Antica Pesa

Best meal I had in Rome. Prices felt cheap compared to a similar meal outside of Italy and more than fair in comparison to typical dining prices in Rome. Had a full three course meal and two cocktails for €100. Highly recommend the duck which came with mustard ice cream that was a surprise at first but couldn’t get enough of it. Recommend the four tomato cold antipasti as well. Pasta was typically al dente and I’m still thinking about the pork. Check out the movie posters on the wall near the kitchen door, neat touch showcasing some of their celebrity diners.

After reading reviews I had high expectations for this place. Upon arriving at the location we saw lots of photos of celebrities that had dined there. We appreciated that they accommodated us although we didn’t have a reservation. Unfortunately,food was nothing special. Loved the fresh baked bread and the wine recommended to us (Lucente).

Tried dishes: -Costolette di Agnello Grigliate, Millefoglie di Patate con Salsa di Yogurt e Menta - Grilled lamb chops with potato millefoglie, yogurt and mint sauce -Polpo con Cime di Rapa e Hummus di Ceci -Octopus with broccoli rabe and chickpea hummus Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe - Classic cheese and pepper pasta Food: Lamb chops were good. Pasta and octopus were average. General: Wine menu is very large. Minimum spending limit applies and reservation is required. You can choose the courtyard or frescoed room. The courtyard might be nice in summer. Antico Pesa offers a classic Italian experience with a pleasant ambiance and an extensive wine menu.

We hosted our pre-wedding dinner at Antica Pesa and had an absolutely incredible experience. Planning an event from the U.S. could have been stressful, but the team made everything so easy and seamless. Communication was clear and timely, and they were always professional and kind. The food and wine were outstanding — our guests are still raving about it! They were also incredibly accommodating and flexible, never once saying “no” to any of our requests. We are so happy we chose Antica Pesa for this special evening. Truly unforgettable — highly recommend!

Exceptional food, impeccable service, wonderful people, and fantastic drinks made for an incredible experience #anticapesa.

Travelled to Italy from New York and the restaurant was recommended by the Chief Officer of the company I work for. The service was incredible and the food was even better. Ate here with family on our first night in Italy and it set the standard high for every restaurant we went to after and they just could not match up. Look forward to visiting the Brooklyn location. Highly recommend.

As always this restaurant never disappoints! It's an amazing experience. Highly recommend checking it out. We ate here on August 13th and the kids are still talking about it. From start to finish it was spectacular. Started off with the duck breast with mustard ice cream and fig. Sounds strange but it's phenomenal! Then the octopus over a potato puree, the millefoglie mozzarella and prosciutto Is Always a must ! For entrees we had the lamb chops , amatriciana (shared for the kids) and my wife had the seafood lasagna. Everything was perfect. Can't wait to come back .

We recently had the pleasure of dining at Antica Pesa in Rome, Italy, and it was an exquisite experience that deserves a five-star rating. From the moment we stepped in, the service was impeccable, catering effortlessly to our group during the entire evening. The culinary journey was nothing short of amazing, starting with appetizers that were not only delicious but also beautifully presented. The main courses continued to impress with a delightful array of flavors, showcasing the skill and creativity of the chefs. The sweet desserts provided a perfect conclusion to the culinary masterpiece. The drink selection complemented the meal perfectly, and the atmosphere elevated our dining experience to something beyond our expectations. Antica Pesa truly goes above and beyond to deliver a memorable dining experience in the heart of Roma. Highly recommended for those seeking an extraordinary culinary adventure.

What a bummer....this place was a reco from my friends MIL...unfortunately, did not live up to the hype at all. 2 stars for ambiance. Our server was ok too - nothing to write home about. The cacio e Pepe was undercooked (not Al dente - I'm from NJ and we know Al dente from undercooked lol) The fish I got was mediocre, my friends pork dish was reminiscent of just pulled pork. Appetizer was bad. The espresso was bad too. Only good thing was the pumpkin pasta which I got and the tiramisu dessert. Oh not to mention this was over $200 usd for us and by far the worst meal we had on our trip. Don't let the Michelin Star or wall full of celebs fool you.

