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    La Balestra

    4.6 (9 reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 3:00 PM, 7:00 PM - 11:00 PM

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    Cynthia E.

    We wandered from the Borghese Gardens toward the catacombs of Priscilla and stopped here for lunch. Clearly family owned and operated with authentic italian fare. I believe the elderly gentleman who waited on us was the owner. I had the stewed artichoke, carfocio alla romana, and it was delicious. I also had a delicious housemade gnocchi with tomato sauce. The best dish was my husband's housemade lasagna. All other patrons were Italian. Felt like a real Italian experience. If you are in the vicinity, you should dine here.

    Fungi pasta

    Arriving in Rome on Easter, we weren't sure what would be open. So I booked this place via email. They were very responsive and accommodating. Turns out, a 6:30 reservation is so early that there was no need for one - our arrival was before they even turned the dining room lights on! Alas, the food was mediocre at best. The bread was stale and the pasta as uninspiring as the service. Our dishes included the funghi pasta and lasagna (the night's special). So disappointing.

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    Da Enzo al 29 - Amatriciana @ Da Enzo, Roma, Italy

    Da Enzo al 29

    4.4(536 reviews)
    3.7 kmTrastevere
    €€

    A friend who had been to Da Enzo's told us the line was worth it and the pasta unforgettable…read more We arrived just after opening and were first in line, even though every table was already full. By the time we were seated, dozens of people were waiting behind us. We sipped an Aperol spritz and lemonade while we waited, chatting with fellow diners who raved about the restaurant. On a sweltering day, our kids were starting to struggle in the heat when the owner came outside and gave them mini pizzas breads. It was a thoughtful gesture that immediately made us feel welcome. Once seated, we ordered burrata, cacio e pepe, amatriciana pasta, pork chops, and fried artichokes. Everything was excellent, but the amatriciana was the standout--rich, savory, and unforgettable. The cacio e pepe was silky, the burrata fresh and creamy, the pork chops juicy, and the fried artichokes perfectly crisp. There's a reason people line up for Da Enzo. The food is exceptional, the atmosphere lively, and the hospitality remarkable. Without question, this was our best meal in Rome and one of our most memorable restaurant experiences.

    Overall 7/10. My partner and I got the burrata and bread as…read morean appetizer, I would give it a 5/10. The tomatoes were fresh and juicy but the burrata was a bit thick (referring to the outer aspect). Also the bread was a bit tough. The amatriciana was good, but not worth a 2 hour wait in a line, 7.5/10. Pasta was perfectly al dente, but the sauce wasn't anything to die for. I think you can get a very similar possibly better pasta in Rome without the wait. My girlfriend got the gnocchi pasta, which she said was a 7/10. The gnocchi was great, but again the sauce wasn't anything special Tiramisu, 10/10. This was amazing. It was sweet without being overpowering. The ladyfingers weren't soggy, and had that strong espresso taste. I would come back here just for this dessert. Also if you don't like cramped spaces, probably not the best spot. I could hear the people next to me better than I could hear the person across me haha.

    Photos
    Da Enzo al 29
    Da Enzo al 29 - Cacio e pepe

    Cacio e pepe

    Da Enzo al 29 - Special of the day

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    Special of the day

    Tonnarello

    Tonnarello

    4.2(627 reviews)
    3.9 kmTrastevere
    €€

    5/5 -- Hyped lived up to it. Short line + amazing food = Roman miracle*…read more Everyone said "go to Tonnarello" and for once the internet was right. *The win*: Got lucky with a short line in San pietro in and seated fast. Saltimbocca alla romana was tender, perfect sage/prosciutto balance. Cicoria ripassata? Garlicky, slightly bitter, olive oil heaven. Didn't miss the pasta at all. Portions are massive for the price and area. *The vibe*: Exactly what you want loud, packed, paper placemats, cobblestones outside. Service was fast and friendly despite the chaos. Felt like a real Roman trattoria, not a tourist trap. *Keto note*: So easy to eat low-carb here. Secondi + contorni section is your friend. Just say "senza pane" and you're golden. 100% worth it.

    I heard so many good things about this place that I went out of my way to try it. I was expecting…read moreto have a revelation however the food was just okay. We got the carbonara pasta, the thin sliced beef, and focaccia. Out of all the dishes, the focaccia was probably the best. It was so delicious that my partner and I ate an entire basket. The carbonara was good but I expected more given the hype this place has. The beef was pretty disappointing and sad looking and something I wouldn't order again. At the end of our meal, our server kept pressuring us to leave them a good review on Google. This made the experience feel very tourist trappy and made me wonder how they have 100k reviews on Google. Luckily, despite the popularity of the restaurant I didn't have to wait to be seated for an early weeknight dinner.

    Photos
    Tonnarello - Outside

    Outside

    Tonnarello - Pasta and meatballs

    Pasta and meatballs

    Tonnarello - Outside

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    Outside

    Al Forno della Soffitta

    Al Forno della Soffitta

    4.6(306 reviews)
    0.9 kmTermini
    €€

    Super pizza place with a lot of other great stuff on the menu…read more I looked with envy at the other tables who were enjoying spectacular plates of spaghetti with mussels. * * * That said, my pizza was a grand slam home run. Many of their pizzas are quite elaborate With all sorts of exotic ingredients. I went super simple. Gorgonzola. Mozzarella. That's it. Just enough Mozzarella to cut the Gorgonzola and make for a good melt. * * * If you have never had a gorgonzola pizza, you have never lived. Just sayin'. * * * P.S. My lovely wife got a Norwegian salmon pizza. The Norwegian salmon was stacked up high on her pizza As if she was in the World Series of Poker and she was a big winner. I have never seen so much salmon on one plate. After our meal, I made a discreet phone call to the Norwegian embassy in Rome asking them if they still had any salmon left. The woman at the embassy assured me the Norwegian salmon supply was fine. That surprises me given all the salmon that was on my wife's pizza.

    It was a positive Yelp review that lured us to choose this restaurant for our first night meal…read moreafter traveling from USA. So, I felt that I owed a review of my own in appreciation. Being new to Rome, and having walked 20k steps on our first day, there are an abundance of options a for dining. We wanted something classically Rome nearby to our hotel. The Yelp review of this restaurant was sufficiently positive to entice us. Being American, we appreciate the earlier-than-customary dining options. We arrived at 6pm without a reservation. We were seated immediately. The restaurant is intimate and very well staffed. The wood fire oven is front-and-center and the fresh mozzarella is prominent in display. We ordered a bottle of wine ... all options are very fairly priced. This is nice. We started with a Greek salad to share. It was unlike any American Greek salad ... and a really delight. It is early June but the tomatoes and peppers were ripe and crisp and really fresh. My wife ordered the Marguerite pizza; I opted for the Gorgonzola pizza (the effusive review on Yelp was compelling). Both were solid. We appreciate the thin crust and the crisp edged. The center of both, however, was doughy and somewhat undercooked. Looking around ... the restaurant was over 50% full even at this early hour. Most were Americans. We saw a good number of diners with pasta dishes ... and none were left unfinished. Sadly, we don't have any comparisons to weigh (yet). So, I cannot affirm any "best of" citations, it this is certainly a solid trattoria/pizzeria. The staff are attentive and the food served hot and fresh.

    Photos
    Al Forno della Soffitta - Pizza oven

    Pizza oven

    Al Forno della Soffitta - Pizza

    Pizza

    Al Forno della Soffitta - Taken 3/23/2025

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    Taken 3/23/2025

    La Balestra - pizza - Updated July 2026

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