The Cicero Guide to the “Best” Patrician Restaurants in Rome
Italy has incredible regional diversity in terms of cuisine. Tuscany, Emilia Romagna, Piedmont, Veneto, Umbria, Marche, Campania, Puglia, Sicily all put an indelible stamp on Italy’s global reputation for excellent food. Naples, Milan, Florence, Venice and Bologna are world class cities who confidently assert they, and they alone, are the premier dining locale in the country. In addition to openly bragging about the sophisticated nature of their own palates, they openly critique the weaknesses of the cuisine from other regions and cities. Rome, the Eternal City, the Imperial capital, the most famous city in the entire world, is frequently the primary target for these criticisms. As you travel throughout Italy, non Romans display rather patronising attitude toward Roman cooking practices and menus. How could the Roman cuisine be dissed by their fellow Italians? There must be a history- a backstory. Perhaps, it is just jealousy- the other cities are tired of taking a public backseat to Rome.
On investigation, it is not jealousy. It is flat out snobbery. Roman cuisine is described as "Peasant” food. Rome bases its cuisine on local ingredients produced by local farms using traditional agricultural methods. Everyone has access to the essentials and even the most humble soul can master the basic recipes. The signature Roman dishes contain very few ingredients. There are no 18 step recipes requiring 6-7 pots, pans or serving dishes. There ARE certainly peasant antecedents in 90 percent of what you will see on a typical Roman menu. The Roman working class is happy to describe their food as “hearty.” The standard cooking techniques are straightforward: Sautéing, braising, grilling, frying, slow roasting and baking. The favoured ingredients change by season. The Roman cook is practical and resourceful. Tomatoes, cheeses, cured meats, eggs, figs, melons, peppers, eggplant, zucchini and artichokes are mainstays. In my view, the best restaurants produce outstanding food. Super- delicious. I enjoy the food all over Italy but must call a foul on the non Romans who arrogantly claim their cuisine is superior. They may be more complex at times, but that doesn’t justify a conclusion they are better. Shame on them!
The tales of working class and peasant origins is compelling, but it is not the whole story when you evaluate the food in Rome. The arc of Roman restaurants is wide and deep. Modern, contemporary and innovative restaurants populate every cool neighbourhood in Rome. Fusion cooking has exploded. Tradition blended with chef creativity insures modern twists on classic dishes. Old favourites, sometimes predictable, gain new life. Experimentation breaks into new territory while paying homage to the original core recipes. The contemporary spots may utilise the usual Roman ingredients, but they may change the overall texture and flavour through new preparation techniques. It is a dynamic atmosphere, but it is still Roman. You can now reserve a table at restaurants that vacuum seal vegetables and cook them in water baths (sous vide cooking). Hey, I took a class! Concepts like dehydrating, fermentation, molecular gastronomy, air frying and infusion are no longer foreign to top Roman chefs.
To capture the range of Roman dining choices, I have prepared two “Best Restaurants” lists. First, the Cicero Guide to the Best Patrician Restaurants. You remember the patricians from your study of ancient Rome- they were the nobles- the consuls- the emperors. This group of recommended destinations will be the fancy places, the award winners, the Michelin favourites, the food palaces captained by famous international chefs. I will then follow up with the Spartacus Guide to the Best Plebian Restaurants in Rome. The plebes were the regular guys, but they were citizens- just at the bottom of the totem pole. The second list will be my personal favourites and will include more traditional and pocketbook friendly spots. Enjoy!
THE CICERO GUIDE: THE BEST PATRICIAN RESTAURANTS IN ROMA
1). AROMA: Hotel Palazzo Manfredi.
2). MARIO MARTINI: Viale Aventino 121.
3). MOMA: Via di s.S. Basilo 42.
4). IMAGO: Piazza delia Trinita dei Monti 6. And
5). IDYLIO BY APREDA: Via di S. Chiara 4.
6). ORMA ROMA: Via Boncompagni 31.
7). GLASS HOSTARIA: Piccolo del Cinque 58.
8). IL CONVIVIO TROIANI: Vicolo del Saldati 31.
9). ZIA: Via Goffredo Mamelli 45.
10). PIPERO ROMA: Corso Vittorio Emanuele II 280.
11). PER ME GIULIO TERRINONI: Vicolo del Malpasso 9.
12). ALL’ORO: Via Giuseppe Pisanelli 23/25.
13). PULEJO: Via dei Gracchi 31.
14). ENOTECA LA TORRE: Lungotevere della Armi 23.
15). ACQUALINA: Via de Vantaggio 14.
16). IL PAGLIACCIO: Via dei Banchi Vecchi 129A
17). LA PERGOLA: Via Alberto Cadlolo 101.
Spectacular places all- great for your final night in Rome or a super special occasion.
