Want a ringing endorsement? I've lived in Rome on and off since age 11, and I still visit (or pass through) at least once a year for work.
Nine times out of ten, this is where I eat lunch when I first arrive back in Rome (the tenth time would be when my hotel happens to be far away and my plane lands too late for me to make it here in time).
If you're looking to buck the tourists packing into the famous but much-declined La Carbonara but still want a seat on the lively, life-as-theater piazza of Campo de' Fiori, head to Armando and Enzo's little 110-year-old osteria.
It's the piazza atmosphere and well-tuned traditional dishes you come for, not the service, which sometimes seems nonexistent. (They work hard, but there are just too many diners for two waiters to handle. Plus, just like back home in New York, an amiable gruffness bordering on rudeness is part of the typical Roman character—see? It's actually a plus and a sign of authenticity.)
The wine is from the Castelli Romani, and dishes include favorites like excellent pasta all'amatriciana, flawless abbacchio scottaditto, and cervello d'abbacchio (fried lamb's brains).
In colder weather, you can retreat under the wood beams of the tiny interior.
Campo de' Fiori 40
tel. +39-06-686-4024
facebook.com/hostarialaromanesca
Open daily
€€
Bus: 116, 116T; 40, 46, 62, 64, 190F, 571, 916, 916F
English (Inglese) | Italian (Italiano) | Pro-nun-cee-YAY-shun |
Good day | Buon giorno | bwohn JOUR-noh |
Good evening | Buona sera | BWOH-nah SAIR-rah |
Good night | Buona notte | BWOH-nah NOTE-tay |
Goodbye | Arrivederci | ah-ree-vah-DAIR-chee |
Excuse me (to get attention) | Scusi | SKOO-zee |
thank you | grazie | GRAT-tzee-yay |
please | per favore | pair fa-VOHR-ray |
yes | si | see |
no | no | no |
Do you speak English? | Parla Inglese? | PAR-la een-GLAY-zay |
I don't understand | Non capisco | non ka-PEESK-koh |
I'm sorry | Mi dispiace | mee dees-pee-YAT-chay |
Where is? | Dov'é | doh-VAY |
...a restaurant | un ristorante | oon rees toh-RAHN-tay |
...a casual restaurant | una trattoria un'osteria |
oo-nah trah-toar-RHEE-yah oon ohst-air-EE-yah |
I would like to reserve... | Vorrei prenotare... | voar-RAY pray-note-ARE-eh |
a table for two | una tavola per due | oo-nah TAH-voal-lah pair DOO-way |
...for 7pm | per le sette | pair lay SET-tay |
...for 7:30pm | per le sette e mezzo | pair lay SET-tay eh MET-tzoh |
...for 8pm | per le otto | pair lay OH-toh |
I would like | Vorrei... | voar-RAY |
...some (of) | un pó (di) | oon POH (dee) |
...this | questo | KWAY-sto |
...that | quello | KWEL-loh |
chicken | pollo | POL-loh |
steak | bistecca | bee-STEAK-ah |
veal | vitello | vee-TEL-oh |
fish | pesce | PEH-shay |
meat | carne | KAR-neh |
I am vegetarian | sono vegetariano | SO-no veg-eh-tair-ee-YAH-no |
side dish [veggies always come seperately] | cotorno | kon-TOR-no |
dessert | dolce | DOAL-chay |
and | e | ay |
...a glass of | un bicchiere di | oon bee-key-YAIR-eh dee |
...a bottle of | una bottiglia di | oo-na boh-TEEL-ya dee |
...a half-liter of | mezzo litro di | MET-tzoh LEE-tro dee |
...fizzy water | acqua gassata | AH-kwah gah-SAHT-tah |
...still water | acqua non gassata | AH-kwah noan gah-SAHT-tah |
...red wine | vino rosso | VEE-noh ROH-so |
...white wine | vino bianco | VEE-noh bee-YAHN-koh |
...beer | birra | BEER-a |
Check, please | Il conto, per favore | eel COAN-toh pair fah-VOAR-eh |
Is service included? | É incluso il servizio? | ay een-CLOU-so eel sair-VEET-zee-yo |
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Campo de' Fiori 40
tel. +39-06-686-4024
facebook.com/hostarialaromanesca
Open daily
€€
Bus: 116, 116T; 40, 46, 62, 64, 190F, 571, 916, 916F