Secondo Tradizione

Very nice modern business style restaurant just around the corner of the Mama Shelter hotel and close to the Vatican. Food and wines are delicious and everything is spotlessly clean. It made our last meal during our Italy trip a great success.

I Went here in 2018 and had a great experience. So now when I was back in Rome in 2025 I had to try it out again. And they still delivered great food. We had the tuna and the fish of the day. It was slightly pricey ~30 eur per dish (there was a lot of cheaper options). But it was definitely worth it!

Really enjoyed the food and atmosphere here. Very relaxed and friendly, the pasta, starters and desserts are strong (we did not have mains on this visit). We had the tempura shrimp with guacamole and one of us had caccio e pepe, the other had the spaghetti with spicy pork and roquefort. For dessert, one had the Tiramisu, the other had Tortino Fondente (lava cake). All was excellent and the service was friendly and good.

After spending more than four days in Rome with my family, eating pizza and pasta, we began to look for something more traditional Italian cuisine. As we were staying in the Neighborhood, we found Secondo Tradizione. Eating here was a very pleasant experience. The food, the selection of wines, and the service were great. I would certainly recommend anyone in the area to stop by for dinner here.

Amazing food, service, feels like home, great value, the owner Alessandro cares deeply about his food and happiness of his guests… third time here in a week…… I suggest you get here before Stanley Tucci shows up and exposes one of Romes true gems… enjoy, you won’t be disappointed :). All the pastas and gnocchi was incredible, still working my way through the rest of the menu…

This was our last evening in Rome, and we couldn’t have chosen a better place than Secondi Tradizione! The food was delicious, and the drinks were perfectly crafted. The waiter deserves special recognition for his kindness and professionalism – his warm attitude made us feel like very special guests. Thank you for the wonderful atmosphere and unforgettable culinary experience. We will definitely return on our next visit to Rome!

🍝 - Food: 2/5 🛎️ - Service 4/5 📍 - Location & atmosphere 2/5 TLDR: Secondo Tradizione is in an optimal spot, just a short walk from Vatican City. The other restaurants in the area aren't that great, so I thought this one might be a hidden gem. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations. So, when it comes down to it, I'd say it's just average, like any other restaurant in the area. Secondo Tradizione is just a few steps from Vatican City in an area bustling with various dining options and takeaway places. My friends and I expected traditional Roman cuisine with a twist because of the connection with the historical deli that provides the restaurant's name. We were expecting a restaurant to offer yummy dishes pimped with astounding ingredients. The a la carte menu offers excellent options for meat, fish, and vegetarian lovers. I opted for the artichoke with the baccalà, and its taste didn't leave the sign. The main course was Tagliolini, homemade pasta with garlic, olive oil, chilli, and Roquefort cheese. This was my biggest delusion. The two generous cheese slices killed all the other flavours, and the Ndjua was utterly absent. I asked for the Tiramisu with the Sambuca liquor to close the supper. Here, as well, a very ordinary Tiramisu with some Sambuca in it. Secondo Tradizione's staff exudes professionalism, particularly in the way it presents its menu. However, one minor drawback is that bread and water are served after the appetisers, disrupting the usual Italian dining ceremony. The price point at Secondo Tradizione reflects the current dining trends in Rome, with an average cost of around 45-50 EUR for a meal with wine. It's a fact that this is expensive. Secondo Tradizione aligns with similar establishments in the area. On the downside, the decor and furniture at Secondo Tradizione aren't correctly utilised. The location's upper floor is the most exciting part, but it was closed with the lights off. A lack of defining ambience or identity may leave guests indifferent to the restaurant's atmosphere.

Ok EVERYTHING WAS DELICIOUS! The owner was also so nice and suggested everything for me from A to Z he is also the chef cook ! No doubt cause he knows so much he will tell you where everything comes from it was such an amazing experience. DEFINITELY RECOMMEND!

