If hunger strikes while exploring the Ghetto of Rome, there's one place to go for authentic Jewish cuisine: Nonna Betta. Located near the Piazza di Campitella, this cozy Kosher-friendly restaurant is suitable for vegetarians and anyone looking for a quick and tasty lunch. Nonna Betta was even featured by celebrity-chef Anthony Bourdain, who agrees with my assessment of their delicious dishes and brilliant offerings that represent Jewish culture and a history of culinary masterpieces. I stopped by Nonna Betta for lunch, as I was solo and hoping to travel outside my typical range of traditional Italian menu options. I loved the restaurant's design, neutral earth tones and artwork representing the ancient city. All of the servers were polite and friendly, and seemed to be fluent in both Hebrew and Italian, which I thought added another layer of authenticity. Upon suggestion, I started with the Jewish style fried artichoke, which definitely lived up to their reputation. Absolutely delicious, crispy on the outside, tender and flavorful inside. The two pasta dishes I had were also wonderful. A sampling of homemade pasta served with tangy pecorino and pepper was great itself, but the addition of chicory really made the dish unique. I also tried pasta with gricia sauce and Jewish style artichokes, which was perfectly salty and solidified the fact that this place knows artichokes like none other. As part of my main course, I loved the light, flaky codfish, which was baked to perfection in a clay pot and served with pistachios. The meatballs with celery were tender and moist, and served in a fragrant tomato sauce. I even opted for a dessert from their daily cake selection. Whether you stop in for authentic cuisine in a warm, friendly environment, or you stumble upon Nonna Betta while looking for something different in Rome, you won't be disappointed. read more

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Amazing restaurant located in the picturesque Jewish Ghetto away from the tourism of Rome. Come and try their fried artichokes and, if adventurous, try the Lamb Cerebellum !! read more

Nonna Betta - Roman Near Me - Rome, RM

We had I guess what should be classified as aperitivo at Nona Betta since we came around 5 after finishing up a wonderful tour of the Jewish Ghetto. It was quiet on the street since we were there at an off time, which was nice. And of course we had the fried artichoke - which we enjoyed so much we had it twice! This is a great stop on any time spent in this section of Rome. read more

Nonna Betta - Roman Near Me - Rome, RM

We tried this restaurant on the recommendation of the late Anthony Bourdain....we thought that the Idea of a Jewish Italian restaurant might be interesting...and, maybe it might be...but, we were pretty non plussed by our experience... we did try the Jewish artichoke, which was nice, but not mind boggling - a smashed and double deep fried artichoke...we tried two simple Italian dishes of which the eggplant Parmesan was better than the lasagna....neither were incredible, but both were decent...we finished with a dessert sampler, which was modest but tasty... service was not very attentive, but noticed when we make a point of asking for something....this rather remote style is not uncommon in Italian restaurants given all of the really special eateries in Rome, hard to recommend this one, except for the Jewish artichoke.... read more

Nonna Betta is an affordable restaurant in the Ghetto neighbourhood of Rome. It serves traditional food from the Roman-Jewish culture. I usually try to avoid restaurants in that area because they are expensive and food is not a lot, but that time I decided to try. Nonna Betta distinguishes itself for good and tasty plates and affordable prices for the area. I took tagliolini with artichokes and beef meat, that should be the alternative to carbonara in which there is pork. They were good and tasty and pasta was home-made. The interiors are nice even if not special: there are some big size pictures of the old Rome and other typical objects. There are also some tables outside. The service is not special and a bit under expectations. I would recommend Nonna Betta if one would like to eat in the area and do not want to move a little bit elsewhere. read more

Nonna Betta - Roman Near Me - Rome, RM

Hard to believe Anthony Bourdain recommended this place. They shouldn't be allowed to use his photo in the restaurant. The fried artichoke was nothing special. Fried pumpkin flower was meh. Fried mozzarella was gross. And the Jewish carbonara pasta was not great either. Pasta was not fresh and it was not cooked to al dente. You can easily get this at Olive Garden (horrible "Italian" chain in U.S.) I really don't understand people raving about this place and pasta. Some said it was one of the best pasta they have ever had?! Wtf hard to believe. This is a TOURIST TRAP using Anthony Bourdains name read more

