#1
Agustarello a Testaccio
Testaccio·$$
Spaghetti Alla Carbonara
€11.00
Fresh spaghetti with guanciale, egg, and pecorino, the traditional Roman way.
Tip: If the carbonara here at €11 is properly made, the overall kitchen standards are confirmed. Use it as a reference point for comparing other restaurants.
#2
Ristorante Aroma
Ludovisi·$$$$
Carbonara Reinterpretation
€26.00
Guanciale crisped, yolk emulsion, crispy Pecorino, fresh pasta.
Tip: This will challenge your idea of carbonara. It's not traditional, but it's delicious and respectful of the original.
#3
Sora Lella
Isola Tiberina·$$$
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
€13.50
Fresh spaghetti with guanciale, eggs, and Pecorino Romano.
Tip: The carbonara here is solid Roman cooking—not revolutionary, but reliable and well-made. The location and history are worth the price premium.
#4
Spirito di Vino
Trastevere·$$$
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
€14.00
Classic Roman pasta with guanciale, eggs, and Pecorino.
Tip: Order carbonara early. Its delicate, fatty profile pairs beautifully with crisp white wines. The sommelier will suggest bottles from their collection.
#5
Da Augusto
Trastevere·$$
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
€12.00
Spaghetti with guanciale, eggs, and Pecorino Romano.
Tip: Order only if you're confident about eating raw egg. If uncertain, ask the server—they'll understand the concern.
#6
Porto Fluviale
Ostiense·$$
Tagliolini al Burro e Acciughe
€12.00
Thin pasta with butter and anchovies.
Tip: This dish lives or dies by butter and anchovy quality. Porto's version uses good ingredients, so order it if you like subtle, traditional flavors.
#7
Bianca Trattoria
Trionfale·$$
Mezze Maniche alla Carbonara
€13.00
Short, ridged tubes of pasta with guanciale, egg, pecorino, and black pepper.
Tip: The wider tubes catch more crispy guanciale bits than spaghetti. Worth trying alongside the amatriciana for comparison.
#8
Salumeria Volpetti & Taverna Volpetti
Testaccio·$$$
Pasta with Guanciale and Pecorino
€14.00
Fresh pasta with cured pork jowl and aged Pecorino Romano from the Salumeria.
Tip: Ask about the guanciale origin. Volpetti sources from specific producers—knowing who made your food is part of the philosophy.
#9
Trattoria Der Pallaro
Centro Storico·$$
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
Fresh spaghetti with guanciale, eggs, and Pecorino Romano.
Tip: The fixed menu changes daily but always includes carbonara or another of the four great Roman pastas. You're eating what the kitchen decided today.
#1098% recommend
Bistro Baccano
Centro·$$$
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
€18.50
Guanciale, egg, pecorino romano, and black pepper in the Roman classic.
Tip: Get it at lunch when there's less of a tourist crowd, even though the kitchen is open 12:30-15:30 and 18:30-23:30.
#1195% recommend
Santo Palato
San Giovanni·$$$
€17.00
The Roman classic with rigatoni, guanciale, eggs, and pecorino, no cream.
Tip: This is referenced in New York Times and Los Angeles Times reviews as one of the best in Rome. If you only order one dish, this is the benchmark.
#1294% recommend
Osteria da Fortunata
Centro Storico·$$$
Strozzapretti Carbonara
€17.00
Handmade twisted pasta with eggs, guanciale, and Pecorino.
Tip: Watch the pasta maker in the front window. The twisted shape is distinctive and holds sauce better than spaghetti.
#1393% recommend
La Carbonara al Monti
Monti·$$
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
€12.50
Fresh spaghetti with guanciale, egg, and pecorino romano.
Tip: This is carbonara without shortcuts. The guanciale is essential—ask the staff which producer they source from.
#1493% recommend
Pecorino Roma
Testaccio·$$
Spaghetti Alla Carbonara
€12.00
Fresh spaghetti with guanciale, raw egg yolk, and Pecorino Romano.
Tip: The guanciale quality varies seasonally. Ask the server which is currently available—they know the meat suppliers.
#1592% recommend
Trattoria Vecchia Roma
Esquilino·$$
€18.00
Creamy spaghetti with guanciale, pecorino, and egg.
Tip: If you've never had proper carbonara, this is the reference standard. Order it to understand why Romans are particular about how it's made.
