Rome Italy Restaurant Reviews: Roman Cuisine, Budget to High End Dining in Rome

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For decades (centuries, some would say) the Roman restaurant scene remained static, stuck in a time and space best summed up by a singing owner and red-and-white-checked table clothes. But the 21st-century dining scene has turned out to be far less eternal. Sure, the traditional restaurants are still around (and many are worth going to), but Romans (and their visitors) can now indulge in modern takes on the local cuisine.

Some may find Roman cuisine off-putting: Tender braised oxtail, pajata (veal or lamb intestines with the mother's milk still inside), hoof jelly salad, and pig's cheek are just a few traditional local dishes. For less-adventurous eaters, there's still plenty to whet the appetite, like spaghetti carbonara (pasta topped with a sauce made from bacon and eggs) or pasta amatriciana (spicy tomato sauce).

High-end restaurants tend to be Slow Food followers (meaning the chef uses locally produced, organic ingredients) or sleek and chic eateries with plenty of presentation and French technique. At Hostaria dell'Orso (Via dei Soldati 25C; 06/6830-1192; www.hdo.it), famed chef Gualtiero Marchesi serves up decadent delights like saffron risotto sprinkled with gold leaf. Chef Heinz Beck's culinary temple to Mediterranean cuisine, the Michelin-starred La Pergola (Via Cadlolo 101; 06/350-9221) is located inside the Hilton and is arguably the city's best (and, not surprisingly, most expensive) place to satiate the taste buds. It goes without saying that, at a restaurant named La Terrazza (Via Ludovisi 49; 06/478-121), there's going to be a great view (of St. Peter's in this case), but it's the food at this formal, but inventive eatery – think sea bass baked in a black olive crust – that's the real draw.

But dining in Rome needn't break the bank, either, as moderately-priced places abound. Take 'Gusto (Piazza Augusto Imperatore 9, 06/322-6273, www.gusto.it), part of the new breed of chic eateries that includes several different rooms: a wine bar, pizza and salad bar, and a hip formal dining space serving up Italian-Asian fusion fare like pasta stir-fried in a wok. Shaki (Via del Governo Vecchio 123; 06/683-08796; www.shakiroma.com), a newish wine bar/eatery on an increasingly hip street, dishes up swordfish carpaccio and seafood-laden risotto dishes in a sleek atmosphere. Al Cardello (Via del Cardello 1; 06/474-5259), located within sight of the Colosseum, is an ancient Roman restaurant serving up traditional treats like carbonara.

And for diners on a budget, Rome offers a variety of neighborhood trattorias and pizzerias that are both tasty and cheap. One of the best places for Roman-style (i.e., cracker-thin crust) pie is Dar Poeta (Vicolo del Bologna 45; 06/588-0516), in Trastevere; the line can get long, but it's worth the wait. Luzzi (Via Celimontana 1; 06/709-6332), wedged between the Colosseum and San Giovanni in Laterano, is a lively eatery serving Roman standards and above-average pizza. Hidden in the tangle of streets behind Piazza Navona, Da Francesco (Piazza del Fico; 06/686-4009) is a popular local favorite for its thin-crust pizzas and classic pasta plates.