La Taverna dei Quaranta

We were on our way to a restaurant that our Airbnb recommended called Tuzzi and we were turned around. Some people overheard and recommended this restaurant instead. So we decided to try it and wow it was so disappointing. We ordered Bruschetta and caprese to start and then I ordered chicken and mushrooms (we have been in Italy for many days so I thought I’d take a break from pizza and pasta). Husband ordered the Margherita pizza and our daughter ordered a pizza with mushrooms.. my chicken was very dry and the mushrooms were boring. There just wasn’t anything good about this meal- stay away. The caprese (my favorite normally and we ate it all across Sicily for 8 days) was SO boring as there was no flavor except the most basic. I hate to write bad reviews but this food was bad. The bruschetta was the only exception. It was flavorful and really if they had used those tomatoes for the caprese it would have been enjoyable. A little. Anyway, the pizzas were greasy and too much cheese. Service… nearly non existent. Husband never got his wine until we asked again after our meals were served. We never had a chance to ask for salt and pepper (TRUST ME- their food NEEDS it).. drinks took a while.. server never came back after dropping the food as i would have loved another Coke Zero … anyway, I have written so many reviews on here and most are 5 star as I love to write great reviews. We travel a lot and I would never recommend this restaurant nor would I step foot in it again. Of course we had to go find someone to get a box and then someone other than the waiter came and took payment. Never asked about anything. Bad service- nearly non existent nor friendly. (Our neighbors- a large table seemed to be having a better time… that still wouldn’t have made the food good. Our first meal in Rome sucked… Don’t recommend this place at all. Pretty restaurant and pretty awful food and service. Unflavored food (except bruschetta) Also- when I saw parmigiana on the menu I realized it was a tourist restaurant as that’s what all the tour guides have told us. If there is spaghetti and meatballs or parmigiana then it’s not authentic Italian which fits with Zero flavor on the caprese.

Visited in September 2013 — Founded in 1982 by forty friends as a neighbourhood hub for politics, culture, and honest Roman cooking, La Taverna dei Quaranta still serves in that spirit. At quarter to nine the room was quiet, checked tablecloths and wood panelling setting the scene, ovens firing at the back. Fiori di zucca were light and crisp, the courgette and mozzarella speaking clearly (8/10). Bucatini all’amatriciana, my second of the day, had homemade pasta cooked bang-on and guanciale full of flavour, though the tomato leaned acidic and the pecorino needed a finer grate (8.5/10). Fried anchovies were fresh but under-seasoned, their batter lacking the crispness I hoped for (6.5/10). Honest, unfussy, and still carrying its founding ethos.

A local pizza restaurant that tastes good. Confirmed from the fact that I ate all alone, not a piece left. Affordable compared to the atmosphere of the shop and service.

We toured the colosseum, the Roman forum, and palatine hill before we headed out for lunch. It was Easter so there weren’t many places that were open. Luckily for us, this place was. We found it just near the colosseum. Perfect spot for lunch. We started with the bruschetta. It was really good. Then I had the margherita pizza and my wife had the lasagna. We finished off with tiramisu and espresso! Perfect spot to pick up lunch while in between tours!

We went there after walking near the Colosseum and the location is like wow, just steps from the ruins and still inside it was kind of quiet, well not silent but enough to chill. The pasta with truffle I got was very homemade taste, earthy, maybe a bit too rich but I liked it, I think. My friend had pizza, the crust thin and the edge had that char, not burned but tasty, tasty, I say it again tasty. The waiter, he had a blue shirt, looked a bit in hurry but he still stopped and explained some dishes, even suggested a local wine that actually went well with the pasta, that detail made me smile. The vibe inside was cozy, small tables all close so sometimes you hear the people talking but not too noisy, actually kind of roman authentic vibe Prices… not cheap, yeah, but honestly for being right there in center and still good quality I felt it was fair, we left full, I keep repeating that because it’s rare you leave full and not angry about money spent. I maybe forgot something but overall the evening felt relaxed, except I almost spilled the glass because the table was tiny.

Our first night in Rome we found this restaurant. The food was amazing. Great pizza! The service was great too. Nice atmosphere and really fun place to eat.

This quaint resto serves one of the best meals I had in Rome. Went there for lunch and came back for dinner on another night. Freshly cooked, homemade including the dessert. It looks like a lot of locals frequent the place. Service was excellent. Friendly and polite. If you are in the Colisseum area looking for a place to eat that isn't a tourist trap, this is the place to go.

Lovely little restaurant with good food at a good price. The menu is small but still plenty of options (including for me, the vegetarian), and all of it was delicious. Check the daily specials board. We recommend the rocket and pear salad, the caprese salad, the roast lamb, and the penne with spicy tomato sauce. We paid €96 for three starters, three main courses, and three soft drinks.

