Brian Nagele
Don’t read this article on an empty stomach. I wrote it on one and haven’t stopped regretting it.
I am prepared to hop on a plane to get some Roman pasta tonight.
Unfortunately, a trip to Italy isn’t in the cards right now, so all I can do is fantasize about Roman pasta.
The meal is a pivotal part of Italian life and is always prepared with care and attention.
In this article, I’ve gathered some of the best pasta restaurants in Rome, looked at their history, what makes them so extraordinary, as well as their best dishes.
Pasta e Vino Osteria – Largo Argentina
Via Florida, 23, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Phone: +39 06 9918 0600
Pasta e Vino provides precisely what its name promises-provides delicious pasta and wine.
The restaurant’s rustic but cozy setting emulates the feel of home.
The friendly wait staff put diners at ease. Pasta e Vino strives to create authentic Roman dishes using time-honored recipes.
The food is hearty and filling. Pasta e Vino makes all of its pasta fresh daily.
Diners choose their pasta from six varieties and one of nine possible sauces.
Pasta e Vino sits in the heart of Trastevere, a hip and bohemian neighborhood.
Flavio al Velavevodetto
Via di Monte Testaccio, 97, 00153 Roma RM, Italy
Phone: +39 06 574 4194
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Flavio al Velavevodetto blends passion and education to create perfect pasta.
Flavio De Maio founded Flavio al Velavevodetto in 2009, after working in the tech industry.
De Maio abandoned 26 years of IT experience to prepare and serve the finest carbonara.
While his passion for pasta and his mother and grandmother’s sauce recipe fueled De Maio, he applied the same deliberate study to cuisine that he used for technology.
He perfected his art over six years at Felice a Testaccio.
De Maio partnered with Marco Andreini to open Flavio al Velavevodetto’s two locations: the first in Testaccio the latter in Piazza dei Quiriti.
The beautiful architecture and intimate environment turn dining into a complete experience.
The restaurant is a favorite among locals and tourists.
Luckily, ample seating allows Flavio al Velavevodetto to fill many hungry bellies.
While the restaurant is spacious, it draws a considerable crowd.
The establishment accepts online reservations, so diners on a schedule can be assured of their meal time.
Armando al Pantheon
Salita de’ Crescenzi, 31, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Phone: +39 06 6880 3034
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Armando al Pantheon keeps it in the family.
Armando Gargioli opened the restaurant in 1961, and his descendants continue to run every aspect of operations, from greeting and seating customers to sommelier duties.
The Gargioli clan uses secret family recipes passed down from generation to generation.
As the name suggests, the Armando al Pantheon sits directly across from the best preserved ancient Roman monument, the Pantheon.
The Gargioli family let the Amando al Pantheon’s quality speak for itself.
The restaurant is small but draws a steady crowd.
The establishment owes its credit to incredible word of mouth; Roman locals swear by the delicious pasta and adventurous entrees of Armando al Pantheon.
Picky eaters and broader palettes will all delight in the Gargioli pasta dishes.
Locals particularly recommend the spaghetti alla grechi, a tomato meat sauce dish.
Borghiciana Pastificio Artigianale
Borgo Pio, 186, 00193 Roma RM, Italy
Phone: +39 06 9944 8604
Broghiciana Pastificio Artigianale is a bit mysterious.
Curious diners raking the internet won’t find much information about the restaurant’s history or origin.
However, internet sleuths will find an abundance of praise for the little restaurant as it’s actually one of the greatest places to eat in the city.
Tourists and locals loudly sing the praises of Borghiciana Pastificio Artigianale.
The restaurant makes fresh pasta in-house daily. Davide, the avuncular owner, and solicitous wait staff quickly serve lunch and dinner to hungry diners.
Prepare for a bit of a wait, particularly during lunch hours.
The patient are rewarded with delicious carbonara and incomparable ravioli.
Colline Emiliane
Via degli Avignonesi, 22, 00187 Roma RM, Italy
Phone: +39 06 481 7538
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Colline Emiliane traces its history back to 1931 when the tiny restaurant first opened near the Piazza Barberini.
