I wanted to enjoy Il Ragno d'Oro. Filled with animated locals at dinner during the first week of February, we only heard Italian being spoken. The menu had all the Roman classics, and we ordered Pasta Carbonara, Casio e Pepe with Guanciale, Roman style artichokes, and Zucchini Flowers. After a few minutes, I was transported to the Jersey Shore. As the food arrived, that Jersey Shore analogy grew into reality. I have tasted this food before. Il Ragno d'Oro became a mediocre Italian restaurant in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey. However, I was in Rome, Italy and expected more. My Pasta Carbonara was heavy, stuck together, and thought al dente was a bodega in Newark. The Cacio e Pepe had coagulated into a sticky mess. The artichoke and zucchini dishes were greasy and standard fare for an Italian restaurant anywhere in the world. But I was in Rome! Roma-the home of Pasta Carbonara, Cacio e Pepe, and Artichoke preparations. Yes, everyone was perfectly nice, the prices were reasonable, and the people around me were all having a grand time. My wife, who is of Italian heritage, couldn't eat her pasta. She said her Italian grandmother would have gone into the kitchen to show them how to cook pasta. I too, usually a human garbage disposal, left most of my pasta on the table. We walked back to our apartment in Prati disappointed. This was our worst dinner in Rome. Sorry, but it's true. Maybe the cooks had a bad night, but the dishes were subpar at best. read more

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Great restaurant with very tasty dishes. Was recommended by our host at the B&B and it did not disappoint. Wonderful service and fantastic atmosphere. Actually made two visits to this restaurant within 3 days. The Spaghetti and meatballs was some of the best I've ever had. Highly recommend this restaurant. read more

Il Ragno d'Oro - Spaghetti dish and meatballs dish - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

Came during lunch- took forever to be seated despite it being relatively slow (over 20 mins). Waitress was lovely but the food was mediocre. Wasn't impressed. The only thing I enjoyed was the tiramisu. Meatballs were soft but lacked flavor, and the ravioli was meh- she did allow us to try the tart cherry pie- but not my favorite and wouldn't order again. read more

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We almost didn't eat here because the first day we tried to visit Il Ragno d'Oro they were closed. Apparently they close from 2-7. We returned a few days later for a late dinner. I'm glad we did. The wait for a table was a little long and we really wanted a place to sit and relax after a long day touring the Roman Forum & the Colosseum. After about about 40 minutes we were finally seated and the server & host were very nice and fun to chat with. You can tell they enjoy what they do. For the antipasti, aka appetizers, we had Fried Squids aka calamari & Carciofo allá Giudia aka Crunchy artichoke were excellent. Our main courses we ordered lamb leg with roasted potatoes, absolutely delectable. I don't recall the what the salad he suggested was called. He said it's not on the menu but he wanted me to try it. Only in Rome he said. It was a crunchy cold salad with some type of fish sauce as a dressing. Very crisp and refreshing. The Squid stuffed with prawn (aka shrimp), so tasty. Also, the ravioli with fresh tomato sauce, so savory! For desert we had the creamy tiramisu. They should change it to the dreamy tiramisu because it was heaven. The host played a prank on my daughter and brought her. Plate with one noodle and a little bacon bit. He said the plate of spaghetti allá carbonara was "no charge!" They also had some wine that they served up in what looked like shot glasses. We didn't have any but after seeing the alcohol percentage I see why it was served in such a small quantity. 26% alcohol !! read more

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One of our best meals in Rome. Food was delicious and staff friendly. Our waiter was so encouraging and took his time to help us pronunciate our order correctly. The house wine was pretty good too. read more

