Restaurants Rome
Italian cuisine…the best mediterranean tradition!
With their strong culinary traditions and almost religious dedication to the ritual of the morning coffee in the bar “sotto casa” (downstairs), Romans long resisted modernisation, for the simple reason that they didn't see how it could possibly improve their lot. When the extremes of trendiness arrived, they were a flash in the pan. What Rome now does best is good quality and warm surroundings… but at prices which, since the arrival of the euro, now outstrip many other European capitals.
Going out for dinner…in Rome
The ‘traditional’ Roman osteria – with its checked tablecloths, sawdust-strewn floors, "mamma" in the kitchen and jugs of wine frothing straight out of the barrel – seemed for quite a while to be succumbing to the steel-and-glass anonymity of the international dining experience. But Romans have ever been ones to favour flavour over flashiness, quality over quirks. However cool a place looks, in the end, it's what's on its plates that counts. That said, glam in Rome doesn't necessarily mean sham: on the contrary, the city now has many establishments to please foodie fashion victims.
Moreover, the style invasion had the admirable knock-on effect of de-romanticising the trat. If mamma is still in the kitchen, it's usually because she's truly a great cook; gone, even in many of the most humble eateries, are the ‘traditional’ astringent olive oil and paintstripper "vino della casa".
The other positive note is the increasing variety of the Roman dining scene. Whereas before the choice was between posh restaurants, humble trattorias, or no-frills pizzerias, today there are wine bars, salad bars, gastropubs, designer restaurants and deli-diners. The traditional categories have broadened: posh restaurants are going minimalist; new trattorias are creative rather than humble; and the unchanging pizzeria has been shaken up by the advent of gourmet emporia like Dar Poeta. Only the ethnic and international scene still leaves much to be desired.
Eating in Rome used to be a bargain. Euro-fuelled price opportunism and inflation in general have put paid to this, though the bill will still compare favourably with a similar dining experience in London.
The roman habits
The standard meal running order is: antipasto (hors-d’oeuvre), primo (usually pasta, occasionally soup), secondo (meat or fish) with an optional contorno (vegetables or salad, served separately) and dolce (dessert). It’s perfectly normal, however, to order any combination of the above, such as pasta followed by a simple contorno. Fixed-price meals are a rarity, though top-flight establishments occasionally offer a menu degustazione (taster menu). Places offering a menu turistico should usually be avoided.
Italian wines
Most top-of-the-range restaurants have respectable wine lists, but the more humble trattorias and osterias have a limited selection. House wine is often uninspiring, but there are sometimes exceptions. More establishments are now offering a selection of wine by the glass (al bicchiere or alla mescita).
About prices and tipps
Places that add service to the bill as a fixed item are still in the minority, so it's usually safe to assume it isn't included. A good rule of thumb is to leave around five per cent in a pizzeria or humble trat, and around ten in upmarket places. If service has been slack or rude, feel justified in leaving nothing – and check the bill, as the occasional restaurateur becomes strangely innumerate when dealing with tourists. Most restaurants accept credit cards (carte di credito). However, if there is no sticker on the door, ask.
Eat breakfast on Campo de' Fiori, enjoy the sun and atmosphere on the Spanish steps, visit the Trevi Fountain and go out for dinner in the Trastevere neighbourhood or the old Jewish quarter where you will find some of the best restaurants in Rome. There is so much to see and do in Rome that it is impossible to see everything. If you decide to go to a museum for example, you will have to choose from an enormous number of impressive and beautiful museums.