Great restaurant on the outskirts of the tourist craziness. From the moment we walked in, our servers were incredibly friendly and helpful with our food choices. From all the fun photos on the wall to the red checkered tablecloths, it had a great Italian family restaurant vibe. Authentic pasta dishes to die for. read more

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We stayed in Rome for 4 days and we had the best food at this place... the servers are amazing!!! The seafood pasta is to die for and must order for sure. can't wait to go back. read more

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We stumbled upon Melo on our way to the Trevi Fountain as we were looking for a family restaurant with traditional Italian food. This was everything we were looking for and more! You felt at home when you walked in. The servers were always checking on you. The food was SUPER FRESH!! That bruschetta in the pics was unlike anything we've had before. The portion sizes were very very fair with lots of amazing quality food. We also got a carafe of wine which was delicious, as well. Please, please, do not skip out on a meal here! We will definitely be back!! read more

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Family owned business with a Sicilian flare. We got there 30 minutes before closing and they were very welcoming and the food was great. We each ordered a red tomato based pasta and each was very flavorful in their own way. Highly recommend the house wine read more

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The food was PHENOMENAL! The staff was impeccable and so attentive. The atmosphere was not too busy, very chill which was perfect. Highly recommend the cacio e pepe and the lasagna. The tiramisu was also to die for. 10/10 will recommend to anyone coming to Rome read more

Trattoria Melo - Cacio e Pepe and lasagna - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

I had bruschetta, penne arrabbiata, something described as Sicilian cheese cake for desert and more red wine than I really wanted. The tomatoes on the bruschetta were tasteless as was the olive oil on. There was bread on the table but no olive oil or balsamic vinegar. The arrabbiata was also just average. The desert was so sweet that the owner came by and asked if it was too sweet- I picked at it a little. All in all don't waste your time and money. The reviews don't match what I experienced. read more

We were walking to the Colosseum and did not have a ton of time to eat. So we found this place on the way as it looked nice from the outside and was on the way. It turned out to be a bit of a tourist trap, but the food was decent and the bathrooms were clean. We were seated immediately as there was only one other party in the entire restaurant, which had a large indoor dining area by Italian standards. They were a bit slow, as is the local custom, but I made sure to order quickly and the food did come out in a reasonable time. The spaghetti was decent, but not for what you pay. It is a bit overpriced, and hence the 3 star review. The staff seemed like we were troubling them even though we were the only ones there so most of our meal. read more

The pasta here was great. The steak was just ok. I would just stick to getting the pastas here. Very fairly priced. Workers were very friendly and welcoming. We also ordered the gelato for dessert. Would definitely recommend the vanilla gelato over the chocolate and lemon. read more

Terrible lugar, de ser posible no pondría ni una estrella. Llegamos a descansar un momento y en lo que se nos antojaba algo de comer pedimos postre y bebida ya que habíamos comido temprano, pero el mesero se enojo nos quito las copas molesto, nos lanzo con los platillos y se quejó de lo que pedimos en italiano muy groseramente creyendo que no lo entendíamos. Ni la dueña se disculpo, con toda razón estaba solo. Y para colmo ni el postre estaba bueno, una trampa para turistas era mera crema batida con galletas read more

The place has a low key vibe when you walk in. The service was great..from the waiter as well as the older couple running the place. We ordered a mixed vegetable starter, mixed grilled seafood, veal saltimbocca, side order of spinach, and as dessert Sicilian cheesecake. We also had a half carafe of VIno Rossa della casa and sparkling water. Along with that came bread. We asked for oil and the older gentleman brought us some kicked up olive oil that was spicy but very good. When our check came, it was with some complimentary limoncello shots. My seafood was delicious and my husband loved the saltimbocca. If I lived in Rome, I would dine here frequently. read more

