Restaurant in Rome- Da Danilo

General Introduction

This is one of the few restaurants I included that is not very close to other points of interest. It is relatively close to the San Giovanni cathedral and the Piazza Vittorio. However, the closest metro stop is Manzoni on the A (red) line; it is only about a 5-minute walk from the restaurant. I love the name of the street on which it is found because it is literary, Via Petrarca. When you enter the small restaurant, the namesake, Danilo, will surround you. He is featured in numerous pictures on the wall, posing with the ‘celebrities’ who have patronized the place. He will also probably be in front of you, as many restaurant reviews note, Danilo himself often greets guest/ occupies the ‘front of house’ position (waiting for the celebs, I suppose) and his mother is in the kitchen. I used to prefer a table up top, and there are not too many, but there is seating downstairs too, and I have mellowed in my old age, happy to indulge in my favorite pasta in Rome either upstairs or downstairs.

Restaurant specifics

Address- Via Petrarca, 13

Phone- +39 06 7720 0111

Website- http://www.trattoriadadanilo.com/

Hours- Open for lunch and dinner every day except closed on Sunday and closed on Monday at lunch

Price- Middle-High Range

Reservations- By phone

Now, disclaimer, my favorite pasta here is not a classic Roman one. It is large fusilli (corkscrew pasta) with a pistachio pesto and crispy guanciale. You will not go wrong with the carbonara; it has even made many top ten lists for carbonara in Rome. You can get the glorious Carbonara with truffle or without, and your heart will guide you on this one. People also rave about the cacio e pepe, which is prepared in the giant wheel of pecorino cheese, with a waiter scraping at the sides during the table-side prep. The antipasto choices are also strong. We often do the antipasto ‘faccio io’. Choose ‘for one’ for two people because the selection is abundant, and you will want at least a primo or secondo after, probably not both (but depends on your appetite). The steaks are very good, however, my most carnivorous friends approve, made gluttonous with ‘lardo’ for flavor. They have a good wine and craft beer selection here too. The beer is treated like wine, poured in a nice glass with descriptions of each artisanal offering in the menu.

My friend Ken with ‘fine’ beer in hand

Recommended Dishes

Antipasto- ‘Faccio io’

Primo-Fusilli Pistacchio e Guanciale if you want to try something different, or Carbonara con tartufo

Secondo-Tagliata di Manzo al Lardo e Rosmarino

Accompany with a ‘birra artiginale’ (Italian craft beer) or good wine