4 Best Restaurants in Frascati, Side Trips from Rome

The Cacciani family has been running this stylish restaurant in the heart of Frascati old town since 1922, when it was a popular hangout for the likes of Clark Gable and Gina Lollobrigida. Perched high on a rise overlooking the town and the Roman plain, there are spectacular views from the Cacciani terrace, but you can also keep an eye on the gorgeous food being prepared in the open kitchen. The family runs a hotel in the same building in case you want to spend the night after enjoying the celebrated local recipes.

Only a couple of miles outside Frascati, this 16th-century coaching inn has a tastefully renovated dining room and an old fig tree (its namesake) that shades a charming table-filled garden. Long known for its excellent cooking, which was beloved by Italian director Federico Fellini, the classic restaurant still prepares typical Roman dishes, among them pollo al diavolo (spicy braised chicken) and abbacchio allo scottadito (sizzling grilled lamb).

Across the road from the Abbey of San Nilo is one of Grottaferrata's most esteemed restaurants, which has been run by the Consoli family since 1989. The decor is rustic but stylish, with plants hanging from the ceiling and rows of polished antique copper pans and molds decorating the walls. In the cooler months, a wood-burning stove adds to the cozy ambience. 

This former wine cellar just beyond Frascati's market square is now a cheerful trattoria serving hearty portions of traditional Roman dishes and pizza. In summer you can sit under an awning outside and enjoy the sweeping view over the plain toward Rome.