Roman Food Guide: Carbonara, Cacio e Pepe & the Jewish-Roman Kitchen

Roman cooking is one of Italy’s most distinctive regional traditions. It is rooted in cucina povera — the working-class and abattoir traditions of Testaccio — and defined by a small number of pasta dishes executed with unusual precision. Understanding Rome’s food means understanding that five pasta preparations dominate the trattoria menu, and that the question is not which restaurant serves them but which one serves them correctly.

The Five Pastas

Cacio e pepe — spaghetti (or tonnarelli) with Pecorino Romano, black pepper, and pasta water. No cream, no butter beyond what forms in the sauce. The technique is the challenge: the cheese must emulsify without clumping. When made correctly, it is extraordinary in its simplicity.

Carbonara — rigatoni or spaghetti with guanciale (cured pork cheek), egg yolk, Pecorino Romano, and black pepper. No cream. The guanciale must be from pigs in Amatrice or Norcia; the timing of adding the egg is the critical step. Found everywhere in Rome; made correctly in fewer places.

Amatriciana — bucatini (thick hollow spaghetti) with guanciale, San Marzano tomatoes, Pecorino Romano, and chilli. Named for the town of Amatrice (now largely destroyed by the 2016 earthquake); the original version had no tomatoes (tomatoes arrived later). The guanciale distinction matters here too.

Gricia — the ‘white amatriciana’, without tomatoes. Rigatoni with guanciale, Pecorino Romano, and black pepper. The oldest of the four; less commonly found but simpler and excellent.

Cacio e uova — a frittata-style pasta found in the Jewish Ghetto, less widely served than the four above.

Testaccio

The working-class neighbourhood south of the Palatine Hill is where Roman food is most authentic. The neighbourhood was built around the slaughterhouse (mattatoio), and the tradition of quinto quarto (fifth quarter — offal) cooking developed here. The Testaccio Market (covered indoor market on Via Beniamino Franklin) is the best food market in Rome. The restaurants around Via Galvani serve carbonara, cacio e pepe, and offal dishes at the lowest prices in central Rome.

Jewish-Roman Cooking

The Jewish Ghetto neighbourhood (near the Largo di Torre Argentina) has its own culinary tradition, distinct from the rest of Roman cooking. Carciofi alla giudia (artichokes deep-fried whole until crisp), baccalà in pastella (salt cod fried in batter), and torta di ricotta e visciole (ricotta and sour cherry tart) are the signature dishes. Several restaurants in the Ghetto area have been operating continuously for generations.

Street Food

Supplì — fried rice balls with a mozzarella centre (not to be confused with arancini, which are Sicilian) — are Rome’s street food staple. Available from street vendors and trattoria windows throughout the historic centre. Trapizzino (invented 2008: a triangular pizza pocket stuffed with braised meat or vegetables) has become a modern Roman classic with outlets across the city.

Where to Eat

Testaccio is the first choice for pasta dishes. The Ghetto for Jewish-Roman cooking. Trastevere has reliable traditional restaurants but also significant tourist traps — choose carefully. Avoid anywhere with photos on the menu or a tout outside. The best carbonara in Rome is a point of genuine civic pride and debate; current consensus points to a handful of trattorias in Testaccio and one or two in the Jewish Ghetto.