Via Santa Cecilia

We came here because we read it was Anthony Bourdain's favorite restaurant in Rome. It is within walking distance of the incredibly touristy and crowded Trastevere area ... but it doesn't have that crowded vibe, lines or hoards of tourists. Sadly, while we were there, they were doing construction to the building next door, which was netted off and included noisy power tools ... but we didn't let that stop us from sitting outside on a perfect, sunny day. When the construction is done, the outside will once again be splendid. Make sure to made an advance reservation ... they offer them through email, for those who are traveling and don't want to call. Even though the restaurant was about 60% empty when we went, we saw them turn many walk-ins away. It is more of a formal policy that reservations are required, it seems, and maybe that's why it is not full of tourists, which is good in our book. Before I go into the meal in more detail ... let me just say that the bottom line is that while we enjoyed our meal ... the hype is a bit much. Honestly, it wasn't our best meal in Rome but we left satisfied and felt the value and service was great. Manage your expectations and you'll enjoy the experience. The famous cacio e pepe pasta ... This is the dish Tony raved about ... and others. Their most famous. I was not great friends with him, but I did know him and we hung out once or twice. A lot of people don't know this but when it came to pasta, he had very simple tastes. It was a comfort food for him. He was incredibly happy eating Popeye's macaroni and cheese ... so it is not a surprise he liked this dish ... which is basically a sharper version of Italian mac & cheese. It comes in a bowl made from melted parmesan cheese. Given Tony's dislike for culinary 'schtick' (think Guy Fieri) ... I am quite surprised that alone didn't relegate this place to the cold underbelly of his restaurant contempt. The pasta was cooked perfectly ... I would have thought it would be a bit more creamy/gooey. While it did have a VERY cheesy taste, it was a bit on the dry side to be honest. The pepper wasn't very pronounced and the standout flavour of the dish was sharp pecorino romano. I enjoyed it, but it wasn't as great as I thought it would be. Arrabiata ... This was hotter tasting than most Indian curries I've had in India. Our mouths were literally almost numb. Make sure you know what you are getting into here with this dish. The flavors were very good (assuming you like very spicy dishes) but this was almost nuclear. Not sure I'd order this again. Salad ... Everything seemed fresh and it was just an average, everyday green salad with some tomatoes. House red wine ... At 8 Euro per 750 ml bottle, I left drunk and happy. The wine tasted great ... and even better was the price. You couldn't buy a bottle of red wine like this for 8 Euro at any grocery store in Rome. Fried Zucchini Blossom ... You order this by the piece. I had one ... it was good. Almost like a corn dog ... the batter was very thick but somehow, the flavor of the flower came through most. I did not have another zucchini blossom like this during our two week trip to Italy. Dessert ... Fresh strawberries and cream. One of the most expensive desserts on the menu, this was small strawberries cut up with a huge dollop of whipped cream on the top. Honestly, I thought they'd be a bit better. The main flavor was the cream ... the strawberries were slightly sour. I'd skip this, if I had it to do over. Overall, I'd 100% eat here again. The meal was fine ... mostly well above average. The waiter was very clinical ... didn't laugh or make small talk. He treated us like a clockmaker would treat a watch he was working on. Fast, efficient and methodical. We actually liked his lack of ebullience. In the tourist restaurants, waiters are trying too hard to be your buddy, thinking if you are American you will tip 20%. This guy didn't seem to care. The atmosphere is great and feels like 1950's Rome on the outside. The memory and the experience slightly surpassed the food, which was still some of the better food we had in Rome.

This place is not on a Main Street. In fact, it's tucked away and you're gonna have to walk a little. But trust me, it'll be worth it. There were 4 of us and we couldn't agree on which pasta was to best. So try all 3 of the ones we loved: Carbonara, Amatriciana, Cacio e Pepe. Also try the rice Crockett to start.

