Trattoria Da Cesare al Casaletto
Roman restaurant · Gianicolese
Via del Casaletto, 45, 00151 Roma RM, Italy
.jpg "Trattoria Da Cesare al Casaletto by Susan Wright")
.jpg "Trattoria Da Cesare al Casaletto by Susan Wright")
Highlights
Roman antipasti, pasta, meat & fish, natural wines, vine-covered patio
Roman antipasti, pasta, meat & fish, natural wines, vine-covered patio
"Following careers in fine dining in Italy and abroad, Leonardo Vignoli and Maria Pia Cicconi went back to basics with Cesare al Casaletto, a straightforward trattoria the husband-and-wife duo took over in 2009. The menu features Roman classics with a few restrained twists, like fried gnocchi served on a pool of cacio e pepe sauce. The pasta alla gricia has achieved cult status, the suckling lamb mains are exceptional, and the beverage list spotlights stunningly affordable natural wines from Italy, France, and Slovenia. If you take public transit: Take tram 8 for easy access, and stroll back to the center through Villa Pamphili park after lunch." - Katie Parla
"Perfect For: Impressing Out Of Towners Many visitors still think you can't find a bad meal in the Italian capital. But for reasons too numerous to mention, the quality of food in Rome has taken a nose dive over the past decade and few places manage to hit the spot on all aspects of food and wine service, which makes Cesare al Casaletto an absolute treasure. When I want out of town guests to taste the best of Rome and experience that perfect trattoria they imagine, I take them to Cesare and order all the fried starters--eggplant croquettes, anchovies, squash blossoms, and more--followed by the pasta classics (cacio e pepe, gricia, and amatriciana). The place also has an insanely affordable wine list composed mainly of natural wines from Italy, France, and Slovenia." - chris stang
"This new-in-2023 sister property of a neighborhood favorite in residential Monteverde brings hearty, traditional Roman pasta and meat dishes to the centro storico. 'Run, don't walk,' says Bono, 'because this city location is super charming, and tourists haven't found it yet.'" - Travel + Leisure Editors
"Cesare is a trattoria specializing in Roman cuisine, and it nails the classics; the starters, pastas, and mains get so much attention, in fact, that the excellent pizzas can be often overlooked. But take it from us: Share a paper-thin, delightfully crispy pizza rossa (a 16-inch round pizza brushed sparingly with tomato sauce and drizzled with olive oil, then baked in a wood-burning oven) as a starter. And don't sleep on the excellent fried starters like eggplant croquettes and shredded beef balls." - Maresa Manara
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"Cesare may like an average family-run neighborhood trattoria with unremarkable decor, but the food here is way above average. Located in a residential neighborhood a 20-minute tram ride from Trastevere, this spot’s great for a leisurely Sunday lunch. Make the most of the large menu by coming with a group. Start with the rich fried shredded beef called polpette di bollito, fried eggplant croquettes, and gnocchetti fritti with pecorino sauce, followed by one of the pastas (the gricia, carbonara, rigatoni all'amatriciana and oxtail stew are all great). Another strategy: focus on entrees, like the fried lamb chops or braised veal. There’s also an excellent wine list with affordable bottles from traditional and natural producers from Italy, France, and Slovenia." - Gillian Mcguire, Team Infatuation