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My daughter and I went to Il Ragno d'Oro on our first night in Rome. We arrived around 10 pm and were seated. We ordered a 1/2 liter of house white wine, carbonara and meatballs. The food was amazingly delicious and our server Carlos was excellent. That was a Friday. We spent a few days in Rome and tried other restaurants but I thought Ragno d'Oro was the best so we walked there Sunday night but it was closed for Republic Day, a holiday in Rome. We were determined to eat there again but spent all of Monday at the Vatican Museums and we went back to our place and rested. I'd walked 30,000 steps the previous day so was very very tired and was barely able to wake up in time to get to Ragno's before closing. Carlos, our server from Friday, remembered us and treated us unbelievably well. We ordered carbonara and baked lamb and potatoes and a1/2 liter of house red wine and again it was unbelievably delicious. We had dessert and limoncello and it was the best meal we had in Rome. Carlos treated us so good that I was sad to be leaving Rome because that was our last night there. If we were staying longer we'd totally go to Ragno's again. Best meal in Rome, hands down. The best service in Rome, hands down. Thank you so much, Carlos!!! read more

Il Ragno d'Oro - Meatballs and spaghetti alla carbonara and white wine - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

Best restaurant I went to while in Italy. There was a wait to eat without a reservation, but it was so worth it because of the great service, prices, and taste. 10/10 would recommend. read more

Il Ragno d'Oro - Risotto and squid stuffed with prawns - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

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When searching for a place to dine in Rome (play the violins), I stumbled upon reading reviews for Il Ragno d'Oro. A few of my Yelp friends rated this 4 & 5 star, but Orly (who my gf and I met up for dinner at a local Italian place a couple of years ago) -- wrote a sparkling 5.0 review, and that sealed the deal -- it was Il Ragno d'Oro for dinner! Cut to the chase, it was one of our favorite meals of the trip. The menu: ========= A little laminated multi-page booklet, a little too Americana (but appropriate for us that don't speak Italiano), and most importantly, lots of traditional Italian specialties. The wine list is quite extensive with lots of good stuff by the glass, too. The order: ========= The deep fried Artichoke was a pleasure purchase [6 euro, 4 stars], crispy, and was very good (but one didn't really do it for me, I could have eaten easily 3 of them). The gf and I got the same thing, a mushroom/truffle pasta [12 euro, 4.5 stars] with heavy parm: creamy, cheese, and totally mushroomy -- so good. For dessert, they had some nice things, but we couldn't pass up the white and dark chocolate covered, Profiteroles. We got the white chocolate one [6 euros, 4.5 stars], 3 balls filled with custard, didn't disappoint at all! In summary: ========== * Well-priced * Great food * Great vibe * Reservations highly recommended * Very friendly, warm, and welcoming to Americans (most of restaurant was filled with those Damn Americans!) read more

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Omg these guys HUSTLE. The owner is on the front lines, taking orders, delivering food, bussing, wheeling his cart around and entertaining. The service here is spot on. It did get pretty busy after 8pm and you see these guys working in. The food is amazing. Started with a hot seafood appetizer that includes mussels, clams, shrimp, and calamari in a savory white wine sauce, a side of pizza crust bread, followed by the cut steak and prawn stuffed squid. All the dishes were perfect. We ended the night with the silky smooth tiramisu and the creamy panna cotta covered in bomb strawberries. On getting the check, the owner placed some delicious almond pastries down on our table and the best part was-dinner was cheaper than what we expected. On top of that, we each got two and half shots of limoncello to go with our dinner! Really can't say better things about this place, their food, their staff, and their energy. If you're reading this now, make your way down and enjoy what these guys have to offer! read more

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MY FAVORITE PLACE I ATE IN ROME!! every single dish we got was so delicious and we were doing little happy dances while eating. definitely recommend the oxbone as the meat was super tender and went well with the main dishes! we got the carbonara and cacio e pepe and they were simple, but one of the best pasta we had in europe! the tiramisu and espressos were also great. we ordered the house wine and it also paired well with our meal! we made a reservation beforehand (and recommend doing so) as it was very busy. our server was great and the manager Fabio remembered our name from the reservation and made us feel super welcome. he was playful and brought out a single noodle instead of one of the dishes initially. the prices were great and super reasonable as well. we can't recommend this place enough and had a great time! our only regret was coming here our last day in Rome, otherwise we would have eaten here the next day!! read more