When in Rome! Chefs kiss to Antica Pesa! The service the ambiance and the food were all perfect! There is nothing bad to say about this restaurant! I don't have much to say because I'm still speechless about how great this experience was! Staff were very friendly, outdoor and indoor seating, great drink even better food dishes! What an amazing experience, a time was had this night in Rome! A must whenever you're in Rome!

I almost feel like 3 stars is even pushing it especially for the price. The fact that they advertise being Michelin recommended, you expect a certain type of experience. While I would say that the food came close to meeting the expectations of this, the service absolutely did not. There were many times that our table had empty glasses and plates that were not cleared or refilled. Crumbs were never cleaned off of our table and napkins were never folded. The food was good, but did not impress us especially for the prices. We had much better pasta at mom and pop type restaurants for 1/4 the price. When my husband asked what types of gin were available, the waiter was unable to answer at all and had to send a bartender over. Overall it was an underwhelming experience.

Let me start by saying this place is A Michelin winner restaurant however the prices are within the market. The inside is amazing as the service is 5 stars all the way. The vibe is local and welcoming. We loved the food and we ordered lot of it. Go and try all as it's the real deal. Pasta is fresh. Wine is awesome. And the desserts were delicious. We loved. Loved. This place.

Antica Pesa is located in the vibrant Trastevere neighborhood of Rome, which is defined by narrow cobblestone streets lined with cafes and restaurants with bustling outdoor dining. Some of the reviews for Antica Pesa erroneously claim it is a favorite venue for celebrities (perhaps at one time it was); and describe the restaurant as having famous cache e pepe pasta, however our experience was dismal. The women greeters at the front entrance were sour faced and morose; the service was neglectful and indifferent, imagine ordering an expensive bottle of Sassicaia and having to pour the wine yourself the entire meal; or taking your first taste of Carbonara to find it cold and undercooked so it's crunchy and not al dente (it is possible to undercook pasta); then to have your main entry (Tuna with Tuscan beans) arrive late and also be cold. Of course while you were waiting for your meal you are completely ignored by a large group of waiters standing near your table, milling around, watching you but doing nothing to assist you or provide service at your table. In our case the beautiful bottle of Sassicaia was decanted in the difficult Reidel Amadeo decanter that the best Sommelier struggles to pour without splasing wine on the table. At Antica Pesa, you are expected to fight with the Amadeo yourself. To add insult to injury, the owner of the restaurant Francesco Panella fawned elaborately and incessantly over a table adjacent to us with three older women while his staff completly ignored our table. Mr. Panella was clearly interested in only this one table of women and was oblivious to his other patrons. I might add to put context to the situation, we had just arrived from Munich and we were dressed in elegant and expensive business attire, not casual clothing. It was a strange and unpleasant experience. Perhaps the Panella family had created something special at one time, but it no longer exists. Do yourself a favor and dine at one of the charming outdoor restaurants farther down the street. Not recommended.

I removed a star for being seated at a weird table near server stand. I hate weird placement of tables. I did enjoy the artwork throughout the restaurant. We started with the baked buffalo mozzarella. We found this to be delicious. I had the smoked duck breast. The combination of duck, honey mustard, and fig crumble had my taste buds dancing with pure joy. Highly recommend. The handmade tagliatella with mushroom sauce was delightful. We also had the chitarra alla carbonara but found it to be slightly salty. Overall, I would go back just for the duck!

So disappointed. We were expecting a Great service and amazing food, but sadly we had average flavors/food and a lack of service/engagement. We got served, twice, wrong dishes and we had to ask/look for the waiter three times to ask for drinks. This experience is far from a Michelin Star restaurant experience, and we saw other tables complaining as well. Very disappointed.

Our first night in Rome we ate at Antica Pesa and what a way to start our vacation! From the service to the ambiance to the food it's all amazing! Federico walks the tables and chats with all, he is a professional and made us feel so at home. The waitress we had was amazing and suggested perfect wine pairing with each course. The artichoke appetizer is a must! The pasta dishes were amazing (Amatricana and Cacio Pepe), truly best pasta I've ever had. We had grouper for a main which was also delicious and finished off with a wonderful gelato with cherries and chocolate crunchies. Make sure you reserve in advance as they get very busy and it is a small intimate restaurant. Run here when your in Rome!!!

