Food & Drink Best Cacio and pepe in Rome?

[itarana]

Hello, I have a bit of a culinary question for the locals and experienced travelers about Rome...

So, to keep it as short as possible - my girlfriend and I like to travel and our most important activity abroad is trying the local cuisine. Our next destination (this late spring/early summer) is Rome. One of her favorite dishes is Cacio and Pepe, so I want to take her to a really nice place that serves an excellent one! However, I'm a bit divided...

TripAdvisor's top result is the conveniently named Cacio e Pepe restaurant (https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187791-d1010711-Reviews-Cacio_e_Pepe-Rome_Lazio.html), also recommended by Lonely Planet as well, but it has a 3.5 average grade on TripAdvisor, so I'm not entirely convinced... The alternative is Felice a Testaccio (https://www.tasteatlas.com/FeliceATestaccio), a top pick by this website Taste Atlas...

If you guys have any, I'd love to hear your firsthand experiences or opinions about the best place for Cacio and Pepe. And about other traditional Italian foods, since I doubt we'll only eat that one day! Thanks in advance!

 

[Valerie]

The best cacio e pepe I've had is at Ristorante Sant'Andrea. It's what I always order there. (It is a dish that seems simple but if not made just right is a glue-like mass.) It's a trattoria, not "a nice restaurant", but the cacio e pepe is always spot-on. http://www.mybellaitaly.net/?p=406

 

[itarana]

Thanks, I'll keep that one in mind!

 

[jan]

You might want to look at this:
https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2019-rome-best-pasta/

 

[itarana]

Oh, this is a very useful list indeed. Thanks!

 

[Ann]

There is also some great info here -- www.chowhound.com/tag/italy.

 

[ColleenK]

I love the cacio and pepe at Armando al Pantheon. Have always had great meals there.

 

[SherLyn72]

While I am no expert (Carbonara is my pasta dish of choice!), I have to recommend Flavio la Velavevodetto in Testaccio for Cacio e Pepe. I had read so many glowing reviews about this restaurant's version of the dish I decided to branch out and try it. I have to say it was phenomenal! Such a simple dish, but so easy to mess up. Other times I had tried it I was very underwhelmed, but I will go back to Velavevodetto just to have it again! For Carbonara, my favorite is Da Enzo in Trastevere. Roscioli's is also very good but on my last visit it didn't live up to my previous trip.

 

[Sandrac]

I live in Testaccio and am not a fan of la Felice. Instead, I'd recommend Il Bucatino, brilliant cacio e pepe (and other dishes.) You might even see my favourite Italian actor in there, Pierfrancesco Favino!

 

[kcalnyc]

I had the opposite experience at Flavio la Velavevodetto. I hated the bright lights and the service was so bad that I felt the food didn't make up for the bad atmosphere. I too love the one at Armando al Pantheon. My fave is at Da Cesare. I also liked Roscioli's.

 

[Parigi]

Very impressed with all of you. I imagine you have gone to all - ok, most - of Rome's eateris, to have established a "best". Wink.
I can only say my favorite: hands down, at Fiammetta.

 

[Sue]

I live in Testaccio and am not a fan of la Felice. Instead, I'd recommend Il Bucatino, brilliant cacio e pepe (and other dishes.) You might even see my favourite Italian actor in there, Pierfrancesco Favino!

I thoroughly agree with you... I've eaten at daBucatino more than any other place in Rome and have never been disappointed in the food or the service!

 

[NorthernExposure]

My son and I enjoyed Roscioli, which is both a great market and restaurant in the core of Rome:

Via dei Giubbonari 21, +39 06 687 5287, anticofornoroscioli.com. Open 8.30am to 8.30pm, lunch and dinner noon-4pm and 7pm-midnight. Closed Sundays

 

[Parigi]

I love Roscioli too, especially the backroom restaurant behind the café. Less so its forno on Via dei Chiavari, not because the food was not good, but because of its chaos which could become a bit much even for Rome.