We needed something fast and delicious, and this place seemed to fit the bill. We walked in and immediately we were greeted and sat. The menu is limited, which is always a good sign that they take pride in what they do. The waiter was friendly and personable, and he spoke both Italian and English, at least. The atmosphere was that of an old tavern that really transports one to another place and time. Enough about all that though, let's talk food. The food was really good. My son demolished the fettuccine with tomato basil sauce and I enjoyed the amatriciana pasta. My wife didn't mind but didn't love the Cacio e Pepe. The taste was great but the sauce became thick and virtually too thick once it cooled. Overall, it was the right spot to duck into for a quick bite. Great atmosphere, friendly service, and good food. Enjoy.

Our party of three (an omnivore and two vegetarians) had an amazing experience at this classic but renovated Roman restaurant. The space is beautiful and the air con kept the temperature very comfortable on a balmy Roman evening. The food was delicious, the house wine was great, and so were other drinks, and the service was friendly and attentive. (Ciao Marco!) If we ever make it back to Rome, we will be back, no doubt.

We had our very first Italian meal here and we were not disappointed! Our Airbnb host recommended it to us. We split a margarita pizza outside and it was delicious. We also had our last meal in Rome here and it is by far our favorite pizza we had in the city.

You can bus or walk here from the Colosseum. Restaurant has a/c and wifi serving pasta, pizza and other italian dishes. Service here was not as bad as other roman restaurants. Ordered the chicken with mushroom, cacio e pepe (a must try in Rome), and meat and arugula pizza. Food came out pretty quickly. Pasta was good, the black pepper came out! Pizza was great but nothing too special. Would NOT recommend the chicken with mushrooms - the chicken was so dry we couldn't even finish it. Average prices and decent food. Would come here if you're looking for a meal near the colosseum.

While planning out our trip, I looked up dinner options around the Colosseum area since I knew we would be there until late. A search of the area led be past the stretch of restaurants directly across from the Colosseum and down further to Taverna di Quaranta. It's located a few blocks from the main stretch and as a result, had fewer tourists and more locals. We arrived very early, around 7pm, which is early for Italian dinner time! They were able to seat us anyways, but I do have to say, service was very sporadic. We were used to that by this time, so it wasn't a huge deal. A half carafe of house wine here is literally about 5€, which is a great deal! The wine was really good, for a house wine and a lot better than any house wine I'd get in NYC. The dishes are also very cheap and affordable - we ordered a half carafe of wine, 3 appetizers, and 3 pasta dishes for all under 60€! Their bruschetta is definitely one of the highlights of the meal - the tomatoes are so bright and flavorful! I also quite liked the fried mozzarella balls, which was really different to how fried mozzarella is prepared here in the US. My mom and my sister both had the oxtail pasta, which was really good. The dish was fragrant, flavorful, and distinctive. Most of their pasta is made in house as well, so they get an extra star just for that fact!

The pizza diavolo was a hit at our table! The bruschetta was also delicious. The tiramisu, and caramel flan was just okay, while their service was sub par. They seemed annoyed with us, even though we did not ask for much and were not rude. It was probably just a language barrier thing. We did the best we could ‍

We were guided here by our tour group at the Colosseum. There were at least 18 of us in the group. Since the lunch was inclusive we were stuck here and only had a choice of bruschetta & pizza from the menu. First, the bruschetta was super bland, pizza was flavorless, we asked for ice for our sodas and we were told they had NONE! In the middle of hot August summer! Nite that it was 90 degrees that day! Unbelievable. Service was terrible. If I could give ZERO stars I would. I made note and told the tour group not to bring guests here. We paid for a terrible meal. So disappointing.

After walking for hours, this meal was extremely satisfying and great on the budget. at he place itself was cozy and simply without the flamboyance you generally find. The meal was exquisite. For appetizers my husband and I shared the prosciutto and melon. The melon was soft, juicy and not sweet , going very well against the salty chewy prosciutto . I ordered the lasagna for my main and my husband ordered what looked like beef strips with some vegetables cooked in balsamic( I can't remember the name). They were delicious. The lasagna was amazing- cheesy, gooey, meaty saucy goodness without being too much of the above mentioned words. I took a bite of his meal- just thinking about it makes me salivate. The meat was perfectly cooked and the crunch of the veggies against the balsamic and the meat was fantastic . Simple tastes and perfectly balanced .

Solid. Great pasta. Mushrooms ok. Bread was stake. White wine solid- crisp, refreshing. With tip was 45Euro. We would go back. The carbonara was the best.

