Where to eat the best cacio and pepe in Rome
Tonnarelli a Cacio e Pepe ( pasta with cheese and pepper) is to Rome, like pizza is to Naples, as a Prosecco is to Venice and as flat bread is to Romagna. So, coming to Rome without tasting a plate of this speciality is a crime! It’s as if you came to Rome and never saw St.Peter’s Square or tossed a coin in the Trevi Fountain.
We know that everyone, Romans, and those who come to study or for work, have their own special places for this dish. We at Gli Artisti can recommend 3 places, but we would love it if you would share with us your favorite place and maybe we could create a map of the best Tonnarelli in the city of Rome. What do you say, let’s start!
In 1st place, we have ROSCIOLI. You can find Roscioli on Via Giubbonari,21 a few steps from Campo de’ Fiori. You can find it easily and get there even on foot from B&B Gli Artisti. The place is not very big but if you want to taste this Tonnarelli, we advise you to always book in advance, especially during the weekend. The prices are not the lowest, for a plate of Tonnarelli it’s about 12.00 Euro however it is one of the best restaurants in Rome, and not only for this dish. To try this place, is a special experience.
In 2nd place, we have Da FELICE. You can find Da Felice in Testaccio. Here, they bring the Tonnarelli pasta to the table ,and dress the pasta with the cheese and pepper in the moment it is ready. Just thinking about it makes your mouth water. Da Felice was once named in the NY Times as one of the best places to eat Cacio e Pepe, and if they say it is so, we can only confirm that ! You can find Da Felice on Via Mastro Giorgio, 29, about an hour on foot from Gli Artisti, but if you decide to go, we suggest you take the #30 bus towards Laurentina, and in about 8 stops, you will find yourself in front of the trattoria.
In 3rd place, we suggest TANTO PE’ MAGNA’. It’s not that easy to get to Tanto pe’ Magna’. It’s located in Garbatella, on Via Giustino de Jacobis,9 . Before venturing out to find this place, call first to see if they have open tables . Their number is 06 51607422. In addition, remember that they do not accept credit cards. The trattoria is down to earth, with abundant portions and simply divine, We put this trattoria in 3rd place only because it is harder to get there. You can take the #30 bus from Lepanto towards Laurentina and after a good 14 stops you will arrive. Or, you can take the metro , changing at Termini from Line A to Line B, going towards Laurentina, getting off at the stop, Garbatella. Once you exit the metro, with a good map, you will arrive and be seated at your table in about 15 minutes.