At the beginning of the year, it's time for budgets. Despite some excellent closings (Romeo, to name one), that of Roman gastronomy is always positive, with many interesting places open in 2019. Maybe a Big Bang was missing, a disruptive explosion that could make the history of away from home even in next years, but the trend of the past year has been, we can say, more "intimate": there are many openings of small cabotage premises and large maneuvers in the starry empyrean. The largest investments were recorded in hotels, even in small ones, where kitchens and bars have become the strong point, thanks to talented chefs and top bartenders. Above all, the move by Francesco Apreda to the Iconic Pantheon hotel, to give life to the Idylio and Divinity project.

Pizza and fast food

Long awaited, in February Gino Sorbillo opened his Rome format Mother yeast. Pizzas, but also fried and other Neapolitan dishes a stone's throw from Piazza Augusto Imperatore, with the inevitable queue at the entrance. During 2020 another Sorbillo-branded opening has already been announced, which in the food court of the Rinascente in via del Tritone will launch a new gourmet pizza project. A few other news in 2019 on the subject of pizza, aside Spark, which brought a Roman-like pizza, crispy and well-leavened to San Giovanni, also adding a pleasant set of cooked dishes, and the format Levyta by Queen Makeda, who for some months has been offering her "brew pizza", that is a dough that contains beer threshing, in perfect consistency with the centrality given to the beer by the local from the Aventino. Beer and fried instead from Legs, the smart fast food restaurant opened by the boys from Mazzo in the Centocelle premises that hosted the mini-restaurant that had driven the foodies of the capital crazy. The Fooders – as the inventors of Mazzo call themselves – joined the boys of the Artisan Pub to offer fried chicken and other delicacies with a high triglyceride level, along with craft beer.

Taverns

Among the openings in the sign of Roman times, however, we highlight Verbania, signed by the super busy Marco Morello, already owner of Food Box at the Testaccio market and chef of Drink Kong. Here the great classics, but also lesser-known recipes, with frequent forays into the Judeo-Roman tradition. L'Osteria della Trippainstead, already from the name it makes it clear who the protagonist is, apart from the chef Alessandra Ruggeri: the tripe. Roman-style, fried, with beans and so on, tripe turns out to be a joker, but it is not the only dish to taste in this Trastevere restaurant. From the parts of Testaccio, however, we note the opening of Trattoria Jole, who has taken on the arduous task of challenging heavyweights such as Felice and Flavio on their own ground.

Modern restaurants

We open the "modernist" chapter with an old glory that returns, but in a new location. In the premises of the old Passetto, it has opened its doors 'Taste, forerunner of the multipurpose, is the place that for years has held a bench in Rome in Piazza Augusto Imperatore. Go back to do what you have always known how to do: be ecumenical and satisfy all tastes, with Italian pasta, pizza, hamburgers and cocktail bars. And above all, his famous weekend brunch returns. Cocktails and comfort food also from Cresci, delicious address a stone's throw from the Vatican that some point in common with 'Gusto has it, because the guys who animate it have had experience right in Piazza Augusto Imperatore and the architect who took care of the design of the restaurant is always Roberto Liorni . Oven and tavern, as well as cocktail bars, there are many souls, but the intention is only one: to give the customer a place to find comfort food par excellence, from bread to focaccia, passing through traditional dishes. As you can understand from the name, it instead focuses on seafood minnow, wedding favor with 35 place settings just a step away from the Spanish Steps where Fabio Pecelli, raised at the court of Andrea Fusco, has set up a modern fish cuisine, which goes well with the beautiful restaurant. Not far away, in via Margutta, where Assaggia used to be, it is now located Emme, entrusted to the kitchen of Daniele Ladaga, ex of Madeleine with numerous starry experiences. The intention is to give modern and refined cuisine in a welcoming lounge, as has always been the boutique hotel that houses this place.

Fusion and ethnic

Puglia in blood and an eye to the East from The Snap, a young Centocelle address who recently changed ownership and was entrusted to another promising young man. The Bari focaccia is worth tasting, but the fusion dishes borrowed from his experiences also deserve space. At the turn of Asia and the Mediterranean is the restaurant love me, which opened in Viale Gorizia (Trieste district), focusing entirely on the huge outdoor area, a real pearl in a neighborhood where it is difficult to find interesting addresses and open spaces. To complete a varied offer, the excellent cocktails by Francesco De Nicola, bar manager with different experiences and winner of the 2019 Bacardi Legacy national final. Perfect expression of fusion, albeit slightly unbalanced towards the East, a stone's throw from Piazza Barberini Bunker Kitchen Club, by chef Nicholas Amici, who wanted to bring varied experiences around the world to his menu. In South America there is instead Reserva, an elegant place that had the good idea of ​​making refined tacos and ceviche. It cannot be said that it has a precise nationality because it is a fusion between Central and South American recipes but it convinces for its ability to get out of the cliché of restaurants with mariachis. The origin of Inka Chicken, always a point of reference for the Peruvian community in Rome (the natives swear that it is the restaurant in Rome where you can eat the most faithful to the original cuisine), which has opened its third restaurant in the Testaccio area.

