The best trattorias in Rome
Where to enjoy authentic Roman cooking across the capital
There is the friend who swears by old-school trattorias, the adventurous partner who prefers modern takes, the relative loyal to their neighbourhood osteria, and the self-proclaimed expert always ready to chip in. When it comes to Roman cooking in the capital, debates can easily fill entire evenings with lively discussion and contrasting views.
In a city so vast and crowded with dining spots, where do you find places that truly do justice to local tradition, serving luscious pasta and textbook mains? Who truly celebrates culinary simplicity, turning it into sheer richness? Between established classics and fresh openings, Flawless has selected the best trattorias in Rome for foolproof lunches and dinners.
Sora Lella
Via di Ponte Quattro capi, 16
Food and cinema. Sora Lella is tied to the name of Elena Fabrizi, a cook and classic screen actress who turned her passion for food into a true well-oiled machine of tripe and regional flavours 80 years ago. Directors and film stars have sat at the tables of this famous trattoria on Isola Tiberina. Sora Lella is no longer with us, having passed the baton to the next generation of the family. The cooking has been lightly updated, but gnocchi di patate all’amatriciana, coda di manzo alla vaccinara and pollo alla romana con i peperoni remain fixtures (alongside the famous faces) and still delight Rome.
Felice a Testaccio
Via Mastro Giorgio, 29
A dependable mainstay of Testaccio, a neighbourhood packed with traditional trattorias, amphorae and ancient pottery shards. Felice a Testaccio, bearing the historic stamp of Felice Trivelloni, is now one of the city’s finest Italian dining destinations. Its past is rooted in the authenticity of its owner and neighbourhood, while today’s cooking offers a modern feel while respecting tradition. The interior design leans post-industrial. Dishes are colourful, ingredients fresh, and plating is simple, unpretentious, but never dull.
Lo Scopettaro
Lungotevere Testaccio, 7
Legend has it that before this restaurant opened, the site housed a broom workshop that even supplied the Papal States. Hence the name Lo Scopettaro: one of the city’s most historic and famous trattorias, active for over 80 years at number 7 in Testaccio, celebrating simplicity through and through. The setting feels warm and homely, while the menu is packed with favourites. If you are after a top-notch carbonara, you now know where to go.
Trattoria Lilli
Via Tor di Nona, 23
It was ’69 and, right in the middle of the post-economic boom, Loredana, known as Lilli, and her husband opened their restaurant just steps from Piazza Navona, serving guests the dishes they loved making at home. Rigatoni alla gricia, penne all’arrabbiata, bucatini all’amatriciana, cacio e pepe, spaghetti alla carbonara: Trattoria Lilli is a realm of flavours where the past is preserved and used to dress generous plates of perfectly tossed pasta. Forget decorations and frills: in this venue, substance is what counts.
Da Gino al Parlamento
Vicolo Rosini, 4
Vicolo Rosini raises a smile: set against the grand scale of Rome and its wide avenues, it feels like a dot among giants. Tucked away here, ‘in front of Parliament’—as locals like to say—is Cavalier Gino’s trattoria, an area benchmark where you might easily bump into a politician. The space is inviting, framed by frescoes and touches of greenery. Here, a plate of strictly homemade pasta and a jug of red wine is the best combination to order.
Flavio al Velavevodetto, A Testaccio
Via Monte di Testaccio, 87
Note down the name Flavio De Maio, and remember that his carbonara won the Carbonara Day competition against many of Rome’s top cooks. If you are visiting Flavio al Velavevodetto in Testaccio for the first time—which also has a slightly smarter sibling near Piazza dei Quiriti—make sure you prioritise the chef’s signature dish. Add a carciofo alla Giudia to start and a glass of tiramisù for dessert, and the trio is complete.
Da Enzo al 29
Via dei Vascellari, 29
Enjoy a well-executed, suitably rich cacio e pepe or deeply flavourful abbacchio, just metres from the banks of Trastevere. At Da Enzo al 29, tucked between historic churches and weathered buildings, a love for produce and producers (all locally sourced, as they take pride in noting) is the kitchen’s guiding principle. It is the kind of place that captures times gone by, where every dish calls for seconds.
Trattoria da Danilo
Via Petrarca, 13
Stroll through Esquilino, one of central Rome’s most vibrant, multicultural neighbourhoods, and you will find Da Danilo: a meticulously run trattoria where soft lighting and well-spaced tables create an intimate atmosphere. The menu gets straight to the point: a few starters, a concise selection of pasta dishes and mains, alongside house classics led by spezzato di agnello alla cacciatora and baccalà alla romana. Among the specialities, the strozzapreti al lardo con pecorino di fossa deserve a special mention as an inventive riff on amatriciana.
Santopalato
Piazza Tarquinia, 4/A/B
Open for just a few years, SantoPalato from Abruzzo-born Sarah Cicolini, a self-styled ‘Judeo-Roman cook’, has quickly won over curious diners. The trattoria is simple in style, with youthful touches inside that mirror the kitchen’s attitude. Local traditions arrive on the table in modern forms without ever being distorted. The chef’s touch is clear to see and taste, yet never overbearing, delivering a fresh angle on tradition with consistently tantalising quality.
Osteria da Fortunata
Via del Pellegrino, 11/12
A small family-run spot near Campo de’ Fiori, easily spotted by the steady queue outside the door. Inside and out, aromas from the kitchen fill the air. At Osteria da Fortunata, steaming plates pass by that make your mouth water on sight. Everything here is strictly homemade; in particular, the fresh pasta is rolled out by hand in full view of captivated diners. Fettuccine, tagliolini, strozzapreti, gnocchi and ravioli have the ideal bite, catching every drop of sauce. Our recommendation is simple: order one of their pasta dishes.