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This was the best meal I had in Rome- and I had good meals in Rome. And it was also the most fun I had in Rome. My poor husband, I told him we'd just have a salad and some veggies- because we were flying home- and he likes to eat light before a long flight. But then the owner told us EVERYONE starts with the antipasto- and we couldn't say, "No" to that kind of enthusiasm. And oh my goodness- that antipasto! His mom stuffs the squash blossoms, which are fried in a delicate- tempura like- batter (maybe it was tempura, I don't know- we never saw a menu). There were also little fried purses of cheese- so good, and fried fish (I think) like tiny little fish 'n chip fish, and also croquettes with rice- but wait, there's MORE. There was a plate of meat slices- delicious meat slices, and pizza slices, and so much bread- 2 kinds, didn't even touch it, were too full, and 2 fried artichokes which were the best fried artichokes we have on our trip- and since I'm addicted to fried artichokes I ate them everywhere. Then, while we were debating how to politely tell them we needed the bill and were full, they brought pasta- really great pasta. The people at the next table had fish, whole, deboned and served at their table! It was cool- but we were so full. So we really tried to eat the pasta- because it was great- but we could only do a third. So the couple next to use laughed at us, and exhorted us to work harder! And then they shared some delicious wine with us (I don't know what the white wine was that everyone was drinking- but order it if you can figure out what it was- green bottle. Delicious!) And then, because we were too full for dessert, they brought us tiny shot glasses with deserts in them- DELICIOUS desserts- and, honestly, just the right size. One was coffee with whipped cream and one was a lemon ice that was just the essence of lemony goodness. Seriously, if you're in Rome, make yourself good and hungry, make a reservation, and go here- and get hold of the menu, if you can. I think it must be amazing. Amazing people, amazing food- just an experience. read more

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Perfect spot for right after the Vatican! Make sure you have a reservation or get there before they open to wait. Food is delicious and the service is amazing. read more

One of the best restaurants with reasonable prices. I loved seafood dishes with less cheese after 3 weeks in Italy ate most Italian foods with a lot of cheese. read more

this place made our dining experience in Rome amazing! We especially loved Paolo, our kind & fun waiter. The staff make you feel like family & make sure you have a good time. They deboned fish on the street in front of us, making it feel authentic. We especially liked the tonnarelli matriciana, the pasta caccio e pepe, zucchini bread, & caprese appetizer! Thank you Paolo for making our dinner on this trip unforgettable! Hands down the best service I've ever experienced. Make sure to make a reservation if you have a large party! read more

I was recommended this place from a colleague that used to live in Rome. This was her #1 recommended place. We came here on our last night in Rome and were totally blown away. The owner, Paulo, was a gem. Super friendly and personable and we loved it every time he stopped by. He suggested their pasta carbonara and the calamari and both were AMAZING! You absolutely have to get their cabonara. That's what their known for and now I know why. I'm still dreaming of it... Another yummy item was their chocolate molten cake. The perfect sized dessert to finish off our meal. Paulo brought us 2 shots of pistachio ice cream (on the house), which was super sweet of him. I wish this place existed in Los Angeles because I would frequent it all the time. For our last night in Rome, this was THE place to come to for our last supper. We left stuffed and happy. :) read more

Il Ragno d'Oro - The most AMAZING pasta carbonara! Like life changing. - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

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Stopped by here to avoid tourists after visiting the Vatican. It's a bit farther from the vatican area and is a nice change from all the crowd. The atmosphere was friendly and house wine was good. We ordered artichoke for antipasti, carbonara (salty- americanized style 6/10), oxtail for secundi which was absolutely delicious! So it seems like a hit or miss on the dishes depending on how you choose. All in all the people were really nice and clienteles were mostly locals so no one is bothering you :) read more

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As a tourist, you can not skip this place. Seemed that mostly Italians frequented it, but the servers spoke good English. We had a few menu items and personally I had the spaghetti carbonara. Hands down, the best experience we had during our time in Italy. The food was 12/10 and the service was 20/10. Outstanding on all fronts. read more

