Rome Restaurant Tips by sue_stone

Ristorante 34: Al 34

Starving after a full morning of walking and site seeing, we stumbled upon Ristorante 34 and happily pulled up a seat on the street for some refreshments.

We soon found out that we weren't sitting in the best place - the cars driving down this narrow street were passing close enough for us to touch, and we were in the prime position for the elderly beggar/singer lady who kept stopping to serenade us.

Besides all that we had a relaxing lunch, and did a bit of people watching too.

Favorite Dish: I had a seafood risotto that wasn't that nice - it was ok, but nothing special. A glass or two of wine helped to wash it down ; ))

Address: Via Mario de' Fiori, 34

Comparison: about average

Directions: Very close to Piazza di Spagna (bottom of the Spanish Steps)

Phone: 06/67.95.091

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 3

Theme: Local

Tre Scalini: The famous Tartufo Tre Scalini Review

Tre Scalini is a grand old cafe/restaurant located in the heart of Piazza Navona.

It is one of those expensive cafes that you pay a fortune to sit in the Piazza and watch the world go by.

While it is not the friendliest of places, and you get the feeling that you are being churned in and out in a hurry, it is certainly a great place for some people watching.

Favorite Dish: The speciality of Tre Scalini is their Tartufo - a type of chocolate ice cream ball (refer to the photo).

It is evil. In a good way.

Their coffee is average.

Address: Piazza Navona 28

Comparison: more expensive than average

Directions: In Piazza Navona

Phone: 39 066879148

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 4

Theme: Coffeehouse

La Scaletta Degli Artisti: Pizza near Piazza Navona

After a few drinks at Jonathan's Angels one night, we stopped off at La Scaletta Degli Artisti for a pizza and some more drinks.

La Scaletta Degli Artisti is a friendly restaurant/pizzeria located close to Piazza Navona.

We sat in the outside at the front of the restaurant and ordered pizzas and house red wine.

Favorite Dish: We had 4 different pizzas that were all good -Salami, Prosciuto, Quattro Formaggio and one with a bit of everything.

Address: Via di Santa Maria dell'Anima 56, Roma

Comparison: about average

Directions: A block back from Piazza Navona

Phone: 06 - 68 80 18 72

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 3

Theme: Pizza

Il Nolano: Coffee in Campo de' Fiori

Il Nolano is one of the many restaurant/bars situated on the vibrant Campo de' Fiori.

We stopped off here mid shop and took a seat in the square to relax and top up on caffeine.

It was a sunny day and a great place to do some people watching and plan our next activity.

Address: Campo de Fiori, 11/12

Comparison: less expensive than average

Phone: 06 6879344

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 3

Theme: Local

Breakfast in Rome Termini station: Breakfast at the train station

If you are heading out of Rome early, or are staying near the station and need somewhere for breakfast, there is a great cafe/deli on the right, just as you walk into the station, off Via Marsala.

We stopped off here for a quick coffee and croissant before catching the metro. They also make good panini.

It also has a small deli and sells some great looking local products.

Comparison: about average

Directions: In the Rome Termini complex, close to the Via Marsala entrance

Phone: 06 42014301

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 3

Theme: Deli

Gelateria della Palma: Gelato anyone !?

Gelateria della Palma is an ice cream lovers heaven!

Located just up from the Pantheon, there are 100 or so flavours of delicious gelato to choose from.

There is nothing better than buying a scoop or two and then wandering back to Piazza della Rotonda, taking a seat by the fountain and relaxing.

Favorite Dish: It is so hard to decide....hmmmm ..... I always love the coffee....and the hazelnut .... and the pistachio ..... and ..... and ....

Address: Via della Maddalena 20, Rome

Comparison: less expensive than average

Directions: Just off Piazza della Rotonda

Phone: 06 688 06 752

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 5

Theme: Ice Cream

Tazza d'Oro: The Best coffee in Rome ?

Tazza d'Oro is known as Rome's "house of coffee", and I have read that it is supposed to have the city's best coffee.

Located just across the Piazza from the Pantheon, it is the perfect place to stop off for a quick espresso mid site-seeing.

Favorite Dish: For a famous Roman institution, their coffee sure is cheap. If you have a espresso standing at the bar it is only costs 65 euro cents!

Just go and pay at the cash register first and then present your docket to the barista

Address: Via degli Orfani, 84 (Pantheon)

Comparison: less expensive than average

Directions: just off Piazza della Rotonda

Other Contact: email: info@tazzadorocoffeeshop

Phone: 39 06 6789792

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 5

Theme: Coffeehouse

Website: http://www.tazzadorocoffeeshop.com/homeeng.htm

Cul de Sac: Great local cuisine

We had a great dinner at Cul de Sac back in 1999.

It is in a good location on the small Piazza Pasquino, close to the famous Pizzeria de Baffetto and very near to Piazza Navona.

We were lucky to get a table in the Piazza and settled down for a tasty dinner and some serious people watching.

Favorite Dish: Unfortunately I don't remember what we ate, but I remember that we had a great meal, and plenty of wine - there is a huge wine list.

Address: Piazza Pasquino 73, Rome

Comparison: about average

Directions: Close to Piazza Navona

Phone: 06/68801094

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 3

Theme: Local

Pizzeria Da Baffetto: The best Pizza in Rome ?? Pizzeria Da Baffetto Review

I had read all about Pizzeria Da Baffetto having the best pizza in Rome, so of course we had to go there to see if it was true!

Pizzeria Da Baffetto has been around for more than 40 years. It appears that any Italian celebrity that goes to Rome has dinner there and is photographed with the owner - the walls are covered in photos of famous people that have dined there.

We went early to avoid the queues, and only had a short wait before being seated.

Our experience was not that great though.....they got my order wrong, and presented me with an onion pizza - and since I can't eat onion I was horrified and asked them to bring me what I had ordered (obviously they mis-understood my original order due to my dodgy Italian!!).

Anyway, they whisked my replacement pizza out in record time, but it wasn't cooked properly and was swimming in cheese and oil....

So, it turned out to be one of the worst pizza's I have eaten : ((

But hopefully my experience was just a one off......would be interested to hear how others enjoyed their visit to Pizzeria Da Baffetto.

Address: Via del Governo Vecchio 11, Rome

Comparison: less expensive than average

Directions: Close to Piazza Navona

Phone: 06-68-61-617

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 2

Theme: Pizza

Ristorante La Scalinata: Pasta near the Spanish Steps

Ristorante La Scalinata is a small local feeling restaurant, located just away from the tourist mecca of the Spanish Steps.

It came highly recommended by my mother-in-law, who had been there a few months ago, so thought we would give it a go.

We had a great lunch here, we squeezed into the last available table, ordered a litre of vino rosso and practiced our rusty Italian.

Favorite Dish: We just had pasta for lunch. I had the most delicious cannelloni and Alex had a fab macaroni with spicy sausage, eggplant and pecorino.

Address: Via Sant'Andrea delle Fratte 32, Roma

Comparison: less expensive than average

Directions: Close to the bottom of the Spanish Steps, towards the Trevi Fountain

Phone: 06 6994 2067

Price: US$11-20

Rating: 4

Theme: Italian