Rome Restaurant Tips by Paisleypaul

Restaurant Name: Hostaria da Gasparone

Sees off astounding competition for the accolade of our favourite restaurant in Rome. Just off the Trevi it is the closest with a quiet terrazza, because it is the only one of many on via in Arcione to have the terrace at the back , to the quiet Via Scuderie. Friendly staff (when they're not overly busy, which can happen!) I have indicated some prices from a receipt below ; there are also EU12 and EU15 two-course tourist menus

Favorite Dish: misto di salumi Eu 5.50
stracetti EU 9
vitello al forno EU 7.50
zuppa di verdure Eu6.00
1 Litre house red EU 9.00

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Theme: Local
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$31-40  » Currency Converter
Address: Via in Arcione (or terraced on Via Scuderie)
Directions: Between the Trevi and Via del Traforo

Restaurant Name: Hard Rock Cafe, Roma

Not authentically Italian, but if you
(1) Are an afficianado of the Hard Rock chain world wide you will want to visit
(2) Cannot possibly survive your stay without a burger

it is a cut above McDonalds or Burger King.

We didn't book but even when busy you can wait in the bar on your table. The wine list compares with many nearby trattoria and does lend an Italian flavour to the venue. Budget from around Eu50 per couple - more for a bottle of wine and side dishes etc. Or, if you stick to Coke, they will refill your glass free

Favorite Dish: The best thing in the restaurant is the painted ceiling - azure skies filled with cherubs.

Best website of any restaurant on VT ?

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Theme: Diner
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$31-40  » Currency Converter
Phone: 3-906-420-3051
Address: Via Vittorio Veneto 62a/b , Roma 0187
Directions: Go to Metropolitana Barberini or Spagna & follow the contrived exit to Via Veneto
Website: http://www.hardrock.com/locations/cafes/Cafes.aspx?Lc=ROME
Other Contact: Park directly along Via Veneto

Restaurant Name: San Carlino

At No. 24/25 Via 4 Fontane, this is just off the Via Nazionale, and the name San Carlino is not prominent on the shopfront - it is named after the nearby chiesa .
You can stand or take a seat round the back where it is new spacious and clean.
Staff were very smiley and helpful

Favorite Dish: We just went in for Earl Grey tea espresso a toasted breakfast panini and fresh fruit salad - all for under Eu 7

Recommended for a panini if you're passsing or if you stay nearby on those days you're too late for breakfast at your hotel !

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Theme: Breakfast
Comparison: least expensive
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Phone: 06 483755866
Address: Via 4 Fontane 24/25 Roma
Directions: Near Via Nazionale

Restaurant Name: Buon Sapore

Delicious Chinese food - I suppose this is Cantonese (?) Huge countries like China and India export such a culinary diversity that the Chinese restaurants are very different to those in Scotland and doubtless elsewhere.

What is more, the prices are cheaper than a take away in Scotland ! And a great cool little spot to hide if you eat just after midday.

Best option near the Pantheon as the La Rotonda ristorante Cinese we visited 2003 and 2004 is now Italian - confusing as the name remains the same

Favorite Dish: We had hot & sour soup,spring rolls, seafood hot plate and chicken satay with sate rice, cantonese rice, side dishes of mixed Chinesse vegetables, a large 660ml Peroni beer 2 cokes and 1 Litre mineral water

Our billl - - - EU28.05. That's about GBP £19, a la carte at less than a business lunch in this neck of the woods

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Theme: Chinese/Dim Sum
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: 06.68.13.53.18
Address: Via della Palombella 34-35, Roma 00186
Directions: Beside the Pantheon - If you look at the Pantheon and call the entrance '12 o'clock' Buon Sapore is at about '8 o'clock'

Restaurant Name: Re Degli Amici

Decent looking pasta, although pizza con tonno & cipolla was positively swimming in oil for some strange reason. Not the worst choice we made in two and a half weeks but far from inspired either!

Breakdown below - 32 Euros - seems expensive for a couple of pizzas without wine

Favorite Dish: Our itemised bill

Cover charge (2) EU4
Pizza with tuna,onion EU8
Pizza Napoletena EU9
Large Peroni beer EU6
coca cola 'light' EU2.50
1 Litre mineral water EU2.50
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
EU32

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Theme: Local
Comparison: more expensive than average
Prices: US$21-30  » Currency Converter
Phone: 06 6795380
Address: Via della Croce 33-b, 00187 Roma
Directions: Between Spagna Metropolitana/Spanish steps and Via del Corso
Other Contact: Fax 06 6797977

Restaurant Name: Perdingianu & Croccoriga

This offers the regional cooking of Sardinia which as ever is subtly different to that of Lazio, Sicilia, Toscana or any other regione. We spent slighly more than average here but only because it was the second last night, failing which we would have definitely been back.