Solid dining in Rome close to the Colosseum. We had early dinner reservations for our party of 7, and the restaurant was not crowded when we arrived. The menu has an extensive pizza selection in addition to pasta, meat and fish. Very generous portions. The fried zucchini flowers and prosciutto with melon were outstanding. Pizza and pastas were satisfying if a bit unremarkable compared to other places we tried. The rocket salad had good ingredients but was not dressed. A little olive oil and balsamic solved that problem. Service was efficient if a bit gruff. Overall a very safe place to go if you are nearby.

Frustrating to wait close to an hour for our food when we were amongst the earliest customer. Average food. Expected better seeing that it was recommended online by others.

This place is delicious! We were worried that it would be too touristy since it's so close to the Colosseum, but it was delicious and there were mostly locals dining around us. The pasta tasted homemade, and the tomatoes on the bruschetta were fresh and delicious! This is probably my favorite restaurant we've tried in Rome so far! It lived up to my expectations of the food in Italy.

Absolutely loved this place! Ended up going here twice during our visit. It's near the Colosseo but it's not very touristy. They have amazing bruschetta where the bread is slightly burned on the edges. We also had a roasted eggplant dish that was amazing. We got a meatball appetizer with roasted potatoes that was also terrific. They had a breaded fried anchovy with sun-dried tomatos appetizer that was out of this world. And of course the pasta dishes were also very good. Price wise it was very affordable. About $40 for 2 people and that included wine, 2 appetizers, 2 main dishes and 1 desert! Overall, this was probably our favorite restaurant out of the ones we tried.

Had found this in a search of places near our rental. The first night walked by on way to colosseum and had a great meal good service, quality food, helped us learn a bit of Italian. Recommend especially if a family

The latest review (Matt's) said don't eat here, the bread was stale, the wine watered down...what he forgot to tell you Yelpers was the food was appalling and the witchy waitress was downright scary. I ordered the special of the day, ravioli with cheese and cracked pepper. I wish I would have taken a pic of the sad, sorry, pale, flat, ravioli that appeared on a plate in front of me. The was a schmear (yes think New York bagel) of sauce under two ravioli, but that was it. I thought it was a free appetizer ... I didn't know it was my meal until my gf's meal came. My gf ordered rigatoni with meat. It came in a big platter and at least had sauce. Unfortunately they failed to cook the damn rigatoni. It was so hard it crunched when I tried it. I only ate one rigatoni, even though I was still starving having snarfed up 5 lonely, sad, tepid ravioli. The gf found this restaurant reading some article somewhere on the internet raving about its authenticity...who knew that "authentic" meant inedible... Oh wait..and the wine... I don't know what that wine was, it was so bad that I didn't even drink the glass that was poured..and I will drink Boone's Farm...I don't have high standards.... And don't look now, but that waitress? She just came out of the same bathroom my gf did, you know the one that my gf had to bring her own tissue in because there was none. And maybe their health regulations don't require the food servers to wash their hands because she sure didn't. The best thing about this place is the pretty green door. Admire it as you keep on walking by. Stay away from this one...thank me later.

Good value for the price charged at this establishment. Had their version of pasta e fagioli. The beer was cheap and cold. The service was good, beer was cheap and conveniently located nearby the coliseum.

This was such a happy accident to stumble upon this little joint. My fiancé and I had spent a very hot day touring the Colosseum and were famished after our long tour. Our guide had recommended a place that we couldn't find, but this place looked good and it was a short trek from behind the Colosseum. Inside the decor was simple and traditional. We were greeted promptly and given still water and menus. I ordered some sort of arrabbiata on fettuccini; just a simple, spicy pasta dish. I was delighted to find that this was some of the best, homemade pasta and sauce that I had experienced on the whole trip across France and Italy. This is a little off the beaten path which made it a nice, quieter stop. This is well worth the visit. PS. I should add that my fiancé had the oxtail which he thought was delicious, as well.

Do NOT go here !! The food was disgusting bread was not fresh at all we had to ask for another basket since it was so hard to eat. The waitress was raving about the "good food" there and it turned out to be a HUGE disappointment. I went with my family of 4 and took a few bites of our meals before deciding to leave. BE AWARE THIS GREEDY RESTAURANT WILL CHARGE FOR TAP WATER AND ALSO AN ADDITIONAL "Person tax" which is a rip off since none of the other restaurants around charge. Very bad place I would highly suggest not going here

We were trapped. This place is located a block or two away from Colosseum. went there after their promoter in front of Colosseum advertised their best wood oven pizza. Once we got there and seated, they told us that they don't serve pizza for lunch because the kitchen gets too hot with the oven. They also didn't have pasta selections which is strange as well for Rome. I ordered grilled steak with fries. And guess what? They didn't have ketchup either. We also ordered pasta with meat sauce and we got pasta with meat balls. Two stars because the place had air conditioner and the waitress was nice. And kept apologizing for bad operations. So they should give this waitress a raise. Without her, We would have given them one star.

