Trattoria Da Teo in Rome's Trastevere is the family-run pasta-and-pizza room with a piazza-side terrace, classic Roman primi and a quiet wine list of Lazio reds.
Signature dishes: Cacio e pepe, Saltimbocca, Tonnarelli
Must order: Cacio e pepe, saltimbocca alla romana and a half-litre of house wine.
Tip: Book a fortnight ahead for the piazza terrace. Closed Sunday all day.
Address: Piazza dei Ponziani 7a, 00153 Roma, Rome
Spirito Divino in Rome's Trastevere is the cellared-bistro with a 700-bottle wine list, the maialino al miele (honey-glazed pork) and the cellar tour by Eliana Catalani before lunch.
Signature: Maialino al miele, Spaghettoni cacio e pepe, Carciofi
Order: The maialino al miele, spaghettoni cacio e pepe, and a glass from the historic Lazio cellar.
Tip: Closed Sunday all day. The €60 four-course set with paired wine is the value entry.
Jacopo Mercuro's 180g Pizzeria Romana in Rome's Centocelle quarter has put the modern Roman pizza on the city's must-eat list, weighing each crust at the namesake 180 grammes.
Signature: Pizza romana 180g, Suppli, Mortadella focaccia
Order: The signature 180g margherita and the mortadella-stracciatella focaccia, plus a suppli to share.
Tip: Closed Monday. Book a week ahead; the room holds 40 covers. Metro C to Pigneto then 10 min walk.
Spirito Divino in Rome's Trastevere is the cellared-bistro with a 700-bottle wine list, the maialino al miele (honey-glazed pork) and the cellar tour by Eliana Catalani before lunch.
Signature: Maialino al miele, Spaghettoni cacio e pepe, Carciofi
Order: The maialino al miele, spaghettoni cacio e pepe, and a glass from the historic Lazio cellar.
Tip: Closed Sunday all day. The €60 four-course set with paired wine is the value entry.
Matricianella in Rome's Centro Storico runs the canonical Roman trattoria carte: amatriciana the dish that named the house, saltimbocca alla romana, and Lazio wines by the carafe.
Signature: Bucatini all'amatriciana, Saltimbocca, Concia di zucchine
Order: Bucatini all'amatriciana and saltimbocca alla romana, with a quartino of house Frascati.
Tip: Closed Sunday all day. Book a week ahead for the courtyard terrace; the indoor room is calmer.
Volpetti in Rome's Testaccio is the 1973-founded salumeria counter with 300 Italian cheeses, a salumi case stocked from every region and a takeaway pasta lunch for €8.
Signature: Cheese flight, Salumi platter, Pasta lunch
Order: The cheese flight tasting at the counter and a salumi board with prosciutto di Parma.
Tip: Open Mon to Sat 08:00 to 14:00 and 16:30 to 20:15. Closed Sunday. Cheese tour by request.
Doppio Zeroo in Rome's Ostiense district is the all-day pizza-and-aperitivo room with a long deli counter, the city's most generous aperitivo bar at 19:00 and a craft beer list.
Signature: Pizza al taglio, Aperitivo, Tasting plates
Order: The aperitivo buffet from 19:00 with a glass of Lazio white, plus slices of pizza al taglio.
Tip: Open daily 07:00 to 02:00. The 19:00 aperitivo is the value entry; book the rooftop in summer.
Trattoria Dal Cavalier Gino in Rome's Centro Storico is the politicians' lunch room near the Parliament, with frescoed walls and the coniglio alla cacciatora the unmissable secondo.
Signature: Tonnarelli cacio e pepe, Coniglio alla cacciatora, Saltimbocca
Order: The tonnarelli cacio e pepe, coniglio alla cacciatora, and a half-litre of house Frascati.
Tip: Closed Sunday. Book a week ahead; the back-room frescoed alcoves are the ask.