Second time this trip I've had dinner here. The experience keeps getting better if that's possible. Some of the best service I've had in Rome and the food is amazing. The smoked duck under glass is not only fun but delicious. Do you self a favor and come hungry and get all three courses plus desert! Of course it didn't hurt that Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu we're also dining here tonight.

Located far away from the touristy section of Trastevere, and most likely a taxi ride away from wherever you are, this is a perplexing venue. When we mentioned to a couple of locals that we were going to this place for dinner, the consensus reaction was that it is a great place to visit. So, the lukewarm reviews on yelp made me a little wary before making a reservation for dinner here. Given the fact that this is a destination for many celebrities, which is backed up by the myriad of photos of the owner and name-that-celebrity adorning the walls of the waiting area, one would assume that this Michelin-starred restaurant would serve up top notch cuisine. But, alas, that is not the case. The menu wants to be original and creative, and the descriptions of the limited selections are just that. However, the execution is far from what you would expect from a Michelin restaurant. The star must be a function of its reputation as well as the extent of the wine list. In fact, the server described the wine list as a Bible. But the food was mediocre, if not unappetizing entirely. In fact, the tuna tasted a bit like...body lotion? Strange. Were it not for the impeccable service, the amazing decor, and the ambience of the courtyard, this would actually be a 2 rating. But, it is elevated to a 3 because of the overall experience. I don't know that I would recommend this to people who are looking for a stellar meal, but if people are looking for a good dining experience, I might give this a tepid recommendation.

4.5 stars for this fabulous spot! My husband and I went here based off a recommendation for the first night of our honeymoon. The vibe, setting and staff are all too notch. We enjoyed a prosciutto appetizer and cocktails and moved onto pasta and grouper for our mains. The dish may have been the star of the show! We had a fresh berry and sorbet dessert and would certainly come back.

Our Italian landlady of a New York adorable AirBNB told us about this great place in Rome & said it was a Must. She made our reservations for us via email for our second night in Rome. Our taxi driver told us it was the best restaurant in Rome. Many agree as there's two large walls of famous people who have dined here including Mick Jagger, Helen Mirren, Tom Hanks, Raquel Welch, Dame Judy Dench, Richard Gerd, Robert Dinero, Will Smith, Elton John, Liza Minelli & so many more. It's located in the trendy side of Rome in the Trastevere area near the Tiber river. We sat in the main dining area but there's also a patio for dining that seemed more casual. The staff is attentive and professional & the hostess is very gracious! The food was delicious and appealing. The pasta was some of the best we've tasted. Homemade fettuccine with smoked eggplant was a stand out. We ended the meal with two great desserts, I got the Limoncello Rose Tiramisu & my Boo ordered the Pistachio Creme Brûlée. WOW! I LOVE Tiramisu & although this was different and tasty the Creme Brûlée was the best I've ever had. We highly recommend this restaurant for a memorable fine dining meal. This area has lots to see and do. We enjoyed walking the neighborhood after dinner and seeing the Tiber river at night.

Amazing ambiance, average food and below average service. Why waste your time and money here when you could literally go anywhere else and have an amazing meal.

On arriving at Antica Pesa - our first dinner in Italy - we immediately realized that Italy is different from the U.S.: It's much much *much* better looking. Wait staff, owner, fellow diners, stray cats - All beautiful. The very good looking server acknowledged our earnest effort at saying 'buona sera' by asking in perfect English what kind of water we wanted. He then gave us excellent wine suggestions. It would take too long to review the individual courses. Suffice it to say that every bite was perfect. We were in Italy for 10 more days and this was our best meal among 33 excellent meals. My only gripes were: 1. The music selection was entirely cheesy American cover songs. 2. Some fellow diners were smoking (we were eating outside). That's Italy. They still look cool smoking. We don't.