#1692% recommend
Matricianella
Centro·$$
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
€16.00
Guanciale, eggs, pecorino, and black pepper on spaghetti.
Tip: Ask for it al dente. Matricianella cooks it perfectly — firm in the center, sauce clinging throughout.
#1792% recommend
Achilli al Parlamento
Centro Storico·$$$
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
€16.00
Fresh spaghetti with guanciale, egg, and Pecorino Romano cheese.
Tip: This is the one to benchmark other versions against. Simple, balanced, honest.
#1892% recommend
Grappolo d'Oro
Campo de' Fiori·$$
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
€13.50
Spaghetti with guanciale, egg, and Pecorino Romano.
Tip: This is what Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition looks like in practice—excellent quality at a fair price. The carbonara is consistent and perfectly executed.
#1992% recommend
Taverna Dei Fori Imperiali
Monti·$$
Spaghetti Alla Carbonara
€12.00
Fresh spaghetti with guanciale, egg yolk, and Pecorino Romano.
Tip: This is carbonara done right—no cream, no bacon, just the four ingredients. If that's not what you want, order something else.
#2092% recommend
Checco Er Carettiere
Trastevere·$$$
Spaghetti Alla Carbonara
€16.00
Fresh spaghetti with guanciale, egg, and pecorino Romano, no cream.
Tip: This is a good benchmark dish to compare across Roman restaurants. The carbonara here is traditional—if the kitchen does it right, it should be.Tasting it reveals a lot about the restaurant's commitment to technique.
#2192% recommend
Taverna degli Amici
Monti·$$
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
€12.00
Fresh spaghetti with guanciale, egg, and pecorino.
Tip: This is why people come back. Order it even if you've had carbonara elsewhere.
#2291% recommend
Grappolo d'Oro
Campo de' Fiori·$$
Rigatoni alla Carbonara
€13.00
Rigatoni with guanciale, eggs, Pecorino Romano, and black pepper.
Tip: This is the baseline for carbonara in Rome. If you're learning what real carbonara tastes like, this is where to start.
#2391% recommend
Grazia e Graziella
Trastevere·$$
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
€12.00
Spaghetti with guanciale, eggs, Pecorino, and black pepper.
Tip: This is the version people travel for. The kitchen is precise about temperature—the eggs set just enough without becoming grainy.
#2491% recommend
Pipero Roma
Centro Storico·$$$
Carbonara Reinterpretato
€19.00
Modern carbonara with smoked guanciale and soft egg yolk.
Tip: Even if you prefer traditional carbonara, taste this—you might change your mind. The smoked guanciale adds a dimension that's worth experiencing.
#2591% recommend
Da Danilo
Esquilino·$$
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
€13.50
Spaghetti with thick-cut guanciale, eggs, and Pecorino Romano.
Tip: The guanciale here is cut thicker than the standard, creating a different—some say better—texture. You can taste the difference once you notice it.
#2691% recommend
Perilli a Testaccio
Testaccio·$$
Spaghetti Alla Carbonara
€12.00
Fresh spaghetti with guanciale, egg yolk, and Pecorino Romano.
Tip: This is carbonara done the classic way. If you're learning what authentic carbonara tastes like, Perilli is a good baseline.
#2790% recommend
Trattoria Da Bucatino
Testaccio·$$
Spaghetti Alla Carbonara
€12.00
Fresh spaghetti tossed with guanciale, egg, and Pecorino Romano.
Tip: Ask if they make this at the table. Some versions are prepared in the kitchen, but tableside preparation is more theatrical and enjoyable.
#2890% recommend
La Carbonara
Centro Storico·$$
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
€15.00
Spaghetti with guanciale, eggs, Pecorino Romano, and cracked pepper.
Tip: This is the baseline—if you want to understand what Romans consider proper carbonara, start here. The consistency of technique across decades matters.
#2990% recommend
Osteria del Pegno
Centro·$$
€15.00
Spaghetti with guanciale, pecorino, and egg.
Tip: This carbonara is consistent and well-made. A solid reference point for understanding the dish.
#3090% recommend
Armando al Pantheon
Centro Storico·$$
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
€13.00
Fresh spaghetti with guanciale, egg, and Pecorino Romano.
Tip: The guanciale here is thick-cut and properly rendered. This is how carbonara tastes when made correctly in Rome.
#3190% recommend
Taverna Trilussa
Trastevere·$$
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
€12.50
Fresh spaghetti with guanciale, eggs, and Pecorino.
