Queria poder dar uma nota melhor pra esse restaurante, mas não vai ser possível. Ele me foi bastante recomendado por uma amiga, portanto chegamos lá cheios de expectativa, na nota última noite em Roma. Pra começar, a ambiência está longe de ser especial: o ambiente interno consiste de salas pequenas quase sem decoração, com muito pouco charme. O espaço externo tb não tem nada demais. O esquema aqui é um menu fixo: por 25 euros se tem uma refeição completa com entrada, primo piati, secondi e sobremesa, além de café e vinho. O serviço, pelo menos, é bem rápido, pelo menos naquela noite de segunda de pouco movimento: mal chegamos e já foi montada a mesa de antepasto, que consiste de presunto cru, lentilhas, mozzarella, finnochio(erva doce cozida), pão(já meio passado) e uns bolinhos gostosos de arroz e de vitela. Estávamos morrendo de filme fome e devoramos tudo rapidamente. Em seguida veio a pasta: penne a carbonara e a matriciana, lado a lado dividindo o prato. Massa industrial e um molho carbonara bem vagabundo, o matriciana um pouco melhor mas nada memorável. O prato principal foi uma espécie de carne de panela, ok mas novamente nada demais, um pouco salgada pro meu gosto. Pra acompanhar espinafre refogado e batatas chips, essas sim bem gostosas, no ponto. A sobremesa, uma torta de maçã, está simplesmente intragável: gosto de nada e uma textura emborrachada. Demos uma garfada e deixamos lá. O que salvou é uma dose de suco de tangerina que acompanha a torta, não sei se é uma tradição de algumas parte da Itália mas estava bem fresco e foi o que salvou o fechamento da refeição. Lendo os comentários aqui me parece que normalmente o ambiente é bem mais divertido, mas não foi o caso. Os garçons foram simpáticos mas nada demais, e se limitaram a fazer uma piadinha de «não gosto de ver comida sobrando». A nonna, proprietária e outra atração do local, passou pelo salão mas deu apenas um buonasera e se foi. A comida é farta mas no máximo medíocre. Por esse preço, come-se muito melhor em outras partes de Roma.
Zosia Zoe A.
Place rating: 5 Denver, CO
Delicious and very worth the € 25 if you want a full-course Italian-style meal. The flat rate part is nice, and the food is high quality and delicious! The staff is friendly and although we made a reservation, it wasn’t necessary for the Tuesday night that we ate there. Highly recommended for those looking for an authentic, home-cooking roman experience.
Jaclyn L.
Place rating: 4 Crystal City, Arlington, VA
One of my favorite restaurants in all of Rome. Nonna Paula(owner & chief chef for 50+ years) is like everyone’s grandmother. You’re treated like family from the moment you sit and the food just starts coming. No order necessary, just the chef’s finest. From the house wine to the antipasti, prime and secondi options, you will leave full & happy! I’ve been to this restaurant 4 times now and every experience is magical.
QQ X.
Place rating: 5 Manassas, VA
This is a true Italian food experience! Feels like we just walked into grandma and grandpa’s house. Nothing fancy, but satisfaction guaranteed. They have a fixed menu, with appetizer, pasta, main plate and dessert, wine included. Good value! Grandma cook Italian food to perfection, and grandpa makes sure you eat it the right way. So cute, and all the staff are super friendly. They are open for lunch.
Sarah T.
Place rating: 5 Union Square, San Francisco, CA
My favorite restaurant I have been to so far on my short visit to Rome. We found this place from a few random blogs and loved what we read about it. «Italian Grandma» we called her greets you at the door. We love her. She is running the show and will get you to move, sit, eat or drink… don’t ask, just do what she tells you! We were sat fairly quickly and immediately brought a pitcher of red wine without even asking. There is no menu, it is a fixed price(we paid 25 € each) and brought eight courses. It was the best meal we have had in Italy. «Grandma» hugs and talks to everyone on their way out. I am not sure what all she said to us, but we were all smiling and hugging and maybe the wine that they had refilled a few times that partly had us so happy, but we were all skipping down the street after our meal and time here! If you’re visiting Rome, go here!
Ali B.
Place rating: 1 Troy, MI
We heard so much about it from our guide and how it’s authentic and yada yada yada… We were so excited as it does look like an authentic Roman cuisine. We opted for the smaller portion(16 €) instead of € 25 because we didn’t want to spend a lot of time. 2hours to get a bowl of bland cold pasta!. Didn’t hear or see the waiter till I got up and paid and left(without finishing or waiting for the rest of the meal… Not sure if there was something left because we didn’t see the waiter for so long). We didn’t want to waste another 2 hours to eat whatever was left … Don’t bother.
Jesper S.