Service was ok and restaurant is nice inside but food is way overpriced for what you get. The pasta is very Al-dente. Much harder than any of the other pasta we've had in Italy. I got the spicy pasta which the waitress recommended. It was just spaghetti pasta with a spicy oil and a little blue cheese for 15 or 16 euro. Everything was overpriced in my opinion.

Omg!! Honestly best meal I ever had !!! Service .. food ... drinks are were insane !!

Everything about our experience was perfect. We had been at the main cheese shop nearby, and asked if they had a restaurant. They sent us up the street and we met the main proprietor at Secondo, who got us a table late in the evening, just as we'd hoped. We arrived and he had a table ready, and sat us down. We had a million questions, and he soon helped us narrow in on the perfect meal for us. He was the perfect mix of cheese monger, sommelier, and dried meat expert, able to ask us about our other preferences and help us make the perfect choice. He was also generous with sampling! This was the perfect host, mixing great conversation, and the subtlety required for us to have our own nice, private date. As the evening wore on, we saw he had befriended the whole restaurant, without making himself the center of attention. The man has a gift! We lingered, enjoying every moment, until late in the evening. We were worried that we were pushing past his closing time, but he insisted we stay and take our time. Eventually at the end of the night, he sat down and we had a very nice chat with him, and he generously finished off our evening with some complimentary items as well. It was a perfect night!

Perfection! We stopped at this place while on a Roman food tour, we were so impressed that we booked it for dinner for our final night in Rome. Located in the Prati District, just up the block from their Salumeria Tradizione (another must visit). One visit and you feel confident that the restaurant is serving quality ingredients. This place has a clean modern feel, with an open kitchen and a bar with Salumi and Cheese on display. The owner and staff are very friendly and accommodating. They have a great menu, daily specials and perfect wine list. For starters, we were given a complimentary fried Tuna ball. It was delicious. We ordered the Prosciutto and Cheese plate, which was sliced and prepared right in front of us. It was all great, but the star was by far the Jamón ibérico. Made from the acorn fed pure Iberian black pigs I also ordered the Beef Tartare and it was the best I've ever had. Served with Worcestershire, Tabasco, Olive Oil, and Balsamic, I was able to season it to my taste. For dinner we had Prawns with homemade pasta, the traditional Roman pasta alla Gricia, and Seared Tuna. The pasta alla Gricia was on point with delicious Guanciale and perfectly cooked pasta. The prawns with homemade pasta was excellent. The dish flavorful, with the lightest sauce that was made with finesse. The sauce wasn't overpowered by garlic, butter, or oil, it was made with a fresh stock from the prawn shells. Lastly, the Tuna was cooked to perfection, with a great citrus infused crust and sauce and served over greens. Another clean, yet extremely flavorful dish. After our meal, we were each given a complimentary small Zabaglione (Italian custard) with chocolate shavings. It was incredible. We didn't even need to order dessert after that.

We came here for our Christmas Day dinner, so my review is based on that experience. The restaurant is located away from the touristy area in an area of town that looks run down and was quiet, but the restaurant is nice and new and modern inside. I discovered this through a blog post on where to eat on Christmas Day. Located in Prati, not far from the Vatican Museums, this restaurant grew out of a collaboration between the nearby historic salumeria (deli), La Tradizione, and chef Piero Drago who trained under 2-Michelin ** chef chef Anthony Genovese (Genovese contributed to the crafting of the menu). Christmas menu 65€ not including wine. We thought this might be a bit pricey, but took a chance. Well you will almost need a wheelbarrow or cart to roll out the door once you are done. They fed us, and very well. This is authentic Roman dining at its best. The fixed menu we thought was a choice from each category for a total of say 4 dishes. It was all the dishes. 15 and water and a ratafia drink, which is a sweet desert wine. Each dish was prepared well and it was honestly almost impossible to make it through it all. By the time the dessert came we were putting it in a paper bag to go. I attached a photo of the menu and the food, which was all written in Italian. The service was excellent, and they greeted us with kindness. I would come back here again. It was a great authentic Italian family style feat.

Great place for appetizers and wine. Loved the cheese and meat platter. Recommend this spot if you are looking for something authentic and away from all the tourist spots.