We saw Emma on multiple shows and lists about the best places to eat in Rome, so we had to check it out. Pro tip: make a reservation!
We tried to stop without a reservation and it was over an hour wait. So we made a reservation for a later day and came back.
We sat outside and the ambiance was lovely. It’s located just a block away from the busy Via di Torre Argentina, so it’s lively without being too crowded.
The Husband ordered the pizza speciale. It had a spicy salami (think pepperoni in the US) and the crust and sauce were so good. He said it was the best pizza he’s had in Rome, and he’s had A LOT.
No surprise, I had the cacio e pepe. It was incredible. After having so many cacio e pepe I’m starting to notice the little differences, such as quality of cheese and pepper and freshness of the noodles. This one was perfect.
We ordered the tiramisu for dinner. I know this is the third time I’ve said this, but this is the best tiramisu I’ve ever had! Hands down the best I’ve had in Rome. It has a layer of lady fingers and and actual coffee on the bottom, then a delicious custard layer, then topped with whipped cream and pieces of chocolate and pistachio. It has two delicious cookies on top that are perfect for scooping the middle up and into your mouth (or you could be civilized and use a spoon).
We loved our meal so much that we made a reservation to go back that same week.
When we went back, they couldn’t find the reservation we made when we left the last time, but they thankfully let us stay. We sat outside again, but this time there was a tables with a bunch of very loud, rambunctious children behind us. I’m talking running around, breaking things, loud children. It’s not that I don’t like children but a lovely dinner at 8 pm on a Friday night in Rome is not the time I want them screaming behind me and grabbing onto my chair.
Anyway, not the restaurant’s fault at all, but it did take away a little from the ambiance compared to the previous dinner.
The Husband ordered a slightly different pizza this time, the chorizo. It looked essentially the same as his last one, but the chorizo wasn’t as spicy as the salami.
I was really tempted to get the cacio e pepe again, but I ordered the vegetarian carbonara. I’ve wanted carbonara since we got here, but I don’t eat pork. I’ve actually only had meat once in the 2+ weeks we’ve been here. They serve their vegetarian carbonara with seitan and it was so good. The eggs make it creamer than cacio e pepe, so even though it looks similar the taste is very different.
I had the tiramisu for dessert, obviously. The Husband wanted something lighter and refreshing for dessert, so he ordered the limone sorbet. It was so good and the perfect palate cleanser. For you WNYers, it was quite similar to Anderson’s lemon ice.
They also gave us a little cookie and chocolate fondue plate. If you follow me on IG, you know I have an obsession with chocolate outside the US (I never eat sweets at home but I can’t get enough in foreign countries). The biscotti were so good, and the chocolate was wonderful. It was creamy, had a slight hint of bitter, dark chocolate (my favorite kind of chocolate), and no weird, waxy feel like in the US.
Just like last time, we made a reservation to go back next week before we left. If you are planning on coming to Rome, you can call to make a reservation or email. If you email a few days in advance, that will give them enough time to read it and respond with a confirmation. Unlike the US where we’re obsessed with checking email, it seems in general that even businesses in Rome only check it about once a day.
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