Great food, okay service, and kinda pricey. This place was hyped a lot by many, including Anthony Bourdain so I went with my boyfriend and 1 other couple while we were in Rome. We were seated in the basement, which wasn't ideal, but okay considering it was Christmas Day and we had to convince them to fit us in for a last minute reservation for 4 people (myself, my BF and another couple). For the starter we ordered 2 fried artichokes to share which was really good. We all ordered pasta dishes, which did not disappoint. The pasta is very fresh! The other couple ordered cacio e pepe (which they seemed to like). My boyfriend ordered the ravioli with seabass, which he really liked as well. However, my dish I think was by far the best on the menu. The pasta with artichoke sauce is unbelievable! Although a very simple dish, it was absolutely fantastic! I think they had a special holiday menu on (we went on Christmas Day) since it was a different menu from their website. We got a tasting dessert platter which was just okay considering the 9€ price tag (we got two plates for the table). We ordered the house wine (white) which was approx. 14€ (not bad in comparison to the other wines on the list). Service was good but nothing exceptional. What annoyed us is that they brought us bread to the table (without us asking for it! and then charged us for it on the bill! If we had known, we wouldn't have eaten it. It was about 108€ between the four of us, which was more expensive than we would have liked, but not horrendous. Overall a good evening out. read more

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This Jewish ghetto restaurant has had its moment in the limelight, Anthony Bourdain eat there when doing his show No Reservations at this place and the restaurant next door. I highly recommend making a reservation. Nonna Betta makes upscale traditional Italian Jewish food, which is a mouthful to say. One dish that I loved and I think no one should leave Rome without eating is Artichoke Jewish style. This is something you will see on every table in the restaurant, because artichoke is a theme that is in a lot of these dishes and it is just a good dish. Nothing fancy, just shaved down artichoke that has been flatten on a cook top. Now for tradition dishes I'm not looking for a complexity of flavors layered in every bite. I'm looking for a dish that is amazing in its own right with history and feels comforting. Recommended to me was the lamb and artichoke pasta, and with the first bite, I see why. The pasta was perfect; the flavor was mouth watering and in had to hold myself back from eating too fast. Our waiter and the rest of the staff were amazing and deserving of a tip. I know that people say you don't tip in Europe but that isn't true. If service meets or exceeds your expectations it is alright to tip. They will try and refuse the money but they are being nice. So if you feel that you had great service don't be afraid to show it. I hope you have as great of a time as I did, enjoy! read more

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I was in the Jewish Ghetto specifically looking for two things: to try the Carciofi alla Giudia (Jewish-style fried artichoke), and to find a good Cacio e Pepe, two things I'd heard were specialties of this area and that I hadn't ever had before. This place had both of those items at a reasonable price (for Rome, anyway), so this is where we ended up. I don't have any comparison, but I was definitely happy with their versions of both of those items, and would be happy returning. We also tried their take on fried mozarella, which was also quite good (as expected, a more subtle flavor than the fried mozarella you see in the States). The service was just weird. Not slow weird, more like "our waiter really wanted to hang out with us and talk about odd things" weird. It was certainly memorable, and not necessarily bad, just... weird. We also weren't happy to get charged a bunch for water, but we learned our lesson - this was the first sit-down restaurant we went on our tour of Italy, and that is apparently quite common. So it's not like they were scamming us or anything, we were just clueless tourists ;). read more

I sat outside for a great view of the Jewish Ghetto while sipping on House white wine. Servers are attentive and speedy. I tried the Jewish style artichoke and zucchini, both were outstanding. The artichoke was smaller than I was used to, perfectly fried on the outside and tender inside. The zucchini were heavily marinated and I believe fried at some point but were served at room temperature. They were flavorful and tender as well. read more

Nonna Betta - Roman Near Me - Rome, RM

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We had a great experience at this Anthony Bourdain approved restaurant. The artichokes lived up to potential. We had the lamb chops and artichoke sauce pasta. Both were excellent! Food was of great quality and prices were very fair. read more

