Flavio al Velavevodetto

A restaurant in a great place with some walls made out of broken pots. You need to reserve in advance. They serve great Italian food with very good selection of wines. It gets a bit loud, but overall the mood is great. They also have English menu. We tried the fried artichoke, looks great and is super crunchy, but is a bit dry (something to be expected though). Very nice homemade pasta, perfectly made. And great deserts. I can recommend the cake with cheese and cherries.

One of the best places to eat in Rome. I had their popular dishes and they were all really good. Home made food and local clients explain their authenticity. The gentleman manager also takes good care of you! It seems outside the city but only two metro stops from Colosseum and 5 mins walk. I highly recommend the place 🍝🇮🇹

An incredibly tasty, family style restaurant. The food here was all very delicious, especially the pastas. Everything felt very homemade. The restaurant is very big and fills up fast.

What an odd experience. I seldom leave reviews, as I'm usually the type to "pay my bill and disappear forever" if the food/service was sub-par. But this was...definitely something that I think is worth mentioning especially if you're a tourist or non-Italian speaker. The service: We were sat in the dungeon-like back of the restaurant, which is fair, I guess, since we didn't have a reservation. We had 3-5 different servers at a time, who left our dining experience feeling distant, cold, and downright unwanted at the establishment. Menus, drinks, and foods were rushly thrown onto our table without even a word before hurrying to the next table. It was incredibly jarring noticing how some of the servers warmed up so easily to the table next to us who spoke fluent-Italian. As more and more people were seated in the back, the more the service became chaotic and sloppy, with servers rushing in-and-out of the dungeon absolutely frazzled. The food: The Cacio e Pepe was dry, cold, and lacking that distinct flavour of cheese and black pepper. It was given to me as if it was just plopped onto the plate and called it a day. I really did expect more, having tried all the delicious pasta dishes from various restaurants in Rome. This was by far the absolute worst, as I took 3 bites and could not bear to finish the rest (and I really hate doing this as I like to make the most of my money!). The oxtail dish was not bad. The grilled steak was underwhelming. I'm sure most of you tourists who stumbled upon this place were either recommended by a local, a friend, or through some deep digging research. I'm a huge foodie and I always try my best to avoid extremely tourist-y places as to avoid being ripped off. I do my research and I cross-reference, but clearly I let my guard down for this one. This place left a bad taste in my family's mouth (literally) in terms of both food and service. Such a shame as this was our final dinner to conclude our week-long Italy trip... I left the restaurant as quick as I could, but I couldn't help notice how completely different the vibe and aura was at the front of the restaurant. It's almost as if the chaos only existed within the dungeon of our dining area, while the main dining area (and patio) were calm, social, and tranquil. I get it, we're tourists. We eat here once, and we never come back again, which can be an excuse for staff to just feed us whatever. But I don't think it's fair to create such a divide in terms of the quality of service (and food?) for us and the locals for that sole reason. As a final thought: perhaps my family just got a little unlucky with staff is all, as it seems to be that there are tons of positive reviews for this restaurant that say the opposite to mine. Visit if you're curious, but as a tourist/non-local: go elsewhere and preserve your dignity; there are much, much better options to choose than this one.

Quite sure that this restaurant is my all time favorite. The food is incredible and the kind of food that you will miss when you leave Rome. I will always come back to this restaurant.

An authentic Italian restaurant that serve great carbonara. Pair it with Italian Amarone, Zenato, a full bodied with solid raisin taste.

I had dinner with my girlfriend and everything was amazing, we are foreigners and the restaurant was filled with Italians so it was a great feeling to be there.

fantastic dinner in Rome where they serve typical roman cuisine. very few tourists and almost all locals dining here. when it's a Monday and it's a full house, you know you've picked a good restaurant. you must try the artichoke, it's fried to perfection. we had the artichoke, rigatoni with pork, and the stew in 3 ways. the highlight was most definitely the stew; all three sauces prepared were a tad different, tailoring to the meat served, my favourite meat from the stew was definitely oxtail, almost fall off the bone tender. desserts here were also stellar, we had the tiramisu, mango panna cotta, and the tart cherry cake. my favourite was the tart cherry cake - it could've used a nice ice cream to round the flavours off but stood strong on its own - had a nice balance between being tarty and being sweet with a nice crumbly base. pane e servizio x3 - 7.50€ acqua - 1.00€ spritz x2 - 16.00€ carciofo - 7.00€ matriciana - 13.00€ misto umido - 16.00€ dolce x2 - 21.00€ total for 3 = 83.50€

A restaurant in a great place with some walls made out of broken pots. You need to reserve in advance. They serve great Italian food with very good selection of wines. It gets a bit loud, but overall the mood is great. They also have English menu. We tried the fried artichoke, looks great and is super crunchy, but is a bit dry (something to be expected though). Very nice homemade pasta, perfectly made. And great deserts. I can recommend the cake with cheese and cherries.

One of the best places to eat in Rome. I had their popular dishes and they were all really good. Home made food and local clients explain their authenticity. The gentleman manager also takes good care of you! It seems outside the city but only two metro stops from Colosseum and 5 mins walk. I highly recommend the place 🍝🇮🇹

An incredibly tasty, family style restaurant. The food here was all very delicious, especially the pastas. Everything felt very homemade. The restaurant is very big and fills up fast.