An almost empty terrace and I approached for a table for one for lunch and the host looked me up and down and said they were full of reservations. Never been turned away from a restaurant so I looked and repeated...you are full? Ok. There's too many wonderful places in Roma to go. I turned the corner and found a lovely place with a warm and happy staff.

We had dinner here on our first night in rome. We made a reservation via their website. We were quickly seated. Dinner time was busy, so we did have to wait a little bit to order and for our food, which is expected in rome, pretty much every where. Our food was delicious. We mostly enjoyed the cacio e pepe and the pizza, the sausage was easily the best sauasage we've ever had!

This was the best food during our entire stay in Rome! We enjoyed amazing pastas and shared multiple dishes so that we could taste a variety of menu items. I highly recommend Roma Sparita and will definitely go when I visit Rome again!

What can I say about this place? This is Anthony Bourdain's favorite restaurant and he knew where to go eat. Cacio E Pepe was absolutely the best in Rome. I couldn't get enough of it. We actually ordered an extra because it was so good. We also got filet mignon and a pepper sauce, and a couple of other things.

Totally overhyped after made popular by Antony Bordain. Line to get in before they open at 7 pm but you won't get in nonetheless without reservations. Food is good but not anything extra by Italian standards. As a matter of fact my pasta was dry and strips of beef were quite bland so when I asked for a little salt and pepper and parmigiano waitress was agast and made a comment to the tune that chef knows the best. Not to my taste, sorry. Very reasonably priced which is always a plus.

Great meal at Roma Sparita. We came here inspired by the Stanley Tucci show "Searching for Italy." He mentioned that Anthony Bourdain came to this great little Roman gem. My wife wanted to make the pilgrimage to enjoy 'the best Cacio e Pepe in Roma'. She was not disappointed! The Burrata appetizer was a great starter dish. The burrata was fluffy, and the ham was not greasy at all. My son had the Tagliatelle a la Carbonara, and I had the Grilled Lamb. Both were very good, although I think his was better. My wife LOVED her Cacio e Pepe and gobbled it all up (including cheese bowl). My daughter had a Margharita pizza, which was made very well. My 'Crunchy Cherry' dessert was my personal favorite dish of the night. And the Chocolate Mouse and Tiramisu were both very good. The wine we had was recommended by the server. It was from the nearby Lazio region. We really enjoyed it. I would recommend if U see it on a menu somewhere or at a neighborhood market (see pics).

So we came to Rome to visit the sites but my adult kids helped turn this into a foodie trip as well. We visited some great locations but none were better than Roma Sparita. First, a huge shout out to the Maitre d'. We showed up but did not have a reservation and the Maitre d' said they only took reservations but seeing the look on my son's face and the fact that we were early, he allowed us in. The service was incredible and friendly. They were very patient with these Americans trying to order. My son knew since before we showed up that he was ordering the cacio e pepe and it was an awesome choice. I must say that my Oxtail in tomato sauce was the best dish. It was just so delicious. My other son picked the mussels in garlic sauce. It too was very good. My wife had the cacio e pepe in a parmesan crusted bowl. We started with a fried artichoke and it was very different and very good. It is like eating artichoke chips with a similar texture like a potato chip. The wine list was very nice and we enjoyed a couple of bottles and the boys had some Peroni's.

Really overrated. I'm going to hope that our server was having an off night--I believe his repeated attempts to force me to order first at our table of six were intended as a joke, but it went on so long as to be uncomfortable, and the pesantic vibe seemed consistent throughout the meal. Food was pretty good, presentation spotty. At 7 pm, early for dinner in Rome, several of the desserts were unfortunately sold out. Those we had were just ok. Overall, the experience was just meh for me.

We came for the cacio e Pepe served in a bowl made of melted Parmesan cheese. We also had the amatriciana, steak with green peppercorn sauce, and porcini mushroom dish after starting with the fresh mozzarella appetizer. The cacio e Pepe was touted as one of the very best in Rome and it was fine. In the absence of the Parmesan bowl, the dish itself was average on our visit. The amatriciana was fine also. The steak was probably the highlight, and the mushroom dish was also good but perhaps not a good value. Overall we were satisfied with the food, service, and ambiance. Definitely reservations are required.