Tip: This is what carbonara should be. No cream, no bacon, no shortcuts. The kitchen respects the dish's simplicity.
#3290% recommend
Trattoria Pennestri
Ostiense·$$$
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
€14.00
Spaghetti with guanciale, egg, and pecorino romano.
Tip: The guanciale quality shows. This is carbonara how Romans prefer it.
#3389% recommend
Osteria dell'Ingegno
Pantheon·$$$
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
€15.00
Spaghetti with guanciale, eggs, Pecorino, and black pepper.
Tip: You'll taste the difference of premium guanciale and fresh eggs. This isn't fancy, just excellent ingredients cooked right.
#3489% recommend
Tonnarello
Trastevere·$$
Tonnarelli alla Carbonara
€12.50
Square-cut pasta with guanciale, eggs, and Pecorino.
Tip: The eggs in this carbonara are raw and just barely set from the hot pasta—not scrambled, not creamy. Real Roman carbonara.
#3589% recommend
Renato e Luisa
Centro·$$
€17.50
Creamy spaghetti with guanciale, pecorino, and egg—lighter Renato style.
Tip: This is how contemporary Roman chefs approach carbonara—respectful of tradition but refined. Less heavy than older-style versions.
#3688% recommend
Da Enzo al 29
Trastevere·$$
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
€11.00
Fresh spaghetti with guanciale, egg, and Pecorino Romano.
Tip: This is the real carbonara—no cream, no bacon. The eggs are barely set, creating a silky rather than rich sauce.
#3788% recommend
Cesare al Casaletto
Monteverde·$$
Rigatoni alla Carbonara
€14.00
Tube pasta with guanciale, eggs, and Pecorino Romano.
Tip: The guanciale is sourced from a specific producer in Lazio. Ask your server about the pork source—it matters for flavor.
#3888% recommend
Flavio al Velavevodetto
Testaccio·$$
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
€12.00
Fresh spaghetti with guanciale, eggs, and Pecorino.
Tip: The carbonara here is real Roman carbonara. No shortcuts, no cream. Just quality execution.
#3988% recommend
Felice a Testaccio
Testaccio·$$
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
€13.00
Fresh egg pasta with guanciale, egg, and Pecorino Romano.
Tip: The eggs must be room temperature and the guanciale fat is essential—this isn't a creamy carbonara, it's the real Roman version.
#4088% recommend
Hostaria Costanza
Centro Storico·$$$
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
€13.50
Eggs, guanciale, pecorino, and black pepper on spaghetti.
Tip: This is reliable carbonara near Campo de' Fiori. The sauce coats the pasta evenly.
#4187% recommend
Osteria Bonelli
Tor Pignattara·$
Rigatoni alla Carbonara
€8.00
Rigatoni with guanciale, egg, and Pecorino Romano.
Tip: This carbonara costs less than €9 and tastes as good as restaurants charging triple. That's the whole draw of Tor Pignattara.
#4285% recommend
Trattoria Da Teo
Trastevere·$$
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
€14.00
Fresh spaghetti with guanciale, eggs, and Pecorino Romano.
Tip: The portions here are very large—consider ordering one pasta to share with another person, or come hungry.
#4384% recommend
Monticiani
Monti·$$
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
€12.00
Fresh pasta with guanciale, egg, and Pecorino Romano in classic Roman style.
Tip: Tell them upfront if you want it al dente—they make it properly, so the pasta won't be soft or gummy.
#4482% recommend
Piperno
Jewish Ghetto·$$$
Fettuccine alla Carbonara
€17.00
Fresh ribbon pasta with guanciale, eggs, and pecorino in a creamy sauce.
Tip: Hand-pulled pasta makes a difference in texture compared to regular dried pasta.
#4582% recommend
Al Pompiere
Jewish Ghetto·$$$
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
€16.00
Spaghetti with guanciale, eggs, and pecorino in a creamy sauce.
Tip: If you see cream in the sauce, it's not authentic. Real carbonara relies on egg and fat from the guanciale.
#4680% recommend
Roma Sparita
Trastevere·$$
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
€14.00
Fresh spaghetti with guanciale, eggs, and Pecorino Romano.
Tip: If you want to compare their take on Roman pastas, order both the cacio e pepe (with butter, in a bowl) and the carbonara (traditional). The difference is instructive.