Nice ambiance. Pics of former fame. Mediocre overpriced tasteless food. Dried overcooked amberjack and Roman beef of worst consistency... sorry never again

Really great meal with a wonderful Atmosphere! We had the nest with egg and truffles And the pasta Pepe (don't know the exact name) cod carpaccio and grilled octopus. And the raspberry mouse for dessert. Great service. Charming historic celebrity restaurant in Rome.

Sixteen years ago we ate here and loved it so much we went back the following night! This time the experience was the opposite, we couldn't get out fast enough. Starting with the positive, the food was excellent, the pasta was amazing and chicken was soft and tender. It didn't matter because the patio atmosphere was less inviting than remembered, possibly because they had several large parties going on and the people at the table next to us chain smoked throughout dinner. Seeing me look at the large wine list our server recommended a wine, I think it was the house wine, even though we would've picked something more special (i.e. more expensive). The wine was undrinkable, this was the first time we ever rejected a wine recommended by a restaurant. Where is the sommelier? Later the server came and asked what we wanted for dessert, but our entree hadn't arrived at the table yet. From start to finish the entire experience was awful. What a shame that a restaurant like this can go from great to bad. Truly a disappointment.

We went here tonight and had a lovely meal. Everyone at the front of the house greets you upon arrival. The garden is very pretty. EXTENSIVE wine list. We enjoyed the tripe, pasta with clams (out of the shell which was a nice surprise), sea bass (didn't make a photo because we dove right in), and the white chocolate parfait (my favorite item!). There are many photos of celebrities on the walls, this is clearly a beloved spot. Will send friends and family here!

We had such high hopes, only to leave terribly disappointed. My wife and I visited on our honeymoon. There was a large table next to us that caused a big scene complaining about their meal. In turn, they had multiple servers take care of them including the owner. Yet, no staff visited our table ever. We weren't even offered dessert. A real shame given the beautiful location. I'd avoid at all costs!

Best meal in Rome! Make a reservation at Antica Pesa and get ready to indulge in amazing food, wine and ambiance. Enjoy sitting in the outside terrace and perusing their expansive wine list, over 1000 labels!! We took suggestions from our friendly waiter and ordered the duck breast appetizer and grilled octopus- Simply amazing flavors. The sea bass dinner entree was exquisite and the delicate flavor of the mushroom pasta was on point. We had the privilege of being taken to the wine cellar which had a spectacular selection of wines from all over the world. A wonderful experience all around!

Very shocked to see so many negative reviews on this beautiful Roman restaurant! This place is darling! I loved the outdoor dining with the twinkling lights, it was like dining under the stars! We came to this restaurant on recommendation from a Roman friend, and we had almost perfect service from beginning to end! (we found that in most places in Italy we received wonderful service because they knew we would tip, which we did, and did not mind that in the least!) We were greeted graciously with a glass of spumonte, and immediately found ourselves lost in the wine "bible". It had to have been 300+ pages. I could have looked at it all night, but we eventually went with a delicious (and reasonable at 40 euro) wine one of our servers recommended to us. I say one, because the service was that good that I swear we had like three. I had the Penne Carbonara... probably the best in my entire life. The pasta was so perfectly al dente, the tomato sauce so fresh and flavorful, tasted like it was plucked from a vine in the kitchen, and the bacon was thick cut and crispy. Tutto Bene here!! Was definitely one of the dining highlights of our trip to Italy.

Best dining experience in Rome. We were lucky enough to stumble upon this incredible restaurant for a late lunch after a late evening and had our absolute most drool-worthy meal here. Service is fantastic, just the right amount of attention and privacy. Wine list is perfection. And the Cacio e Pepe..... I almost cried with happiness. Don't miss it.

Booking was super easy online. Staff was extremely friendly and efficient. Very relaxing and enjoyable atmosphere. Order the carbonara, you won't be disappointed

After the longest day of checking the necessary tourist site boxes off the list (coloseo, Trevi Fountain, Sistine Chapel), we slept. Then, as if it were a miracle, we woke, got ready for dinner, and made the 11 minute walk thru the delightful streets of Trastevere to Antica Pesa, where we had a 9 pm rez. In a city of incredible restaurants the hype surrounding this place is a bit much, and I really didn't think they could live up to expectations. I have to say we had a beautiful dinner from beginning to end. This is a special place in a special city, we had a glass of champagne in the swank waiting area, said hi to Francesco on our way out to our mint table in their incredible al fresco courtyard, and had the Amatriciana, the Vongole, and split the lamb chops and a bottle of Brunello I think. This was my favorite dinner in Rome, with Pierluigi running neck and neck.

