Handmade spaghetti (not egg-based) dressed in a creamy sauce of Pecorino Romano and cracked black pepper. The freshness of their daily-made pasta shines through. Simpler than carbonara but equally well-executed.
Tips from diners
The cacio e pepe here is excellent but not their signature. Order the carbonara as your first choice—it's what they're known for.
Strozzapretti (hand-twisted egg pasta) coated with a silky carbonara sauce made from raw eggs, rendered guanciale, and grated Pecorino Romano. The twisted shape has more surface area to hold sauce than spaghetti. Multiple reviewers call this the best carbonara they've had in Rome—silky, not grainy, with perfectly balanced salt from the guanciale and cheese.
Tips from diners
This is the dish that won them a reputation. The creamy texture means the emulsion was executed perfectly—no scrambled eggs, no broken sauce.
Watch the pasta maker in the front window. The twisted shape is distinctive and holds sauce better than spaghetti.
A Roman street food refined: a fried croquette of risotto rice mixed with meat ragù and a center of melted mozzarella. When bitten, the mozzarella pulls in strands (supplì comes from 'surprise'). Crispy outside, creamy inside. Often ordered as a starter but satisfying enough for a quick lunch.
Tips from diners
This is traditional Roman street food. Order two if you're hungry—they're small but filling. The mozzarella pulls when hot.
Delicate zucchini blossoms (fiore di zucca) stuffed with mozzarella and cured anchovy, then fried until golden. A Roman summer starter when zucchini blossoms are available. Crispy outside, creamy filling, slight brininess from the anchovy.
Tips from diners
This is a summer dish. Spring and winter may not have it. Ask your server if available—it's worth ordering if they do.
Handmade fresh fettuccine (wider than other Roman egg pastas) in a tomato sauce enriched with rendered guanciale. The wider ribbon shape supports the light tomato sauce without getting heavy. Another of the five essential Roman pasta dishes, executed with the same care as the carbonara.
Tips from diners
Fettuccine is wider than other Roman pastas, which changes how it holds sauce. Compare this with strozzapretti carbonara to taste the difference shape makes.
Established in 1921 and located near Campo de' Fiori, Osteria da Fortunata is defined by its commitment to handmade pasta. At least one pasta-maker is always visible at the front window, rolling and cutting fresh dough. The carbonara is their most celebrated dish—rich, creamy, prepared with technique—and appears across multiple 'best of Rome' lists. Expect to wait; expect to pay more than traditional trattorias; but carbonara reverence is justified.
Book well ahead for dinner, especially Thursday–Saturday. Lunch is easier to walk in for, particularly on weekdays. The dining room is small and always packed.
This place is touristy because the carbonara is famous. Expect a mix of Italian regulars and food pilgrims. The quality is real, but manage expectations about 'authenticity'—it's been internet-famous for years.
Figure €35–50 per person with wine. It's pricier than traditional Roman trattorias but justified by the handmade pasta and technique. Portion sizes are generous.
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