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La Carbonara

3.9 (58 reviews)
ModerateRoman
Closed Closed

La Carbonara Photos

LA CARBONARA ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Casual
Touristy
Good for groups

Recommended Reviews - La Carbonara

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View of the square from the 1st floor of La Carbonara
Shah S.

This restaurant is featured in the amazing book, "Dinner in Rome, A History of the World in One Meal". I am so glad I came here based on reading the book. The food is truly excellent. I tried the namesake Carbonara which was rich and chewy. The dish at fist blush looks too small but it is just the right amount given the richness of the sauce topped off with a few pieces of bacon. The service is efficient and polite. They have 2 floors. Most people are lined up to eat outside. I went upstairs and found a quiet table by the window with a view of the square. It was a nice way to relax and recharge after a few hours of biking around Rome.

Jessica S.

Beautiful unique ambiance with 2nd floor seating overlooking the market. But, nothing amazing in terms of food. And left A LOT to be desired as far has service goes. I would pick one of the other 10 places to eat at in proximity.

Tuss R.

Amazing, we tried all the pastas and they were all great. The gnocchi was simple tomato/basil sauce and was absolutely delicious, fluffy and complementary flavors. A reminder of why change something simple and delicious? There's a reason this place has been around for so long.

Tiramisu
Anaïs M.

This restaurant is amazing! (Most waiters can talk great English and some talk decent French). We got there with my family (9 of us) and the place was full! We asked if we could book a table for later and they told us to come back an hour and a half later (which is quick for a Saturday night in Rome!), La Carbonara being on a nice, nicely busy square, we just got a few drinks at a bar nearby before exploring the square. Back inside the restaurant, we were seated really quickly in a quiet, warm room. The waiter took our orders for drinks and we got the menus : incredible. Fresh pastas with homemade sauces as first dish and second plus typical Italian dishes as starters! (Vegetarian options were also available!) After ordering our food, while we were waiting while sipping on wine (I can't say about the wines because I don't know anything about their quality but my white wine tasted delicious and they had a wide selection of bottles that they were ready to guide you with), the waiter came back with a huge plate of olive oil covered slices of bread and delicious mozzarella, it was a gift on the house and was a great way to start the dinner! We all got our first dish (most of us were FULL after that, it was really heavy, good quality pastas), we all kind of tasted each other plates : I didn't find one that I didn't like. When my cousins ordered second dishes, it made me hungry again! It looked and smelled so good! The waiter made a mistake in our order (but we were 9 and most spoke broken English, I can't really blame him), he profusely apologized and offered us the plate he wrongly brung before running back to the kitchen. We then got those Tiramisus that were epic! Finally we ordered some really strong alcohol as a digestive drink (very effective), and they offered it to us! The staff was awesome! Everybody laughed with us and welcomed us very warmly. The best restaurant I've been to during my two trips to Rome, definitely recommend!

Tawny M.

The food is amazing, we had the Carbonara and the gnocchi. Both were highlights of the trip! The ambiance is lively, right on the piazza. I usually stay away from restaurants in main areas but I made an exception for this place and I'm glad I did! One tip, skip the bread basket, stale bread and they charge. Also, make a reservation, this place is popular but for a reason!

Quynh T.

Ample seating at noon on a week day. Plenty of seating inside and out. We ordered caprese, cacio pepe and a carbonara and they did not disappoint. Service was leisurely so don't expect to be in and out in a flash. However, we didn't wait an ungodly amount of time for our dishes. The customer service was essentially non-existent but that's expected with Italian dining. Prices are a little high compared to elsewhere (pasta dish averages €13). Overall, very decent quality food, probably the best carbonara I had in Italy (and boy did I try a lot of carbonara). Definitely worth a stop if you're in the area!

Lorena D.

Awesome awesome place. The service was nice and slow, we didn't feel rushed. The wine was awesome, the gnocchi is the best everrrrr, extremely soft and fresh. I highly recommend it.

Carpaccio - ask for prime cut of beef.
Will S.

