For fans of Criminal novel piazza san Cosimato is where Franco Giuseppucci, the boss of the Banda della Magliana who inspired the Lebanese character, was killed. Today that area of Trastevere, between the market in the square and the surrounding alleys, it is far from those times and has become the nucleus in which the banalization of Roman cuisine is fought. It is the good part of Trastevere, the less touristy one, where to go to eat well: from carbonara to tripe, from Dol salami "of Lazio origin" to what is perhaps the best ice cream in the city, without forgetting all butter and baguette croissants French flavor.
Le Levain
Let's start with Le Levain for two reasons. The first is that Giuseppe Solfrizzi opened his pastry shop in an alley in this somewhat isolated area of Trastevere in times when there was not much here, in 2015. A pioneer, therefore, who chose to bring to Rome the its Franco-Pugliese fusion, which ranges from baguette to focaccia, from panzerotti to croissants (delicious, all butter), passing by excellent cakes and single-portion portions in a modern style and a nod to French pastries. Impossible not to stop if you are in the area.
Otaleg
We remain in the dessert area, but it is not said, because we are talking about an ice cream parlor that easily also prepares savory proposals. Otaleg has recently opened in Trastevere, but it is a confirmation in the city panorama: we talk about ice cream as opposed to Marco Radicioni, who after a double-track management of the original store in Colli Portuensi and that of Trastevere, decided to abandon the first and focus everything on the second, rewarding the rebirth of this corner of the neighborhood dear to Trilussa. Here you eat the ice cream with a capital G, the result of a balance between the raw materials, all of excellent quality and purchased without paying attention to the penny. From savory tastes, a true obsession for Radicioni, to sweet and fruit-based ones, strictly in season, from Otaleg it is all "a balance over the madness" of making everything at home and not buying anything semi-finished.
eggs
Among the pioneers of the neighborhood is Eggs, which has recently moved from one place to another but only moved a few meters, to expand and be able to better control the enormous success that has received this "all-egg" formula. The protagonists of the dishes come from the Bio Farm Orto by Arianna Vulpiani, an organic vegetable garden with a chicken coop a few steps from the junction, north side of Rome. Obviously from Eggs the undisputed queen is the carbonara, which has a separate card and a dozen variations, although the advice is to taste the so-called Triplete, which shows the evolution from cheese and pepper to carbonara, passing through gricia. On paper the eggs are of all kinds and the recipes cover not only classics of the Roman tradition, but also of the Piedmontese one, given that the cook Barbara Agosti is from Novi Ligure. Last but not least, as desserts there are Zum tiramisu, which are part of the same family and which are available in different flavors here.
Il Maritozzo Rosso
In the spaces that until recently were owned by Eggs, the Maritozzo Rosso has taken place, another “thematic” address that has staked everything on the Roman breakfast loaf. Obviously you can find the classic with cream, but before ordering it you have to go through the selection of savory versions that have a little taken up with the concept of the stuffed sandwich: in practice, the husband becomes a palette on which to support the best of tradition and of fantasy in the kitchen, from endive with anchovies to pulled pork. And yet not only do we eat the puddings in these parts, because there are also other dishes, many of them from the Roman tradition, but obviously the dinner with the classicone ends with cream.
Proloco Trastevere
Many believe that after 3 bars (plus one that no longer exists) Proloco Dol found the perfect square in Trastevere, where it opened a few months ago, it being understood that it is very good in the other two ( in Centocelle and Piazza Fiume). For the last Martians who did not know it, Dol is the acronym of Denomination of Lazio origin and was born from an idea by Vincenzo Mancino, who collected the best of the Lazio countryside, with particular attention to the cheese and salami counter. The cuisine is traditional and has always been accompanied by excellent pizza, which boasts the three segments of the Gambero Rosso pizzeria guide. Probably the author of the immediate success of Proloco Trastevere is Mancino's wife, Elisabetta, who gave her feminine touch to the place, refining it all. Here, in addition to the always excellent wine selection, there are also cocktails, perhaps sipping while sitting in the comfortable sofas at the entrance, waiting for the table.
Tripe Osteria
A few meters away, the good Alessandra Ruggeri has just opened a place of her own. A challenge, for her who has always chewed cooking, but who comes "from sales". This is a modern osteria, with a refined appearance and an attentive service. It is still in the phase «But what, are you those from Milan?, Referring to the homonymous Trippa that made sparks in that of Porta Romana. Alessandra frankly replies «No, we are those from Rome!. On paper, a section dedicated to the product that gives its name to the local, tripe (fried, with meatballs, with beans, in ravioli and obviously classic Roman), as well as several other fifth-quarter dishes. A lot of tradition, even if Alessandra states that she already has in mind to shoot with other regional contaminations. She is everywhere: in the kitchen she prepares the line, in the room she coordinates and welcomes customers, at the table suggests the wine from the beautiful paper all over Lazio.
Aunt
When we review the revival of the area of Piazza San Cosimato, how can we not mention Antonio Ziantoni and his delightful companion Ida Proietti? He in the kitchen, she in the living room, they give the measure of the new that is moving forward. Luckily. He has important experiences behind him and considers his mentor Anthony Genovese (the Pagliaccio, two Michelin stars). She accompanies him with discretion, guarding the room with grace and helping him in the operational management of a restaurant where he was personally involved, as an entrepreneur, putting himself at the head of a team made up entirely of young people. The debut was crackling, the cards are all there, from the happy hand to creativity without too many frills: these guys will make their way. Disclaimer: although so far we have mainly talked about carbonating, in this case we are talking about a refined fine dining kitchen, albeit with low costs. Refrain from worshipers of the trucker dish.