Nonna Betta - Roman Near Me - Rome, RM

We wanted to visit the Jewish Ghetto and my wife researched the best places to eat there. Were we ever glad we went to Nonna Betta. After eating pizza 3 times a day for 2 weeks, this place is a welcome change. The artichoke was fabulous, the cod was perfect, the sampler plate could not have been more enticing, EVERYTHING we ordered including the house wine was delicious! Prices are reasonable too. Umberto is the only Roman Jew I have ever known and he has lived there all his life. He is a gracious host and has a hidden gem of a place. I would definitely go back again and again. Thank you Umberto! From you Birthday Brother from California! read more

Bordain and Judaism brought us here, the artichoke kept us. The hummus and homemade pita we're pretty good, the falafel was solid and the Jewish minestrone was pretty good after a walk in the rain. They were out of couscous and their signature soup which seems odd, but we had a great time and that artichoke was solid. read more

Ok does 'Nonna Betta' really mean 'None Better'. Seriously this place makes the best Baba Ganoush that I have had since I was last in Israel! When you add the Falafal and the Hummus, what more could you want? Actually, we wanted Baked Lamb with Potatoes and we got it and we loved every bite! Anthony Bourdain apparently frequents and recommends them. It is supposed to be the place to get Fried Jerusalem Artichokes. The guys who waited on us were so sweet and the street was full of families enjoying lunch and a stroll. It was located right near the oldest synagogue in Rome in the Jewish quarter. read more

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It was my and my friends first visit to Rome, so eating was pretty hit and miss. This place was actually recommended and we were able to work it in. We all liked the place, good atmosphere and the staff was pretty attentive for Italy. I am used to American style dinners, done in an hour, but when in Rome... This is the typical first, second course, etc. dinner place. The food was good. We had the artichoke appetizer. The tuba steak was okay, just not much seasoning. That seems to be the normal for main dish meat/fish at a lot of places I are in Italy. Overall, it's worth a try. The Jewish ghetto was a pretty cool neighborhood. It's been about a month since I was there, so it's hard to remember the specifics. It wasn't bad, though. My friends liked it, too. read more

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From the service to the food & cappuccinos, I was extremely taken care of. Bishum (spelling is probably off) was one of the managers and was beyond kind, offering suggestions and not laughing when I ordered a cappuccino in the afternoon (ordering coffee with milk in the afternoon is a total Italian faux pas). You HAVE to get the fried artichoke! It's deliciously oil soaked and cooked tone perfection. When they say "fried" only the outside is crunchy - the inside is soft and flavorful. If you're in the Roman Jewish quarter you have to come here! Amazing experience! read more

Nonna Betta - The menus - Roman Near Me - Rome, RM

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Such a great find! We wanted to try the famous artichokes but saw more starters we wanted to try. We ended up choosing the Nonna Betta's starter dish that had a variety of foods to try. So delicious! We will definitely be back! read more

Nonna Betta is an interesting and semi-famous restaurant in the jewish ghetto area. The famous aspect was that Zuckerberg came here, and didn't tip. Tips aren't expected in Italy, but I can understand why this became a big deal - surely a financially wealthy celebrity can afford to tip, right? I'm guessing that's the logic involved. Sidetrack set aside, the food is good and the service is pretty friendly. I think the only sad point to me was randomly deciding to try to minestrone to see if it was different and that no, indeed, it's the exact same minestrone you can get everywhere in the world. Cant' say that they didn't deliver on the minestrone claim, I suppose. Eggplant parmigiana here is uniquely sized, and tasty. Bread is complementary (which is not consistent in Italy). The wine was good. They had a nicely laid out salad to go with the meal, and who doesn't like artichoke parm? So overall, the food was good, the wine was good, see the photos people have posted and definitely eat here! Not only is it in a unique area but who wouldn't want good food? I was pretty satisfied.It's unfortunate that their menu isn't available online, however. read more

