ITALY - Best of Europe 2014 - page 1021

Paolo, and another Marco—who welcome you into the informal restaurant beneath exposed
brick arches. If you're in a spicy mood, order lingua di fuoco (tongue of fire). If you're
extra hungry, pay an extra euro for pizza alto (thicker crust). Choose between their classic,
cramped interior and lively tables outside on the cobblestones. Their chocolate dessert
calzone is a favorite (€6-9 pizzas, daily 12:00-24:00, Vicolo del Bologna 45, tel.
06-588-0516).
Osteria Ponte Sisto da Oliviero, small and Mediterranean, specializes in traditional
Roman cuisine, but has frequent Neapolitan specials as well. Just outside the tourist zone,
it caters mostly to Romans and offers beautiful desserts and a fine value (€9 pastas, €12
secondi , Thu-Tue 12:30-15:30 & 19:30-24:00, closed Wed, Via Ponte Sisto 80, tel.
06-588-3411, reservations smart, Oliviero). If you're coming from the city center, cross
PonteSisto(pedestrianbridge),continueacrossthelittlesquare(PiazzaTrilussa),andyou'll
see it on the right.
Ristorante Checco er Carettiere is a big, family-run place that's been a Trastevere fix-
ture for four generations—as the photos on the wall attest. With white tablecloths, well-
presented food, and dressy local diners, this is a popular place for a special meal in Tras-
tevere. While it's overpriced, you'll eat well amid lots of fun commotion (€18 pastas, €22
secondi, daily 12:30-15:00 & 19:30-23:15, Via Benedetta 10, tel. [phone]). Their os-
teria next door (at #13) shares the same kitchen and offers less ambience, lower prices, and
a more basic menu (€11 pastas, €15 secondi ). Many Romans consider their gelateria (next
door at #7) to be among the best on this side of the river.
Pizzeria “Ai Marmi” is a bright and noisy festival of pizza, where the oven and pizza-
assembly line are surrounded by marble-slab tables (hence the nickname “the Morgue”). It's
a classic Roman scene, whether you enjoy the chaos inside or sit at a sidewalk table, with
famously good €8 pizzas and very tight seating. Expect a long line between 20:00 and 22:00
(Thu-Tue 19:00-24:00, closed Wed, cash only, tram #8 from Largo Argentina to first stop
over bridge, just beyond Piazza Sonnino at Viale di Trastevere 53, tel. [phone]).
Cantina Paradiso Wine and Cocktail Bar, a block over Viale di Trastevere from the
touristyaction,hasafunkyromanticcharm.Duringhappyhour(18:00-21:00),the€8drinks
come with a well-made little buffet that can turn into a cheap, light dinner (€8 pastas, daily
12:00-24:00, Via San Francesco a Ripa 73, tel. [phone], Weronika).
And for Dessert: Gelateria alla Checco er Carettiere, run by and next door to the fam-
ous, recommended restaurant of the same name, is many locals' favorite spot for gelato in
Trastevere (daily 12:00-24:00, Via Benedetta 7).
In the Jewish Ghetto
The Jewish Ghetto sits just across the river from Trastevere (see map on here ) .