This is a great place and the service was really good. We had heard about this place from an acquaintance and decided to drop by. It was a weekday and didn't think anything about finding a table. the place was busy and we were asked for reservations. We didn't but the waiter looked around and told us to come back in 30 minutes, When we returned, it was even busier but the waiter recognized us and got a table for us. The service was good and they hustle. My wife had the carbonara and I had the Ravioli. Both were very tasty. The sauce on the ravioli was pretty amazing. It was sweet but not over the top. We ordered the house red and white wines and they were both tremendously good. This restaurant like many in Rome are intimate. Highly recommend making reservations and would return when I am in the area. read more

Il Ragno d'Oro - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

Easy to get to from our Prati bnb. Outstanding food and service, but make a reservation for the best table..

Love love love this ristorante! The best place for our last nights dinner in Rome. Food, ambiance and waitstaff was amazing, especially Rasal Ragno,oro, who took the best care of us for our anniversary. A must eat When in Roma. Will definitely come back!! read more

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The food is amazing and the service is as hospitable as I've ever seen. Our Air BnB host made us a reservation and we were extremely warmly greeted by several members of the staff. This is a small family owned and operated the place, that seats maybe 60 people in total. It is serviced (outside of the kitchen) by a staff of 4 1/4 people. The 1/4 is the owner, who must be in his 80's because he moves at 1/4 speed of everyone else. And those (everyone else) 4 people are moving at warp speed. (The owner is super gracious and spent most of his time clearing tables.) We ordered house wine and a 4-course dinner. We started with a Caprese salad and fried artichoke. Both were perfect! The second course was PASTA! I had carbonara and my hubs had pecorino with black pepper - delicious!!! Then I had one of their specialty grilled beef main courses, good but not super. My hubs also had a grilled steak that he loved. Then we finished it off with a tiramisu - absolutely perfect. Now for the best part... :) Shortly after we ordered the places was full. But, two young American girls walk in and inquire about a table. They happen to run into the owner who doesn't speak much if any English. He waves for them to follow him. He has them stand right behind me, just in the isle cutting through the restaurant. Next to us is a large group of 30 older women who have obviously ordered ahead and are being served plates of amazing pasta from an enormous bowl. The manager of the restaurant sees the girls 'stuck in the isle' and grabs a plate, (they have more than they need for the group) and hands it to the girls with a fork a walks away. The girls stand there dumbfounded but after a few bites, one of them walks back to the manager who is still very busy helping the large party and he waves a hand at her and just says "eat while you wait", with a big smile of course. Within minutes they summon a table for the two girls and the manager takes great care of them during the time we remained there. It was such a sweet gesture for a place that isn't expensive but isn't cheap for 20-year-old foreigner travelers. The whole staff was just like him... When we could not eat or drink anymore, we told the manager that we were all done and he said with a big frown on his face; I am sorry, but I must now bring the check. When he returned with the check he also brought back a bottle of Limoncello and three shot glasses. He quickly poured the three glasses full, turned to the large table of women and said something in Italian that made them all stop and look our way. Then the three of us raised and clinked our glasses and downed the shots. After the bill was paid he shook our hands and wished us well on our way out the door. read more

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First of all... I love this place. The energy is amazing. The staff and the owner is so welcoming and have great personalities! What is a plus is the food is AMAZING! Down to the home made desserts! The tarismisu is amazing! If you help the waiter clean up the table.. you may get a lemon cello... or the rest of the bottle! Is is 25% alcohol!!! LOVE! LOVE THIS PLACE! In a few weeks, we will return to Rome and we will come back and eat! Thank you for such great food, service and energy! It was a BEST EXPERIENCE I HAD IN ROME!!! Thank you!!!! read more

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This is by far the best we have had in Italy. The pasta perfect, happy nice staff, reasonable prices. This is worth the trip. Thanks Sara... read more