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Cute little place tucked into the Jewish Quarter - conveniently located down the street from the great temple. Nice place to stop in for lunch with a lovely set of outdoor tables when the weather is nice. Service is efficient if not overly friendly. We came for the famous fried artichokes we'd heard so much about. They are frankly kind of a revelation. Crispy, salty, and a rather oily, they are very delicious. Kind of like a giant vegetable based potato chip. I have no idea how it is cooked but you can eat the entire thing - leaves, stem, and all. Other than that I'm not sure Nonna Betta is particularly noteworthy. Pastas were fine - we had the gnocchi with lamb - but it was nothing special. One of our party was pasta'd out from having been in Rome for several days already. She got falafel and salad. The falafel was boring, and the salad similarly lackluster. However, the fresh pita it came with was outstanding, with excellent crunch on the outside. I'd say it is worth coming to try the artichoke, which was unique, but otherwise don't go out of your way. read more

Loved this restaurant in the Jewish Ghetto. We came from the Museo Capitolini, and we picked his spot because of the reviews on Yelp. I initially wanted to try their Mediterranean cuisine, but they did not have couscous today. My friend ordered an eggplant Parmesan, and I got the artichoke lasagna. They were served in stone pots that kept the food insulated. Both were delicious, albeit slightly on the greasy side. Service was fast. Our waiters were warm and friendly. Would recommend! read more

Nonna Betta - Artichoke Lasagna - Roman Near Me - Rome, RM

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When we were in Rome, I fell in love with carciofi alla giudia (Jewish-style artichokes) and we decided to come to this famous restaurant in the heart of the Jewish ghetto to have some authentic ones. I wasn't super impressed with the artichoke, which was waaaay too salty compared to the ones we had elsewhere, but the bigger problem was the service. We sat down and someone asked what we wanted to drink. We said nothing. Then someone came over and asked us if we wanted something to drink. We said again nothing, we were ready to order food. Finally a third person came by the table and said "You want water? Wine? You need something to drink." Um, what? It's totally standard in Europe to not order drinks with the meal because there's no free tap water. Finally they just materialized with a bottle of water and put it on our table. We didn't want to pay for it so we told them no, we don't want it, take it away. The whole thing was so weird. We ate at lots of other restaurants in Italy without ordering drinks and nobody freaked out about it like this. We finally got to order our food - I had the artichokes as an appetizer, my husband ordered a falafel sandwich and I ordered an artichoke lasagna. After a long wait (probably 30 minutes), they brought out the artichokes and the falafel. We were a little confused about where the lasagna was but we figured it was just still cooking. We ate everything they had brought and kept waiting and waiting. If anyone had come by our table, we would have asked where the lasagna was, but they completely ignored us. Finally, after it had been another 30 minutes, we decided to just give up and get the bill and leave. We had other stuff we wanted to do and didn't feel like spending the entire afternoon in this restaurant. We kept trying to catch their attention but they totally ignored us. Finally my husband took out his credit card and plopped it on the table and after glaring at us dramatically they brought the bill...which of course had the lasagna on it. We told them we never received the lasagna and they started yelling at us and pulled out the order pad to prove we ordered it. We said that, yes, we had ordered it, but that was almost an hour and a half ago and we had never received it and we weren't going to pay for it. They got the manager involved but eventually they gave us a revised bill without the lasagna and we paid and left. It was the worst service we experienced anywhere in Italy. It's also worth noting that the lower level of the restaurant is uncomfortably hot. Even though it was only about 80 degrees outside, the basement room here must have been over 90 degrees with no air conditioning and no fans. read more

This place is a must when in Rome! Amazing tasting artichokes and the rest of the menu is the tastiest food on the planet. The service is first rate. This is a landmark restaurant you will not want to miss. read more

We liked this restaurant a lot. The servers were really nice, the prices were fair and the Artichokes are so delicious! It feels a bit touristy when you first arrive because of the Anthony Bourdain blow-up review at the front door, but once you are inside, it's more cozy and authentic and the artichokes are so worth it. We had them for appetizers and a couple of us even got them as our entrée with a different preparation. The other entrees were solid, although not exceptional. If you want to check out a restaurant in the Jewish ghetto, I think this is the best choice. read more

