Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
some of the best five-star restaurants in Italy, yet he personally takes your order
and delivers the food to the table. He explains the menu in English and he will
answer any questions you have in terms of the subtle flavors in his innovative
dishes. Downstairs in the grotto is an intimate wine bar for an aperitif or after-
dinner drink, or better yet, just linger in the medieval dining room after your
meal. (They never double-book a table, so you won't feel rushed.) This is not a
cheap restaurant and most first plates are over €15, but it is one of the few in
Trastevere where you actually feel that you have eaten a meal worthy of the bill.
The restaurant prides itself as gay-owned and gay-friendly, but the clientele is pos-
itively mixed, and the Italian couples of all orientations who come here are faith-
ful regulars.
RESTAURANTS IN THE JEWISH GHETTO
The Jewish Ghetto is a quieter version of the quaint Trastevere, and the clientele
(and overall aura of the area) is about 10 years older. It's also slightly more sub-
dued and sophisticated. No one gets very excited here about anything, except
about the genuinely good food you're served. This neighborhood's restaurants
often possess a casual charm that turns one-time visitors into repeat customers.
€€
The choices at my first selection are not as ample as in other parts of town,
but the dishes are solid and dependable.
Al Pompiere
(Via Santa Maria dei
Calderari, 38;
%
06-6868377; Mon-Sat)
is a casual
osteria
frequented by locals.
There are no surprises on the menu, but they do the standard Roman dishes like
fried zucchini flowers and batter-dipped salt cod better than most, in addition to
preparing top-notch seafood pastas, which start at €10 and are always fresh. It's a
tossup between this gem and
Sora Margherita
(Piazza delle Cinque Scole, 30;
%
06-6874216; Tues-Sun lunch, Fri-Sat dinner),
which is as charming as a hole-
in-the-wall gets, literally, since that's exactly what this delightful
osteria
looks like
from the outside. There is no sign outside and the entrance makes you feel as
though you are coming in through the kitchen door. But luckily, first impressions
mean nothing. The food here is classic Roman-Jewish cuisine, done with style and
predictable grace. Try the
Tonnarelli Cacio Pepe
or the chickpea-and-pasta soup for
under €10. This is a better choice for lunch since it is open for dinner only on the
weekends, when reservations are compulsory.
€€€
A worthy splurge in the Jewish Ghetto is the
Trattoria da Giggetto
(Via
del Portico d'Ottavia, 21/a;
%
06-6861105),
which isn't necessarily even a splurge
because the prices generally reflect both the quality and quantity of the food. Here
you are in the very heart of the historical Jewish Ghetto, a stone's throw away from
the ruins of the Portico d'Ottavia. This is a classic Roman-Jewish restaurant that
has been run by the same family for three generations. The fried zucchini flowers
are stuffed with mouth-watering mozzarella and the seafood pastas are exquisite.
First plates here start at over €12. They also specialize in the hot oil-boiled (not
deep-fried, mind you) artichokes in the Roman-Jewish style.
RESTAURANTS IN THE HISTORICAL CENTER
Dining close to the Spanish Steps and deep inside the historical center is all about
style. Restaurants here are trendy and intentionally chic in appearance; there is