What an odd experience. I seldom leave reviews, as I'm usually the type to "pay my bill and disappear forever" if the food/service was sub-par. But this was...definitely something that I think is worth mentioning especially if you're a tourist or non-Italian speaker. The service: We were sat in the dungeon-like back of the restaurant, which is fair, I guess, since we didn't have a reservation. We had 3-5 different servers at a time, who left our dining experience feeling distant, cold, and downright unwanted at the establishment. Menus, drinks, and foods were rushly thrown onto our table without even a word before hurrying to the next table. It was incredibly jarring noticing how some of the servers warmed up so easily to the table next to us who spoke fluent-Italian. As more and more people were seated in the back, the more the service became chaotic and sloppy, with servers rushing in-and-out of the dungeon absolutely frazzled. The food: The Cacio e Pepe was dry, cold, and lacking that distinct flavour of cheese and black pepper. It was given to me as if it was just plopped onto the plate and called it a day. I really did expect more, having tried all the delicious pasta dishes from various restaurants in Rome. This was by far the absolute worst, as I took 3 bites and could not bear to finish the rest (and I really hate doing this as I like to make the most of my money!). The oxtail dish was not bad. The grilled steak was underwhelming. I'm sure most of you tourists who stumbled upon this place were either recommended by a local, a friend, or through some deep digging research. I'm a huge foodie and I always try my best to avoid extremely tourist-y places as to avoid being ripped off. I do my research and I cross-reference, but clearly I let my guard down for this one. This place left a bad taste in my family's mouth (literally) in terms of both food and service. Such a shame as this was our final dinner to conclude our week-long Italy trip... I left the restaurant as quick as I could, but I couldn't help notice how completely different the vibe and aura was at the front of the restaurant. It's almost as if the chaos only existed within the dungeon of our dining area, while the main dining area (and patio) were calm, social, and tranquil. I get it, we're tourists. We eat here once, and we never come back again, which can be an excuse for staff to just feed us whatever. But I don't think it's fair to create such a divide in terms of the quality of service (and food?) for us and the locals for that sole reason. As a final thought: perhaps my family just got a little unlucky with staff is all, as it seems to be that there are tons of positive reviews for this restaurant that say the opposite to mine. Visit if you're curious, but as a tourist/non-local: go elsewhere and preserve your dignity; there are much, much better options to choose than this one.

Quite sure that this restaurant is my all time favorite. The food is incredible and the kind of food that you will miss when you leave Rome. I will always come back to this restaurant.

An authentic Italian restaurant that serve great carbonara. Pair it with Italian Amarone, Zenato, a full bodied with solid raisin taste.

I had dinner with my girlfriend and everything was amazing, we are foreigners and the restaurant was filled with Italians so it was a great feeling to be there.

fantastic dinner in Rome where they serve typical roman cuisine. very few tourists and almost all locals dining here. when it's a Monday and it's a full house, you know you've picked a good restaurant. you must try the artichoke, it's fried to perfection. we had the artichoke, rigatoni with pork, and the stew in 3 ways. the highlight was most definitely the stew; all three sauces prepared were a tad different, tailoring to the meat served, my favourite meat from the stew was definitely oxtail, almost fall off the bone tender. desserts here were also stellar, we had the tiramisu, mango panna cotta, and the tart cherry cake. my favourite was the tart cherry cake - it could've used a nice ice cream to round the flavours off but stood strong on its own - had a nice balance between being tarty and being sweet with a nice crumbly base. pane e servizio x3 - 7.50€ acqua - 1.00€ spritz x2 - 16.00€ carciofo - 7.00€ matriciana - 13.00€ misto umido - 16.00€ dolce x2 - 21.00€ total for 3 = 83.50€

Flavio was a personal favorite during our time in Rome. The service and food did not disappoint both times we ate there. The atmosphere is polite and calm. They even tell you that your meal is not one to be rushed. Our waiter, Giuseppe, was a great help when it came to ordering and gave us useful tips on what to order. Flavio is highly recommend!

Came here for lunch as part of a food tour of Rome. I was able to try three different classic Roman pastas for the first time- Carbonara, Cacio e Pepe and and All'Amatriciana. It was nice to be able to try three different dishes. I think my favorite was the carbonara because bacon is life, but you really cannot go wrong with any of them! So delicious. Another thing about this place is it's location. It actually inside a hill of terra-cotta pots which you can see on some of the walls. Fun fact: Testaccio used to be the cities garbage dump for old Roman pottery and you can still see the stacks on Monte Testaccio today.

Had an amazing time! The waitress was super nice and smiley. Food was good and on point. Traditional Roman fare in a quintessential Roman quarter. You cannot fail if you come to this place. We have been coming for over a 2 decades and food is always excellent.

Great pasta and restaurant setup. Cool from the air conditioning from the stacked pot remains, amazing Cacio e Pepe and Carbanara, ordered too much food the first night with fried meatballs (which weren't my favorite) but the sides of potatoes and chicory were excellent. The mixer day we revisited with a food tour and the pasta was on point.