Fantastic. You definitely need a reservation. We like to follow the restaurants Anthony Bourdain went to and this was always #1 on his list "when in Rome". The Jerusalem artichokes and of course the signature pasta are not to be missed.

The food was pretty good however the waiter was not very friendly. We gave our drink order first and in a rude manner, he said "food first". Not sure why we had to order food first but he could have been more polite about it. We were seated inside the restaurant - seems like that's where the foreigners are seated. Eventually the waiter did warm up to us but that initial greeting had already done its damage. So many other fantastic and yummy restaurants in Rome that we tried and the service was much better.

The food wasn't that great. The owner was quite rude. It's not all that the best seat is inside not outside who wants to see construction

While many may still come for the Anthony Bordain association, I think coming to Roma Sparita without sitting outside during the summer might miss the mark. Inside I thought that the service was rushed and more cookie cutter than anything else. Was the cacio e pepe good; of course. Better served in a cheese crusty bowl, sure. But something I would go out of my way for in Rome I am not sure. There are so many other places to try I would save this for a time when you still want a good meal but with less expectations.

This is a highly overrated place, and I'd recommend skipping it and trying another restaurant. Food 3/5: Roma Sparita is famous for their Cacio E Pepe. We tried that, their mixed vegetables, and another one of their pastas. Their cacio e Pepe was good (and had good presentation) but I've had better cacio e Pepe in the US so wouldn't say it's absolutely amazing. Outside of the cacio e Pepe, everything else was average. Service 0/5: It's been a while since I've had such bad service at a theoretically "nice" restaurant. List of mishaps below: 1) We asked for a dish, the waiter "recommended" another dish because he likes it more. We thank him and said we still want the first one and he then tells us the restaurant doesn't have it today = waiter was lying about his "recommendation". 2) Bathrooms were not flushing (confirmed with another table) 3) Bread for table comes after we're done with half of our main dish 4) Waiter gives us black pepper in a shaker that's empty. Takes 10-15 minutes for us to flag him down and replace it 5) I know it's Italy, but even here I've never found it harder to actually get my bill / pay. There was a lot of stuff happening with our waiter in the interim that I won't go into but it left a bad taste in my mouth.

One of the best meals in Rome; I thought it definitely lived up to the hype, although some in our party thought the pasta dishes were too salty. The place is nice, and the service was some of the best we had on our visit. We started with fried courgette blossoms, rice croquettes, or suppli, fried stuffed olives, grilled vegetables, and prosciutto & mozzarella The suppli were not very flavorful; the courgette were good. I think the rest was pretty good. For mains, we had the cacio e pepe, carbonara, and a fillet steak with pepper sauce. I thought the cacio e pepe was awesome. I'm sure you can read about it in most other reviews. As mentioned, opinions were split on the pasta, especially the carbonara, which some loved but others thought was way too salty (also noted in other reviews). Our waiter was super nice and attentive. Great service and experience. We did not do dessert; we opted for gelato later. I would definitely put this place on your list for Rome.

Delicious! Especially the Arancini. Maitre D seemed a little crabby but it didn't take away from a great meal

Considering we, eight of us, was walking by and got in line, it couldn't be better. Food was wonderful. Service was outstanding. Ambiance was authentic Italian setting. Loved our visit and highly recommend.

Rome is full of restaurants welcoming the tourist customer. There is no need for any of us to spend our hard earned money in an establishment with an entire staff of such rude,condescending jerks. Frankly, hundreds of restaurants in Rome are so happy to have the chance to make your experience wonderful. How good should the food be to be treated so poorly? Da Enzo is worth the wait.

Very busy so best to make a reservation. They have a cute outside and inside. As predicted, some outstanding food.

Excellent, good food and location in Trastevere. Can't say enough about their Panna cotta - to die for! Recommend going to for the Cacio e' Pepe. Would definitely look to return to Roma Spita on my next visit to Rome.