Stopped in here for a quick lunch. It was empty when we got there but filled out pretty quickly. I had the spaghetti with seafood. It was pretty tasty. As other reviews have said, not the fanciest place, but the quality was good. The dish was a fair 15 euro. My boyfriend had gotten a stomach bug while in Rome, and he couldn't really eat anything, so the waiter suggested plain pasta. He ended up getting a small bowl of plain pasta (no sauce or anything) - and it cost 9 euro, which is absurd. Service was okay. Not a bad option if you're in the area, but not my favorite. read more

Trattoria Melo - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

this was the best pasta meal I had my whole entire 2 weeks vacation in Italy! i got the ragu alla bolognese and my friend got the arrabiata and it was PHENOMENAL. the sauce was to die for and sooo authentic. We got a house red wine and it was delicious and a great pairing with our pastas. the limoncello shots with our tiramisu and Sicilian cheesecake were out of this world. the prices were great. The service was wonderful and felt like i was at my nonna's house for Sunday dinner! read more

This lovely restaurant is a gem, and the real thing. The restaurant was very cozy, and I believe is a family owned business. The owner was more than friendly, welcoming and funny. He mentioned that he was from Sicily, so I believe the food was more Sicilian Italian cuisine. It was delicious. The prices were more than extremely reasonable. Their local house wine was $12 for an entire bottle, and it was sooo good -- a must when coming here. We also ordered the calamari for appetizer, so different from American calamari. I don't think it was breaded at all, and tasted very fresh ... with a dash of lemon. We also ordered the home made ravioli, very delicious -- and tiramisu. I would strongly recommend stopping here at least once if you are in Rome. This place is darling! read more

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One of our favorite meals in Rome! We stumbled upon this place and decided to pop in simply because of the name. We had been away from our dog (Milo) for two weeks ... and Melo is close enough! ;) I am SO happy we found this gem! The food was incredible (the gnocchi was the best I had) and the service was fantastic. Our waiter spoke pretty good english, enough to be making jokes with us! The owner also stopped by the table, he spoke hardly any english but came over just to say hello and brought us some delicious samples! This place was full of locals, and once you try the food you will see why!! They made us feel like family, and the food was incredible. We ended the meal with an incredible Cannoli, and FOUR complimentary limoncello shots! Such a fun place, incredible food and amazing atmosphere. A MUST visit when in Rome! read more

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Steps away from Trajan's column you'll find Trattoria Melo, a wonderful hole-in-the-wall, family-run restaurant seemingly hidden in a staircase. Inside, Melo looks like an old-fashioned Italian restaurant, and that's exactly what you're getting. Great authentic Italian, without all the tourists. Makes for a great rest stop after spending the morning exploring the Coliseum and Roman Forum. Oh, and try the Arrabiata pasta. You won't be disappointed! read more

Having been thru Venice eating and now working on searching thru Rome, I have found my favorite restaurant by chance. The owner Salvatore who is Sicilian was a very pleasant host. All four persons at our table ordered something different and it was all very good. I ordered the ravioli and I have attached the pix below of my enjoyment. The wine comes from some type of big vat from some local winery and was just wonderful The place was so good I ordered a extra plate of spaghetti. Definitely worth going to. read more

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This place was conveniently located around the corner from our hotel so made a good first food experience for a family fighting off the affects of jetlag. It has a cosy dining space that wouldn't be out of place in the Sopranos tv series, with staff that are friendly and helpful, and particularly welcoming to our 9 month old son. The disappointment was the food unfortunately...the reason we were there. The bruschetta was ok, but my carbonara was overly cheesey to the point of being stodgy...a real disappointment. It certainly isn't terrible, but there are plenty of better places in this area. read more

The service was good and fast. We both had the ravioli, which tasted pretty bland. We had tiramisu and cannelloni. The tiramisu was not very good. The cannelloni (which we are too quickly to photograph) was however much better. I would probably chose another location to eat again, but it was an acceptable meal. read more