Testaccio may be a bit off the beaten path for tourists but if you are looking for some of the best restaurants in Rome you must come here. You can expect to discover the staples of Roman cuisine in these places so you can better understand the city which you are visiting. Flavio al Velavevodetto is one such restaurant where you can do this. They focus strictly on Roman food so don't come here for spaghetti and meatballs and lasagna. Do come here for a proper carbonara or some classic cacio e pepe. When we showed up for lunch the restaurant was packed and a lot of the diners seemed to be locals which was a promising sign that this restaurant wouldn't be a tourist trap. The space is quite large but at lunch it fills up quickly so a reservation would be a good idea. It is very simple and unassuming inside. As I said they only serve staples of Roman cuisine. We started with zucchini alla scapece which are fried zucchini seasoned with mint and served cold. I found it very enjoyable and the mint made it very refreshing. That was followed by rigatoni con la pajata which is a sauce made with veal intestine. I had never tried it before so I had no idea what to expect. The rigatoni were cooked al dente while the sauce was very dense and flavourful. What I really enjoyed about the whole experience was that everything was so fresh. Prices were slightly better than what you would pay in central Rome because Testaccio is less of a touristy area. The portions were large and the food was of superior quality so I felt that they were reasonable. I was keen for some real Roman food and this restaurant offered me that exact experience. It is definitely worth the visit if you are in Rome!

We had Cacio e Pepe elsewhere the day before and it was good, but the version here blew the other one away with fresh pasta and excellent preparation. Also the Amatraciana and Carbonara we experienced here were both pasta perfection as well. The restaurant is in what used to be a wine cellar under the hill of terra cotta shards in Testaccio. We enjoyed wine with our pasta in a quiet room at lunchtime. Fresh, simple food done to perfection...it was all I had hoped for (and expected) on our first adventure to Rome. If you don't believe me, believe the folks from the food tour that brought us here. They definitely know Rome food!

Flavio Al Velavevodetto is an extraordinary restaurant, even for Rome. The pastas we had on multiple visits during two separate vacations (Tonarelli Cacio e Pepe, Rigatoni Amatriciana, and Rigatoni Pajata) were fantastic. The same is true of the side dishes that we tried (especally the Carciofi alla Giudia). The Tiramisu is fantastic - like something from another planet - and has a surprise in the center. We've eaten in a lot of great restaurants in Rome, but Flavio's Cacio e Pepe, Carciofi alla Giudia, and Tiramisu were all the best we've had anywhere. The restaurant is in what is essentially a cave (albeit an extremely nice one) in the mountain of ancient amphorae shards in Testaccio.

Very poor experience, service was mediocre , food really disappointing.great wine selection,the pasta was incredible disappointing.I ordered the matriciana ,it tasted like a normal pasta with tomato sauce.my other party ordered a carbonara , so undercooked,they misunderstood the level of "Al dente".The server didn't even notice my plate was untouched ,he didn't even bother to check , of course They didn't even try to fix my experience,bill was expensive for what we ordered.save your time ,rome is full of better places

Delicious food. Nice restaurant. Very nice service. Really recommend. Neighborhood location.

Traditional Roman food is served here! I came here for dinner one night and enjoyed traditional Roman food. It's Italian food but ingredients they use is what I don't see in other parts of Italy. Our reservation was at 20:30 and when we arrived promptly, our table was ready. They have English menu available upon request. One of the appetizer ordered was some sort of mozzarella cheese from Morolo. Cheese had interesting texture and flavor. I am not used to eating this and it was certainly an acquired taste. It went well with prosciutto ham. For pasta, I ordered homemade pasta with cheese and black peppers. So simple and enjoyed perfectly al dente texture of pasta. I had ox tail for my dinner and it was so soft, meat came off the bone so easily. I also got to taste everyone's main dish. Rabbit tasted like chicken. I like the chewing texture of some kind of cow's stomach organs. (Still not quite sure what it was). What I learned about traditional Roman food that night based on just one meal experience, most food is salty and they don't waste any parts of animals. They use all. So it may not be your regular diet but that is what Roman traditionally ate. In a way, I thought Roman food is similar to Japanese food, they just cooked differently. It's a bit away from the city but great place to enjoy traditional food. Reservation is highly recommended and be prepared for a long night. Our dinner lasted a little over two hours.

What an awesome place to come and eat with the sky as the ceiling, great service with Jacqueline (what a fantastic person!) and such delicious food. We all four ordered four different things and all of them were perfect. They have a Raviioli della casa that was so flavorful that I'm still licking my fingers. The Tonnarelly al caccio e Pepe was so good I stole half of the plate of my date. The trippe was also very good and the semifreddo was the perfect finish. O can't wait to come back to the restaurants in the Testaccio area. I have never gone wrong.

