Trastevere is Rome’s most charming neighborhood, and that’s saying a lot.<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
A bit overrun with tourists and students, yes\u2014but no one who’s walked its winding streets can deny there’s something magical about it.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
The word Trastevere literally means “across the Tiber,” as this quarter is separated from the historic center by the Tiber river. One of Rome’s oldest neighborhoods, in this millennium it’s gradually transformed from a proletarian residential area, famously proud of its generations-long inhabitants<\/a>, to a more nightlife-heavy one frequented by both American students and young Romans.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The architecture is still living, accumulated beauty\u2014all medieval stone and faded orange and cobblestone\u2014and many of the old caff\u00e8s<\/em> and bakeries are still going strong. Any trip to Rome should involve a day spent wandering around among the narrow side streets of Trastevere, and a stop or two for a meal.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Here’s a guide to the best places to eat in Trastevere, from family-run trattorie<\/em> to the ideal post-bar snack.<\/p>\r\n\r\n Photo Credit: Sarah Nichols<\/a>, Text Overlay: Devour Rome Food Tours<\/a><\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Located in the far south of Trastevere, near the train station, La Tavernaccia<\/a> \u00a0<\/em>(literally, “The ugly tavern”) is an example of how good simple food can be.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Founded by Bruno Persiani, originally from Umbria, it’s now run by his two daughters, Paola and Patrizia. Patrizia married a Sardinian, who captains the kitchen along with their son. The food is a celebration of Italian regional cuisine, mostly Roman with some Umbrian and Sardinian notes.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n When you walk into the noisy, stone-walled space, you’ll be greeted by the proprietress carving slices off a whole prosciutto. Get some of those for an antipasto<\/em>, along with a warm focaccia. <\/em>Then a plate of pappardelle<\/em> with wild boar, or the best gricia\u00a0<\/em>in the city, with fresh thick spaghetti, pecorino, and big chunks of rendered pancetta<\/em>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n You must save room for meat, though. Suckling pig, veal brisket and goat, slow-roasted in the wood oven, arrive crispy and weeping juice over a pile of roasted potatoes. The service is always friendly and genuine, the wine pours generous, and the atmosphere truly homey.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n When you sit down at Da Carlone (Via della Cisterna, 13<\/em>), the mustachioed proprietor will most likely saunter over and ask you “Sparkling or still water? Red or white? And a carbonara?”<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Although there is much good cucina\u00a0romana<\/a><\/em> to be had at this old joint, it’s the spaghetti\u00a0alla\u00a0carbonara<\/a><\/em> that’s the main attraction, and for good reason. Carlone uses fresh spaghetti, tossed with a large amount of pecorino, rendered guanciale<\/em>, and a bit less egg than most places, so that the bottom of the plate is streaked with golden sauce rather than swimming in egg yolk.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The portion is almost-comically large\u2014you’re not going to want a second course\u2014but the combination of rich pasta and glowing pepper makes it impossible to not finish your plate.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The original Trapizzino<\/a> is in Testaccio<\/a>, and there are now locations in the Mercato Centrale and Ponte Milvio. But its best iteration is in Trastevere, right on happening Piazza Trilussa.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Trapizzino serves its namesake sandwich: a triangle of crisp pizza bread that’s squeezed open and stuffed with a variety of fillings\u2014meatballs, eggplant parmigiana<\/em>, Roman-style oxtails and even tender veal tongue in salsa verde\u00a0<\/em>(trust us, you won’t be disappointed). They also make wonderful suppl\u00ec<\/a><\/em>, the traditional Roman fried-rice ball.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Like the other locations, Trapizzino Trastevere has a huge fridge of craft beers. What sets it apart is the space. Cavernous and tavern-like, it’s a place where you can really sit down and enjoy your beer and sandwich. Or two … it’s hard to resist ordering another one.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n For those seeking a fun, elbows-on-the-table dinner in Trastevere, complete with wisecracking waiters and a lovely outdoor terrace, there’s no better spot than Da Teo<\/a>. And, oh yeah, the food is really good, too.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Teo offers classic Roman trattoria<\/em> fare\u2014<\/em>fried artichokes, chicken with bell peppers, and bitter puntarelle<\/em> dressed with oil and anchovy. The best plates are the pastas, including perfect rigatoni either all’amatriciana<\/em> (tomato, guanciale and pecorino) or alla\u00a0norcina<\/em> (a smooth sausage rag\u00f9 enriched with cream).<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n In spring, you must end the meal with fragoline<\/a><\/em>: tiny wild strawberries from the Roman countryside, served with a mascarpone cream as yellow as a setting sun.<\/p>\r\n Related Reading:<\/strong> If you love exploring Rome’s neighborhoods, we recommend checking out our guide to the best restaurants in Testaccio<\/a>!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n We’ll admit, Da Enzo<\/a> isn’t the easiest place to get a table. As one of the best places to eat in Trastevere, they only accept reservations for the tourist-heavy 7:30 p.m. dinner seating (Romans tend to eat 90 minutes later), and so afterwards and at lunch, you’re going to have to wait in line.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n But the Roman food served at this studio-sized place is special. An example: the carciofo\u00a0alla\u00a0romana<\/em>. At most restaurants, the artichoke is soft-boiled in water spiked with mint and garlic, and then plopped on the plate, still dripping with clear poaching water. At Enzo, the artichoke is just cooked through, and then dressed with a glossy emulsion of poaching liquid, oil and mint that tastes as vividly green as it looks.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Everything else\u2014carbonara, tiramis\u00f9, and meatballs among our favorites\u2014is prepared with a similar attention to technique and ingredients that makes Enzo one of Rome’s best trattorie.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n![\"Discover](\"https:\/\/assets.devourtours.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/best-places-to-eat-in-trastevere-1.png\")
<\/figure>\r\n\r\nThe best places to eat in Trastevere<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
1. La Tavernaccia da Bruno<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
![\"La](\"https:\/\/assets.devourtours.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/best-places-to-eat-in-trastevere-roast-suckling-pig-1.jpg\")
\r\n2. Da Carlone<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
3. Trapizzino<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
![\"Every](\"https:\/\/assets.devourtours.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Best-places-to-eat-Trastevere-Trapizzino-1.jpg\")
\r\n4. Da Teo<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
5. Da Enzo al 29<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
![\"Da](\"https:\/\/assets.devourtours.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/best-places-to-eat-in-trastevere-da-enzo-1.jpg\")
\r\n6. Ai Marmi<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n