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Amazing atmosphere with delicious food and friendly staff! This restaurant or "ristorante" is tucked away on the stairs going towards the Trajan's Column. Very modest unassuming front, but after the initial entrance it opens to a very cozy seating area. We ordered a Veal dish, Ravioli and some of their house wine. All exceptional, and very reasonably priced. read more

Trattoria Melo - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

Overall the best eating out experience I had during my short 4 day visit in Rome. The food was amazing and had a local "Italian" feeling to it (even though this is a Sicilian restaurant in Rome?) The service was really 5/5, with the waiter make witty remarks and jokes with his not that perfect English. Most welcome I felt in any restaurant in Rome. Good food and even better atmosphere, left with a smile on my face and wish I had discovered this place earlier! read more

My wife and I had to visit this restaurant twice during our stay because it was so great and we were treated like family. Please don't go here if you are looking for a burger or fries. Here you will find best pasta, lasagna and tasty house wine. Do try to put in the effort to get to know your server and the owner; fantastic people. read more

Trattoria Melo - Red house wine and bread - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

Waited outside for 15 minutes to get lunch. The owner came out talking on his cell. He then threw a peice of bread, from the ground, at us. By far the worst service in rome. read more

It was our second night in Rome & we just happened to come across this hidden gem. Upon entering, one will feel immediately at home. The staff & its management were very attentive despite our language barrier. Not to mention, they have one of the best Cannoli I have tasted. If ever we are back in Rome again, we will surely visit this place again. read more

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This had been by far my favorite find in Rome. I'll be making another stop here before I leave. This is a must go to if you're here. The service was amazing just like the food. read more

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This is a tremendous place as the food is wonderful and the staff is extremely friendly. read more

Trattoria Melo - This a really fun place and very homely and friendly. - Italian Near Me - Rome, RM

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Awesome Sicilian restaurant. Great seafood, pasta, desserts, and great service. We made a reservation here for 4 of us for dinner on NYE with only a day in advance and they accommodated us despite being near capacity and we saw them turn away several groups of Italians while we were there, so don't believe other reviews that suggest they don't like Americans. The location is great also, right by all the roman ruins so perfect to eat at after a day sightseeing at the roman forum, colosseum, or palatine hill. Stuffed swordfish, local cheese plate, and pasta here was memorable. read more

We had such a wonderful meal on our first night in Rome. The Bruschetta was some of the tastiest I've had. The Veal Marsala was tender and the sauce was outstanding. The side of garlic broccoli was perfect. We also had the spaghetti with bolognese sauce and it was also delicious. We noticed that all dishes were balanced perfectly with seasoning and non-acidic, which is common for italian. This is true Sicilian. Wonderfully delicious. This family run restaurant, found on the steps is a true gem. Filled with locals. Highly recommend. read more

Not the best restaurant in this area, but food was not bad. The bread was not typical of the excellent Italian breads we've had. Veal Scallopine was ok. Steak was good. Dated decor, just okay Service. read more

We were looking for a restaurant off the beaten path and not crammed full of tourists, something to give us a little more of an authentic taste, and I'd say we found it. This will NOT be the fanciest place you eat, and the presentation of the food won't look gorgeous in photos, but it will be great food at a great price, and we loved it because it seemed like a "mom and pop" style, family owned restaurant that focused on good food and good wine, and didn't try to pretend to be anything it's not. We had ravioli and spaghetti carbonara, and we loved it. The service was good, and the food was definitely fresh as we were able to watch them prepare a few appetizers as soon as we walked in. I'm not we'll be back to Rome, but if we end up there again, I wouldn't be surprised if we stop back here again. read more

Have 2-day short stay in Rome but this is the best pasta place! Especially love the house made chili oil! Ideal location, great service.