Place rating: 4 Copenhagen, Denmark
Get a really Italian kitchen experience and let you get treated by «mamma». Second time here and still a great experience. 4 courses traditional Italian food and always a set menu including wine. Great food, great atmosphere and lovely staff. Mamma is always ensuring her guests a great treat.
Joe D.
Place rating: 3 Toronto, Canada
Not the best, still decent. You don’t choose what you get. The ambience isn’t the best. 25 euro per person which includes wine, 4 course meal, and 1lt of water.
Kyle K.
Place rating: 5 Pauma Valley, CA
As luck may have it, my parents and I were staying in an apartment 30 seconds away from this Roman gem of a restaurant. We had good vibes about Trattoria Der Pallaro from the beginning as we were greeted by an adorable elderly Italian lady who we soon learned was the head cook. There was no menu, just a 5 course fixed price meal that changed from day to day. We were given complimentary red wine which I made into a cooler by adding chilled sparkling water. The pasta course consisted of rigatoni with half alfredo and cheese based red sauce. It was the best pasta I have ever had! The meal as a whole was truly divine and one of the greatest of my life. If you are visiting Rome anytime soon, Trattoria Der Pallaro is a MUSTVISIT.
Jen A.
Place rating: 4 Parkville, MD
We found this restaurant from recommendation in Rick Steves’ travel guide. It was a full house and we feel lucky to have gotten a table! This was a delightful meal and so relaxing! The set menu meant no decisions to make!(Other than white or red for the pitcher of wine) There was lots of variety with the set menu. The fritti and lentils were the hits of the antipasti. The pasta came with two sauces, and the multiple sides made the meat course a luxury! The lemon cake was a nice ending, but the shot of mandarin juice was even better for ending this terrific meal. Note: cash only. But what a bargain at 25 euro! Thanks for a memorable family style roman dinner!
Gerry L.
Place rating: 5 Wokingham, United Kingdom
This is on my schedule on every visit to Rome. Located perfectly, near the Campo dei Fiori, for either a start to a late night out, or the end of a long day walking, you only have one choice to make upon arrival: «white or red?». I’ve never had the white, but the red is everything a table wine out of a carafe should be. The starters are invariably some combination of ham, little mozzarella balls, tomatoes, lentils, and fried cheeseballs. The lentils are cooked thick, which is as they should be. This is followed by a bowl of perfectly al dente rigatoni: half with a thick, creamy tomato sauce, half with ham and cheese. You’ll wonder how come your sauces never come with such a concentration of flavour and aftertaste. The mains consist of superbly cooked veal and hand-cut fried potatoes; the veal is so tender you don’t need a knife, and the potatoes remind you what all the fuss was with fried anything when you were a kid, before your tastebuds got all cynical. The desert(some lemon cake and a shot of something refreshing) is entirely superfluous, because by that point you’re stuffed. I first saw the cook, a smiling old lady straight out of a movie, fifteen years ago, when my firstborn was a year old; she took him in her arms, and showed him around the kitchen. This time, he’s a towering lad, but she still embraced and kissed him. You can’t make this stuff up.
Maria K.
Place rating: 5 Miami, FL
I cannot put into words how much my friends and I LOVED this place. We were a little worried about the«no menu» situation, and we nearly missed the place because we hadn’t anticipated it was in an alleyway, but Mama Lucy greeted us the moment we showed up and had us seated ASAP. The staff was friendly, stumbling over English to explain the dishes that were literally constantly brought out to us. Seriously, we could barely finish one course before they’d take it away and plop down the next round. Every course was a mystery adventure though we all agreed that the pasta was delicious while I personally loved the second course of veal. Between the endless wine and limoncello to top off the night, we were so happy and full by the end of the meal that you could’ve rolled us to the bus stop and we would’ve said, «Grazi!»
Brenda L.
Place rating: 5 Los Angeles, CA
Me and my hubby’s last meal in Rome and it was our favorite! We paid 25 euros for a 5 course meal, including wine, bottled water, and rustic bread. The Italian lady came by our table and scooped another scoop of the delicious sauce on my hubby’s pork and walked off without saying a word. If our trip had to end, I suppose this was the best way it could have ended.
Matt R.
Place rating: 5 Dobbs Ferry, NY
One of the most amazing meals we have had anywhere. Complete for € 25(an extra € 5 when you inevitable get a second carafe of their excellent house wine). No choices, just what Grandma makes that day. Ours started with a meal sized antipasto: prosciutto, lentils, fennel with oil and herb, fresh mozzarella, meatballs, rice balls, bread. Pasta was rigatoni with both garlic pomodoro and carbonara sauces. Then came a tender veal with salad and steamed chicory with il be oil. Then some kind of cake with a custard topping that I can’t even describe but which finally popped the belt. Just make sure you finish every course or they will give you a jolly guilt trip(which you will deserve).
