We came here at the recommendation of a local, so we knew we were in for a treat but we were still…read moreblown away. The owners were so nice and the food was spectular! An authentic gem you wouldn't expect to find hidden just around the corner from Piazza Navona.

tl;dr excellent traditional Roman cuisine meets exceptional service, so you are sure to feel right…read moreat home in this family-run trattoria The Roman pasta scene is dominated by four quintessential pasta dishes -- Carbonara, Cacio e Pepe, Amatriciana, and Gricia -- and each is served at any of the countless trattorias around Rome. While plenty of these places are unabashed tourist traps, others are true diamonds in the rough. Finding the gems can be challenging -- so I was relieved that our host in Rome invited us to one of his favorite family-run spots: La Pace del Palato. Just blocks from the Piazza Navona, La Pace makes its home on a slightly sleepy side street. Inside, cool bright colors pop out directly from the walls. Plaster meets exposed brick in a wavy pattern across the walls, themselves only decorated with shelves of wine. Metal stars hang down from the high ceilings. Muted jet-black chairs are pressed up to the lightwood tables, each decorated with a dumbbell-shaped lamp. Just days in advance, I secured a reservation for weekend dinner. The proprietor Renato didn't speak any English, but he was fluent in hospitality. As soon as we arrived, we were made to feel at home, and the staff joked with us like family throughout the meal. Our meal kicked off with two complimentary antipasti: a flavor-packed, Aperol spritz-inspired amuse bouche and a smoky roasted eggplant salad. After that, our group gravitated toward the "Roman Tradition" selection of the menu: classic Roman pastas. My favorite was the excellent Mezzemaniche alla Carbonara. Despite the deep yellow sauce, the flavor was rich and peppery rather than egg-dominated. I also loved the Rigatoni alla Amatriciana for its particularly tomato-forward sauce and plentiful pork. But don't sleep on the generously-sauced Ravioli (prosciutto, ricotta, and thinly-sliced proscitto) or the melt-in-your-mouth Stringozzi alla Gricia (cacio e pepe enhanced by guanciale). Across all of the pastas, my only criticism was that the pork could have been more consistently crispy; otherwise, the textures and flavors were excellent. We completed our meal with a tiramisu -- it is a testament to La Pace that we downed the dessert despite our already-full bellies. Our bill worked out to just over $100 -- on par with some of our least memorable meals in Paris. La Pace del Palato literally translates to "the peace of the palate", and the name couldn't be more apt. This was our final restaurant on a whirlwind trip through Italy, and everything about this meal satisfied. For Roman classics done right, look no further than Renato's humble cucina.

We ended up stopping in here on our last night of a 2-week Europe trip since it was close to our…read moreAirBnb. I can't really express how happy I am that we did. We walked in expecting a normal dining experience. The decor is very interesting, the inside of the restaurant was cozy and neat to look at. We decided to order the tasting menu, which at the time of this was 50 euro. We then ordered a bottle of red wine, to which our server replied "Let me check with the chef about that first". This was our first clue that we'd stumbled into something much more than we expected. Basically, this place is what I'd consider a casual fine dining restaurant, with a deceivingly charming look and atmosphere. I was wearing a simple T-shirt and jeans and felt totally comfortable. The food and service felt ripped straight from a posh, suits-only place though, which I say as a compliment! Our servers and the maître d' (I assume he was, given his demeanor and extensive knowledge and interactions with us) were absolutely wonderful. Speaking with the headwaiter regarding the bottle of red wine we wanted, he instead suggested that he help us to pair a different glass of wine with each dish, to which we happily agreed. With each dish that came out, he thoughtfully considered the ingredients, our tastes, and what would pair best, and made a suggestion (which he thoroughly explained to us each time). It was an awesome experience to have, as I'd never personally had this happen before. Without going into detail (because I'm not really elegant with describing food, and wouldn't do this place justice), every single dish in the tasting menu was phenomenal. Small portions and beautiful presentation, with massive and distinct flavors every time. He was also spot-on with each wine pairing. As an American, I'm usually wary of spending decent money on small portion meals, but each dish was so delicious that I would do this whole thing again with no regrets whatsoever. Hell, I even added this place as a recommendation in our AirBnb review; I feel this place deserves as much praise as it can get. Summary Pros: - Superb service: the servers knew and explained every detail of every dish, and the headwaiter was delightful to talk with and very helpful/knowledgable - The food was all delicious. You could tell real thought and effort went into every detail of each dish - The price was more than fair for the overall dish quality, service, and experience we received Cons: Honestly, the only thing I can think of would be that the place is small, so it may be crowded/loud or have less personalized service during peak times. This wasn't an issue with our visit at all, but we also went late on a Wednesday night. Really I'm only mentioning this so that I don't have zero cons here :)