Frutti do mare and the house wine were great. Also had the side of spinach with veal scallops in Marsala sauce and both of those I would not recommend. Service was extremely friendly, but perhaps as in Rome, it took a while for the food to arrive to the table. Price also seemed fair. Wife would probably have rated it 4 stars, so it really should be more like 3.5 stars overall. read more

Hits the sweet spot between quality and price, which is sometimes difficult to find in Italy. Pastas are mostly between 10-15 euros and meats are 12-25. Definitely recommend the seafood pasta. The pasta and seafood were both well-cooked and seasoned and they gave a decent quantity as well. Lamb cutlets are flavorful, perfect to share, and they also gave a sizable portion. read more

We first discovered Trattoria Melo a few years ago on a previous visit to Rome. Tucked away on the stairs down from Via Quattro Novembre to the Piazza Venezia, it's a small home style Sicilian restaurant with a friendly staff, a simple but delicious menu and very reasonable prices. I have especially enjoyed their caponata and pasta carbonara. It's a no-stress place, and just perfect at the end of a big day sight seeing in busy Rome. read more

Came here after finding this location through tripadvisor. We absolutely loved the place. Once you walk in, you get a feel of family and it was indeed that. The entire wait staff was friendly, even the one that served us. They all speak a little English. We originally thought he was quite stoic, but he warmed up to us and even took our photo. We ordered the mussels and clams for appetizer and for main course we ordered the spaghetti with meat sauce and pasta alla funghi porcinni. I loved both dishes, however I myself would not be able to eat the entire plate of mushrooms. You have to be a mushroom lover to eat that dish. The mushrooms had strong flavors and complemented the pasta. This is not a saucy dish, just heavy on the olive oil. The meat sauce had tons of fresh tomato flavor and they didn't skimp out on the meat. I do recommend asking formaggio (cheese) on the side and add it to your dish. The cheese was finely grated, thinner than paper. All our dishes were delicious. I would definitely recommend this place. It's close to the Colosseum and I wouldn't consider this place a tourist trap. Prices are very reasonable and lots of locals go here as well. Just a word of caution, if the direction you're walking from the Colosseum to the restaurant crosses the "overflow ruins" area, it's the ruins next to Piazza de Venezia, BE CAREFUL of an old looking mom with her daughter supposedly, they will show you a white piece of cardboard, this is to distract your eyes while they pickpocket you!! Either run through them, push them away, or just hit her. Most people might freeze in that situation, try not to and just run. Or, carry a pen in your pocket and stab them if you have to. I do not mess around with safety and neither should you. They were situated on the bridge where you cross the overflow ruins, usually the "Spartans" are there as well but they won't help you. I felt the lady's hand touch my left hand near my pocket and I grabbed her hand, pushed her away and cursed at her. I was about to go after her and hit her but I refrained. After our lunch, we saw them on the streets again but this time, the daughter recognized me and they stayed away from us, I just cursed at them and yelled out loud to everyone around me to watch for these pick pocketers. I hope somebody heard me and I helped somebody from being a victim. Their hours: Mon-Sat: Noon-3p, 6p-8:30m Sunday closed read more

An absolute gem! This restaurant made us feel like family with their attentive service, fantastic food, incredible Tiramisu, cappuccino, and a complimentary shot of Limoncello to finish. Prices were more than fair considering the quality of the meal. Of our 19 day tour of Italy, this was definitely one of the better meals we had, and THE best in Rome, for sure. read more

Cute place. Had reservations for 7, but it didn't start filling up too about 8. Had the frutti di mare and it was great. Waiter was super friendly. read more

Do not eat here if you are American. Waited for 30 minutes then had a group of Italian people seated before us that got there after us. Group sizes were exactly the same. So disrespectful and completely wrong. I will never pay for that kind of treatment. read more

We had a good, solid Sicilian lunch at this cute, rustic restaurant. Conveniently located on the steps near Trajan's Column. My only criticism was that the service was a bit curt. read more

It was just by chance we walked into this restaurant and were very happy having done so. Very friendly greeting and service. All three of us enjoyed our lunch and shared tastes. We would definitely go back again. read more

Very reasonable prices, delicious food, friendly and efficient service in an old school, family style atmosphere. Highly recommend as a reprieve from touring the nearby monuments. read more