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 dishes: Tonnarelli cacio e pepe, Polpette di bollito, Coda alla vaccinara
Must 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.
Address: Via del Casaletto 45, 00151 Roma, Rome
Checchino dal 1887 in Rome's Testaccio is the dynastic temple of the quinto quarto. The Mariani family has cooked rigatoni con la pajata and coda alla vaccinara for five generations.
Signature: Rigatoni con la pajata, Coda alla vaccinara, Animelle
Order: Rigatoni con la pajata, coda alla vaccinara, animelle and a glass from the historic Lazio cellar.
Tip: The cellar tour before lunch is worth booking. Closed Sunday and Monday all day.
Piatto Romano in Rome's Testaccio is the small-room trattoria where the Cocco family cooks the four Roman pastas exactly as the rulebook says. No fusion, no twist.
Signature: Cacio e pepe, Gricia, Carbonara
Order: The four Roman pastas tasting if it's offered, otherwise the gricia and cacio e pepe.
Tip: Closed Wednesday all day. Book a week ahead; the dining room holds 30 covers.
Ba'Ghetto in Rome's Jewish Ghetto serves the cucina giudaico-romanesca canon under kosher supervision. The carciofo alla giudia is the dish you came for, fried to a fritter.
Signature: Carciofo alla giudia, Filetti di baccalà, Aliciotti con l'indivia
Order: Carciofo alla giudia, aliciotti con l'indivia and the spaghetti with anchovies.
Tip: Kosher kitchen; closed Friday evening through Saturday lunch. Book ahead for Sunday lunch.
Nonna Betta in Rome's Jewish Ghetto runs the giudaico-romanesca menu with a wider modern carte than the strictly-kosher houses. The carciofo alla giudia is the order, with concia di zucchine.
Signature: Carciofo alla giudia, Filetti di baccalà, Concia di zucchine
Order: Carciofo alla giudia, concia di zucchine and the spaghetti with bottarga.
Tip: Open Saturday lunch; not strictly kosher but recipes follow the Roman-Jewish tradition.
Trecca in Rome reads the Lazio mountain cucina through a young-kitchen lens. The tortelli with ricotta and cicoria and the polpette al sugo are the lead orders for 2026.
Signature: Tortelli ricotta e cicoria, Coda alla vaccinara, Polpette al sugo
Order: Tortelli of ricotta and cicoria, polpette al sugo, and a glass of Cesanese.
Tip: Closed Tuesday; dinner only Mon, Wed-Sun. Book a week ahead; small front room.
Pianostrada in Rome's Regola district is the all-female kitchen behind the focaccia di Pianostrada (rosemary, mortadella, stracciatella) and the modern Roman tasting carte.
Signature: Focaccia, Polpette di bollito, Tagliolini cacio e pepe
Order: The mortadella-and-stracciatella focaccia and the tagliolini cacio e pepe.
Tip: The garden seats book six weeks out for summer. Closed Monday all day.