Trett J.
Place rating: 4 Columbia, MO
Nice set menu, typical courses with a more home cooked vibe. Included appetizer spread, pasta, meat, desert and a carafe of wine. Youll likely be some of the only tourists there, nice more vocal atmosphere.
Daisy D.
Place rating: 5 Lewisville, TX
This restaurant was wonderful! «Grandma» greeted us from the window of the kitchen as we walked through the front door, which is also part of the kitchen, and she came out to personally welcome us to her restaurant! We really felt like we were coming over to eat at an Italian grandmother’s house! The food was what you would expect to find at a home-cooked, Italian dinner. The antipasto was plentiful, in fact after we had the next course we were already starting to see that it was going to be difficult to finish our plates! The pasta was fresh and perfectly cooked. The dinner included house wine, bread, antipasto, pasta, meat, and dessert. All of this for just € 25 a person! The service was excellent and«Grandma» was the sweetest! Highly recommend going! Make sure you arrive hungry and be prepared to have more food than you can eat!
Angie J.
Place rating: 5 Portland, OR
This restaurant gave us one of our favorite memories of Rome. We made a reservation with my parents for our last night in the city, and had an amazing time. The menu is set, so you’ll be eating what they serve you. There were four or five courses, and I was so full by the time the meat and dessert came around that I couldn’t finish it all(which is unheard of for me — I typically clean my plate like a champion). We had bottomless house wine too, which is always a plus. It was October and the weather was nice so we sat in the patio area, but the kitchen is pretty much right when you walk through the door so if you need to visit the water closet you can watch the action on your way to it. I imagine during the colder months it might be hard to get a table, and in the summertime when there are a lot of tourists in town. A reservation might be a good bet if you’re planning on visiting during those times.
Michelle M.
Place rating: 5 Tampa, FL
One of our favorite meals in Rome was at Trattoria Der Pallaro. Rick Steves recommends this well-worn eatery in his Rome guidebook and I am so glad we followed his suggestion! Paola Fazi«Grandma» and her family serve a four course home-cooked Roman meal with wine, coffee, and a fresh-squeezed juice for € 25 per person. This rustic restaurant has no menu because grandma cooks a different meal each night. Trattoria der Pallaro’s slogan is: «Here, you’ll eat what we want to feed you.» While the menu changes each night the courses are very similar. During our visit we had the following: Appetizers: A simple, yet tasty assortment of hearty bread, mozzarella, prosciutto, olives, lentils, fennel, and fried rice balls. Pasta: Rigatoni served with two different types of sauce(Carbonara and Amatriciana) that were perfectly al dente. Main Course: A garden salad with a light vinaigrette, roasted pork, and homemade potato chips. At this point I was so stuffed that I could hardly eat another bite, but grandma insisted that I clean my plate! Luckily, I always have room for dessert! Dessert: The most phenomenal apple cake I have ever had. The homemade crust was divine! After dessert we were served shot glasses of fresh squeezed strawberry juice. While the food at Trattoria der Pallaro isn’t fancy or gourmet, the food is incredibly fresh and homemade and you can taste the love that grandma puts into her cooking. The meal reminded me of similar meals my Italian grandmother has cooked for us over the years so this was a nice trip down memory lane. The night truly felt like a trip to grandmother’s house! Next time I find myself in Rome I will definitely be dining at Trattoria der Pallaro!
Emily C.
Place rating: 3 Dallas, TX
Trattoria der Pallaro is a great option for those who want a taste of a typical Italian meal and don’t care about choosing what they eat. For 25 euro per person, you get wine, water, and a four course meal. We started with prosciutto, mozzarella, bread, tomatoes, beans, and some fried ball… things… All great, but we had to save room for the rest. The first course was two types of pasta — carbonara and amatriciana. Pasta was a little salty(as I found most places to be), but perfectly al dente. The second course of salad and veal was just ok. Veal was tender, but it was served with overly dressed salad(my pet peeve), and non-crispy potato chips that instead oozed oil. The dessert was a custard pie that was underwhelming. It’s tucked away behind the piazza, but it’s fairly easy to find. We arrived around 7 and didn’t have to wait, but it subsequently got full by the time we left. As others have mentioned, nonna likes to watch over and call out her waiters like misbehaving schoolboys. Service was friendly(something we didn’t see that much in Rome), and while the food wasn’t amazing, it was an overall great experience.
Frank T.
