethis place. We walked in just as they opened. We just wanted steak and salad. They brought us exactly what we wanted. The salad was basic- greens and balsamic with EVOO. The steak was of Italian origin and a monstrous T-bone. They also had Danish and Argentina sourced beef. Their menu also includes the usual Italian fare too. The steak came out sizzling and cut up for us. It was a religious experience it was so tasty. I will never forget that steak!

Ok this review must be taken in context. We are in Italy, near Rome. The standard expectation for…read moreboth food and service is high, and there are a lot of good restaurants in the vicinity. The rating for this trattoria on Yelp was 5, which is too high, and I am hoping to help adjust. We saw online they supposedly open at 7 for dinner, but when we arrived at 7, we were firmly corrected and told it is 7:30. When we returned several minuted before 7:30, we were told we were early but could seat ourselves and wait. Not what I consider a 5 star greeting. After waiting at least 10 minutes, we got water and silverware. The ambience is sparse, appropriate for a trattoria. Finally were able to order, after several other tables were seated and had their orders taken. I got spaghettolini for my first course and shrimp risotto for my wife. This did not arrive until 8:15. Then grilled shrimp for my main, while my wife had barbecued fish. All the food was very good-- somewhere around 4 to 4.5 overall. Definite emphasis on seafood. We finally got our main dishes at about 8:45 and finished at 9:30. Two hours was far too long. The entire production was so slow we were laughing by the end. So overall this place is probably about a 4, and I would be willing to go back, but not in a rush to do that.

I had one night in Rome yet somehow I ended up in this little sea side town of Ostia. I wandered…read morearound trying what the town had to offer and looking for the 'right' place to eat. I sure found it, and totally by accident! As I wandered the streets I ended up walking down the edge of the sea and noticed a little glow up an otherwise dark side street. A clean but sparse front area of the building and a clear sign that read: "Officina Culinaria" and under that "Ristorante & Street Food". Street food? What is this place? A culinary office? Responsible for the Quality of the Restaurants and Street food vendors in this town? But wait - Why is "street food" in English? And the cute hat logo... it must be a place for me to eat! Let's see what's in here! I entered and was promptly greeted by the waitresses cheerful smile and a clean and non-pretentious but elegantly designed restaurant with well spaced tables and a comfortable but sophisticated vibe. This place was great, but what is it? I ask. It's a restaurant. I'm hungry. What a great combination! Feed me please! I sit down to a glass of prosecco and wait patiently for my food. I don't wait long before it begins; this culinary parade of perfect little dishes. I photographed all but one dish (A tempura baccala fish that was so yummy looking I forgot to take a picture!) so I'm not going to go through my sensations for each course but everything was prepared artfully and tasted superb. In total I'm served 8 dishes plus home made bread, a couple glasses of wine, a prosecco and an espresso. This place didn't mess around. I was fed. Everything tasted fantastic and the service was top notch! I can't say enough good about this place. I eat out constantly, often at very nice places, and this place is right up in the top tier of my global dining experiences. It's certainly the best I've had in Italy, and by accident no less! If you find yourself in Ostia (or anywhere near Rome) you are really missing something if you don't dine here. The only flaw with the evening was that I was dining alone but the staff checked in with me enough that I felt like I was not just part of the furniture. This is a perfect place for a date. Maybe next time I'll be lucky and have one!