tl;dr excellent traditional Roman cuisine meets exceptional service, so you are sure to feel right…read moreat home in this family-run trattoria The Roman pasta scene is dominated by four quintessential pasta dishes -- Carbonara, Cacio e Pepe, Amatriciana, and Gricia -- and each is served at any of the countless trattorias around Rome. While plenty of these places are unabashed tourist traps, others are true diamonds in the rough. Finding the gems can be challenging -- so I was relieved that our host in Rome invited us to one of his favorite family-run spots: La Pace del Palato. Just blocks from the Piazza Navona, La Pace makes its home on a slightly sleepy side street. Inside, cool bright colors pop out directly from the walls. Plaster meets exposed brick in a wavy pattern across the walls, themselves only decorated with shelves of wine. Metal stars hang down from the high ceilings. Muted jet-black chairs are pressed up to the lightwood tables, each decorated with a dumbbell-shaped lamp. Just days in advance, I secured a reservation for weekend dinner. The proprietor Renato didn't speak any English, but he was fluent in hospitality. As soon as we arrived, we were made to feel at home, and the staff joked with us like family throughout the meal. Our meal kicked off with two complimentary antipasti: a flavor-packed, Aperol spritz-inspired amuse bouche and a smoky roasted eggplant salad. After that, our group gravitated toward the "Roman Tradition" selection of the menu: classic Roman pastas. My favorite was the excellent Mezzemaniche alla Carbonara. Despite the deep yellow sauce, the flavor was rich and peppery rather than egg-dominated. I also loved the Rigatoni alla Amatriciana for its particularly tomato-forward sauce and plentiful pork. But don't sleep on the generously-sauced Ravioli (prosciutto, ricotta, and thinly-sliced proscitto) or the melt-in-your-mouth Stringozzi alla Gricia (cacio e pepe enhanced by guanciale). Across all of the pastas, my only criticism was that the pork could have been more consistently crispy; otherwise, the textures and flavors were excellent. We completed our meal with a tiramisu -- it is a testament to La Pace that we downed the dessert despite our already-full bellies. Our bill worked out to just over $100 -- on par with some of our least memorable meals in Paris. La Pace del Palato literally translates to "the peace of the palate", and the name couldn't be more apt. This was our final restaurant on a whirlwind trip through Italy, and everything about this meal satisfied. For Roman classics done right, look no further than Renato's humble cucina.

This is my number 1 fav restaurant in Rome. If you wanna have the best food experience you have to…read morego here. Everything it's exquisite from food , to wine ,to ambiance, to staff . It's a mix between the Italian old cuisine to the new one. The variety of wine that they serve it's in a perfect symphony with the variety of the food. Renato the owner and his family they gonna make you feel so special that you would like to have dinner always there. The ambiance it's intimate and typically Italian style. You're welcome.

A relaxing, small place with still then possibility of lively fun. Just off the crowded alleys that…read moreI think making outdoor dining a challenge, Casa Mia is a great option to start your evening in Trastevere. Food is always delicious, reasonably priced and served by a friendly staff that has been there a few years (at least).

I came here as part of a Trastevere food tour for the main course of the evening…read more We got to try two different pastas: cacio e pepe and amatriciana, and a second course of chickory with meat (I didn't catch specifically what the meat was). The amatriciana was a red pasta and the sauce was simple but delicious. Cacio e pepe was like a bougie mac n cheese, so creamy but I liked the amatriciana more. The chickory tasted kind of like spinach. We paired this with peccorino white wine which was local to the region and went well with the food. I would definitely recommend if in Rome!

During my trip to Italy, I only had a short time in Rome - about 36 hours. So, we squeezed in as…read moremuch as we could during the short time including a golf cart tour so we could hit all the hotspots. At the end of the tour, our guide dropped us off for lunch and provided this spot as a suggestion. (The one tip we heard repeatedly from locals while in Italy - avoid any restaurant that had pictures outside of their food or had alfredo, spaghetti and meatballs or chicken parmigiana on the menu.) So, she kindly dropped us off here - at this little spot just off the beaten path. We arrived at lunch time, but were lucky to secure a table outside (dining al fresco in Italy is just a must whenever possible). That said - we just had a light lunch as we had big dinner plans that evening. So, I had only a glass of rose wine and one dish - cacio e pepe. But, here's the thing - I am still thinking about that one bowl of pasta now - more than a month later. It was that good. It's such a simple dish - pasta, cheese, pepper. And yet - so much deliciousness. I've tried to recreate at home, but to no success. I will keep trying. But, the long story short, if you are in Rome, stray off the beaten path - go here and have the cacio e pepe. Honestly - I bet all their dishes are amazing. If I get back to Rome - I will seek this place out to test my theory!

Hard to decide which was worse. The food or service. All the pasta was dramatically undercooked…read more The server tried to tell us the pasta was supposed to be crunchy. Better options on every corner.