This is the best of local, family restaurants. A mere ten minute walk from the Vatican, this small little restaurant fills up to capacity by 1:30pm with locals! The menu isn't a worry, since Fabio and his family are mote than ready to recommend fresh and local dishes. If you go with the fish, be prepared to be wowed with tableside boning and plating. Great find...get there early or make reservations! read more

Il Ragno d'Oro - Deboning fish ! - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

Arrived here on a Tuesday night around 9 PM. The tables looked full and it didn't seem like they could accommodate my party of 12, but they were able to put together some tables and chairs and fit us in the back. It can get a little busy and noisy inside, but nothing too crazy. At first, we were a little skeptical. Why? Because we felt they were trying to push us to order their appetizers, which apparently are what they're best known for. But then they started to serve us small dishes on the house. We ordered two appetizers for the whole table, but they gave us two extra dishes for free, because they felt it wouldn't be enough for a table of 12 (and they were right, of course). We got to try some of their risotto and we devoured it. They have a good selection of pastas, pizzas, meats, and seafood. For my first course, I ordered seafood spaghetti. They're very generous with the squid pieces and with the spaghetti. And none of the clams or mussels were closed (score!) For my second course, I ordered stuffed squid/calamari. The squid pieces were huge and when I cut them open, I was delighted to find shrimps tucked inside! As you can see, I had a huge craving for seafood. And my craving was definitely satisfied, and then some. Collectively, my friends and I tried a good portion of their menu. All of us seemed to enjoy our food. As dinner progressed, the waiters continued to bring us free food every so often. They also started to joke around with us and everyone was enjoying themselves. For dessert, I had pistachio ice cream. The waiter claimed it was the best in all of Rome. I may just have to agree with that. Some of us tried the tiramisu and the different sorbets. They also poured us shots and gave us more dessert at the conclusion of our meal! I'm glad we stumbled upon this place. Everyone's super friendly and they love Americans! read more

Il Ragno d'Oro - Seafood spaghetti - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

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I have posted some positive reviews since being in Rome on restaurants but Il Ragno D'Oro is in the top 3 in my 25 years of going to dinners for business and personal meals. The service was absolutely perfect and the food was genuine and pure. We did not have reservations so did not have a great table and likewise I can't fairly comment on the ambiance but everything else was perfect. Interestingly, the best time to go is during the peak tourist season as the residential neighborhood it is on has most of the locals gone during that time. During the fall and winter, the locals apparently eat here every night. read more

Il Ragno d'Oro - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

This restaurant was recommended by a chef we met while in Rome. We walked in and were greeted as friends. Obviously, we were tourists who didn't speak the language, and Fabio the manager took such great care of us. He recommended the house specialties and wonderful wines to pair. We all tried different meals and shared all around. We did the same with our desserts. So, so good. I'm sure we were the only non Romans in the restaurant and I never saw a menu all night. Very family friendly, and they took such great care of my 85 year old mother who uses a walker. This was the best food experience we had in Rome. My niece said that this was the dining experience she had dreamed about, but never thought she'd get to experience. 10/10 for us. read more

Perhaps we didn't order the right dishes. We were not a fan of their seafood dishes and the zucchini flowers were better elsewhere. Maybe try the cacio e pepe since they're more known for that read more

This is frequented by both tourists and native Italians. Our waiter spoke good English and although he was very busy, took the time to check in on us. The seafood spaghetti was delicious; great sauce, al dente pasta. We found ourselves still hungry so we got the squid stuffed with prawn. I wish I got to try more of their dishes because the flavors all suited my tastes. We came in for a slightly early lunch at 12, but things got pretty busy and service slowed down as people filled the place at 1. read more

Il Ragno d'Oro - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

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The owner Fabio is fantastic and the atmosphere is energetic but I would stick to the pasta dishes and avoid the meat. (The fish dishes being served also looked good but I did not have any) Maybe my expectations were set too high? This restaurant was the #1 ranking on Yelp for the neighborhood northeast of the Vatican City. It did not live up to the rating. Fabio tried his best to make it right and we appreciated his effort but there was more than just one dish that missed the mark. Perfectly good, but not great. read more

