Sunday dining near Piazza Navona
 

I'm doing my search for restaurants in the Piazza Navona/Pantheon area of our apartment. We will be arriving on Saturday and expect to spend Sunday exploring close to the apartment.

Most of the restaurants I have on my list are closed on Sunday. I know the Navona area is popular so I expect we won't go hungry but do you have a favorite place to enjoy dining Sunday evening or should we expect lunch will be our "slow dining" on that day?

Do restaurants in Rome generally have a special menu for Sunday with limited hours of serving?

thanks for any suggestions, Deborah

A few I've eaten at on Sunday:
La Tartaruga, Via del Monte della Farina 53, just southeast of Piazza Navona
Old Bear restaurant, just off Via d’Orso, I think it’s Via d. Gigli, just north of Piazza Navona
Da Francesco, Piazza Fico, just west of Piazza Navona

I don't think many have a special menu for Sunday.

Exactly one year ago today (which was a Sunday) we had a late lunch at Tucci's, Number 98, right on Piazza Navona, in front of St. Agnes church. I would recommend it.

Susan, thank you for your suggestions. It looked like we would have limited choices for dining on Sunday so I wanted to have a couple of possibilities on my list. Thanks again, Deborah

tom18, thank you for your suggestion.

Nancy, a comment on TripAdvisor states that Da Francesco was closed Feb 19 for renovations so I wonder if they have reopened. Maybe Sunday is a good night for pizza ;;) Deborah

I found the following 2006 comments on Chowhound about dining on Sunday. Italy is rather "unfamiliar territory" for me so I was wondering if those who have spent more time there would agree?


Contributors on Chowhound wrote---

It is difficult to find a good restuarant open in rome on sunday.

Or anywhere in Italy for that matter. Romans and other Italians traditionally go out for a large, often roast-type family meal Sunday "after church." Because the restaurants do their bigger meal then, they often close for the rest of the day (and sometimes Monday as well). So have your main meal at noon and then settle for a lighter meal later in the day if find somewhere open (there will be enough) or on Saturday buy some bread, cheese, salad stuff if you are renting an apartment.


thanks for any comments, Deborah

On the other hand, mbfant, an American food writer resident in Rome, wrote on April 13, 2010, not quite two weeks ago:

"There are actually quite a few places, including many of the places people complain are closed on Monday (though many are closed both days or at least Sun evening and Monday). Depends what you want but a few off the top of my head are Vecchia Roma (Piazza Campitelli), Campana, Grano, Pierluigi, Ditirambo, Il Sanlorenzo, Fiammetta, and all, or nearly, pizzerias and restaurants in hotels, some of which are very good."

I have to add that I really don't remember all that many being closed on Sunday. I don't think you'll have a problem.

Thanks for the comments. I've been looking through the posts on Chowhound for Italy today and there are several recent ones asking for recommendations for a Sunday. Seeing so many questions about finding a place to eat on a Sunday made me wonder if I needed to give this more of my attention.

My husband and I will be sharing our meals in Rome with two of my college age nieces and my sister and I want them to have a trip they will remember for all the positive reasons. One of my nieces has recently discover the joy of cooking so what better place than Italy for her to visit ;;) Deborah

I was just in Rome and ate at Enoteca Cul de Sac for lunch and at Pizza Re' on Largo dei Chiavari for dinner. Both are within 5 minutes of Piazza Navona on foot. Both excellent.

Trattoria Fiammetta, Via G. Zanardelli, 31 (Piazza Fiammetta) and LaSagrestia, Via del Seminario, 89 (near Pantheon) are two of my go to restaurants in Rome for good food/service and great value. Not too many tourists at Fiammetta if that matters to you.

nnolen and mvor, I'm using suggestions from your past postings here regarding restaurants in Rome. nnolen, your recent Rome trip report was a pleasure to read. Deborah

Glad to be of help. Last year when we tried to go to Fiammetta and it was closed, we headed to Da Francesco (Piazza del Fico, No. 29) for pizza (very good, no credit cards) and they were also closed so we ended up at Il Corallo Pizza (via del Corallo, 10-11) which I believe I found from nnolen's 2009 report. We really liked this place and returned for another dinner and got take-away pizza another night. Lots of locals, very good pizza and excellent caciao e pepe. It's tiny with outdoor seating on a a busy/non-descript street.