Another perfect example of cuisine Roma Italiano. After a brief email chat to secure reservations, we were treated by a beautiful outdoor meal on a amazing Roma evening. Giovanni was superb, bringing us a wine list that was closer to a encyclopedia than a list. From a hot Buffalo Mozzarella to Saltimbocca, the meal, presentation and service was worthy of any top tier restaurant anywhere. Visiting chef Simone at the end was a dessert! Thank you! Chou Roma.

After getting recommendations from some very discerning friends, we decided to give this restaurant a try! As we walked up the street of via Garibaldi, we didn't see anything that would look like an exceptional restaurant. All of a sudden we were at the address with a very unassuming looking door. What we saw when we open the door I would've never expected from the look on the outside. Stunning! Little did we know The guest list of Hollywood royalty include, Madonna, DiCaprio, Al Pacino, Tarantino and many more... We were led through this beautiful restaurant with amazing artwork on the walls, into an elegant terrace garden! Wow! Once seated, besides the menu, we were given a wine Bible (do your biceps curls first), with over 1000 labels of wines. The choice was daunting, but somehow we managed! A bit of study of the menu, the theme of the chef became clear...offer traditional Roman dishes but cater to the hollywood tastebuds, (so they keep coming back), burgers, pasta, sausages etc. I chose what I thought to be an interesting interpretation of a rack of lamb, featuring raspberry sauce and the traditional Roman, (mandatory) eggplant. Perhaps I had high expectations, but I expected better, instead the lamb tasted very flat and boring. What i thought would be a memorable meal, was average at best, the only memorable part was the atmosphere - the beauty and liveliness of the Italian people eating out is catching!

Exceptional! At first amazed at the wall of fame pics of all the major Hollywood celebrities that have eaten here not to mention most of Marvels the Avengers lol - but after eating here , experiencing the service and the quality of the food no wonder why the rich and famous eat here. So yes, the have 2000 euro bottles of wine, but we didn't have that. We (my wife and I ) had an appetizer, and entree each, an aperitif before dinner , a bottle of red wine recommended you the sommelier and a creme brûlée to share for 149 euro. Exceptional value for money Highly recommend this restaurant. Spend as much or as little and no sacrifice on quality.

Our favorite restaurant in Rome and one we visit at every opportunity. Menu is creative, with Italian favorites for those who need tradition. Wine list ranges from practical to extravagant. It's a romantic, beautiful restaurant with friendly service, delightful owners, and talented chefs.

Wow! The 2nd best meal I have ever eaten, with the first being Daniel in NYC. How does this place not have a Michelin star! Make sure to get recommendations from the staff. A must do, when in Rome! Or anywhere in Italy! This place is worth the drive!

Our driver from the airport said that this restaurant had the best cacio e pepe in all of Rome and that is was actually invented here a few generations ago... Unfortunately, I didn't find anything about this place special, especially the cacio e pepe. A small menu, weird sci-fi music and the dishes we had were not great. The menu was really small and it was hard to find things we were excited about. I've had much more memorable pasta elsewhere and even in the US. Service was pretty terrible. It took forever to order wine and it was difficult to get anyones attention. I'd skip this if in Rome. Luckily it was not too expensive. The coolest part of the restaurant is the photos of all the celebrities who have dined here over the years. There are a ton!