Get the house wine! Ignore the rest of what they offer you won't be disappointed. I recommend that you only get one fried artichoke to share by they are amazing! Very happy with the food! read more

Nonna Betta - Fried fresh mozzarella and fried artichokes. - Roman Near Me - Rome, RM

Totally overrated. I was so excited to eat here and made reservations while I was in Toronto in anticipation of stopping here during a holiday in Rome. The dishes served are passable to fair but I found the service to be rude, harried, and forgetful. Without asking, a basket of stale, dried-out bread will be placed on your table and you will be charged EUR 1.50 per person unless you tell them to take it away. If they're going to charge for bread, it better be good bread. This bread wasn't. Based on the multiple Yelp recommendations we ordered the famous artichokes. They were good. You are served a couple small charred artichokes. The flavour profile is pretty unique. Interestingly, we had ordered similarly prepared artichokes at another restaurant (Pancrazio) a couple days prior, and I honestly think theirs were better. Other dishes we ordered were the Gnocchi, the Jewish-style Carbonara, and the fiori di zucca (zucchini flower fritters). I thought the gnocchi was the star of the meal. It was hearty, rich, and rustic. The other two dishes were decent but not mind-blowing. House wine at EUR 3.50 was decent. We ordered a side dish of vegetables. Instead of our waiter telling us they were out of that dish, the staff cooked up a plate of chicory with dandelion greens. I exchanged confused glances when the server brought out chicory and dropped it off at our table. Our designated waiter stopped by moments later to indicate that this was what we were being substituted. Honestly, there are so many excellent places to eat in Rome. Unless you have dietary restrictions and only eat kosher, look for another place to enjoy your meal. read more

Another restaurant plug, this time in the ghetto: Nonna Betta. The late Bourdain was here and loved it, too. The oxtail stew was tender and molto buono. A friend told us that the tripe is amazing, but we didn't try it. Next time you're in Rome, this is a must. read more

Nonna Betta - Roman Near Me - Rome, RM

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Came across town to eat here as we had heard great things. They close at 5 and reopen at 7. We arrived at 3:30. The waiter was very rude first ignoring us then finally said they were closing. Another waiter said they were not closing and attempted to seat us when the original waiter said "no, we are closed until 7". The two waiters got in to an argument about it so we just walked across the street to Bellacarne and had a nice meal. read more

This was my favorite restaurant on our 2 week trip in Italy. There are so many tourist trap restaurants but here the food was authentic, rich, and delicioso! My favorite dish was the gnocchi with lamb sauce. If we get the chance to return we will definitely be coming here again. read more

Nonna Betta - gnocchi with lamb sauce. delicious!! - Roman Near Me - Rome, RM

This restaurant is absolutely spectacular. You cannot miss an opportunity to dine here and enjoy great wine, company and unbelievable food. I will miss this place and dream of it from Canada. With love, a snobby foodie who will hold Nonna Betta in her heart forever. read more

Nonna Betta is definitively a must-go place if you are in Rome. We ordered: .- Pezzetti fritti di mare (fried mixed fish) as starter: seafood was of excellent quality and was well prepared, not oily at all even if it was a fried dish. .- Carbonara alla giudia (carbonara jewish style): the jewish style implies beef instead of pork. I guess that initially that can make you think twice about this dish if you are a carbonara lover but... Nothing to be worried about, the beef works nicely and the dish is overall a great success. .- Lasagna con carciofi (lasagna with artichokes): That is provably the dish that surprised me the most. I don't have words to describe it; an amazing experience. .- Torta Boccione Style (ricotta cheese and cherry jam): It was moist, buttery and satisfying. A good way of finish a perfect meal. read more

The food here is excellent! It was our last day in Rome and I was catching a cold. I had their vegetable soup (they were out of the Nonna Betto soup) it was out of this world. My honey had the eggplant parmigiana - he said it was his favorite dish of the trip!! read more