The French owner Patrick is offering in his original restaurant decoration a moment of surprise and…read moredelicatessen. Everything was simply great, from the amazing food look and taste, to the fine wine and great service. Eur 50 to 70 per person depending if you take 2 or 3 courses plus cocktail, water and bottle of wine, but it was so delicious..... Le patron français de ce petit restaurant bien caché vous offre dans une décoration assez originale un pure moment de surprise et de délicatesse. Notre dîner a été tout simplement fantastique, de l'arrangement des mets au goût subtile, en passant par un bon barbera d'alba et un excellent service. Comptez bien Eur 50-70 par personne si vous prenez 2 ou 3 plats plus cocktail, eau et bouteille de vin, mais c'était vraiment délicieux....

I have dined at Taverna Agape twice now and the food and service gets better every time! The…read morerestaurant sits in a quaint piazza with plenty of outdoor seating. The servers are attentive, kind and welcoming. They answer any and all questions you have and even make recommendations. The atmosphere at the restaurant is a family vibe, which I love. The owner is as friendly and hard working as his staff and makes you feel like you're at his home. If I could order everything on the menu at once, I certainly would. Instead, I recently had salmon tartare as a starter and had the grilled octopus as my main. The octopus was a very large portion and grilled to perfection. The chef knows what he's doing. I did not have dessert this time, however, looking at others enjoying their desserts, I know it did not disappoint. I will be returning to Taverna Agape in the future and definitely recommending it to more friends and family. I have heard from friends that they have recommended to their friends. Looking forward to my next meal at Taverna Agape.

Our host at our hotel recommended to come here to try some traditional Roman pastas. They were all…read morevery good. I also really loved the cheesecake we had for dessert.

A favorite on "must try" lists of restaurants in Rome, this traditional trattoria does not…read moredisappoint. A simple, yet elegant menu match the understated decor. My sister and I each had a a pasta dish with a different red sauce--the menu features a beef and an oxtail sauce--and both were exceptional.

Cucina Roma The…read morecozy Rome favorite Settimio al Pellegrino counted Bourdain among their fans but the storied restaurant closed only to be reopened by new owners as Da Cesare al Pellegrino Fortunately, the casual style and focus on traditional cooking remain and we were fortunate to stop by in a room of locals We had a wonderful selection of traditional appetizers, classic pasta dishes and I was thrilled to choose a meat option: heavenly succulent braised ox tail! Carpaccio €14 / Anchovies in Olive Oil €10 / Spaghetti with salt cod, pecorino romano and basil €15 / Rigatoni with Oxtail Sauce €13 / Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe €13 / Oxtail in Tomato Sauce €14 / Vino Blanco €5 Da Cesare al Pellegrino (Rome, Italy) All seating is indoor and credit cards are accepted.

Coming here was a happy accident. It ended up being the best meal of our whole 2 weeks spent in…read moreItaly. How does it have so few reviews? How was it not packed? My friend and I were looking for somewhere to eat after being told that a nearby restaurant was full for the night. Vizi Capitali caught her eye because there is a display of fresh fish in the window. We go inside and I immediately notice that it is a Michelin Guide 2018 restaurant. We were seated right away by the pleasant staff. You are started with the most amazing Focaccia Bread. I would come back just for that. It is flaky on the outside with crisp flaked salt and rosemary, and light and airy on the inside with a drizzle of olive oil. I saw it on the menu for 3 euro but they brought it to us without us requesting it, so I'm guessing it was complimentary. We knew we had to order some fresh fish since they have it on display. We chose the Sea Bass and Sea Bream Carpaccio. Wow. It is honestly not that pleasing to the eye, but the quality was indeed super fresh. It was made even better by the light olive oil and pop from the fish roe that I believe was marinated in lemon. The head chef/owner brought the dish out himself, and I only wish that I knew at the time that he was the owner so we could have chatted with him a bit. In the spirit of indulgence, we each ordered the Lobster Pasta. I wish there was a bit more meat on the lobster but the flavors were fantastic and I loved that there wasn't an overpowering sauce. The noodles were cooked perfectly. I probably could have ordered 2 servings and been happy. Because it was our last night we wanted to end with a dessert. The waitress said the Tiramisu was her top recommendation. I don't like coffee flavors so I don't usually enjoy this dessert but it was super light and creamy, served in a glass jar, and the perfect thing to split. Let me tell you that everything we ordered, including a bottle of wine, only ran us $50 USD each. Perfection in all aspects.