This place was recommended by a friend in California. Restaurant was next door to our hotel so after a long day of travel and coliseum tour it was hit the right location for us and was convenient for some post dinner alley strolls. Now re food and restaurant. We think We ordered incorrectly. In retrospect we wish that we had either skipped the pasta and got an entrée or only gotten one pasta between the two of us. We ordered three appetizers and two pastas. We were disappointed in the pasta but without the appetizers were outstanding. Lovely courtyard and fantastic service. It is a particularly romantic restaurant. Out of 5 Ambiance - 4.75 Food - 3.5 Service - 5 Location and general charm - 4.25

I am also shocked to see ANY negative reviews about this restaurant. I have never had such good service and delicious authentic Italian food in my life! When you walk in the walls are decorated with photographs of hundreds of celebrities who have dined here over the years. It's quite a sight! Paparazzi were outside when we arrived. The outdoor terrace is romantic and quaint lit by dim lighting and white table cloths. The wine list is probably the most remarkable wine list I've ever seen. It looks like a bible with some of the top wines in the world. We let our waiter pick the items we must try. I have a gluten allergy and they made me everything my friends ate (almost!) in a gluten free version. The service was impeccable. I asked for red pepper flaked and they literally brought whole dried chilis to the table and cut them for me on my plate. I've never seen that before! The food was fresh, flavorful, with that melt in your mouth to die for sensation! The BEST restaurant in Rome. One of my friends was a Roman local and even she agreed (you know how picky Italians are about their food!) This is absolutely one of those meals you will never forget and will stand out for a lifetime! My only regret was that I didn't wear elastic pants!! ;)

By far the BEST meal of my life that I still remember after so many years. I saw some reviews with bad service, but we were taken there by two local Italian friends, who ordered in Italian and took care of everything, and our service was great. We started with an appetizer (Bruschette lardo and truffle; vegetables and cheese and ciauscolo), then we had "Cacio e pepe", and stinco as main entries. Followed up with chocolate volcano and some "millefoglie". It was a pricey meal, but in my opinion, worth it!

The food stinks and so does the service! We went here on our 2 night in Rome hoping to catch a good meal after spending the day touring the city. Needless to say I left very disappointed. The service here was ridiculously slow and the waiter gave us ATTITUDE ALL NIGHT! I ordered a pasta dish, which ended up being noodles and cheese (waaay too much cheese). I only ate about a third of it and I was starving. I kept trying to scrape the cheese off the noodles and then eat it because I was so hungry. When the waiter came by to clear our table, he didn't even bother asking how we liked the food. He simply gave me a look for not making a dent in my meal walked away with the plates. There are definitely better places to eat in Rome, where you won't get a side portion of attitude! I recommend going to Imago at Hotel Hassler.

Beautiful restaurant. We were really excited to eat here. the food was good but definitely expected it to be better. Nothing fantastic. Interesting menu with plenty of options. A little on the pricey side. We asked for help selecting a wine and the waitress recommended something which was the farthest from what we said we were looking for... Service was sub par which I think ruined our dining experience here.

Best pasta I've had in Italy!! I went for my 21st birthday and everything was wonderful. We sat at a table on the covered patio and had a great server. While the appetizers, main courses, and (of course) wine was stellar.

One of the best restaurants in our Italy 2017 trip. Pasta and veal were excellent ! Service was amazing and wine selection was outstanding. Dolci is to die for. Highly recommended to try especially if you celebrating a special event !

Really great authentic Italian food! I had a really good experience here. The food was amazing and the staff were all very friendly & polite. A must stop when in Rome!!!!!!!

Staff was pleasant, hostess was very nice and accommodating. The smoked duck was a special dish. Our other dishes were fine. Veal was disappointing but edible. I enjoyed a few other restaurants more than Antica Pesa.

Food was average at best, highly overrated. Very expensive and poor service. Avoid!

The entire experience was awful. Service was bad, the food was disgusting. $23 for an entree consisting of mushrooms that tasted like it had been salvaged from the bottom of a trash can and croutons for the polenta dish that I seriously had to check were not actual dirty dish sponges cut into cubes. Avoid!

This restaurant was recommended by the concierge at our hotel and we had a great meal. We sat in back on the romantic patio. The service was perfect! Our waiter helped us pick items and wine and we had a lovely evening chatting with another couple seated next to us. Our favorite dish was a pasta that had the most amazing bacon either of us have ever had. The food is Roman, but with a modern twist. If you don't like foam or anything gastronomically adventuresome, this place is not for you.

