I love my neighborhood Regola. Located in the center of Rome, below the Pantheon and Piazza Navona and above the Ghetto, Regola is a magical triangle of history and culture, and in 2019 it was a constellation of Michelin stars. For Travel + Leisure, February 2019 I write about how Regola has become a foodie destination.
Rome’s centro storico is the city’s beating heart, home to historic monuments, trendy boutiques, and stately palaces. But the bustling neighborhood is more than just a tourist hotspot — it’s where Romans live, work, and most importantly, eat.
In the very center of the dynamic district is Regola, a micro-neighborhood whose culinary delights have managed to stay miraculously under-the-radar — until now. Here, gourmet restaurants take up residence inside grand townhouses, centuries-old churches, and Renaissance palaces. Stand at the crossroads of Vicolo della Moretta, Via dei Banchi Vecchi, and Via del Pellegrino, and you are walking distance from not one, but three Michelin-starred restaurants.
Regola has always been a go-to neighborhood for Roman cuisine, but its emergence as a gourmet epicenter is somewhat of a recent phenomenon. Il Pagliaccio, Antony Genovese’s two-Michelin-star restaurant, arguably started it all. In 2003, the French-born Italian chef was walking along one of Regola’s most scenic streets and fell in love with the area’s tucked-away appeal.
“The neighborhood chose me,” says Genovese. “It’s in the very center of the city, but removed from the chaos.”
Once Il Pagliaccio opened its doors, Regola saw a deluge of other hot ticket tables, starting with Supplizio, a hole-in-the-wall restaurant that specializes in elevated Roman street food. Sink into one of the deep leather armchairs and order a few of the restaurant’s best-known bites: supplì (fried rice balls filled with mozzarella and chicken giblets), crema fritta (fried cream custard) and crocchette di patate (potato croquettes).
In 2015, chef Giulio Terrinoni debuted Per Me Giulio Terrinoni on Regola’s ivy-covered Vicolo della Moretta. The Michelin-starred restaurant’s innovative “tappi” (tapas-style snacks) quickly won over the hearts (and stomachs) of epicureans around the city. The seasonal menu changes daily, but sample dishes include cappellacci pasta stuffed with guinea fowl and smoked pecorino and prawn carpaccio with foie gras and red onion jelly.
Pipero Roma has been one of the city’s top fine dining addresses for nearly a decade. In 2017, the restaurant’s acclaimed chef, Alessandro Pipero, found another home for the Michelin-star restaurant, on the northeastern edge of Regola.
His main reason: “Gluttony — Regola is the most calorific neighborhood in all of Rome and Lazio.”
The restaurant’s new incarnation occupies a sleek open space, with high ceilings, contemporary art, and elegant arched doorways. The food is as tempting as ever: tamarind-glazed cod with white chocolate and artichokes, oyster linguini dusted with paprika, and passion fruit-topped ricotta risolatte.
Wine lovers will want to make a stop at Enoteca Il Goccetto, a rustic wine bar with over 850 different labels on its wooden shelves, while cocktail enthusiasts should grab a tipple at The Jerry Thomas Speakeasy, a retro-styled bar that serves a mean Blue Blazer (essentially a Hot Toddy made with high-proof scotch).
If your visit falls on the last Sunday of the month, you won’t want to missBiomercato, an outdoor market that sells fresh fruit, local produce, and cured meats. Take home a souvenir from your foodie detour by stocking up on organic honey and olive oil from Lazio producers.
Dining in the Centro Storico
Rome’s historic center is home to a wide variety of restaurants that offer traditional Roman cuisine and a glimpse into the city’s rich culinary heritage. Visitors can expect to find a range of options, from casual trattorias and pizzerias to more upscale dining options. Many of the restaurants in the historic center are family-run, and have been passed down through generations. They serve a mix of traditional Roman dishes and more contemporary Italian cuisine.