We went here after a visit to the Testaccio market, hungry and ready to kill anyone who got in our way. The room is nicely set up, not rustic or fussy, with white linen table cloths, but no white linen prices. My compaanions had pasta grecia and carbonara, and I had rabbit. My goodness, a whole rabbit for the price of 1/2, and in a good savory sauce (probably a white wine and jus reduction). We also had a bottle of their in house wine wwhich was very good. My wife and sonn said their pastas were excellent. We alarmed the host by coming in the delivery entrance. Don't do that. His heart can only take so much. We highly recommend this restaurant.

Came here after got denied from Felice restaurant next block. The food was good and service was friendly. Had a cacio e pepe and fried artichokes. Great food!

This was my favorite meal I had in Rome. The restaurant is located near the Vatican so I came for lunch before going to the Vatican. The restaurant seems understated from the outside and the inside is pretty and the staff is very efficient and quick in turning orders around. I ordered the fried artichoke, which wasn't that good, but the best part were the pastas. We had the rigatoni carbonara, which was the best carbonara I ever had. It had the richest egg and cheese sauce that was so delicious with bits of bacon. We also had the rigatoni a'matriciana, which was super delicious and well-made. You definitely need to come here if you visit Vatican.

A nice restaurant that came highly recommended but wasn't our favorite. We made reservations and I'm so glad we did- it was packed. That being said, this was one of the only places we've been in all of Italy that really seems to want to turn tables. The food was good, nothing stood out to me, but the feeling of being rushed really ruined the meal. We normally can finish a bottle of wine before we even order dessert, and we had a bunch left when we actually left. The courses came quickly and they rushed you to make a decision on what to eat. The portion sizes are large so keep that in mind when you order. Overall it seems like a popular place and the homemade pasta is nice but it lacks a nice experience.

We had the best Italian meal of our lives last night in Rome. We ordered the eggplant and zucchini starters, shared a pork cheek pasta that had us speechless and split the breaded steak. Fedele, our waiter, is exceptional and patient with language concerns. He made our night one in a million!!!! You will not be disappointed.

This was our favorite Roman restaurant. It focuses on animal parts or offal. If you don't have a reservation, they'll probably seat you inside which is fine. Outdoor seating during the summer is intolerable. - Sautéed zucchini was very good. Something so simple was beautifully flavored. - Meatballs were delicious was the best? Eh. Had better in NYC. Try for yourself. - Rigatoni with baby cow intestines was da bomb. I think it's one of its classic pasta dishes and it was one of the best things I ate here. The baby cow intestines only experienced milk and had never been fed grass making the texture and flavor so good. - Rabbit cacciatore was good but some pieces of meat were a bit dry and not as tender as I expected. Tasted like dry chicken This was a middle of nowhere restaurant but has been made popular by various blogs and Andrew Zimmern. Worth the trip.

We found it easy to believe this was traditional Italian at its best! That being said, we Americans favored the pastas as opposed the the starters - SO GOOD!!! Favorites were fettuccini with boar ragu, and fettuccini with pork cheek, asparagus and pecorino. Holy moly they were amazing!!! Chicken with peppers was our favorite secondi (with a side of potatoes). In truth, we ordered way too much food - portions are substantial - which reduced our satisfaction because we were way too full (and still couldn't finish the three courses). A pasta and salad, or eggplant Parmesan starter followed by chicken with sides of potatoes and salad, would have been the perfect amount of food (and still generous). Excellent wine selection as well.

Went there twice in a week, first time was great, good food and good service... second time was horrible. While the food was good the service was awful... food wasn't delivered and waiter was unresponsive... the quality of the food is worth 5 stars but the bad service spoils the whole experience... it's worth trying and hope for good service.

We came here to try some "authentic" Italian away from the tourist areas. Sadly, this place did not live up to its hype. We found this place to be just ok. Not fantastic or terrible. We ordered a half of bottle of wine, ravioli, meatballs in tomato sauce, and the tripe. The house red wine was decent but heavy. The ravioli itself was delicious! I wish the inside was a little more flavorful or the sauce on top. The meatballs were bland and the tripe was chewy. We were really excited about the tripe and was disappointed on how unflavorful it was. Super slow service...had to ask for side plates. Overall, we probably won't come back as its far from our hotel and there are so many great Italian restaurants in Rome.

I was a little nervous about coming to Flavio due to the mixed reviews, but this ended being my favorite restaurant in Rome. It's super easy to make a reservation on their website, unlike a lot of other restaurants that we tried to go to (always nice to know that you'll be guaranteed seating after making the trek there). Like an idiot, I accidentally made the trek to the wrong location--should have noticed there were two. However, the front desk at the restaurant I mistakenly went to was so accommodating and called their sister location to cancel our reservation and seated us immediately. The food was just AMAZING. We ordered the cacio e pepe, carbonara, and oxtail. The pasta was creamy and rich, while the oxtail was extremely tender. Sadly, Flavio was also my first meal in Rome. Every time I ordered cacio e pepe at subsequent restaurants, I was just a teensy bit disappointed that it wasn't as good. The cheese sauce was sublime and there was a good amount of pepper that gave every bite a nice kick without being too overwhelming. If I'm ever back in Rome, I will definitely stop by for as much cacio e pepe as I can eat!