Fellini fans drawn to the landmark featured prominently in “La Dolce Vita” must stop into Colline Emiliane to savor their handmade pasta.
The Latini family took over ownership of Colline Emiliane in 1967 and have kept the restaurant running ever since.
The Latini’s make Colline Emiliane’s pasta fresh and by hand daily.
No less than the esteemed Michelin Guide paid praise to Colline Emiliane.
The restaurant is very small and focuses on cuisine native to Rome’s Emilia region.
Despite the establishment’s discreet location, it’s wise to make reservations.
Meal service is swift, however, so famished tummies won’t grumble for long.
Felice a Testaccio
Via Mastro Giorgio, 29, 00153 Roma RM, Italy
Phone: +39 06 574 6800
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Felice a Testaccio began in 1936 when the titular Felice fed Testaccio locals while alienating outsiders.
The chef, a Testaccio native, took care of his fellow citizens first, while his surly manner ostracized other potential customers.
The man’s pasta recipes, however, were undeniable.
Felice used traditional recipes he then passed on to his children, who in turn passed the secrets of great pasta onto the next generation.
Felice’s descendants keep the restaurant up and running.
His son remained faithful to his father’s cuisine while updating the facilities.
The restaurant hopes to introduce as many diners as possible to a broad variety of Roman cuisine and change its menu daily to facilitate this goal.
Despite Felice’s best efforts, Felice a Testaccio is enormously popular, so much so that the proprietors opened a second location in Milan.
Diners who dread long wait times should make reservations.
Ristorante La Tavernaccia Da Bruno
Via Giovanni da Castel Bolognese, 63, 00153 Roma RM, Italy
Phone: +39 06 581 2792
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Persiano Bruno and Giuliacci Giovanna opened Ristorante La Taverniccia Da Bruno in 1968.
The couple loved food almost as much as each other, and the restaurant allowed them to share that passion with their hungry citizens.
The Bruno family ran the establishment until 2005 when Chef Giuseppe Ruzzettu took over management with his daughters Patrizia and Paola.
Ristorante La Tavernaccia Da Bruno subscribes to an “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it” policy.
The chef uses beloved traditional recipes passed through generations.
The restaurant is located a stone’s throw from the Cinema Museum of Rome so hungry cinephiles can chase their visit to the museum with a delicious dinner at La Taverniccia.
Otello
Via della Pelliccia, 47/53, 00153 Roma RM, Italy
Phone: +39 06 589 6848
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Otello began life as a humble inn in 1750.
The establishment didn’t gain the name “Otello” until 1948, when Giuseppe Caporicci and his wife, Nora Geronzi, began running the food preparation.
Giuseppe’s nickname was Otello, and since his recipes and insouciant personality put the establishment on the map, the restaurant shared his moniker.
Nora and Giuseppe’s descendants continue to run the restaurant with the same warmth, welcoming attitude, and commitment to classic Roman cuisine their parents did.
Otello strives to recreate the feeling of a family dinner. The staff is congenial and pleasant.
The restaurant is conveniently located near the Spanish Steps.
While there is often a crowd, service is swift, and wait times aren’t long.
Roscioli Salumeria con Cucina
Via dei Giubbonari, 21, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Phone: +39 06 687 5287
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Roscioli Salumeria con Cucina springs improbably from bakery roots.
The restaurant took its earliest sweet form in 1992 when Marco Rosciolo expanded his family bakery.
Marco’s son, Alessandro, had a different vision for the establishment when he took over.
Roscioli evolved from a bakery to a traditional Roman restaurant in 2002.
The establishment focuses heavily on heritage.
Roscioli’s chefs understand the history of the dishes they prepare and strive to honor the cuisine’s lineage.
Roscioli has an impressively stocked deli counter, sporting 300 kinds of cheese, 200 different cured meats, all sorts of jams, preserves, olive oil, truffles, and so much more.
The restaurant carries over 2800 brands of wine.
