Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
€
Pizza Remo
(Piazza Santa Maria Liberatrice, 44;
%
06-5746270; Mon-Sat,
dinner only)
is a Roman institution. In the summer, reservations at least 2 days in
advance are compulsory (imagine that at your hometown pizzeria!). The
bruschetta here melts in your mouth, and every pizza is made lovingly for all to
see behind the open marble counters; the most basic start at just €5. If it's too
crowded on a summer evening, order your pizza as takeout and eat it in the quaint
park across the street.
€
Finally, Testaccio has lately made a noble attempt to shed its grungy every-
man image with some funky wine bars under track lighting. Skip 'em (the wine
bars in the historical center are far more interesting) and go instead to the always-
interesting
L'Oasi della Birra
(Piazza Testaccio, 41;
%
06-5746122),
which offers
over 500 types of beer, including obscure Italian microbrews and lesser-known
European offerings. The meals here are either super-light (cheese and salami plates
for €5) or beer-worthy heavy (goulash, bratwurst, and cabbage-based salads start-
ing around €8). And the wine list is almost as impressive as the beer offering, with
many vintages served generously by the glass for €3.50.
RESTAURANTS IN TRASTEVERE
Dining in the medieval enclave of Trastevere, just across the river from the city's
historical center, is always a boisterous affair. Patrons of the restaurants here are
young and loud (mostly), reveling in a neighborhood that is positively ancient.
Most people consider the heart of Trastevere to be the area around Piazza Santa
Maria, but the restaurants around Piazza di Santa Cecilia on the other side of the
busy Viale Trastevere are actually better. In particular, the Via Genovesi and Via
Vascellari are havens for good food, and eight distinctively different restaurants
suit all tastes.
(Via dei Vascellari, 26;
%
06-5818355)
is as far a cry from
some of the costlier selections as you can imagine, except for its genuinely tasty
food. The tables are smashed together, covered with paper runners; the shelves
inside the dining room are lined with cleaning supplies; and the lighting is hospital-
fluorescent—as far from romantic as you can get. But the food here is so delicious
that Giuliano Brenna, the chef of the high-priced Asinocotto (see below) eats here
on his days off. Portions are hefty, with specialties like
polpette al limone
(meat-
balls in lemon sauce) costing just €7, and the simple ravioli and carbonara are
even cheaper and just as savory. In summer, tables are set out on the cobblestone
streets, at the base of an intersection, which means you may have to move your
chair if an oversize car needs to pass by. This restaurant is pure Roman enjoyment
and no secret to the locals, so reservations for both lunch and dinner are
recommended.
555
Da Enzo
€
€
Back across the Viale Trastevere, on the notably busier side of this district,
restaurants seem to ooze out of the decaying facades. Of the vast array, the most
wonderful (the only word for it) is the tiny trattoria
Da Augusto
(Piazza Renzi;
%
06-5896848),
tucked between Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere and the Via del
Moro. This is one of the last original
trattorie
in Rome, and no doubt someone
will ruin it soon by redecorating its crumbling interior. In the meantime, enjoy
