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 dishes: Carbonara, Cacio e pepe, Carciofo alla giudia
Must 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.
Address: Via dei Vascellari 29, 00153 Roma, Rome
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.
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.
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.
