Cacio e pepe is the<\/em> classic flavor of Rome, and one of its best and most beloved dishes.<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nCacio<\/em> is Roman dialect for “cheese”\u2014in this case, assertive sheep’s-milk pecorino romano<\/em>\u2014and pepe<\/em> is black pepper. Put it all together, and you get this classic of cucina romana<\/a><\/em>, in which pasta is tossed with handfuls of cheese, a mouth-tingling amount of pepper, and a bit of the pasta water to create a creamy sauce.<\/p>\r\n\r\n![\"Where](\"https:\/\/assets.devourtours.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/best-cacio-e-pepe-rome-1-1.png\")
<\/figure>\r\n\r\nThe creation of hungry shepherds working in the Roman countryside, cacio\u00a0e\u00a0pepe<\/em> is everywhere in the Eternal City\u2014and not only the standard pasta-based version. There’s cacio\u00a0e\u00a0pepe<\/em> pizza, chips, ravioli\u2026you name it.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nThere are dozens of restaurants with good renditions, especially of simple pasta\u00a0cacio\u00a0e\u00a0pepe<\/em>. But here are some of the places where you’ll find the best cacio e pepe <\/em>in Rome, from the most traditional to modern twists.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWhere to eat the best cacio e pepe <\/em>in Rome<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n1. Lo’steria<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
A simple, modern restaurant in the chic Ponte Milvio neighborhood<\/a>, Lo’steria<\/a> specializes in classic Roman fare, flawlessly executed at low prices.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nTheir version of cacio\u00a0e\u00a0pepe<\/em> is simply perfect. Chewy tonnarelli\u00a0<\/em>(a long, square-ended pasta that’s the most common shape for cacio\u00a0e\u00a0pepe<\/em>) are tossed with an enormous amount of strong pecorino and roughly crushed pepper, and loosened with pasta water until the pasta is completely coated.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nRich, yes, but also so spicy and sharp that you’ll eat every tonnarello<\/em> and then use a heel of bread to scrape the slightly-coarse, cheesy pudding off the bottom of the plate<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n![\"This](\"https:\/\/assets.devourtours.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Best-Cacio-e-Pepe-in-Rome-Losteria-1.jpg\")
\r\nThe tonnarelli cacio e pepe<\/em> at Lo’steria. Photo credit: Lo’steria<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n2. Da Cesare al Casaletto<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
One of Rome’s most lauded (and busiest) restaurants, Da Cesare al Casaletto<\/a> makes a very good plate of standard cacio\u00a0e\u00a0pepe<\/em>. We’re putting it on our list, however, for their unique, addictive gnochetti\u00a0fritti\u00a0alla\u00a0cacio\u00a0e\u00a0pepe<\/em>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nMiniature potato gnocchi are fried and then placed on a platter smeared with a cream of pecorino and pepper (what normally you’d stir into hot pasta). The combination of hot, crisp dough and cool, smooth sauce is at once uniquely Roman and just plainly delicious.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Fair warning: The appetizer portion is large and filling. Split it with friends or else your roast lamb will arrive and immediately need to be put into a doggy bag.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\r\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/assets.devourtours.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Best-Cacio-e-Pepe-Rome-Da-Cesare-1.jpg\")
\r\nFried gnocchetti<\/em> alla<\/em> cacio e pepe<\/em>. Photo credit: Trattoria Da Cesare<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n3. MeAT<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
MeAT (Via Portuense, 465)<\/em> is a modern Roman-Jewish trattoria, located far outside the old ghetto<\/a>, interpreting the cuisine of Europe’s oldest Jewish community (over 2000 years of continuous inhabitation).<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nCacio e pepe\u00a0<\/em>is a common Roman-Jewish dish<\/a>, because it doesn’t involve pork like many other pastas. At MeAT, you can get great, simple tonnarelli\u00a0cacio\u00a0e\u00a0pepe<\/em>. But it’s even better when another Roman ingredient is added in: cicoria\u00a0ripassata<\/em>, or saute\u00e9d chicory. The long green strands slither into the noodles, giving every cheesy bite a tonic-like shot of bitter greenness.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n4. Sbanco<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
One of three sit-down pizzerias owned by Stefano Callegari, best known as the inventor of the Trapizzino, Sbanco<\/a> serves whole pies, chewy and risen, with all the usual and unusual toppings. But it’s best known for its cacio\u00a0e\u00a0pepe<\/em> pizza.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nA circle of dough is baked with crushed ice on top, which keeps the surface soft and pliable, and then drenched with a heady mixture of\u2014you guessed it\u2014pecorino and black pepper when it comes out of the oven. The underlying layer, where the ice was, becomes creamy, but the top remains dry and crumbly. The final product perfectly imitates the taste and texture of the classic pasta, where the pecorino is first emulsified into a sauce and then sprinkled on top.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Local’s Tip<\/strong>: Sbanco is the most centrally-located of the three pizzerias. But you can also get the cacio e pepe<\/em> pizza at Sforno<\/a> and Tonda<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n![\"At](\"https:\/\/assets.devourtours.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Best-Cacio-e-Pepe-Rome-Sbanco-1.jpg\")