I'm sure you've seen my recs for Lo Zozzone, via del Teatro Pace, Roma. Pizza bianca filled with delicious, fresh ingredients. Take away and a couple of tables outside. Very inexpensive and very good.

Have a terrific trip!

thanks, mvor and yes, I had Lo Zozzone on my short take away list thanks to you ;;) It will be a good choice if we want to stay in some evening. Deborah

Ristorante Montevecchio is open on Sundays for dinner--not sure about lunch. Food is good, ambience can be a little austere (in a nice way, IMO). I wrote a trip report and included details about a year and a half ago. If you click my name you'll find it.

Have great time in Rome! I love it.

Many places in Rome will be open for Sunday lunch and closed for Sunday dinner. Many more are closed altogether on Sundays. La Campana and Ditirambo are both open for Sunday dinner but both receive mixed reviews. These places are open Sundays; this list is from Maureen Fant's website and she is quite the authority on dining in Rome:



REVISED. It's getting harder and harder to eat anything but pizza on a Sunday evening. Here are a few ideas from the Gambero Rosso guide. The ones I've tried and liked have an asterisk. In addition, there are a number of hotel restaurants and pizzerias as well as a few wine bars and ethnics.

*Dal Bolognese (classic, upmarket, haven't been in years)
Al Bric (Campo de' Fiori) (never been)
*La Campana (I find it tired but often irreplaceable)
Capricci Siciliani (OK in a pinch)
*Cavour 313
*Al Ceppo (upmarket, in Parioli, great food)
*Cul de Sac (wine bar, much love, much uncomfortable)
Il Focolare (Monteverde Vecchio; it's fine, just not fantastic)
Giggetto al Portico (the Ghetto classic)
*Giuda Ballerino! (Tuscolo; very good creative restaurant)
'Gusto (hate it, but it's the 800-pound gorilla of off-hours eating)
Le Jardin du Russie (never been)
Mamma Angelina (Quartiere Africano) (never been)
*Montevecchio (adorable, near via dei Coronari)
*Al Presidente (Trevi, mainly fish, lovely ambience)
*Tram Tram (San Lorenzo, chaotic but yummy)
*Uno e Bino (San Lorenzo, very good creative casual, emphasizes wine)
*Vecchia Roma (P. Campitelli, beautiful, food is uneven)
*Vinarium (similar, very good)
*Vino Garage (wine bar, no hot food)

I think Uno e Bino has closed. Vinarium has definitely closed, in 2008.

Oh, sorry, here is the info for Ristorante Montevecchio:

Piazza Montevecchio, 22a
(39) 06 6861319
Opens at 12:30 p.m. for lunch and 7:30 p.m. for dinner.
Closed Monday

If I'm not mistaken, mbfant now condemns Giggetto.

Impressive research, Zeppole! I found this from 2000 (NY Times):

http://www.nytimes.com/2000/01/23/tr...l?pagewanted=1

..and this on CH, on Rome Sunday dining:

"There have been many, many discussions of Sunday dining on this board, so you should start with a search. Also note that many restaurants are open Sunday for lunch even if they are closed in the evening. The traditional thing to do on a Sunday evening is have a pizza, if you have any room after a proper Sunday lunch.
Al Ceppo is a wonderful restaurant open Sunday evening. I believe the trattoria Fiammetta is open. Giggetto, in the Ghetto, is open. A few others: Dal Bolognese, Al Bric, La Campana, Capricci Siciliani, Cavour 313, Il Focolare, Giuda Ballerino, Gusto, Montevecchio, Al Presidente, Tram Tram, Vecchia Roma (P. Campitelli).

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mbfant Mar 11, 2009 02:38AM


But nothing since last year..........

thanks ekscrunchy for provided the CH info, I had read that previously but this time I see Montevecchio on the list which is also recommended here by Leely.

I appreciate all the helpful suggestions, thanks again, Deborah

Well, I'm no Maureen Fant but I went to Giggetto in 2005 and had a mediocre-to-bad meal and terrible service so I can't recommend it. Every restaurant has off nights but my sister and I disliked it so intensely that we still laugh about our dinner there.