This place wasn't all bad but it's far from good. When we first arrived we had to ask the 5+ people standing in the doorway if they were open. A tall gentleman with a white shirt on said "Yes, do you have a reservation?" I stated that we did not. He pointed in the direction of some tables and said "You can sit there". The customer service is dreadful from the beginning. I ordered the Cacio E Pepe & Meatballs and the person with me ordered the Ravioli dish & Meatballs also. We also ordered a bottle of Moscato. Service: We requested that they both (dishes) arrive at the same time. He specifically asked us this. They did not arrive at the same time and we had to ask for them to be brought to the table after the fact. The general atmosphere seemed to be one that was lax on good customer service. The first impression did little to help this. Cacio E Pepe: This is a very common dish in Rome and I tasted some very good ones while I was there. This one doesn't even make the list. It won't be the worst thing, but if you have anything to compare it too, you'll be thoroughly disappointed. Meatballs: Hands down the WORST meatballs I have ever tasted. No seasoning of any kind. The most bland meatball you will ever try. I attempted to use some pepper to help, but it did nothing. Do not order this if you like meatballs. I literally ate one and sent the other two back. Same for her. Moscato: Was perfect and by far the most enjoyable part of the evening. I should have done what I alway do and listened to the reviews I read and stayed away but I did not. Do not let my mistake be repeated by you. Go to any other restaurant to get an authentic meal. Please!

Walks all the way from where the colosseum was to here thanks to trip advisor. We had to wait about 45 mins in line as we didn't have reservations. It was well worth the wait!!! Everything was had was absolutely fresh and authentic and delicious and the prices were great! Highly recommend

Heard a lot about this restaurant from some friends who lived in Rome. We ordered the Cacio y pepe, guanciale pasta, and traditional ravioli with basil / tomato. This food is tremendous and our server Francesco was fantastic. You must get past the fact that most Americans will feel out of place at this establishment as it is not catering to tourist but it is undoubtedly the best food one can have. Simple ingredients made well and allowed to shine. Please get past your insecurities as a tourist and enjoy.

After coming to Rome, my girlfriend and I were in search of some great cacio e pepe, the must try Roman dish. After reading reviews on Bourdain's "Restaurant X", we decided that the place had transformed from a local place to a tourist's place, just as he had feared. Not what we were looking for! I took to Yelp and wanted to find a place with good cacio e pepe that hadn't been overtaken by tourists yet. Flavio is that place! It's located off the beaten path, tucked away in a bit of a side street. We arrived toward the end of their lunch service and were seated right away. It wasn't too busy and wasn't filled with tourists. We obviously ordered the cacio e pepe, and it did not disappoint! So creamy! So delicious! The pasta was cooked to a perfect al dente, and the peppery cheese sauce is a flavor I won't soon forget. It was exactly what I was looking for! We also got an order of meatballs, which were also delicious adorned in their simple tomato and basil sauce, which complimented the meatballs instead of overwhelming them. Really good. If you're in search of cacio e pepe and want an authentic Roman experience, take the time to visit this place! You won't be disappointed!

The best tonnarelli a cacio e pepe we had on this trip. The fresh pasta was so al dente and I love how each strand is different from others. Coda alla vaccinara was cooked simply and well, you'll get about 8 good bites out of it. It is oxtail afterall. Had a starter that was pumpkin sauteed in olive oil and vinegar which was refreshing. Affordable wine line. Place is popular with tourists but definitely still worth a trip to it.

I'm not quite sure why I'm not raving about this place. It was, as Yelp writes next to 3 stars, "A-OK." Nothing spectacular. First -- the locale; it's off the beaten path which is nice, except you definitely need to take a cab unless you're a local and can drive it yourself. The place itself is something others have commented on -- I imagine you'll love it or hate it. It felt extremely claustrophobic to me; not because it was a tight space but because it was, indeed, carved into the hill. It was like dining in a wine cellar -- no windows, just stone all around. We asked for a wine list and were told to walk into the entryway where wines were listed by their prices. We chose an excellent Sangiovese and enjoyed it immensely. But I've never been to a restaurant where we "shop" for the wine. Interesting. For our appetizer, we ordered prosciutto -- and, indeed, what we got was a plate of prosciutto. It didn't say there'd be melon with it so I knew not to expect that, but I certainly expected, I don't know, some sliced tomato, a side of oil, something to make it interesting. So it was just prosciutto. It was delicious prosciutto, but again... interesting choice. We both had primi dishes -- and both had the cacio e pepe; excellent. We didn't have secondi; wasn't necessary, we were pretty satisfied with the other dishes. We shared a tiramisu for dessert; this was different from any I'd ever had -- there was a sort of custard/pudding filling to it and was served in a glass. It was light and delicious. We both had coffee; it, like all Italian coffee, put hair on my chest. Loved it. In the end, the meal cost about 90 euro for all that for two people; kind of what I'd expect when wine is included. If you're in that area, it's worth checking out; otherwise I wouldn't make a special trip for it.