WARNING! Definitely people not to be trusted! We parked across the street from this restaurant and ate here, spoke perfect English...outdoor tables with wait staff all around. Our car was smashed into, all 9 pieces of huge luggage taken and they saw the entire process. We went to them for assistance in finding police, pretended not an English word could be understood. Spoke in Italian and they simply turned their backs. Definitely part of the new problems of theft and safety in Italy . Support them by eating here, you support the crime and their cuts.

I am from Chicago and make a better carbonara. Place is a joke. Nothing close to what you'd expect from a restaurant in Italy. My guess is they are close enough to some tourist attractions they just gave up on making good food.

Tourist Trap. Took advantage of the fact that me and my family could not read or understand Italian and upcharged our bill (doubling entrees and including service fees that we did not request).

Looking for a place to grab dinner Capo D'Africa and based on Yelp reviews ended up at Taverna dei Quaranta. Thank you!!! Amazing appetizers, followed by primi and secondi... With house wine flowing all the way! I really wanted to eat all of my husband's order of the carbonara.... but held back! :-) Never again! I will be back if I had an option.... And most of all our great experience was under $65.

Recommended by our tour guide Maritza from the Colleseum. Local restaurant walking distance from Colleseum not at all touristy. Very reasonable prices for lunch - no pizza during lunch time. Very attentive staff. Air condition, Wifi.

Wine has got to be watered down, bread was stale and bland store bought taste, pasta undercooked and dish was overall bad. Don't eat here.

It's difficult to give this restaurant even 1 star because it is undeserved. I do realize that this is not a Michelin starred restaurant, but dear me, I also think that you can expect some sort of standard when you go out to eat. Unfortunately, the standard at this restaurant was very poor. Where do I start? Having entered the restaurant, we had to wait for several minutes to be greeted and seated, when finally a waitress took us to our table. I should have know better when we saw the place was empty. I had googled restaurants by the Colosseum and on http://travelshus.com they raved about this restaurant. After a long day, my partner and I were looking forward to a real Italian meal. We ordered our drinks, and soon enough the 'over enthusiastic' waitress came back to take our orders , she was cold, uninterested and to busy in helping out of towners. The wine came and it had a fowl bitter taste. We ordered the special and my pasta was hard not cooked and my partners 5 little raviolis had no sauce and tasted stale , WTF! The food and wine were gross. When I went to the restroom there was no toilet paper or soap. I saw one of the kitchen staff come from There knowing he didn't wash his hands. I didn't have the heart to tell my partner, I just wanted to get us out of there asap. The whole experience was a nightmare bit like a fast food restaurant. I will never go there again !!! It was terrible !!!Don't be fooled, this place has nothing to do with Italian food, and the service was very poor. KFC would have been a better choice !

Nice cozy atmosphere and friendly staff. The prices are hard to beat in this area and the bruschetta was good. I ordered the fried cheese based off of the waiter's recommendation, but wouldn't recommend it. The house red wine left us feeling a little disappointed, but the food we ordered (ravioli and spicy pasta) was really good and filling. Great place to go to fill up. Family friendly too!

I totally recommend this place! Even though it's very close to the Coliseum, it's far from an overpriced tourist trap. My brother had a Pizza caprichosa and I got myself Tallarines a la bolognesa. Everything was delicious and portions were outstanding. Everyone in the restaurant was very friendly and actually our waiter made us laugh more than once with her spontaneous jokes and friendly interactions while making sure we were well attended. We paired our meal with a liter of the house white wine. Lastly, the homemade Tiramisu is a must.

This restaurant looks like a nice little hole in the wall, however I was extremely dissatisfied by the time the bill had come. For starters, my friends' menus had pages in it that were completely missing in mine (the side dishes page). I ordered a pasta and a pizza to share with a friend which came at a reasonable price. Another person with me ordered a salad and it took over 30 minutes to come out. Then when we got the bill we were charged for TWO salads when we ordered one, and we were charged approx. 8$ for bread and services. However we never got the bread with our meal, leaving us extremely disappointed. Finally, the restrooms were deplorable and there was water on the floors. Overall bad service and mediocre food. Personally would not recommend.

Nice place traditional, nothing fancy but good tasty food with nice atmosphere. Very well priced.

