Rome Restaurant Advice
 

Here's just a little background: My husband and I went to Rome for the first time last year and had such a wonderful time that we are going back this year with 7 family members. :)

I am looking for some advice on great places to eat dinner. Since I will have 7 to feed, economy is very important to me, but I would love to know if there are places that combine good prices with good food and good atmosphere.

These are the areas that we will be in around dinner time:
-Pantheon
-Trastevere
-Vatican
-Piazza del Popolo
-Piazza Navona/ Campo de'Fiori

I have looked through Rick Steve's suggestions and I was also curious if anyone had tried any of these restaurants and if so what was your opinion?

Near the Pantheon
-Micellanea
-Osteria da Mario

Trastevere
-Osteria Ponte Sisto
-Gelateria alla Scala

Piazza Navona/Campo de'Fiori
-Cul de Sac
-Li'Insalata Ricca
-Ristorante Terra

One more question: We ate at Da Baffeto pizzeria last year. Though it does have so many tourists, the pizza was good and you can't beat the price. So I would like to take everyone there once. I remember that it was closed several days last year. Does anyone know what days Da Baffeto is open and what their hours are?


Thanks so much for any input!

Speaking of Rick Steves, my favorite of his suggestions was Ristorante Enoteca Corsi near the Pantheon. It's listed under "cheap and colorful," which may make it sound off, but it's actually quite wonderful. Everything is fresh and delicious. First of all, we went there at 2 pm on a Wednesday and it was packed with Italians on their lunch breaks. The waitress (I'm pretty sure she was the proprietess) came over and asked us if we'd start with the soup or pasta. I said pasta, my husband said soup. We both loved our dishes. Then she came back and asked us what we wanted for the secondi. I wimped out and got a (delicious) caprese salad and my husband got the steak. Even though it was a sirloin (which can be very tough and boring in most restaurants) it was tender and juicy and awesome! The seating there is a lot of long rows of tables and they just fit people in wherever there's space. So, there are plenty of tables that will accomodate 7, but it's so popular that you may want to have your hotel call ahead for you.

Baffetto's usual closing day is Sunday, but it is so popular I think they have dispensed with closing much of the time and stay open every day. They do close for a couple of weeks in August as I recall. If you go and it is closed, you can try their other location, Da Baffetto Due, near Campo di Fiore. I haven't been to the restaurants Rick Steves recommends other than Cul de Sac and Insalatta Ricca. Both offer good food although Cul de Sac is more of an enoteca (wine bar) that happens to serve some meals rather than a restaurant. Insalatta Ricca is good for a quick lunch or dinner, but not long on atmosphere. Restaurants I like for food and value include Dar Pallaro near Campo di Fiore, Otello alla Concordia on Via delle Croce near the Spanish Steps, Perilli in Testaccio, Da Felice in Testaccio and Augusto in Trastevere.

In Trastevere we ate at Artu Cafe and loved the food!

Pizza Re, off of the Piazza del Popolo, wasn't bad. That is the only suggestion I can offer... :)

Can't speak as to Rick Steves' suggestions, but near the Pantheon, Vriginiale (on the other side of Piazza Navona - not far in my book) for a non-touristy option. Also, Le (La?) Coppelle on Via della Coppelle near the Pantheon. Also non-touristy. Both very good. We had a group of 7, too. Coppelle has red and white checked table cloths and standard Roman fare and is a good deal. The baccala was particularly good.

double triple reco for Pizza Re! the best pizza I've ever had, bar none. I'm avidly looking forward to returning there shortly... (4 more sleeps until Italy! )