Went there for what most of us tourists go there for... the cacio e pepe. Ordered that, some lamb chops & another dish I can't recall. Both of the other dishes were far better than the "signature" dish. It was so salty that we couldn't eat it. Nobody else seemed to be eating it either, not even the locals. It was late & so we didn't bother sending it back. Just ate the other dishes & left, after drinking plenty of water.

My family and I went to this restaurant for the highly rated cacio e peppe. We were not disappointed. The pasta was served in a big Parmesan bowl. We also got the delicious chocolate soufflé for dessert and it was to die for! The only thing that we didn't love about this place was that it was empty on arrival. This restaurant is a local place and when we showed up at opening we were the only ones there. Still highly recommend for a delicious bowl of pasta!

When i saw that Anthony Bourdain special on Roma. I wanted to go to every place he went to. When i saw him order Caccio e Pepe. I tried it the first time I was here in some tourist restaurant in rome. Didnt quite like it, quite frankly, didnt even quite look like the dish i saw on tv. So i told myself that when i return i will hunt this restaurant down and have whatever the late Anthony Bourdain had and maybe even fabricate it for myself. So we came, got seated and barked our order to the waiter. Fried Artichoke: This was a first for me and my hubby. The outer petals were a little bit tougher, but ate like fibry chips. You gotta put a little effort in chewing it. Kind of like pumpkin seeds. Not everyone likes it, but I do!! And i'll probably be fabricating this dish too. Fried Prawns: These guys were pretty good. Seasoned very well and cooked perfectly. Best eaten by unshelling them with your hands. It's just easier that way. Trust me! Caccio E Pepe: This dish was the truth. I can understand why this would be Tony's favorite pasta dish. Simple and totally extraordinary. I will totaly fabricate this dish at home with the flavors i experienced from this plate. The restaurant a located about a mile out from the last tourist trap castle/building/church/fountain. So most, if not, all of the patrons are locals. The setting definitely rustic, but who cares! Service was dope, the food was super yummy and I would dine here again and again and again if given the chance. Thank you so much for reading my review. I hope this helps with your decision making experience. Enjoy your awesome yelptastic day!!!

Food was good. ordered their signature dish, facio e pepe, while it was good, it was a bit salty for me. Nevertheless, i enjoyed it.

One amazing dinner! Quality is not rápido:) Will definitely be coming back. Definitely, underrated. If there was a sixth star, Romas Sparita would need it.

Really one of the best dining experiences we had in Rome. Accommodated a much too large group of Americans (17) with ease... everything you read about is great here (cacio d pepe) but the sleeper dishes have their incredible red sauce....order extra bread for dipping. Some in our group were unhappy the pizza ovens were not on -but it was August for God's sakes and early afternoon.

Amazing pasta and steak. This place was hands down some of the best food we had while in Rome. And the cheese bowl was heaven.

We came to this restaurant for lunch. We had made reservations in advanced to ensure we got seated and although I'm sure that's imperative during the peak of the season, it didn't seem that critical now (September '19) unless you want to sit inside. Our server was lively and although his demeanor could be misconstrued as sarcastic and stand-offish by some, I think he really means well and tries to keep things light and sort of entertaining. He made food and wine recommendations to us that worked out great and eventually we warmed up to each other and he kinda grew on me. We ordered a couple of dishes to share, starting with the gnocchi with vongole and zucchini flowers. I must say I've never had gnocchi with seafood and actually never even considered it as a good combination for a dish, but this one was delicious. The dish was light and so flavorful. The cherry tomatoes added a nice mild acidic sweetness and the zucchini flowers are my new favorite thing to eat (forget the actual zucchini!). The vongole (labeled on the menu as 'veraci' or 'the one' meaning the real deal kind of vongole) tasted better than the ones we had while in the Amalfi Coast and were meatier. For our main dish we ordered the whole fish, seabass in this case, which was grilled and served whole for deboning table side. The fish was perfectly cooked, the skin was slightly charred while the meat was moist and tender. The fish was large enough for two people to share. We paired our food with a bottle of their house white wine (Malvasia, Caspide) which was fresh, crispy with good acidity for a table wine and paired great with seafood.

