Armando al Pantheon in Rome has cooked the four Roman pastas and the quinto quarto canon since 1961, a few steps from the Pantheon. The Gargioli family still runs the dining room.
Signature dishes: Cacio e pepe, Coda alla vaccinara, Abbacchio
Must order: Cacio e pepe, coda alla vaccinara, and the abbacchio when it's on the carte.
Tip: Bookings open exactly two months ahead on the website. Walk-up tables exist but only for lone diners and only at 12:30.
Address: Salita dei Crescenzi 31, 00186 Roma, Rome
Felice a Testaccio in Rome has served the Testaccio working-quarter cucina since 1936. The tonnarelli cacio e pepe is tossed table-side; the saltimbocca alla romana is the late-lunch order.
Signature: Tonnarelli cacio e pepe, Saltimbocca alla romana, Tiramisu
Order: The tonnarelli cacio e pepe tossed at the table, then saltimbocca alla romana and tiramisu.
Tip: Book a fortnight ahead on the website. Lunch is calmer; the 21:00 dinner sitting is the longest wait.
Flavio al Velavevodetto in Rome's Testaccio is built into Monte dei Cocci, the ancient amphora mound. The rigatoni alla gricia and polpette al sugo run the menu since 2008.
Signature: Rigatoni alla gricia, Polpette al sugo, Coda alla vaccinara
Order: The rigatoni alla gricia, polpette al sugo and a half-litre of Cesanese del Piglio.
Tip: The amphora-walled back rooms are the spot to ask for; the terrace fills up first in summer.
Da Enzo al 29 in Rome's Trastevere is the 30-seat trattoria with the longest queue in town. The carbonara is mantecata with raw yolks; the carciofo alla giudia is fried to order.
Signature: Carbonara, Cacio e pepe, Carciofo alla giudia
Order: Carbonara, carciofo alla giudia in season (March to May), tiramisu to finish.
Tip: No bookings for parties under four. Queue from 18:45 for a 19:00 seating or you will wait an hour.
Trattoria Pennestri in Rome's Ostiense, opened 2017 by Tommaso Pennestri, runs the Roman canon with farmer-named meat sourcing. The rigatoni alla gricia is the lead order.
Signature: Rigatoni alla gricia, Pajata, Tonnarelli cacio e pepe
Order: The rigatoni alla gricia, pajata when it's on, and any seasonal antipasto from the chalkboard.
Tip: Closed Monday all day, Sunday dinner. Lunch is much easier to book than the 20:30 dinner seating.
Sarah Cicolini's Santo Palato in Rome reads the quinto quarto offal grammar as modern technique. Trippa alla romana and the cacio e pepe make every Roma food list since 2018.
Signature: Trippa alla romana, Tonnarelli cacio e pepe, Polpette al sugo
Order: The trippa alla romana, tonnarelli cacio e pepe, and a glass of Cesanese.
Tip: Book three weeks ahead; the room has 35 covers. Lunch is the calmer service.
Da Cesare al Casaletto in Rome's western Trastevere edge, run by Leonardo Vignoli, is the locals' Sunday trattoria. The cacio e pepe is fried into a cup of pecorino crust.
Signature: Tonnarelli cacio e pepe, Polpette di bollito, Coda alla vaccinara
Order: The fried cacio e pepe cup, polpette di bollito, and a quartino of house red.
Tip: Take tram 8 from Trastevere to the end of the line. Book a week ahead for Sunday lunch.