As this place made it on to countless lists of where to eat in Rome, I decided to ignore the negative reviews. Bad idea. We were seated in the downstairs wine cellar. There were two Italian families, everyone else were tourists. For starter I ordered the carbonara. It was bland and borderline overcooked. I've had better outside of Italy, let alone in Italy. My husband had the ravioli. It was just ok. For main my husband was brought the wrong meatball dish, cut into it, realized, the waiter appeared with the right one and the original one was given to the Italian man on the table next to us. Still with my husband's cut mark in it, he sent it back to the kitchen but it was embarrassing for all. The meatballs were bland. My main was probably the driest chicken I have ever been served in a restaurant. Spectacularly the sauce managed to be incredibly oily without doing anything for the dryness of the chicken. I had asked the waitress for a recommendation and this was the dish she suggested. We finished our wine (a tasty bottle of montepulciano and by far the best part of the meal) and left without risking coffee or dessert. Hilariously the waiters mixed up our check with the same table as the meatball incident. At least both tables could have a laugh about that. Please do yourself a favour and believe the negative reviews not the blogs and lists that probably reviewed it some time ago.

This restaurant was the first place my husband and I ate at in Rome and it was a great introduction to some classic Roman cuisine. I recommend making a reservation in advance, and if you decide to come here, be prepared to take your time. My husband and I enjoy savoring long meals together, so this was perfect for us. It took about 2.5 hours to get through our primi, pasta, second and dessert. If you want the check, you'll have to flag someone down and request it. The cacio e pepe was divine! The carbonara was my 2nd favorite in Rome. And we got a delicious fettuccini and beef/sausage dish, and my only disappointment was there there was barely any of the delicious meat in the dish. The tiramisu cups are amazing. As far as service goes, I got the impression that the staff is wary of foreign customers who don't understand traditional Italian cuisine or who expect American-style customer service. Be prepared to pour your own wine and water, and you'll have to wait a while to get your menu and move on to the next course in your meal. Roman carbonara is also different than American carbonara so don't expect it to be anything like what you probably eat the in the U.S. However, if you're cool with all of that, this place is great. By the end of the night, the staff was very friendly and seemed appreciative of how relaxed we were. Go, be patient, and enjoy some amazing Italian food!

If you're like us, tourists staying in the center of Rome, Flavio is quite a hike. But it's a hike that is definitely worth it. It is located in the city's Testaccio area. It seems to be sitting alone in a residential corner and from afar anyone can think that it's a quiet restaurant. Flavio is far from that. Come closer and you will see and hear people laughing and enjoying their meal and more waiting for their table. Reservation is necessary for outdoor seating around warm months. Walk in and expect to be seated inside. Service is quick and friendly. We ordered four dishes to share: Zucchini - stir fried and dressed with olive oil salt and pepper. Served room temperature. This was pretty simple but quite addicting. You won't help yourself but to keep picking at it Til you finish the whole plate. Polpette al Sugo - meatballs in tomato based sauce. Served with three appropriately sized meatballs. Meaty. Rigatone with pajata (intestine of unweaned veal or lamb) - Flavio specializes in what they call "Quinto Quarto" or fifth quarter which basically means peasant or organ meats. This dish is made with the same tomato based sauce as the meatballs but with creamy young cow intestines. A must get either with the rigatoni or by itself. Rabbit Cacciatora - this is my first time trying rabbit and it's perfect that I had it here. I do not want to compare it to chicken but that's just what it tasted like, like chicken. Leaner tho. Again, this dish was cooked with tomatoes and herbs. Great restaurant to try when you're in Rome.

This was delicious!!!! Love this place. Located off of Mount Testaccio, this place is a testament to true Roman cuisine. Not your typical Lasagne or Fetticuine Alfredo place, as per my pictures, but a true culinary adventure in fine Italian cooking!!! Off the beaten path but well worth it!!! As a frame of reference I'm from NYC, a foodie, and have eaten all over.

Yum! I came here after reading that this place is known for their traditional dishes and I was not disappointed! I came on a weekday for lunch and there was plenty of seating. I was seated quickly, ordered the oxtail in tomato sauce (coda alla vaccinara), and was brought a basket of bread. My oxtail dish came really quickly but was piping hot, so I suspected that it had been cooking/braising for several hours. The meat fell off the bone and the tomato sauce was so hearty and delicious... I definitely used my crusty, soft bread to wipe up ALL the sauce. My waitress was also super kind and brought me a dessert for free! I left completely full and totally happy--although it's a bit out of the way from the touristy parts of Rome, definitely worth the trip!

This was probably the worst meal I had in Italy. My boyfriend and I dined here as it was highly recommended by a friend. We were so so disappointed. We were seated on the patio where it smelled like mildew with fruit flies flying everywhere. We order a bottle of house red, Rigatoni Carbonara, Cacio Pepe and shared a beef stew with a side of green beans. The house red was probably the worst we had in Italy. It was sour we didn't even finish it :( The Rigatoni Carbonara was horrible. Overly salty and the pasta was not cooked through. It was literally hard in the middle. So gross!!! The Cacio e Pepe was very good. The pasta was fresh and perfectly al dente. flavour was delicious. The beef stew was good but nothing special to rave about. The side of green beans were cold and unseasoned. However halfway through our stew we discovered a hair in it. Needless to say we didn't finish it! So gross!!!!!!! Throughout our entire trip to Italy we also ordered espressos and dessert to end our meal. Not here! We couldn't wait to get out of this place. So disappointed we wasted a meal here. 1 star for ok service. 1 star for the Cacio e Pepe. But there are so many other amazing restaurants in Rome that serve this dish that you shouldn't even bother with this place.