Impatient diners should make reservations, as the wait can be long. The carbonara is worth the delay.
Tonnarello
Via della Paglia, 1/2/3, 00153 Roma RM, Italy
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Tonnarello, located in the heart of Trastevere, interprets traditional Roman cuisine through a personal lens.
The chef interprets classic recipes with modern touches.
Tonnarello doesn’t recreate traditional Roman cuisine so much as it enhances the standards with contemporary flair.
Tonnarello offers outdoor seating so diners can enjoy Trastevere’s beautiful scenery.
The establishment uses trusted family recipes.
Their specialties include tonnarelli, saltimbocca alla romana, and plenty of other phenomenal pasta dishes.
The restaurant accommodates vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free diets.
Cantina e Cucina
Via del Governo Vecchio, 87, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Phone: +39 06 689 2574
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Brothers Andrea, Simone, and Riccardo started cooking their grandmothers’ recipes to feed their family and friends.
Their cuisine so pleased their diners that the boys decided to expand their kitchen to all of Rome.
Cantina e Cucina sits next to the Piazza Navona in one of Rome’s most historic and picturesque districts.
The location draws crowds of tourists and locals, so prepare to wait.
Est Artigiani del Gusto
Vicolo della Cancelleria, 11, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Phone: +39 06 6880 3332
Est Artigiani del Gusto strives to reinterpret classic Roman cuisine through a modern lens.
The restaurant partners with local produce growers and farmers to attain the freshest possible ingredients.
Their menu shifts to accommodate seasonal harvests.
Est Artigiani del Gusto focuses intensely on the flour they use.
The restaurant creates delicious pastas in-house daily, using the highest quality flour to make them.
Curious diners can watch the chefs making the pasta, a fascinating process to help build the appetite.
The courteous service is swift and efficient, but visitors may still want to make reservations as the restaurant fills up quickly.
CHE PASTA! Pasta Bar
Via di S. Agostino, 16, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Phone: +39 06 9021 7958
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CHE PASTA! earns its exclamation point by being a quirky little oddity.
The restaurant isn’t forthcoming with information; however its passion for pasta is undeniable.
The CHE PASTA! website is dedicated almost entirely to detailing the virtues of pasta.
The restaurant believes pasta is a superfood and an essential part of any diet, and its menu reflects that fervor.
The establishment only opens for five hours each day.
However, visitors arriving between 11 and 4 can stop in to enjoy some of the best tagliatelle tartufo in Rome.
Guests watch the chefs prepare their meals.
The restaurant is a bargain, charging exceptionally reasonable prices for its delicious food.
AL42 by Pasta Chef rione Monti
Via Baccina, 42, 00184 Roma RM, Italy
Phone: +39 06 488 3198
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AL42 defies the expectations of a traditional restaurant.
The establishment has no table service. Customers place their orders directly with the chef,
AL42’s chef is their secret weapon.
Leopoldo Frigerio uses his science degree to turn traditional Roman cuisine into something unique and new.
Most unusually, Chef Frigerio will spend a day helping a customer prepare dinner for an evening party.
The restaurant provides quick, healthy, and delicious meals. The food is affordably priced.
Pastasciutta
Via delle Grazie, 5, 00193 Roma RM, Italy
Phone: +39 349 258 6793
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Pastasciutta shares the meal preparation process with the customers.
The store makes its pasta fresh daily. Diners choose their pasta and sauce, and the restaurant prepares it immediately for them.
The fresh pasta takes only two to three minutes to cook, so hungry visitors won’t need to wait long to curb their appetites.
Pastasciutta does have tables on the premises; however, their meals are designed for portability.
Diners can carry their pasta with them while they tour Rome.
Pastasciutta’s delicious food warrants two locations, one at Via Delle Grazie 5 and the other at Piazzale Flaminio 10.
The core menu is constant; however, Pastasciutta often adds seasonally specific dishes.
Whatever the season, don’t leave Rome without trying their Strozzapreti al Pesto; the meal is not to be missed!