* UPDATE #2 * Finally fixed that broken link to their website - it is very slow to load ! - but is now working. Great ristorante, take a look !

Favorite Dish: From the mixed Sardinian antipasti to fillets in wine and wild boar that made up our main dishes with contorni of patate and asparagi , with mineral water and beers, right to the free grappa we were given at the end this ristorante just does not miss.

Sardinian wine list offered some choices little seen in Rome, we enjoyed the white Cala Vermente (not sure about the second part of the name there)

*UPDATE* Photgraph waiter took of the pair of us shows wine bottle as Argiolas Costamolino *
http://www.cantine-argiolas.it/pub/prodotti/showprodotti.jsp?id=215&is=103&iso=7

EU 60 in total and worth every bit of it

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Theme: Italian
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$31-40  » Currency Converter
Phone: 06 488 47 13
Address: Vicolo de Serpenti 8-9, 00184 Roma
Directions: A little side street providing a shortcut from Via Nazionale to Via Serpenti. Five to seven minutes or so from Piazza Venezia
Website: www.perdingianu-croccoriga.com

Restaurant Name: TABERNA Patricii et Plebei

Between the Trevi and the Albert pub, there are two desks outside awash with flyers. Very agreeable little taberna with Eu20 and Eu22 tourist menus of pasta, meat dish, salad, 1/4 wine 1/4 water and ice cream per person. Eu10 for pizza beer and ice cream

Favorite Dish: Both roast veal and chicken cutlet were nice and the salad fresh.

Great decor inside where I have pictured the ceiling - they have made an effort !

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Theme: Local
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: US$21-30  » Currency Converter
Phone: 06 678 32 59
Address: Via del Lavatore 36 , Roma
Directions: 90 seconds walk from theTrevi - Via del LAvatore is the street to Neptune's left

Restaurant Name: Ristorante Pizzeria Zeus

This is a Sicilian restaurant, almost underselling itself, intentionally or otherwise, by including Pizzeria in the nomenclature. Delicious food, great interior, live music. We passed at all times of day as it is adjacent to Hotel Miami - fresh deliviries of ongredients every day.

(ARCHIVED ORIGINAL TIP :This is on the North side of Via Nazionale and just around the corner from Piazza della Republicca. We dined here in 2004 before I was a VT member so info sketchier than other tips hereabouts. I remember it was probably justly slightly more expensive than average, and that on our way to the Opera we were pushed for time. We told them this, and they certainly responded by serving us quickly)

Favorite Dish: 2006 - 2 Mineral water Eu3 ; 1/2 Litre House White Eu7 ; Fried Zucchini flowers Eu9 ; Seafood risotto Eu12; House recipe Lasagna Eu8, 2 Tiramisu Eu10, very gppd value at Eu57 which includes the 10% service charge

(ARCHIVED ORIGINAL TIP :Zuppa de Pesce - like many house varieties, it is served on a dinner plate rather than a soup plate, being a kind of clam mussel octopus fish casserole almost with toasted bread.)

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Theme: Italian
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$31-40  » Currency Converter
Phone: 06.48905444 - 06.4821592
Address: Via Nazionale 251A , Rome 00184
Directions: Near Piazza Republicca Metropolitana
Website: www.ristorantezeus.com/home-eng.html

Restaurant Name: Il Grillo Brillo

Centrally located and mixed reviews from VTers. It is true that you will not be fussed and feigned over here although staff did enough (if no more). Seating outside and in, fair wine list

Favorite Dish: Sausage and broccoli penne

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Theme: Local
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$31-40  » Currency Converter
Phone: 06.4883029
Address: Via dei Serpenti 79, 00184 Roma
Directions: Missed a photograph so click on the scan of the locale
Website: www.grillobrillo.com

Restaurant Name: La Tana de Noantri

Had flawless pizze here in 2004 along with copious Acqua Panna mineral water and ludicrously drinkable house red. Extremely amiable waiter with a brush of Al from 'Happy Days'

Favorite Dish: Returned Sunday lunch time 2005 and it kind of all went wrong. The pizzeria doesn't run until evening and we had to make do witha very ordinary menu. The tortellini in brodo, zuppa di verdure, tartufo and zuppa inglese were not bad, but the 'ordinary' tag for cucina in Roma is to damn with faint praise. indeed. Total with 1L water was Eu24.

So, gets 3 /5 , should be 4 1/2 for the pizzeria of an evening, and 2 / 5 for lunch ! !

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Theme: Pizza
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: US$21-30  » Currency Converter
Phone: 06 580 6404
Address: Via della Paglia 1-2-3
Directions: Near the NW corner of Piaazza Santa Maria in Trastevere