Fantastic wine, food and service. I recomend this to anyone who loves great food & wine & isn't in a hurry.

Great restaurant in the Testaccio neighborhood! We made a reservation for 7:30. When we got there, there was only a few couples, but the time we left, it filled with people, mostly locals. The Testaccio neighborhood was built on an ancient pile of testae or clay pot shards that were used to haul oil during the days of the Roman Empire. This restaurant is built in the side of a hill and the inside dining room has large glass windows displaying the clay pots. So cool! We sat at a table outside on the roof. Had to walk up a windy staircase and walk around the deck to get there. Definitely a unique perspective and very romantic, being it was tucked away in the back. We ordered the vino rosso della casa, which they brought out in a liter bottle. It was sooo good and very inexpensive. Our antipasti was the caponata. It was a chunky relish of egg plant and tomatoes with pine nuts, served cold. Very tasty. My primi was the riggatoni alla matriciana sauce. The rigatoni were cooked to a perfect al dente and the amatriciana sauce was a tomato based sauce made with guanciale or pork cheek. The sauce was a little salty, but that's kind of the nature of the sauce. I did love it and ate every bite. My wife got the Ravioli fatti in casa alla velavevodetto. The ravioli were stuffed with a parsley, ricotta mixture and came with a light sauce that featured cherry tomatoes. Also sprinkled Parmesan reggiano over the top and a scoop of ricotta in the center. Very good! I ordered a secondi of the trippa di Roma. "Tripe" in English, is actually cow stomach stewed for many hours and served in a tomato based sauce with lots of Parmesan Reggiano over top. This is something I grew up on, so believe it or not, I had been looking for this dish and when I saw it on the menu I was very excited to order it. And it was absolutely delicious! Lots of bars and nightclubs lined up one after another on the way to the pyramid subway stop, so lots to do after dinner. When we left around 10:00, people were not there yet, but it definitely looked like the calm before the storm.

was recommended this restaurant by someone we met in Florence. We took the subway here although it is a little out of the way it was really nice. The walk wasn't bad especially when the sun is down and it's breezy. We didn't make a reservation but they still seated us inside. We also got to the restaurant around 6pm which is early for Italians to eat dinner. We ordered the tonnarelli cacio e pepe, ox tail and tiramisù al bicchiere. The cache e pepe pasta was very good. The pasta was eggy and chewy. There isn't much sauce but it is very peppery and cheesy which i loved. It is heavy though. The ox tail was great along with the sauce that came with it. I couldn't get enough bread to dip it in. The tiramisu was interesting since it did not have the typical lady finger cake inside and was instead a cookie. we also ordered this appetizer of mixed fried vegetables of eggplants, peppers and other things. i don't know what it was called but i think i can just eat and be completely happy with my life. The service was super slow but i think we came to expect dinner to take really long where ever we were in italy. i think it was like over a 2.5 hour meal for 4 dishes. one being a dessert they just bring out.

I came here with my family after Da Felice turned out to be way too full. The space here is very large, so we were seated within 10 minutes. We were seated in the basement, which was fine, but there was no service. For we decided to order their Cacio e Pepe, Oxtail, and the Rigatoni alla Gricia. See also got a side of Chicory Salad and Broccoli. The side dishes were light and refreshing. The main dishes we ordered were all fairly decent. The Rigatoni alla Gricia was my favorite as the tomatoes were sweet, and the pork bits in it gave the dish a salty contrast. The Cacio e Pepe was overhyped, and I thought it could've been better, especially since there are so many other restaurants in the area that provide the same dish. The Oxtail, although flavorful, was not as tender as I had hoped. It didn't fall off the bone, and it was a little hard to chew. One positive of this restaurant is the the portions are great for the price! Although this restaurant wasn't bad, it could've been better considering how many other options there are.

Went to the Museum of Roman Civilization and decided to come to Flavio al Velavevodetto for lunch on Sunday. The place was packed, primarily Italian families sharing lunch together - Gnocchi con sugo di involtini - Rigatoni alla matriciana - Misto umido (3 meats polpetta, coda, involtino) - Involtini al sugo This was one of our best Roman meals. We arrived at 12:40 and were the 2nd group of people in there. The gnocchi was absolute heaven like little fluffy pillows that melt in your mouth. The rigatoni alla matriciana had a rich tomato sauce with bacon, the richest we had had. The meats were excellent as well. The misto umido had three kinds cooked different ways in a variety of aromatic tomato sauce.

This place's excellence primarily derives from its amazing main courses. We had some of the truffle flavored pastas and carbonara dishes. They were light, fresh tasting, and most had perfectly balanced flavor that was definitely unique to central Italy. They were the BEST main pasta dishes that I had during my Rome trip. Some things to note though: 1. You need to make reservations for this place 2. It is a bit out of the way of the main touristy areas, but I appreciated the more authentic food experience. There were some local options available - IE: Tripe 3. The funny thing is that they segregate the foreigners to an upstairs al fresco area and give you English speaking wait staff. 4. The bread left much to be desired for... that was disappointing 5. This will probably be your most expensive meal in Rome if you are sensible normal tourist.

