Ranked by TableJourney editorial score.
Amatriciana is Rome's tomato-and-guanciale pasta: bucatini tossed in a sauce of guanciale, peeled tomatoes, white wine, pecorino romano and chilli. The dish comes from Amatrice in the Lazio mountains.
The amatriciana originated in Amatrice, the Lazio mountain town in the province of Rieti, as a shepherd's pasta with guanciale, tomato and pecorino. The dish reached Rome with Amatrice migrants in the 19th century and was rapidly adopted as the city's third great pasta after carbonara and cacio e pepe. The 2016 earthquake that devastated Amatrice prompted Roman restaurants to add a €2 supplement to every plate of amatriciana, raising funds for the town's reconstruction. The canonical recipe omits onion and garlic; guanciale (cured pork jowl) is mandatory, not pancetta. Perilli in Testaccio, Matricianella in the Centro Storico and Trattoria Pennestri all serve canonical versions of the dish.
4 editor picks for Bucatini all'amatriciana in Rome, ranked by editorial score. All Rome signature dishes · Bucatini all'amatriciana across every city.
Armando al Pantheon in Rome has cooked the four Roman pastas and the quinto quarto canon since 1961, a few steps from the Pantheon. Located in Centro Storico.
OrderCacio e pepe, coda alla vaccinara, and the abbacchio when it's on the carte.
TipBookings open exactly two months ahead on the website. Walk-up tables exist but only for lone diners and only at 12:30.
Trattoria Pennestri in Rome's Ostiense, opened 2017 by Tommaso Pennestri, runs the Roman canon with farmer-named meat sourcing. Priced at €€.
OrderThe rigatoni alla gricia, pajata when it's on, and any seasonal antipasto from the chalkboard.
TipClosed Monday all day, Sunday dinner. Lunch is much easier to book than the 20:30 dinner seating.
Matricianella in Rome's Centro Storico runs the canonical Roman trattoria carte: amatriciana the dish that named the house, saltimbocca alla romana.
OrderBucatini all'amatriciana and saltimbocca alla romana, with a quartino of house Frascati.
TipClosed Sunday all day. Book a week ahead for the courtyard terrace; the indoor room is calmer.
Perilli in Rome's Testaccio has cooked the rigatoni con la pajata and the bucatini all'amatriciana since 1911. Kitchen leans roman trattoria.
OrderRigatoni con la pajata (the dish of the house), bucatini all'amatriciana and a glass of Frascati.
TipClosed Wednesday all day. Cash and card; cover charge is €2 per head.
Bucatini all'amatriciana makes more sense with someone from Rome explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.
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