Literally carved out of a hill of ancient shards of amphorae, Checchino remains an example of a classic, family-run Roman restaurant, with one of the best wine cellars in the region. Though the slaughterhouses of this quarter, Testaccio, are long gone, an echo of their past existence lives on in the restaurant's soul food—mostly offal and other less-traditionally appealing cuts like trippa (tripe), pajata (intestine with the mother's milk still inside), and coratella (sweetbreads and heart of beef) are all still on the menu for die-hard Roman purists. For the less adventuresome, house specialties include braised milk-fed lamb with seasonal vegetables. Head here for a taste of old Rome, but note that Checchino is really beginning to show its age.
Reviewed by charlieboy from Liverpool on 2/28/07
I recently visited Rome with a friend who visits regularly. He praises this restaurant daily, so thought I gotta try this...We manage to reserve for 17 Feb at 10pm. If you are staying in tourist area of Rome you will need to get a taxi over to this place, believe me, it is worth walking here, I have never eaten in such a relaxed, professional restaurant.The wine cellar (biggest in Rome) is worth the trip alone,the food (Bucatini al Amatriciana, Saltimboca) can only describe as wow!! At the end of the meal I wanted to give the kitchen staff a round of applause!! No trip to Rome will ever be complete without a visit here.
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