This was far and away the nicest restaurant that I went to while in Rome. My AirBnb host suggested it for a place that most tourists would not necessarily go to because it is relatively far from the tourist attractions. Flavio used to be the chef at a different restaurant and then decided to go off on his own. This takes "hole in the wall" to a new level... it really does feel more like a hole in the side of a small hill. But it's quite lovely inside, and I would suggest dressing "european casual" at least. The menus are completely in Italian, which was somewhat challenging. I went with my waitress' suggestion for my appetizer (fried artichoke hearts), which was great! For my main, I had the "house special" ravioli - also very good. I finished everything off with a house tiramisu, which was very good as well. Their red house wine (vino della casa) was good. Would I suggest going here? Yes, but it was kinda hard for me to find... Piramide is probably the closest metro... so if you have the time and patience... this place is great!

Three words: Pork cheek Rigatoni with Pepper!! Delicious and the stand out dish of the night. I bookmarked this place for the cacio e pepe cause it was known for the dish and we hadn't had any on our trip yet. We ordered that and the Rigatoni cause the server said it was better than some of the other options we looked into and boy was she right. The cacio e pepe was rich and good - tasted like it should Cheese and pepper and the noodles were cooked perfectly. The pepper taste wasn't as strong as I would like though. The Rigatoni actually came out undercooked the first time and we had to send it back cause it was taking away from the dish and the flavors were so delicious, we wanted the perfect noodle to compliment it. The pork cheeks are divine! Smoked and chewy and crisp - so fantastic! The flavors were unheard of and nothing like the dishes we've had before. It could be one of my favorite dishes in Italy - and there were only a handful that blew me away. The fried meat balls were also recommended but we didn't like it too much. It tasted like mashed up meats, maybe even a southern boudain. The house wine also wasn't good - ask for a wine menu. And some of the servers did not speak English. They have an outdoor patio, an indoor patio space with a retractable roof, an indoor seating area and people were going up the stairs to the roof or upstair seating. They told us they only had one table left but it seemed like they didn't have trouble seating others that came by. Reservations would be suggested in case though. Desserts were ok but the two pastas were delish! I would come back just for those pork cheeks!

Great pastas and wine! Located inside the hill of terracotta pots and you can see these within the restaurant.

One of top places in Rome if you want to taste what is real carbonara and cacio e pepe. It's very close to the testaccio market so we went to the market in the morning and then to flavio for lunch. It wasn't very busy on a weekday. Definitely order the pasta.

We drove 30 min to find this place only two of us as we walked in the staff/hostess was very rude very unprofessional we just left didn't appreciate the service from the start so we didn't take a chance to dine there and it was a great choice cause we find another place that was very awesome. Not friendly

Cacio e pepe is nowhere near the best in Rome or in good U.S. restaurants. Starters are well done and balanced. Service is uneven but they mean well. Wine list is pretty strong and reasonably priced. At the end of this trip, I've sadly concluded that Roman food is generally better outside of Rome.

I would give this place 3.5 stars. My mate loved this place and I kinda liked it....I think it was because I had too many biscotti snacks and gelato prior to dinner. I DO (strange as it is) remember loooving the bread. I had so much of it. Probably another reason I didnt necessarily love my main course? I ended up getting a fettuccine with artichokes, peas, fava beans, etc. I chose it because the waiter recommended it as one of his favorites and also because I thought the ingredients sounded very appetizing ;) love me some artichokes and fava beans! I personally thought it was kind of heavy, mainly because of the texture of the pasta and the lack of juicy sauce. Flavor was otherwise good and again, I think I may have been confused by my rather ruined appetite. Totally my bad. Mate got sun dried tomato ravioli with ricotta. He liked it but he loved my dish which he happily finished off after devouring his :P Another thing- the restaurant itself was rather underwhelming. Im not the type that demands pristine modern sleek beautiful decor. I just want an environment that is appetizing! Nice background music or at least some pleasant noise? It was dead quiet. Also the walls and everything else were stark white....... So interesting. No windows as it was downstairs in what used to be a wine vault I imagine. I mean, pretty cool historically speaking but why just white? :( I remember leaving feeling rather disappointed. & this is after many many mind blowingly amazing meals we had prior. Meh....

When we reached here they were closed past the lunch hours still they were OK to serve us some food .. we ordered ALL appetizers because main course was not available. Everything was great and zucchini and potatoes won the show

traditional Roman food and lovely dining environment. it is local favorite and it's reason! I find the very traditional dishes like rigatoni al pajata !!! very yummy also their tiramisu is impressive! rarely find a tiramisu with golden color like this in Rome, appreciate! recommend also, i've got them a writing-up, for their funny and lovely statement in the menu: https://www.gustobeats.com/velavevodetto-no-rush-we-dont-serve-how-to-order-food-in-rome/

Party in my mouth! The summer produce makes everything taste so much better. Beware the tour groups.