Totally over rated do no waste your time or money! See attached pics none of us finished our meal. We were so looking forward to it because we live Anthony Bourdain would be ashamed his name is associated with the place.

Excellent choice in Trastevere... reservations are a must. The carbonara and cacio e pepe were some of the best dishes we enjoyed while in Rome. I will most definitely return.

AMAZING AMAZING FOOD! Known for their cacio e pepe which was seriously amazing. The spaghetti with clam dish was also fantastic. However, one of the waiters is quite creepy. He started to play with one of my friends hair at the table and wouldn't stop for awhile. He then started massaging another girls shoulders which was completely unwarranted. Other than that guy everything else was great!

We came here our first night in Rome, and it was amazing. We ordered the cacio e Pepe and the bucatini amatriciana, it's a must when you come to Rome. Staff and food were superb.

Absolutely amazing dinner! Our food was amazing and you have to come here if you are in Trastevere. We started with the fried artichoke and it was so good. We had the house wine and it was affordable and delicious. We had the spaghetti with mussels and cacio e pepe for dinner. Both were great but the cacio e pepe was better and just so good. It comes in a cheese (Parmesan maybe?) bowl. It was our favorite dish since we have been in Rome. The service was excellent and I would highly recommend this place!!! By the way, our waiter Roberto was one of the best waiters we had when we were in Rome. He was so nice and attentive!!

Tucked in the side of a piazza is Roma Sparita: a true Roman restaurant. The restaurant is most famous for anthony bourdain's visit here. Start with the roasted artichoke and follow it up with the traditional cacio a pepe a true delight where you eat the Parmesan bowl where the pasta is served. Tips: reservations are a must.

We tracked across town after watching one of Anthony Bourdain's shows hyping up Roma Sparita's cacio e pepe. Served in a bowl made out of parmesan cheese - YES! I don't really know what else to add to my review to convince you to try this place. It is certainly worth the visit.

I'll be the first to admit, the only reason I know about this place is because of Anthony Bourdain. That said, I like many others respected his culinary opinions and in the case of Roma Sparita it was no different. The sight of that Cacio e Pepe in a parmesan bowl is enough to make your mouth water from a million miles away and guess what? It was as advertised and so damn delicious. Since this place has become so popular I'd advise sending an email with a reservation request weeks in advance because I noticed a ton of people getting turned away. Keep that email handy as the seating system is pretty old school and it's best to have proof. That's what happened to me... It's worth the stop not only for the cacio but, the other dishes too. We had some deep fried olives, veal scallopini and nicely priced bottles of wine.

JUST WOW. Got to be the simplest yet the most extraordinary dish I've ever had. Like what Anthony Bourdain said the cacio e pepe "could be the greatest thing in the history of the world." The bucatini, mussels, oxtail, steak & tiramisu didn't disappoint as well. Così buono!

I did not want to give this a bad review...we were handed a menu in English, fine, but the translation was way off...I ordered the "Parmesan pie" that sounded interesting and delicious, it was eggplant Parmesan, and one of the worst I've had. Had the fried zucchini blossoms which were so densely battered, equivalent to a zucchini blossom corn dog. Obviously had caccio e Pepe, it was good, fine, nothing amazing. Had 2 other pastas which were "good", the oxtail was the best thing we ate here. Overall, really touristy at this point, and mediocre food at best.

This place has tons of reviews so I'm gonna be short...IT IS AMAZING! Please do not hesitate to visit this place and try whatever the waitress offers you, it is real Italian food with a touch of creativity.