Pasta in Rome is all about Zen on a plate, 3-5 ingredients max, Done. That's what I love about Roman pasta. The quintessential Roman lunch dish is not Cacio e Pepe unbeknownst to most people, it is pasta carbonara. A close second is pasta all'amatriciana. Pasta carbonara is the one dish that most Romans pick for lunch more than any other. And here, you get just that, probably the best carbonara you will have ever had, 3-5 ingredients max: prominently speckled with crunchy bits of pancetta, parmiggiano, cream and... the creamiest tastiest lusciousest yellow/orange egg yolks, so vibrant the color to this dish it has a saffron tinge. It's the eggs... and this dish can't be made better than at La Carbonara-- it's how the chef here cooks this entire dish, the process so defined, they make carbonara here exactly the same every single time since I've visited Rome since college. When it's done here it's beautiful, lucious Art....zen on a plate. Uhmmmmmmmmmmm. While LC is in a touristy area, it serves Roman dishes (aka cucina tipica Romana), come here to savor the most famous pasta dish in Rome, oddly with the same name. Some will say there are other places that make it great. Agree, but they must beat the version at La Carbonara to win me over.. :)) Be a true Yelper, don't go searching for Cacio e Pepe...that stuff's OK but really just publicized by trendy NY chefs and totally played out. Hope you enjoy LC when you come visit the Eternal City. Visits: beaucoup since college Tip: La Carbonara is the best restaurant for pasta in the Campo dei fiori (field of flowers) square. Honestly, everything else is standard except for the superior pastas. You want to come for lunch after you peruse the Campo dei fiori daily market which happens early morning until about 1pm. Campo dei fiori open market has taken place since 1869. Get flowers/munchies and cheeses for the hotel room or AirBnB, lunch it up at La Carbonara and feel the vibe of Campo dei Fiori as it has been for hundreds of years. Avoid Campo dei fiori at night after 11pm, it gets rowdy unsafe with drunk tourists and locals. But hey, rowdy is good for some so go to it.....gangsta!

Wendy L.

This classical italian restaurant facing the square. It's known for carbonara which I ordered. The spaghetti was a bit undercook. It seems to be the norm in Italy;however, it was delicious. The dish was copious and I ordered the house wine with it. The breads and breadsticks and water that serves in the beginning of the course, you have to pay extra for it. So the bill was more than I expected.

Vanessa K.

We had a good time here. It wasn't a 5 star experience or michelin starred quality food but if you keep your expectations down, you can have an enjoyable time. We decided to sit outside since it was still relatively warm to do so with the heat lamps. The waiter was accommodating and nice, maybe we got lucky (reading what other yelp reviews are saying.) We realized that the restaurant is right next to the famous Il Forno. The restaurant is actually HUGE inside upstairs if you ever decide to venture up there for the bathroom. On to the food, we had the red wine recommended by the waiter and it was pretty good, can't remember the name sorry. The oxtail dish was delicious! The carbonara was decent, since we've only had it at three other places, I'd say that it was good. Location is fantastic as it is right in the plaza and you could see what others are doing. The roman tripe, I could do without, it was a little too much for my taste but my def. all night favorite was the bread that they served in the beginning, I believe it's probably from the place next door which is "piazza blanca" dont be deceived, it's not actually pizza but just a slice of thinly baked DELICIOUS bread. I didn't realize that as I was eating it that I ate all of it without giving any of to my bf, oops. Overall decent experience, I can't say that I'd go back again but I'd def. recommend to any tourists in the area who'd just like some traditional italian food at a reasonable price.

Spaghetti aglio olio e pecorino. Amazing. Delicious. Light and flavorful. No oily residue.
La R.

My family and I traveled from Venice to Florence and ended in Rome. Of all the different foods we tried, this was my last lunch in Italy and my favorite meal of the whole trip. I had what I consider a basic dish (spaghetti aglio olio e pecorino). But it wasn't basic. Far from it. They cooked the pasta so well that there was no olive oil residue and the cheese was perfectly blended with the sauce. There was definitely a hint of red pepper flakes giving it a kick without making me feel overpowered. Everyone in my family was floored by the quality of the food and service. It was not a tourist trap. It was the real deal. If I ever make it back to Rome, I am most definitely coming back here!

La Carbonara looks magical at night.
Kyle K.

My mother picked out La Carbonara for dinner as recommended by The Civilized Shopper's Guide to Rome. This restaurant's location in Campo dei Fiori square is truly remarkable and offers the best people watching you could ask for over a meal. I ordered spaghetti with garlic olive oil and pecorino cheese, while my mother got the house-special pasta carbonara. Both courses were delicious and enjoying the meal outside was incredibly special. La Carbonara should definitely be on your "to visit" list while in Rome.

Artichoke was amazing! The Carbonara or waiter not so much...

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La Carbonara Reviews in Other Languages

Review Highlights - La Carbonara

This restaurant is featured in the amazing book, "Dinner in Rome, A History of the World in One Meal".

Mentioned in 18 reviews

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Su e Giu Cucina Romana

Su e Giu Cucina Romana

4.6(233 reviews)
1.3 kmPrati
€€

Food was great staff was very friendly. They helped my wife and I pick out delicious meals. Really…read moreenjoyed our time here!