Elegant, romantic, pricey, but worth the experience. Had dinner at this well known hip Trastevere restaurant with a Dostoevsky sized wine list - literally hundreds of pages of wines... The outside dining area was truly lovely on the summer night we went. The rating is mainly based on the atmosphere, not the food, even though it was absolutely good, not great. The service was impeccable, friendly and efficient. Cacio e Pepe came a little too starchy, but everything else we ordered Rack of Lamb, swordfish, and schiaffoni pasta were delicious.

Visited this restaurant in mid October, 2012. They have a nice atmosphere and good but not great service. The food is also good but not great. It is pretty expensive, so for the price you can definitely find a better restaurant. They do have a very extensive wine list, but again, the wine is marked up significantly.

The entrance was pleasant as we passed by a nice fireplace and a wall of pictures of the owner and several celebrities extolling the apparent virtue of this establishment. Recommended by the concierge of the St Regis Hotel, how could we go wrong? Well, it was like finding out Santa Claus wasn't real. Let's begin with the service. Multiple waiters served us who were poorly trained and asked the same questions again and again. If you like attention, then maybe that's ok as they will give you lots of it. Then the food. The cook, and I say that loosely, must have smoked cigarettes as (s)he prepared oversalted wonders that made me feel like I was wandering the desert for 30 days and needed water. The carbonara was sad. Salty wallpaper glue. The lamb sadly, could only have been improved with McDonald's French Fries. We had dessert, as we were still hungry, and it was served almost 15 minutes after the main was cleared. They ran out of vanilla ice cream (who runs out of vanilla ice cream?). The tiramisu was an epic fail. Epic. And finally, after we watched another guest being told she couldn't smoke, a table lit up multiple butts. It ended up being the owner. Who, when we were leaving, asked how we enjoyed our meal. When we responded "disappointing", he simply shrugged and went back to his table to smoke another cigarette. Guess we weren't famous enough. My recommendation - and this is my first - is to stay far away from this tourist trap.

This was the first restaurant that we went to in Rome and it set the standard for the rest of our trip. Antica Pesa has been around since 1922, a long time for Canadian standards and though just an infant in comparison to its city's history it still is rightfully considered a Roman institution. Their claims to fame are: (1) the celebrity wall (it's a who's who of Hollywood that have eaten there); (2) their enormous wine list (or wine 'book' to be more accurate, it's the size of an encyclopedia); and (3) their excellent, traditional Roman cuisine. We got an excellent bottle of wine and some great Roman cuisine, no celebs on this particular night. The restaurant is in a great part of Rome (Trastevere) with lots around for pre or post drinks. We were greeted when we first got there by a glass of champagne while we admired the wall of famous guests of the past. We had pre-reserved for a spot on their terrace which was a beautiful, bustling scene. Being Europe, there were some smokers but it wasn't too bad. The waiter was friendly and, fortunately, spoke fair English. We ordered an appetizer billed as a trip through Rome (or something like that) which was served in a cool mystery box and had a bunch of small, bite-sized snacks. The specifics escape me but it was a great way to start a great meal. We got another app as well and both got a Roman pasta specialty (I had the Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe) before finishing up with an espresso. All said, a really nice experience. Not 5 star worthy but very comfortable with the 4. I would repeat if I find myself back in Rome, and the great part about a restaurant like this is that you know it'll still be there. Enjoy!

Food and service was terrible. Way over priced and stupidly pretentious wine list. The dead give away should have been the celebrity pictures as you walk in. Last time I saw that was in a Manhattan diner. So many great restaurants to chose from in Rome- skip this one.

What a beautiful night and a wonderful meal! We walked into the restaurant and did not know that we were walking back to a beautiful outdoor area. The servers were all very friendly including the owner who brought us reading lights since she saw us struggling to read our menus. We were there for my 50th birthday and they treated us like kings. The veal was terrific and then they brought me a bottle of wine to take home as a birthday gift. A real gem in a great part of the city. We rolled out of dinner and walked around the really fun trastavere area of Rome.

Very good service. The staff was attentive. I was a single female dining alone and I was really catered to. Got to visit or 'tour' the wine cellar! Impressive. Very clean bathrooms sometimes a rarrity in Rome