Words can't describe this pasta eating experience. Still to this day this was the best pasta I've had in my entire life - it's to die for. We ordered caccio e pepe for our main... SO WORTH IT. I wish I could eat this everyday, it's that good. And the bowl made of cheese that they serve it in - yummy too. The staff was delightful, super quick and accommodating. I always recommend this place. If you have time for only one meal in Rome - make sure it's here. Heaven.

A Roman local recommended this place to me as the best spot to have some cacio e pepe in Rome. Surprisingly I had no idea Anthony Bourdain featured it, but that being said, this place is great and simple. I loved the outdoor seating, the simple menu, reasonable prices, friendly staff, and amazing food! I found the Cacio e Pepe to be one of the most perfect dishes I had on my trip. The Parmesan Cheese Bowl was also delicious and unique. The portion was perfect for lunch too, I was satisfied just ordering that. They also had a good wine list too. I would definitely return and highly recommend this place to others.

Everyone knows this restaurant because it was on Anthony Bourdain but the cacio e pepe as absolutely delicious and so was the parmesan boat it comes it, I could eat it everyday

Considering that our reservation was mistakenly made for the previous evening they were very accommodating and sat us on a busy night. Great server who was terrific. House wine was really good. The gnocchi with pork ribs was outstanding and the cacio e Pepe was unbelievable good. Would definitely go back next time we're in Rome.

Thank goodness I saved the business card from here when I was in Rome in 2014. We came back for 2018 Christmas and had an amazing lunch here. This place is a must! Great service, even to us tourists. This place is large, has an upstairs and outside seating. We ate the fried artichoke, fish stew and of course the cacio e pepe. I am such a fan of cacio e pepe and after eating this version of it, I didn't order it in Rome again, because I know I would just be disappointed. Very affordable, very friendly.

We arrived there 10 min before our reservation. An older waiter was sitting outside and having a cups of coffee, and told us we'll open in 30 minutes. We were like 'Què'? Walked around and killed some time, came back to the restaurant, was seated on the corner, right by the window which was very nice. Although it's the same waiter who we met earlier. Oh shoot, he doesn't look too happy. We knew exactly what we wanted so quickly ordered and wait to be served. When he brought our plates to the table, my bf was not next to me. He asked where's my friend? I said "Banõ". And then he almost took his plate to the bathroom. I laughed my ass off. It was one funny memory. Anyways, this Cacio e Pepe was best of the best I had, perfectly salty, perfect portion. I'll definitely come back again. Bellissimo

I found Roma Sparita from some online travel blogs and after reading other reviews, it sounded like the food was really good. Apparently Anthony Bourdain also visited this restaurant in one of his Rome food segments. I emailed them for a dinner reservation since I read in reviews that they are required (when I arrived there were a few walk ins that they took FYI -- maybe it was becuase they just opened for the evening and it wasn't full yet). When I arrived, the inside felt quaint and homey. I ordered the tagliolini cacio e pepe since it's what everyone raved about and also the veal and lemon as a second dish. I agree with other yelpers on the cacio e pepe -- it's too salty. The pasta itself is pretty good but if you eat the parmesan bowl, it's makes the dish terribly unbalanced and overseasoned. However I would say that the presentation is unique. For my second dish, I was surprised to see that it was literally two thin slabs of veal with a slice of lemon on the side. I would expect at least a small side or something to go along with the veal, which was overcooked and tough. For a meal that cost $28 euros (why do they charge 2 euros for table bread that's not even optional??), I left unsatisifed and expecting more. I've eaten at cheap, fast pasta joints that are way better than Roma Sparita. Not recommended.

Yes this place is located in a cool little square on the edge of the Trastevere neighborhood. Yes this is the place that both myself and the late great Tony Bourdain believe has the best cacio e pepe in the city. Yes this place is super popular and having a reservation is the preferred way to do it... although I've walked in a few times late in the lunch time and had no problems seating. Yes there are an equal number of locals coming in for their daily meal along with just as many two tops with a guidebook in the middle. Yes it is still worth coming here because the food is delicious the room is historical and the service really is some of the best I experienced in all of Italy.