This is by far one the best meals I've ever had. Just arrive in Rome today and was lucky enough to…read morewalk in but this is a very small family own Resturant and it's always full they say with large gatherings that sit and eat awhile. Fresh fish selections with pasta is their specialty with authentic Italian pasta L Dante. The wine selection is amazing and the fresh focaccia bread with sea salt rosemary and olive oil will start your tastebuds drooling !

The tasting menu with wine pairing was so lovely!…read more Or server was well versed with the wine pairings and they truly went well with every course. This was our first meal in Rome and it did not disappoint. The restaurant is very elegant and chic; and much bigger than it seems from the outside. Very comfortable seating and AC. Highly recommend doing the tasting menu and just sitting back and enjoying the courses as they come out.

It's actually not easy to find a really great overall restaurant in Rome. Granted I planned the…read moretrip on short notice and had difficulty getting last minute dinner reservations. I was able to get a lunch reservation here and it did not disappoint. The restaurant is tucked in an alley. Do not let this deter you! The space itself is beautiful. The dining area has two levels, with a lovely cellar downstairs. The service was amazing. We got two antipasti, three pastas and a secondi (four people). Everything was great! We also got their tiramisu and it was delicious! They have a great wine selection. I highly recommend adding this restaurant to your itinerary.

Amazing authentic Italian restaurant in the heart of Rome! The pasta was fresh, perfectly cooked,…read moreand full of flavor. The pizza had a crispy crust with high-quality ingredients and tasted incredible. The service was friendly, the atmosphere was warm and welcoming, and everything exceeded our expectations. Highly recommend this place if you're looking for delicious Italian food. We'll definitely be back!

My wife and I had our first planned dinner in Rome at Giulia Osteria. I had made a reservation at…read moreGiulia Restaurant, but learned after we arrived that the "fine dining" restaurant won't open for another three weeks. However, although "osteria" usually means a bar that also happens to serve food, Giulia Osteria is a fully-fledged restaurant. We arrived early, when the osteria opened at 6:00 pm (we're such Americans!), but were seated for drinks before dinner. We were told that the kitchen wouldn't start serving food until 7:00 pm, which was fine with us. The bartender gave me a preview tasting of the signature negroni that he's developing for the restaurant and I have to say that it was the best negroni I've ever had. We didn't order the tasting menu, but ordered a bunch of dishes; Cervello Fritto, Insalata di Cedro e Maionese all'Aneto (veal brains), Polpo Croccante, Carote e Citronette alle Erbe (crispy octopus), Tartare di Manzo come una Polpetta al Sugo (beef and tomato tartare meatballs), Linguine, Aglio, Olio, Peperoncino, Colatura di Alici e Taralli and Carciofi Arrosto, Cacio e Pepe e Polentina Croccante (artichokes). We missed artichoke season in Rome by a month, but these were still pretty good. We also had the Cicoria (chicory) and Taccole (sweet peas) side dishes. The sweet peas were the surprise dish of the night. We had never before had such ribbonlike sweet peas. At first, I thought that they were a pasta! The somm recommended a nice nebbiolo-based wine to accompany all of the dishes that we ordered and it was quite good. For dessert, my wife had the Bignè Crema Pasticcera e Amarena (cream puff) and I had the Zabaione Caldo con Tozzetti (marsala cream). The zabaione was unlike any that I had ever had before. For one, it wasn't spelled "zabaglione". For two, it was served warm, not cold. It was absolutely delicious! I wish that we could still be in Rome three weeks from now, when the "fine dining" restaurant opens. In the meantime, don't be fooled by the "osteria" designation. Giulia is well with a stop.

A quiet respite in a small plaza with amazing food. I had melone/prosciutto, peppino salad,…read morecarbonara. It was excellent and nice in the shade in mid-September before 1;30p.m.

The best place I have ever been to here in Rome. Not only was the service and ambiance amazing, but…read morethe food was INCREDIBLE. Recommend this to everyone and their mamas. Go here now.