My first stop after getting to Rome tired and not in the best of moods. This was right around the corner from the flat I rented, and it was open. VERY local place. The gruff but friendly (ie Roman) owner welcomed us in and his son waited on us. A pitcher of house red was brought and some decent bread. No idea what the house red was but it was just fine, and most likely that good basic red wine made in the Lazio region that rarely gets exported. Friend ordered "cacio y pepe," that signature dish of pasta, pecorino and black pepper and pronounced it great. I had another Roman dish, oxtail stew. About half the oxtail pieces were chewy, but tasty. The sauce was to die for...incredibly rich and concentrated. Less successful was the antipasti plate consisting of all deep fried items. Now I noticed locals ordering this too, and I can appreciate their appreciation for it, but it just wasn't for me. Decor was old, woody and comfortable. If you want a feel for how locals live, this is a good start.

This is a great spot for a quick casual meal. The large light-filled dining room feels homey, and the place is friendly and family-run. The food is very good Roman cooking--I enjoyed pasta with tomato sauce and oxtail (greasy but comforting cucina povera) and puntarelle which were a bit limp but still good. Prices are extremely reasonable. I look forward to returning!

This place was a little off the beaten path. Not over run with tourists. The food was very good, the service was good as well. We learned fast that a first course is enough for us. We tried the fried cheese, but actually prefer the American version.

A quaint unassuming charming little restaurant right by the Colesseum! We had a little difficulty communicating with the waitress since we did not speak Italian, but we managed. The food was good. Definitely eat here when visiting Rome!

We were looking for a nice place to eat around the Colosseum whilst we waited for the sun to go down, when we stumbled across this place with a little help from Yelp... I can not fault this place, the service was prompt and attentive. The food was great. We started with Zuchinni flowers and a focaccia and moved into home made pasta with chilli and cheese and a pizza. Taste was sensational and better then a lot of meals we have had in Rome. Price was exceptional coming in at 37 Euro for this and a litre of house red. I highly recommend this place.

Overall really nice experience for lunch after the Coliseo. Me my wife and two small children found the place on Yelp. The prices are great. The ambiance was really nice. The wait staff were all very nice and helpful as well. We had the bruschetta and the fried cheese. Bothe were excellent. I had the calzone and my wife had a pizza. Both were delicious, large and satisfying. My son who has dairy allergies had a cheese less pizza that was also very good. We also had a liter of the house wine that was really good. Definitely recommend for lunch after a busy time touring the Coliseo and Foro Romano.

Excellent! This was the best meal we have had in Rome. After touring the Colosseum with the underground tour, we ate here at La Taverna Dei Quartana. My wife had the special with feticinni and mushrooms- yum! I had the fried cod with zucchini and potatoes- yum. We recommend both. For the fried cod, I removed the bottom skin and everything was delicious. Also, our whole meal was under 30 euros.

Found this place after after leaving the colosseum. Food and service were good. Good place to have lunch. The cabornera and wine were delicious.

This was a great find. The food is amongst the best I've ever had in Italy. And the price was very reasonable. I highly recommend this place

Terrible experience. It is even difficult to give one star review. The attitude of the assistant was terrible and irresponsible. He never minded what did you say. Waiting for more than one hour was just for a pasta. BUT, it is not delicious.

Best food we had in the 3 days we were visiting Rome! We tried pizza, pasta and a couple appetizers & everything was delicious. Highly recommend!!

One of my favorite restaurants on my European tour. Excellent pizza and house wine.

Rome is such a beautiful place to visit anytime of the year. The culture is truly magnifico likewise the food. This describes everything about Rome- La vita è bella. My husband likes to do a lot of browsing and researching particularly when it comes to hidden gems. Taverna dei Quaranta is one of those traditional Roman restaurants that will win you over with their home cooked and freshly prepared cuisines. We each had an appetizer of the Bruschetta with tomatoes that was warmly recommended by the owner's wife. I had the Fried Cod with apples and Zucchini that is a known local favorite. Just be forewarned of the fish bones. My husband had their Pappardelle with shepherdess. The pappardelle pasta was a rich, thick and creamy fettuccine that goes perfectly with the sauce. I honestly wish we made room for desserts but their food was just too good! So we settled for two cups of cappuccino before departing for the day. I def recommend to learn some Italian to actually read the menus and locate the city better. This is a regional experience not be a missed when in Rome!

This place is in a nook at the end of the street near Colosseum so may be little difficult to find. The restaurant is relatively small so it usually has long wait if you do not have reservation, but is worth it. We noticed locals eating there. Food is really delicious and great service and food prices are inexpensive! Their house red wine is really good. Highly recommend!