Fiancé definitely chose this place for ambience...and also their seafood platter haha…read more It was one of the more fancier restaurants we dined at, very romantic atmosphere and a full house during dinner time Ceviche Trio was great, very refreshing and the seafood was high-quality Seafood platter, oo this was a big boy haha Fiancé left with a full stomach and very happy Carbonara, me...eh sadly not so much haha presentation for my dish was great (chocolate syrup...flowers... lol) but there was so salt that I was only able to finish my dish, sad face Dessert was good though But just skip the Carbonara haha

Hidden gem!!!! It's…read moreoff the beaten path. And away from all the tourists/ people. And worth the extra steps. I got the carbonara and it was the best in Rome! This carbonara is made with cream cheese and is so creamy and cheesy! 10/10 My husband got the tagl pasta dish and loved it. He also said this was the best pasta he has had in Italy. 10/10 We could have skipped the meat and cheese platter. That was just alright, but not the best. 8/10 Service was good. A little slow on the food, but that's okay. It was great food. The presentation was really good too! 10/10

This was an excellent choice for dinner with an upscale look and sharp service. We managed to get…read morein without a reservation even looking like tired tourists, because we were. I found the menu a little intriguing, who or what is Benedetto Cavalieri, a prominent name on some dishes. Is it a style of preparation? While trying to google an answer, our helpful server explained it was a pasta maker of the highest order. Might not have been those exact words but I've learned it is a pasta company who goes to great lengths to produce a durum wheat only from certain fields and without the use of chemicals. We are not pasta connoisseurs but happy to try eating like one. I had their Fusillone "Benedetto Cavalieri". It was green, I liked it, and I assume it was a better pasta for me.

We had dinner last night and had a fabulous meal. The service and food were excellent. It's a Rome…read morecentric menu and the Roman pastas were great. Very good wine list with reasonable prices. Highly recommended.

We had one of the worst dining experiences of our entire trip to Italy at this restaurant. The…read moreservice felt discriminatory and incredibly unwelcoming from the moment we arrived. Our family of four was waiting to be seated when a local family of four arrived after us and was seated immediately. We were eventually seated right next to them, and they were served bread while we were ignored and received none. We ordered wine that was never brought to the table, and at one point a waiter who was not even serving us removed our wine glasses after we had already ordered the wine. The service throughout the meal was chaotic and rude. The artichoke dish was extremely bland -- no seasoning and no flavor at all. Most of the food was greasy and disappointing. To make matters worse, we were seated directly next to the kitchen where the cooks and waiters were loudly arguing throughout our meal. We understand that service in Italy is often slower and more relaxed, and we have enjoyed wonderful hospitality everywhere else during our trip. However, this was by far the worst service we experienced anywhere in Italy. We were even asked if we wanted the bill before we had finished eating, while the local family next to us remained seated comfortably long after finishing their meal. We left feeling unwelcome and discriminated against. Unfortunately, this restaurant seemed interested only in serving locals well. If you are not Italian, do yourself a favor and dine elsewhere. We absolutely do not recommend this place.

I wanted to enjoy Il Ragno d'Oro. Filled with animated locals at dinner during the first week of…read moreFebruary, we only heard Italian being spoken. The menu had all the Roman classics, and we ordered Pasta Carbonara, Casio e Pepe with Guanciale, Roman style artichokes, and Zucchini Flowers. After a few minutes, I was transported to the Jersey Shore. As the food arrived, that Jersey Shore analogy grew into reality. I have tasted this food before. Il Ragno d'Oro became a mediocre Italian restaurant in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey. However, I was in Rome, Italy and expected more. My Pasta Carbonara was heavy, stuck together, and thought al dente was a bodega in Newark. The Cacio e Pepe had coagulated into a sticky mess. The artichoke and zucchini dishes were greasy and standard fare for an Italian restaurant anywhere in the world. But I was in Rome! Roma-the home of Pasta Carbonara, Cacio e Pepe, and Artichoke preparations. Yes, everyone was perfectly nice, the prices were reasonable, and the people around me were all having a grand time. My wife, who is of Italian heritage, couldn't eat her pasta. She said her Italian grandmother would have gone into the kitchen to show them how to cook pasta. I too, usually a human garbage disposal, left most of my pasta on the table. We walked back to our apartment in Prati disappointed. This was our worst dinner in Rome. Sorry, but it's true. Maybe the cooks had a bad night, but the dishes were subpar at best.

Very solid option that is full of locals. They have the classics and some specials as well. The…read morecarbonara and cacio e pepe are solid but the standout was the tagliatelle with veal ragout and black truffle. Among the secondi, the oxtail stew, stewed bone marrow, and pork mailano were excellent. Service is friendly and fast as well. If you are planning on dinner, I would recommend making a reservation as they start getting packed after 7:30 pm.

Everything is so delicious!! Especially carbonara and tiramisu…read more And very friendly staff

One of the favorite places we ate in Rome. Not the absolute best food, but pretty close. Great…read morevariety of pasta and beef. Everything we ate was good, not one dud. Best thing was the personality of the place. The main guy is great and speaks like 5 languages. The atmosphere is excellent and the rest of the servers are attentive and pleasant. Great place.

The waiter was trying to be kind but the manager (?) an older, tall "gentleman" was very rude. He…read morebarked about there being no take-away when I didn't request or plan on it. I was trying to browse the menu for dessert but he was extremely unwelcoming. We didn't feel comfortable sitting there for concern of an altering of our personal dishes.