Wondering where to find the best carbonara in Rome during your trip to Italy? Our local guide will show you the 12 best places we locals love when it comes to this classic Roman dish. So keep reading, take notes and get ready to taste the best carbonara pasta of your life. At the end of the article, the original recipe to make the perfect carbonara at home.
Pasta is a big deal for Italians and each Region and city has its own proper traditional recipe which is passed from generation to generation and contributes to creating the culture of that specific area and of entire Italy.
Carbonara is Rome in its essence and it's a well-known recipe that is very often misled. When tourists go to Rome and want to taste a real carbonara pasta, not rarely they end up eating in touristy places where we locals will never go. That's why we've decided to share with you our local list of 6 nontouristic restaurants where you can enjoy a good portion of spaghetti or pasta carbonara in a traditional and proper Italian way.
Take note: the real carbonara doesn't include cream, chicken, parsley, mushrooms and so on. So bear in mind not to ask your waiter to serve you a portion of chicken carbonara when in Rome!
The 12 Best Places for Carbonara in Rome
Cesare Al Casaletto
A traditional restaurant where the atmosphere is informal and cozy. Here the pasta carbonara is traditional, rich, full-bodied and does not cost much. After all, it's about good food, good wine, all prepared with love and the owner, Leonardo Vignoli, always on-site to give advice. Check the official website info here.
Cesare Al Casaletto, via del Casaletto, 45
Tanto pe' magna'
This osteria-trattoria type of restaurant is like a gem in the heart of the real Rome, the one tourists don't even know it exists, the Garbatella district. The food is genuine, the pasta carbonara is served with a lot of black pepper on top and without any frill. Prices are trattoria-style, cheap and honest.
Tanto pe' magna', Via Giustino de Jacobis, 9
Roscioli Restaurant is in the touristic area of Rome and in this historic food emporium you can eat one of the best pasta carbonara in Rome: rich, full and abundant, Roscioli's carbonara is loved by Romans and tourists. Prices are high due to the location and also the quality of the ingredients. Check the official website here.
Roscioli, Via dei Giubbonari 21-23
Located in the Testaccio district, Checchino is one of the institutions in Rome. The carbonara is classical, modernist without additions of any kind, served on white vintage plates with golden edges, and seasoned with a lot of pepper. Wet and greasy... just a dream! Check their website here.
Checchino, Via di Monte Testaccio, 30
Armando al Pantheon
The pasta carbonara is juicy, full of seasonings, filled with cheese and black peppers. Tourists like the location and the place, locals like the pasta alla carbonara and pasta alla gricia even if the prices are quite high. More info on the official website.
Armando al Pantheon, Salita dè Crescenzi, 31
Tonnarello
If you're looking for generous portions, great taste, and traditional recipes Tonnarello is your choice. It can be crowded at times, but we advice you to wait if only for the presentation of the dishes, definitely one of the distinctive signs of this restaurant.
Tonnarello, Via della Paglia, 1
Best Carbonara near Top Attractions in Rome
We cannot let you visit the top attractions in Rome and then be disappointed because of the food. That's why we've listed the best carbonara near some of the top attractions in Rome:
Carbonara in Rome near the Vaticano
Flavio ai Quiriti - Piazza dei Quiriti, 4/5
Ristorante L'Arcangelo - Via Giuseppe Gioachino Belli, 59
Carbonara in Rome near the Colosseum
Osteria della Suburra - Via Urbana, 67
Carbonara in Rome near Trevi Fountain
Piccolo Arancio - Vicolo Scanderbeg, 112
Sora Lucia - Via Rasella, 138
Carbonara in Rome near the Spanish Steps
Matricianella - Via del Leone, 4
As you can see, we take our carbonara seriously and we proudly want to encourage all the tourists coming to Rome to enjoy the same pasta we locals love to eat.
If you're planning a trip to Rome, get in touch and we will give you the best advice for your vacation. If you want to make your own carbonara pasta at home, just keep reading.
How to make the perfect pasta carbonara at home
To make carbonara at home, you need the following ingredients:
- eggs (either the whole egg, or just egg yolk, depending on who you ask)
- guanciale (pork jowls)
- pecorino cheese
- high-quality dried pasta.
For the recipe for carbonara, click here and you won't be disappointed.
Best Pasta Carbonara in Rome: Map
Here's a clickable map of the best places to find the best carbonara in Rome:
About the author
Veruska Anconitano
Veruska is a food and wine travel journalist awarded as Best Food Travel Journalist. Sommelier, in addition to cooking and traveling, she is often called upon to tell his experience during events and seminars.
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