We had planned on eating next door but they were closed but it's been my experience there are no mistakes in gods world . This place was bomb and the staff was one of the friendliest in Rome . All dishes were delicious. read more

Nonna Betta - Caccio e Pepe - Roman Near Me - Rome, RM

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Meh. Tourist trap we came across on our first (and exhausted) night in Rome. I wanted my hubby to walk through the Jewish quarter, as it's historic and beautiful, and unfortunately we stopped here and were enticed by an outdoor table. Yes, the al fresco vibe was nice, but it all felt very pushy and touristy. Food was just OK, not terrible, but not memorable, which is a shame because otherwise we had THE BEST food all around Rome and Italy! I would skip dinner and maybe have a drink on one of these patios. read more

"Gruesome" comes to mind. Also, disgusting, unappetizing, foul tasting and uncomfortable. Service = 0. Ambiance = 0. Food = less than zero. I cannot fathom for one second how Anthony Bourdain, god rest his soul, could give this restaurant any kind of public recognition. We made a lunch reservation for 2:15 and were finally seated at 2:45. The restaurant is very noisy, very dirty and very crowded. I made the mistake of using the rest room to wash my hands before eating. I do believe the bottoms of my shoes are still sticky from that visit. I ordered the fried anchovies to start. Soggy, over salted, semi -spoiled fish piled haphazardly on the plate. I didn't expect five star presentation but neatness does count for something. The next course was bucatini with nonna's meat sauce. Believe me when I say that a room temperature can of chef boy ar dee would have been tastier and warmer. The puntarelle salad I ordered never arrived. I asked the waiter to be sure to take it off the check. this led to three separate restaurant staff insisting that I not cancel the order. Just to be clear, they insisted I WAIT for the puntarelle which had not as yet appeared at the time they were hectoring me to wait for it. Aside from the attention lavished on me when I asked them not to charge me for a dish I wasn't served, the wait staff was completely and totally indifferent to my presence. Run, don't walk, away from this awful place. This was by far the worst meal I had during a ten day visit to Italy. read more

This is a cute little trattoria with both indoor and outdoor seating. We dropped by and had to wait an hour for a table, as they were at capacity, but it's easy to wander around and kill time in that neighborhood. The wait was worth it and we had a nice meal. Seating was a little tight. Food was served promptly. Wait staff was polite and prompt. Our favorite dishes were the fried artichokes. The falafel also was very good! The other dishes (pasta) we ordered were less singular. We had a nice time and would gladly return for the artichokes alla giudea and falafel. read more

I don't know but maybe it was a bad night but it was not good. The artichoke was burnt, the egg plant was burnt, and the pasta was overdone plus it look like they just sloped it on the plate. It just seemed like they didn't care. You're actually lucky that I gave it two stars. read more

Nonna Betta - Roman Near Me - Rome, RM

This is a cute restaurant. We went because of the proximity to our hotel. The Jewish artichokes are delicious and everything was reasonably priced. We went with a party of 2 to an early empty restaurant. The host first sat us at a lovely table in the middle of the room next to a wall. A moment later, we were moved to a tiny table in the back of the restaurant right next to the cash register. (Awkward spot.) I understand seating people there, but not when your restaurant is nearly empty! We were told a party of four was supposed to come in. (We had also made reservations.) They came as we were finishing our meal. read more

Perhaps Nonna Betta was short=staffed today. But even if, a restaurant with this reputation should never serve the mediocre dishes by rude, uncaring, rushed waiters. 8 of us arrived in time for our noon reservation. For some minutes we were the only table of diners, but no one came by to take our order until the place filled. Other tables were served before ours, some items never came and what did was sadly unappealing , bland or just off. It really was a waste of a meal in Rome. Go to the Mercato next to Termini for better artichokes. The ones at NB are truly sad. read more

Great food, friendly and attentive staff. They have a simple one page menu with a handful of house specialities. We stuck with there recommendations and loved everything!! read more

Food was disappointing. If you can't get "Cicoria ripassata" and "patate al forno" right in Rome, better you do not run a restaurant. Patate were overcooked and cicoria was just heated (kind of cold) read more