\r\nThe famous cacio e pepe<\/em> pizza. Photo credit: Sforno<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n5. Da Danilo<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
<\/figure>\r\n\r\nThe creation of hungry shepherds working in the Roman countryside, cacio\u00a0e\u00a0pepe<\/em> is everywhere in the Eternal City\u2014and not only the standard pasta-based version. There’s cacio\u00a0e\u00a0pepe<\/em> pizza, chips, ravioli\u2026you name it.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n There are dozens of restaurants with good renditions, especially of simple pasta\u00a0cacio\u00a0e\u00a0pepe<\/em>. But here are some of the places where you’ll find the best cacio e pepe <\/em>in Rome, from the most traditional to modern twists.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n A simple, modern restaurant in the chic Ponte Milvio neighborhood<\/a>, Lo’steria<\/a> specializes in classic Roman fare, flawlessly executed at low prices.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Their version of cacio\u00a0e\u00a0pepe<\/em> is simply perfect. Chewy tonnarelli\u00a0<\/em>(a long, square-ended pasta that’s the most common shape for cacio\u00a0e\u00a0pepe<\/em>) are tossed with an enormous amount of strong pecorino and roughly crushed pepper, and loosened with pasta water until the pasta is completely coated.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Rich, yes, but also so spicy and sharp that you’ll eat every tonnarello<\/em> and then use a heel of bread to scrape the slightly-coarse, cheesy pudding off the bottom of the plate<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n One of Rome’s most lauded (and busiest) restaurants, Da Cesare al Casaletto<\/a> makes a very good plate of standard cacio\u00a0e\u00a0pepe<\/em>. We’re putting it on our list, however, for their unique, addictive gnochetti\u00a0fritti\u00a0alla\u00a0cacio\u00a0e\u00a0pepe<\/em>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Miniature potato gnocchi are fried and then placed on a platter smeared with a cream of pecorino and pepper (what normally you’d stir into hot pasta). The combination of hot, crisp dough and cool, smooth sauce is at once uniquely Roman and just plainly delicious.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Fair warning: The appetizer portion is large and filling. Split it with friends or else your roast lamb will arrive and immediately need to be put into a doggy bag.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n MeAT (Via Portuense, 465)<\/em> is a modern Roman-Jewish trattoria, located far outside the old ghetto<\/a>, interpreting the cuisine of Europe’s oldest Jewish community (over 2000 years of continuous inhabitation).<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Cacio e pepe\u00a0<\/em>is a common Roman-Jewish dish<\/a>, because it doesn’t involve pork like many other pastas. At MeAT, you can get great, simple tonnarelli\u00a0cacio\u00a0e\u00a0pepe<\/em>. But it’s even better when another Roman ingredient is added in: cicoria\u00a0ripassata<\/em>, or saute\u00e9d chicory. The long green strands slither into the noodles, giving every cheesy bite a tonic-like shot of bitter greenness.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n One of three sit-down pizzerias owned by Stefano Callegari, best known as the inventor of the Trapizzino, Sbanco<\/a> serves whole pies, chewy and risen, with all the usual and unusual toppings. But it’s best known for its cacio\u00a0e\u00a0pepe<\/em> pizza.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n A circle of dough is baked with crushed ice on top, which keeps the surface soft and pliable, and then drenched with a heady mixture of\u2014you guessed it\u2014pecorino and black pepper when it comes out of the oven. The underlying layer, where the ice was, becomes creamy, but the top remains dry and crumbly. The final product perfectly imitates the taste and texture of the classic pasta, where the pecorino is first emulsified into a sauce and then sprinkled on top.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Local’s Tip<\/strong>: Sbanco is the most centrally-located of the three pizzerias. But you can also get the cacio e pepe<\/em> pizza at Sforno<\/a> and Tonda<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\nWhere to eat the best cacio e pepe <\/em>in Rome<\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
1. Lo’steria<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\r\n2. Da Cesare al Casaletto<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\r\n3. MeAT<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
4. Sbanco<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\r\n5. Da Danilo<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n