In my experience, there is no greater sign of approval than to have 5 dinners in a once-in-life-time place and to spend two of them at the same place. This place is definitely one of those places! First night was a Friday and the place was crushed with patrons but the staff worked hard to make everyone happy even though only so much food can come out at any one time. And once out, the food was wonderful and served with happiness and humor! If you want perfection, search elsewhere. If you want to feel welcome, enjoy what Fabio has to offer here! read more

Il Ragno d'Oro - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

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We have had a lot of delicious food in Rome but this place tops the list! The pasta carbonara, the seafood pasta, the stuffed squid and the steak with arugula... All delicious!! My mom said "I'm going to dream about this pasta tonight." The service was great - just the right amount of attention and extremely welcoming. They can get a smile out of anybody, no matter how exhausted they are from a day of sightseeing! When we arrived almost every table was reserved! We were lucky to get a spot... Now we have already reserved another table for our last night in Rome. :) I'd suggest calling ahead to reserve your spot! read more

Il Ragno d'Oro - Happy as a clam with seafood pasta - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

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Must go! Reservations encouraged or go as soon as it opens at 7pm weekdays. We went on a Friday night at 7:15pm and was lucky enough to get promptly seated and serviced. The owner you wouldn't recognize because he hustles and bustles taking orders, serving, etc etc. The owner REALLY makes the place special. Very friendly, funny, charismatic and will sneak you in a few extras just to make sure you are having an enjoyable time. read more

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Excellent recommendation by our AirBnB host - we were so happy to find this place that we went back during our stay in Rome. The food is amazing, the spaghetti alla carbonara and arancini will change your life, and the service is just awesome. We ate like kings and enjoyed every minute of it. If I lived in Rome I'd have dinner at this place every night. read more

Meh. Had the chefs special ( pasta with seafood) was not impressed, and the skirt steak [ recommended in menu] and the house appetizer, which consisted of lots of bread. read more

Il Ragno d'Oro - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

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Excellent food, service, and comedy by the host with an authentic flavor that's incomparable. Did not even use a menu which made it better.

Excellent! Everyone friendly and food delicious! Recommended by Vrbno and did not disappoint . Large portions, low price, delicious vino, great atmosphere and excellent service. Highly recommend! read more

I had a bad experience here. Was craving homemade pasta and this seemed like a local spot that had good reviews. The service is beyond bad even for Italy/Europe where it's a more relaxed and slow atmosphere. My server wasn't paying attention while he took my order. He was too busy talking to a coworker. Took super long for him to come over. Never brought me my bread that you have to order and pay for. The food runner had better service than he did. I sat with nothing in front of me for almost a half an hour. No one asked if it wanted anything else. He kept tending to larger groups as I was alone. The food I tasted was good not bad. The artichoke was 6 euro for half an artichoke and oily with little flavor. Pasty was decent. I do not recommend. read more

Recommended by our intern who studied abroad in Rome. Family atmosphere, delicious food and Fabio the GM is amazing! Limoncello, cheese and pepper pasta, tomato and cheese pizza. Delicious! read more

I can't help but think many of the other yelpers and I stayed at the same AirBnb, as our host also recommended this place. We were so happy she did. We went for lunch and planned to do the traditional Roman lunch, eating our way through course after course...but we couldn't because it was so much food! We started with a mixed appetizer which included a variety of their specialities (cod cake, fried zucchini leaves, cheese ball) and a caprese salad. So, I don't like tomatoes, I despise them...my parents used them as punishments when I was bad...but I ate these tomatoes AND I got seconds. They were so fresh and crisp! We each got pasta next (carbonara and cacio de pepe) all perfectly cooked and flavored. We did have sorbet and ice cream for dessert with cookies and wine to accompany. We all left full and ready for a nap. We'd go back, but we are out of time!! read more