Ema said after our last trip, “In Rome, it’s really hard to eat badly, maybe it’s the best place you go and you know you will still eat well.”
As a Tuscan, this initially shocked me, but you know, thinking back on it, it’s true. We are in love with Roman cuisine, famous all over the world, and pasta alla carbonara is my favorite dish. But with so many options to choose from, it can be difficult to know where to go to taste the best carbonara in the city.
That’s why we’ve finally selected our top three favorite restaurants where we’ve eaten the most delicious carbonaras in Rome: let’s get started!
First up is Pasta e Vino Osteria, a restaurant that offers a cozy atmosphere and traditional Italian cuisine. There are multiple locations in Rome, but we tried one in the city center and loved everything about it, including the lady who prepared the homemade pasta in the window! Their carbonara is insane: the photo speaks for itself. It’s super abundant, they didn’t skimp on the guanciale, and it’s priced very reasonably. They also had us try the puntarelle with burrata stracciatella and anchovies: if you don’t know what I’m talking about, try it!!
Polpetta is another restaurant that boasts a 10/10 carbonara. You can watch the video by scrolling through these photos on my Instagram profile. The venue is very cute, the staff are incredible, the waiters are kind and funny, the format is young and fresh, complete with hashtags. What’s so great about this carbonara? The restaurant is called Polpetta because everything is “meatball-able”! From appetizers to dessert, everything is in the shape of a meatball. The carbonara (as well as the amatriciana) is served with a plethora of small and delicious meatballs on top. You have to try it.
Finally, there’s Tonnarello: a historic restaurant located in the heart of Trastevere, which you’ve probably heard about a thousand times. With an authentic atmosphere and homestyle cooking, Tonnarello satisfies your palate (and your wallet too, can we say that? They have very reasonable prices). At Tonnarello, I ate my first amazing carbonara, and then went back there a thousand times, sometimes for multiple days in a row, I swear ahah. The problem with Tonnarello is that it’s so famous and so delicious that every time you have to wait for at least half an hour: it’s managed very well and flows smoothly, but the fact remains that you could waste some unnecessary time if you’re on a short weekend trip. In conclusion, if you’re looking for a delicious carbonara in Rome, we’ve given you some great options here. However, we’re curious to know if you have any other favorite places to recommend: write them down below!