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Hotel Hassler.

Gorgeous view, but it’s not one of those places where because they know tourists will pay for the view regardless that they let the food slide. We had a great meal there.

Hope somehow you that you get Wick to pick up the tab though, and IIRC it required coat and tie for the guys.

http://www.hotelhasslerroma.com/uk-dining-rooftop.htm

Did Hassler. $38 bucks for an ap. And that was 10 years ago.

call me, or email me. I have some new finds me and Fresh Face Kim found last week.

We loved Armando Al Pantheon. The lardo appetizer was fabulous. Sora Lela was fun for the surroundings and the very Roman food. Myosotis was very impressive, with a family-made olive oil and the most tender gnocchi I’ve ever had. Ditirambo might have been my favorite. It’s kind of hard to find. But, the food… let me just potatoes with shaved truffles and cheese. I could go on and on about these places but it ain’t my blog, huh? Pizza? L’Archetto was my favorite. But, I liked that hand-held folding stuff, too. God, I want to go back. You’ll be there when we were last year. Which area will you be staying?

Cul de Sac is a warm, traditional wine bar that serves nice antipasta dishes. Its a nice, quiet place, located in Piazza del Pasquino, inbetween P. Navona and P. della Rotunda. Its opposite is Obika, Piazza Firenze, corner of Via dei Prefetti, that is a funky, modern mozzarella di bufala only bar.

I used to enjoy lunch at the place under the spanish steps — on the right as you look up the steps towards the Hassler. Nothing fancy, just convenient and good.

If you ever head up around Montalcino (brunello country) stop in at Demaria’s in the old section of Bonconvento. Fabuolous food in a family run setting. Again no truffles or anything like that, and dirt cheap.

I spend a lot of time in Rome, and I never get tired of this fabulous city!

For shopping: all of the big designers and most of the big department stores are clustered in the neighborhood near the Spanish Steps. As a writer, I can’t even dream of shopping there, but the people I take to Rome on my trips — they do some serious damage!

But eating, well, that’s another matter entirely!

Hostaria dell’Orso (on Via del Soldati): I ate one of the best meals of my life here. The building is phenomenal — a medieval inn where Goethe and Dante each slept. We had impeccable service, a fantastic sommelier, and beautiful, tasty, new Italian food. You will need reservations,though!

Restaurante Melarancio (Via del Vantaggio): delicious food here, too. The chefs here specialize in Roman seafood, and as the name suggests, citrus flavors are common.

Restaurante Settimio all’Arancio (on Via dell’Arancio): also great, Roman-style food in a semi-casual setting. Veyr good service, too.

Romolo (on Via di Porta Settimiana): good food, nice atmosphere, and a great story — the restaurant is in the home of Raphael’s lover. The food is Roman, hearty and tasty.

Enjoy Rome!
Angela K. Nickerson, travel writer
A Journey into Michelangelo’s Rome (Roaring Forties Press, 2008)
http://aknickerson.blogspot.com/
http://www.aknickerson.net

You lucky girl! I spend a lot of time in Rome, and I never get tired of the Eternal City.

Shopping: I don’t know where Atia buys her clothes (let me know if you find out), but all of the best shops are clustered around the Spanish Steps. Most of the great designers and many of the larger department stores are in that area. As a writer, I generally window-shop, but the clients I take to Rome on my trips… well, they tend to do some serious damage.

Eating: now, here I can help you! Here are a few of my favorites…

Hostaria dell’Orso (Via del Soldati): truly, one of the best meals I’ve ever eaten in my life! The service was impeccable. The sommelier made perfect pairings. And the food was gorgeous, real, and Roman.

Okiba Mozarella Bar (Via dei Prefetti): first, go for drinks and you can just munch on the antipasti bar – a pretty cheap and great way to spend an evening. I once shared a kilo of mozzarella with our table – it was delicious, and truly fresh. But the meals here are delicious, too, and I love the atmosphere.

Restaurante Melarancio (Via del Vantaggio): specializes in seafood Roman-style. Lots of citrus flavors (thus the name). Great food. Good service. And a quiet restaurant without tourists.

Restaurante Settimio all’Arancio (Via dell’Arancio): delicious! Good, simple food with lovely staff. Prepare for a leisurely meal, though. It is worth it in the end.

Ciao!
Angela K. Nickerson, travel writer
A Journey into Michelangelo’s Rome (Roaring Forties Press, 2008)

I remember now, Patriot Games