Sick of tourists? Five restaurants in Rome where the locals go
Once overlooked, Esquilino is the coolest neighbourhood in the Italian capital and here is where to eat and drink.
Once overlooked, Esquilino is the coolest neighbourhood in the Italian capital and here is where to eat and drink.
1. The foodie hotspot
Daniele Bonfrisco and his wife, Ozlem, do traditional cuisine with a modern twist at Trattoria Morgana in the Esquilino quarter. Pasta is served with a wild boar ragout or red shrimp from Mazara Del Vallo in Sicily. There are Roman dishes such as coratella d’abbacchio, mixed lamb’s offal, or trippa alla Romana, made with tripe, and bollito alla picciapo, a slow-cooked veal breast with tomato, onions and olives, which is my favourite. Ingredients are sourced locally from the Lazio region as are most of the wines.
“First and foremost we have superior raw materials and we work with them to keep the characteristics of the flavours,” says Bonfrisco. Trattoria Morgana was featured on Anthony Bourdain’s television show Parts Unknown in 2016 and actors Willem Dafoe and Matt Dillon have helped to put it on the foodie map.
2. Perfect for people watching
Casadante is a chic bar in a vast space that feels more like New York or Buenos Aires than Rome. Overlooking a park honouring Italian poet Dante Alighieri, this is the place to be seen – and see – directors, writers and other creatives.
Co-owner Alessandro Campanozzi wants guests to feel welcome at any hour of the day. In the morning you can drop in for a coffee and in the evenings, it’s great for a glass of wine or cocktail from a list that mimics a pack of Tarot cards with drinks such as The Lovers or The Hanged Man.
Lights hang from high ceilings over communal tables made of recycled iron and wood while Chesterfield couches are perfect for a tete-a-tete. This haunt is better known for sandwiches and snacks than fine dining, but Casadante serves excellent pinsa, an oblong-shaped Roman-style pizza.
3. Classic Rome
Cucina Pepe is a Roman institution. It was owned by the Pepe family for 40 years before being taken over by the Rossi family five years ago. The grey walls are covered in vibrant Italian posters and black and white tiled floors complement the crisp white tablecloths.
Fresh seafood dishes such as risotto alla pescatora are a highlight. The lightly fried artichokes are delicious and the spaghetti alle vongole is perfect with our freshly caught bream, which falls off the bone. The menu also features meat dishes and vegetarian options.
“The secret of our success is creating an atmosphere of familiarity and joy, which is increasingly difficult to find,” says matriarch, Concetta.
4. Sum of all parts
Owned by the Scintu family since 2009, Osteria La Sol Fa feels like an authentic tavern. Flavio greets patrons, while brother Claudio takes care of the kitchen.
Here you can indulge in the Roman passion for offal, known as quinto quarto, with dishes such as coratella, a mix of liver, heart and lungs, or trippa alla Romana, the local tripe cooked in a rich tomato sauce. “All the ingredients are sourced locally because that’s what our grandfather and grandmother taught us,” says Flavio.
The Scintu siblings also like to spice things up. Their pasta all’amatriciana includes onion and you may find zucchini blossoms added to your spaghetti alla gricia, which is pork, pepper and pecorino cheese.
5. Around the world
Dark walls and dim lights set the scene at Salotto Caronte. This cocktail bar and bistro feels like a cosy living room while its drink list takes you around the world. There are whiskies from Scotland, Ireland and the US, gins from England, Spain and Italy and rum from Martinique and Venezuela.
The menu is just as eclectic: tacos and vegan wraps sit side-by-side with Chinese tuna bao buns. Fresh burrata and Piedmontese beef carpaccio are also mouth-watering, while heartier choices include a succulent beef fillet and grilled octopus. One of the daily specials is a tribute to the Aussie pavlova but not quite as good as the traditional recipe.
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