Place rating: 4 East Meadow, NY
This is a fun restaurant with good to excellent basic cooking. For 25 euro you get whatever they are making that day and it’s several courses plus a carafe of wine. We started with 3 small mozzarella balls and a plate of sliced tomatoes. Both were very good but I got a little nervous when I saw the small serving of mozzarella but we were not disappointed when the next generous portion dishes started arriving. There was fried rice balls and meat balls, salad and pasta dish. Then we were served the roast pork and it was outstanding. A simple dish but with a nice seasoning and so juicy. Unfortunately we were full and could not finish the pork dish but they let us take it home. The waiter teased us and said that we had little stomachs. It opens at 7:00PM for dinner so show up early if you do not want to wait. We went on a weeknight but it did fill up by 8:00. I noticed a local customer had a different meal but that’s OK we enjoyed ours. The wine was not too good but the overall price was very reasonable. This is a great place if you are tired and hungry and just want to be served a great meal without thinking about it.
Tom F.
Place rating: 1 North Highlands, CA
Don’t do it. This place may have been good in the past and if that is the case it has fallen way off the mark. Worst meal I had in Italy and possibly in the past 8 months of my life. Everything is pre made, basically a buffet with table service. Also notice how the top review for this place Jessica B. has only one other review and her culinary interests center on the great state of ohio.
Tahoma
Place rating: 4 Hockenheim, Baden-Württemberg
Die angegebene Adresse ist falsch!!! Die Adresse ist Largo dei Chiavari. Das Essen war gute Hausmannskost. Rustikal ohne Schnickschnack. Zu dritt zahlten wir 80EUR. Dafür wurden wir auch von Mamma umarmt und von den Kellnern gemästet. Die Räumlichkeiten sind sehr einfach und. erinnern an ein Dorf Vereinsheim.
Luesch
Place rating: 5 Stolberg (Rhineland), Nordrhein-Westfalen
Aufgrund von zahlreichen, guten Bewertungen im Internet habe ich die«Trattoria der pallaro» in Rom ausprobiert und war(wie viele vor mir) restlos begeistert! Mama Paola hat ein sehr einfaches Konzept: Gegessen wird, was auf den Tisch kommt(und das ist jeden Tag(fast) dasselbe). Jeder zahlt den gleichen Preis — das war bei uns(2010) für ein Menü, bei dem sich die Tische bogen und reichlich Wein 25,00EUR pro Person. Und das ist bei der Lage(Fußweg von der Piazza Navona) sensationell. Also: Die Atmosphäre ist die einer italienischen Trattoria. Laut, hektisch, lebendig. Es ist fast immer bis zum letzten Platz ausgebucht. Draußen sitzen bei jedem Wetter die Italiener, damit sie rauchen können, drinnen die Touristen und diejenigen, die draußen keinen Platz bekommen haben. Die einzige Frage, die der Kellner stellt ist: «Vino rosso o vino bianco»(also: Rotwein oder Weißwein). Und dann geht es auch schon los. Frischgebackenes Brot auf den Tisch, dazu Schinken und Salami. «Aha», denkt der unbedarfte Gast, «Das ist die Vorspeise!» — und schlägt zu. Von wegen, dann geht es mit den Antipasti nämlich erst richtig los: Eingelegter Fenchel, Oliven, Linsengemüse, frittierte Reisbällchen und Gemüsebällchen. Dann kommt erst mal die Pasta. Rigatoni mit Pecorino-Tomatensoße und Rigatoni mit Steinpilz-Sahnesoße. Schon da waren die Teller nicht mehr alle leer. Dann geht es weiter mit Schweinebraten und Kalbsbraten mit Mozzarellakügelchen und hausgemachten, warmen Chips. Zum Dessert ein Stück «Mandarinenkuchen» von Mama Paola mit einem Mandarinenlikör. Wir waren mit einer kleinen Gruppe zum«testen» bei Mama Paola und haben dann gleich für die ganze Reisegruppe, mit der ich als Reiseleiter in Rom war, für den letzten Tag reserviert. Es gab zwar exakt die gleichen Speisen, aber es war ein wunderbarer Abend. Fazit: Allen Freunden und Bekannten, die nach Rom fahren, empfehle ich unbedingt Mama Paola und die«Trattoria der pallaro». Zu dem Preis bekommt man in anderen Lokalen der Altstadt gerade mal eine Pizza mit Wein und Kaffee. Und(für viele Romreisende ein Vorteil) man muss keine italienische Speisekarte studieren, denn die gibt es erst gar nicht. Unbedingt ausprobieren…
Andreas F.
Place rating: 4 Ingolstadt, Bayern
Wir haben dort sehr gut gegessen. Nach einem Empfang durch die Mama des Hauses wurden Vorspeisen und Speisen serviert, die alle sehr frisch und liebevoll abgeschmeckt waren. Eine Karte gibt es nicht. Für alle gibt es das selbe — aber auch jeder zahlt das selbe und das ist sehr fair. Kommen beim nächsten Besuch in Rom auf jeden Fall wieder!