Rome’s 13th district is one of the most popular destinations for Romans and tourists alike. You can find places for fun after-dinner dining, as well as places for aperitifs, lunch and dinner. Here are five restaurants we recommend you try in this city neighborhood.
1. L’antica Pesa since 1922
If you’re a fan of the Little Big Italy program, you can’t miss a visit to Francesco Panella’s family restaurant. For once you will be the judge of his dishes. We recommend this restaurant for the location, you can eat in the garden in summer or in the indoor dining room in winter (there is also a fireplace), and for the traditional Roman dishes: cacio e pepe, amatriciana and carbonara. Not surprisingly, it has been awarded by La Repubblica as “best restaurant of Roman cuisine.” The main courses are more special: suprema di pollo bio alla cacciatora with chicory ripassata; lamb with hazelnuts and pappaciucco; tuna in oliocottura, sweet and sour onion, beans and celery; etc.
Where: 18 Garibaldi Street Closing day: Sunday. Open only for dinner. Average (approximate) cost per person is about 60 euros.
2. The maritozzo Rosso
This restaurant celebrates maritozzo, the Roman dessert loved even abroad. On the menu at Il Maritozzo Rosso you can also find it savory, like the one dedicated to the city of Rome with amatriciana sauce of yellow and red dates with guanciale dell’az. Coccia di Viterbo and pecorino romano dop buccia nera (5 euros the small one and 8.50 euros the large one).
We recommend trying the small maritozzi and then tasting the fresh pasta. And to end the meal on a high note: the maritamisù, the coffee-soaked maritozzo with tiramisu cream and cocoa. The restaurant does not have much seating inside, you can also eat at the counter or outside.
Where: vicolo del Cedro, 23. Closing day: Monday. Open for both lunch and dinner.
3. Meridionale
If you’re feeling melancholy, Meridionale takes you back in time. This little restaurant in Trastevere is decorated with vintage furniture and holds items from long ago. We recommend it for the fish dishes on offer: raw fish; sea bass salad with fennel, oranges, black olives, pistachios and pink pepper; orecchiette with sea bream, eggplant, pachino, olives, capers and tarallo; fillet of sea bream baked in foil. To name a few. The restaurant has both an outdoor and an indoor part.
Where: via dei Fienaroli, 30/a. It is open daily for dinner, Saturday and Sunday also for lunch. The (approximate) average cost per person is about 30/40 euros.
4. Mozzichi
“Life is a mozzichi” is the saying of this little restaurant in Trastevere that offers forgotten Roman dishes (tonnarelli alla botticella, spaghettone all’ubriacona, piciarelli alla romana). Among the offerings you’ll also find Roman-style mozzichi: crispy breaded and fried macaroni with three types of fillings (carbonara, amatriciana and cacio e pepe).
Where: Vicolo del Cinque, 22a. Open daily for lunch and dinner. The (approximate) average cost per person is about 20/30 euros.
5. Caramella
A very cute and youthful place adorned with lots of candy. Here you can find Roman cuisine, Roman pizza and several cocktails.
Where: Vicolo del Cinque, 31a. Open daily for lunch and dinner. The (approximate) average cost per person is about 30 euros.