Review # 1200 After…read moresome shopping on the Via cola Di Riemzo, we were ready for lunch. This spot was a Yelp find. We arrived just before they opened at 12:30. We asked for a table outside and the kind lady asked us if we had a reservation (oh oh). We didn't. No problem as we took our pick of one of the tables. Two levels inside with a small Bar in the back. Before we knew it, outside seating was full and inside also filled up-a good sign. We ordered a liter (ended up being too much but when in Rome...) of their house Red and enjoyed it. For starters, we ordered the Fried Artichokes (thick breading and will order the Roman style with garlic/vinegar next time), fried Zucchini and Suppli-Cacio Pepe. The Suppli was delicious and was enjoyed the most. For main, it was Pasta Carbonara (Guanciale )-Proper carbonara and the streak of not having a bad version of this dish in Rome continues. The sliced Beef with mushrooms was also delicious -super tender and thin pieces of beef (medium rare as requested). We asked if the Tiramisu was house-made. Our server answered, "yes, and I am the one who makes it." How could we not order after that?! One of the best Tiramisus we've had. Perfect balance of coffee dipped lady fingers with cream-delicious! Our Server was kind, attentive and full of hustle -she was covering a lot of ground. Don't miss this Gem if you are in the Prati district.

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Su e Giu Cucina Romana - Inside

Inside

Su e Giu Cucina Romana
Su e Giu Cucina Romana

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Borghiciana Pastificio Artigianale - Interior

Borghiciana Pastificio Artigianale

4.7(57 reviews)
1.2 kmPrati

Yes, it's worth the wait if you go there early. We stood in line at 12:30 on a weekday, as in,…read morelunchtime. We were 2nd in line and waited about 30 minutes. I would wait longer. I had possibly the most amazing chick food pasta a girl could imagine. Girls know what girl food is. The pasta in Italy is just better -obviously. But then put all sorts of girl flavors on it like Lemon and Orange, just lightly enough, zest with a small hint of cheese-..... omgosh. Yes, yes, and yes. Need my hubs to replicate at home. He is going to be busy trying to perfect this. Tagliatelle with orange and lemon parmesan. This was it. It was the best. Everything else we ordered was amazing as well. Wait outside. They don't have a sign telling you to wait, no server telling you to wait. You wait out there, wondering if you're in the right place, but then people stand behind you and you're like - oh! I'm here. This is the place. There are possibly 4 tables inside. It's small. I read about them being rude- we did not have that problem. In fact, they made a mistake and we kindly let them know we ordered something else- they corrected it and were nice about it.

After a long morning in the Vatican (there is sooo much stuff!), we were on the verge of hangry…read moreand thanks to Yelp, decided to check out BPA (way too long to spell out!). So happy we did as this place definitely delivers. There is seriously like 8 tables in the dining room so expect a wait in line but trust me, it's worth it. We waited outside for about 25 minutes. They do take your order while in line so the wait for food (once you do get a table) is abbreviated. Out of the world pastas and the pistachio tiramisu is seriously out of this world. Inexpensive table wine rounds out a great meal. This is the type of place I love to go to. It's quaint, zero pretense and delivers on its food. A great find!

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Borghiciana Pastificio Artigianale - Amazing pistachio tiramisu

Amazing pistachio tiramisu

Borghiciana Pastificio Artigianale
Borghiciana Pastificio Artigianale

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Da Romolo Alla Mole Adriana - Carbonara

Da Romolo Alla Mole Adriana

4.7(96 reviews)
1.2 kmPrati
€€

Our Vatican tour guide recommended this spot to us so Lisa and I were on the hunt. Upon arrival we…read morewere graciously greeted and taken to our seats right away. Our kind waiter bright over water, bread and breadsticks. No olive oil, no butter just dry. For our lunch I decided on the cacio e Pepe and Lisa opted for the ragú. Both were delicious. For dessert we were told the owners mom made lemon cake so that was a no brainer. It was fabulous and paired well with espresso. Our waiter also brought us Amaro. It's a licorice like liqueur enjoyed as a digestif. Definitely an acquired taste that reminded me of Aguardiente. Overall the service and staff were exceptional and I would return if ever in a Vatican City again.

At the recommendation of our Vatican tour guide, we visited for an impromptu lunch on a Friday…read moreafternoon. Lorrisa ordered the cacio e Pepe and I ordered the Spaghetti all' amatriciana. We were both satisfied with our selections. Our meals started with bread service, both fresh bread and packaged breadsticks. We didn't receive any olive oil which might be the norm in Italy. For dessert, we opted for a slice of their featured lemon torta. It was enjoyable and we paired it with espresso. Finally, our server offered us a popular digestivi - Amaro. It reminded me of Jägermeister and I wasn't a fan. But I appreciated the hospitality and kindness of his gesture. In summary, we left content and with full bellies. Our server did a great job and the manager or owner acknowledged us and seemed to appreciate our business. All in all, this lunch was a positive experience.

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Da Romolo Alla Mole Adriana
Da Romolo Alla Mole Adriana - Fillet Steak grilled medium

Fillet Steak grilled medium

Da Romolo Alla Mole Adriana - At the bar

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At the bar

La Carbonara - roman - Updated May 2026

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