At Santo Palato, chef Sarah Cicolini serves up flavorful Roman classics with a twist, showcasing offal and comforting pasta in a charmingly unassuming space.
"Chef Sarah Cicolini started in fine dining kitchens, but her forte is expertly executed trattoria fare that channels the soulful simplicity of Rome’s peasant classics — a refreshing change in a city where young chefs frequently try and fail to modernize the local cuisine. Diners visit Cicolini’s small dining room in the residential Appio-Latino quarter for carbonara, amatriciana, and a wide range of quinto quarto (offal) dishes, like delicate trippa alla romana (tripe cooked with tomato and seasoned with pecorino Romano and mint). Don’t overdo it with the savory dishes so you can fully enjoy desserts like the maritozzo (cream-filled bun) made with smoky grano arso flour. Note that Santo Palato will be moving to a new location on nearby Via Gallia in late 2024 or early 2025." - Katie Parla
"“[Santo Palato] is the only one [on this list] that could be considered a bit more avant-garde or gourmet, but it's still iconically home cooking. The chef is from Abruzzo—and she's amazing by the way. If you want the iconic classic nonna-style cooking with a little bit of a spin you go to Santo Palato.” We haven’t been here yet, but want you to know this spot exists." - Team Infatuation
"Santo Palato is exactly what a Roman trattoria should be: unassuming outside, bright and welcoming within. The tiny kitchen opens onto the dining room to give you a peek at the setting where chef Sarah Cicolini works her magic. The small menu's packed with gems; depending on what’s fresh at the market that day, you might see comforting bowls of pasta with chickpeas, or the most satisfying plate of mezze maniche pasta carbonara. The mains are more inventive: chicken with pork, hazelnut and truffle stuffing, or beef fillet with lime and radicchio. Wash it down with some house red." - Maresa Manara
"Outside LA, I adored the offal-centric meal at Santo Palato in Rome." - Eater Staff
"Chef Sarah Cicolini celebrates Rome’s offal heritage in technicolor. The tiny Santo Palato, found in the San Giovanni neighborhood, gives you an unexpected taste of Roman cuisine with dishes like rigatoni con la pajata (intestines of suckling calf) and a veal tongue terrine with giardiniera (pickled vegetables)."
