Restaurants in Rome
IF YOU KNOW | MAR 9, 2021
Ryan Pollnow & Sophie Fleming
WHO
Restaurants
WHAT
Rome
WHERE
About
Born and raised in Northern California, Chef Ryan Pollnow attended the School of Culinary Arts at SRJC in Sonoma County. He went on to further his education in Spain at Mugaritz, a restaurant recognized internationally with two Michelin stars. Ryan returned to the Bay Area to work between San Francisco and Sonoma County before finding a passion for local foods and seasonality during a food tour of Northern Italy in 2011. Shortly thereafter, in 2012, he joined Ne Timeas Restaurant Group as Chef de Cuisine at flour+water. Ryan has spent time at the helm of all of the group's restaurants (including flour+water, Central Kitchen, Aatxe & flour+water Pasta Shop) and is now Executive Chef of the restaurant group where he focuses on operations and the expansion of the flour+water brand.
Ryan’s fiancee, Sophie, is also a Northern California native and 13-year restaurant industry veteran. Currently, you can catch them at both flour+water and the Pasta Shop in SF’s Mission District.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY RYAN & SOPHIE
This place sources the best larder ingredients and does an amazing job of showcasing them very simply and with expertise. Don’t miss the pasta, but besides that, just order what you feel like eating. If you want burrata and cherry tomatoes, do it. If you want some cured anchovy, cool. No need for food FOMO here. They have the best version of Spaghetti Carbonara I’ve ever had. Their other notable dish was the house made Mortadella.
If I lived in Rome, I would eat lunch here every weekend. It just feels like such a warm locals spot and the food/wine list is soooo good. The cacio e pepe literally made me cry. Their Rigatoni all'Amatriciana is also super good. And definitely start with Suppli (Rome’s version of arancini).
The ordering process can be a little intimidating (especially during peak business hours) but grab a number and when they call you, be ready to order your selections. While you pay the cashier, they will reheat your pizza and will re-call your number when it’s ready. Honestly, get whatever Pizza al Taglio looks good to you at the moment. (Also, trying three different types per person isn’t crazy.)
Grab a to-go piece of this red pizza to stave hunger between meals and take a walk around the city. Try the red pizza – it’s simple, tomato-topped thin-crust rectangle dough sold by the kilo.
Head here for coffee and a breakfast pastry. Large sit down breakfasts aren’t part of the culture in Italy and especially in Rome. This is the perfect location to experience the classic Italian breakfast, a nice espresso and a pastry while standing at the counter. (From the same group as Roscioli Salumeria and Antico Forno Roscioli.)
This place has multiple locations, including one in the Termini train station. They serve toasty triangle bread pockets filled with tasty things – a great lunch bite. Typical sandwich fillings include chicken cacciatore and eggplant parm, but my favorite is the beef tongue with salsa verde. Also don’t miss their Arancini, they’re a perfect accompaniment to the triangle sandwich pockets.
TRATTORIA DA
AGUSTO
Vicolo de' Renzi, 15
ROME, ITALY
$
This place is walk-in only, so expect a wait. This isn’t the fanciest place you’ll dine in Rome, but that doesn’t matter because the food is great and there is very good value here. Try the stracciatella (soup), their braised beef and rucola. House wine is served by the liter or half liter – they are also a great value and quality. The restaurant is located very close to a great bar, Freni e Frizoni, so put your name down on the waitlist and go enjoy one of their signature drinks before or after dinner.
For a quick departure from the busier neighborhoods of Rome, check out this fun scene in the Monteverde neighborhood. Litro is a great natural wine bar with an exciting list and a super hospitable and knowledgeable staff. Grab a seat outside, some snacks and a bottle or three.
This is perfect for a super cheap afternoon snack. You don’t have to sit here to enjoy the fried baccala (cod) – you can actually walk straight through the dining room to the person frying in the back and pay for a piece of fried cod. Eat it out of your hand like a local. They also have a great rendition of puntarelle romana (when in season).
NOTE: The sign reads “Filetti di Baccala” outside.
The same chef of Roscioli either started this pizzeria or consulted for it – the dude knows how to cook classic Roman food! Get the classic Roman style thin crust round pizza (NOT pizza al taglio – that’s a very different “Roman-style pizza”). Get the Vignarola – a super tasty, classic Roman dish of blown-out vegetables crushed with olive oil. Also, there is a super cute retail store next door that sells all the artisanal ingredients on the menu.
This bakery closes early, so hit it up for fuel before walking around the Campo de’ Fiori market. Get the pizza bianco – think of it more as garnished focaccia than what we think of as “pizza”. My favorite (and a Roman super classic) is squash blossom with anchovy. Also worth trying the mortadella topped version.
I don’t know how legal it is to bring back to the US, but this place vacuum seals salumi to put in your suitcase. Sample EVERYTHING. The coppiette is particularly good.
You will get a history lesson and a cheap lunch all wrapped into one meal. This is a crash course in menu items born from Roman Jews who were confined to a mini pocket of Rome, making deliciousness out of nothing. Get the carciofi alla giudia (Jewish style artichoke) and classic Roman fare.
Secure a reservation ahead of time – it books up quickly and the dining room is quite small. Get a full Italian dinner here: antipasto, pasta, secondo, contorno. The pastas are spectacular, but I trust anything on this menu would be delicious. DON’T miss the “fettuccine con le rigaglie di pollo” (chicken liver ragu and pasta).
Try to secure an outdoor plaza seat. Inside has all the same deliciousness, but leaves a little to be desired as far as ambiance. They have the best Roman-style tripe (!) and you should get a tasting of the house made pate. They have a super cool wine list too.
LA BARRIQUE
Via del Boschetto, 41B
ROME, ITALY
$$
After bopping around the cool neighborhood of Monti, stop into La Barrique for a cozy and casual imbibing moment. Find the handwritten menu hanging on the wall and trust that anything you choose will be tasty. La Barrique is also a bottle shop so don't forget to snag a bottle for the road.
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