Wine bar

Not cocktails, but wine, instead, in the offer of Table, the bottle shop with kitchen that opened in Prati a few months ago. The chef is very young in the kitchen, with Apulian origins (from Martina Franca) which are often found in dishes, which are also inspired by Italian cuisine in general (don't miss the fried cod fillet). In via della Stelletta, on the other hand, there is not so much a new opening, because there is always talk of the Backroom project, as of the expansion of the offer, with two new souls: Backpasta and Retrovino. By expanding into the neighboring rooms, in fact, Alessandro Miocchi and Giuseppe Lo Iudice have decided to emphasize one of their trump cards, homemade pastas, and the beautiful cellar selected in recent years. Pasta expressed by Retropasta, while at Retrovino you can drink well and eat some mostly cold dishes, among selections and wonders such as the home made gardener. Is called Barbers 23 instead the creature of Giorgio Baldari, connected to the Hotel dei Barbieri, which opens for breakfast in the morning and offers itself as a luxury pantry in which to drink a good wine and eat refined cutting boards, ranging from salmon to foie gras, passing for the selections of meats and cheeses and some espresso dishes. Baldari himself then doubled in 2019 with theArchivolt, this time on the ground floor of the Scenario hotel, dishes served in terracotta cocotte, which show their attachment to traditional recipes, but with a modern reinterpretation of the dishes, always respecting the highest quality raw materials and with a excellent wine proposal.

Bistronomy and Michelin stars

In via del Pellegrino, the highly anticipated opened Ancient Foundry, where chef Alba Esteve Ruiz and comrade Michel Magoni found a home. She in the kitchen, he in the dining room, gave birth to a project based on the luxury of the place and the attentive service, which contrasts with the refined cuisine and with high-level ingredients, but sometimes rough in cooking, which many rely on cases by the fire of the embers. Not far away, the star of Achilli Enoteca at the Parliament it continues to shine, but no longer in the hands of chef Viglietti, but in those of Anthony Genovese's young dolphin, Tommaso Tonioni. As mentioned, large investments have been made in hotels, both small and large. First of all, the Iconic Pantheon is a winning bet. Having entrusted the kitchens to Francesco Apreda was a guarantee of success, because the Michelin star for Idylio arrived on the first carousel ride. In addition to the starry Idylio, Apreda has also studied an easier formula for the terrace overlooking the rotunda of the Pantheon, Divinity, where you can eat his Spezial pizza, or you can go for a tasty brunch. And while at Hassler, where Apreda used to be, from Imago to Hassler, the talented chef Andrea Antonini has arrived, who has made it possible to reconfirm the star, another change must be reported at the top of a star-rated hotel restaurant. From Mouth watering after Narducci's death, there had been the regency of Troiani, who from June gave the command to another of his pupils, Daniele Lippi, who has already distinguished himself for his ability to give character to the kitchen with his "camouflage" dishes ”(The curry chicken which is a dessert, for one thing).

The terraces of the hotels

Aside from Michelin, the stars are also in the marvelous Hotel de la Ville, which has finally reopened, under the aegis of the Rocco Forte Collection and which has created four bars and restaurants. To the Julep delicious cocktails inspired by travel and spices are drunk, in summer a drink is a must Heaven bar if only to admire one of the most beautiful panoramas of Rome, while to eat there are the Sistina and the Mosaic, where brunch is reported over the weekend. Speaking of spectacular views, that of the The Court Palazzo Manfredi defends himself well, because in season he guarantees an excellent aperitif from the menu created by Matteo Zed, accompanied by a wonderful sunset over the Colosseum. In one of the roofs of via Giulia it is instead Verve, which replaces Achilli al Dom, in the spaces of the Dom hotel in via Giulia. Here a couple arrived in life and in the kitchen, chef Adriano Magnoli and pastry chef Antonella Mascolo, both with important experiences behind them, who have already distinguished themselves for their refined and elegant cuisine. Another terrace to visit (but not only because the interior perhaps deserves even more) that of Radisson di Palazzo Montemartini, where to go especially for an excellent aperitif prepared by the good Riccardo Di Dio Masa, but also for Sicilian cuisine. Even the glorious Plaza hotel has finally opened to the public its majestic terrace (which will return in the hot season), which offers a breathtaking view, as well as having launched its rich brunch, dedicated to the roots.

Sweets and ice cream

A little sweet, a little salty, Geppy Sferra Ice Cream from Essai has scored its new opening in via di Tor de ’Schiavi. Always an ice cream shop, modeled on those that had already been successful in this Centocelle quadrant, but the real news is that with Geppy ice cream it started playing with it, also combining it with savory dishes. The result is the first ice cream-bistro, which does not offer gourmet ice cream, but rather recipes that go well with Geppy's creations, up to compose a complete menu, from appetizers to desserts. In the category of desserts but not only also Mari: The protagonist here is her husband, declined in both sweet and savory versions. We are in Monti and the address is configured as the right place for a quick stop or to take and take away to enjoy a mini-husband tasting at home. Returning to ice cream, he opened in Montesacro instead Selina Ice Cream, where ice cream becomes pop, with an eye to America. Not only cones and cups, therefore, but also waffles with ice cream, biscuits filled with ice cream and other American delicacies. With your feet firmly in the Italian tradition, however, Tiramibloom, the Prati tiramisu boutique of pastry chef Giacinta Trivero, where you can eat the most loved dessert by Italians in various versions, from traditional to creative ones, but you can also take a course to learn how to make it at home.