Rome's Monti Neighborhood – New Recommendations from Rick Steves (May 2014) For personal use only. All material © 2014 by Rick Steves. All rights reserved. Tucked behind Trajan's Forum, in the tight and cobbled lanes between Via Nazionale and Via Cavour, is the characteristic Monti neighborhood. It's just a few steps farther from the ancient sites than the battery of forgettable touristy restaurants, but that extra effort opens up a world of inexpensive and characteristic hotel, restaurant, and nightlife experiences. From the Forum, head up Via Cavour and then left on Via dei Serpenti; the action centers on Piazza della Madonna dei Monti and unfolds along Via dei Serpenti, Via del Boschetto, and Via Leonina/Urbana. SLEEPING IN MONTI Hotel Raffaello, with its courteous and professional staff, offers 41 rooms in a grand 19th-century building in Monti. This formal hotel comes with generous public spaces and a breakfast room fit for aristocrats (Single-€80-100, Double-€120-180, Triple-€168-228, family room-€210-270, save by booking direct, includes breakfast, air-con, Wi-Fi, Via Urbana 3, Metro: Cavour, tel. 06-488-4342, www.hotelraffaello.it, [email protected], helpful Elena). Hotel Antica Locanda is a quiet gem in the heart of Monti. While the entrance is nothingpersonal special and stairs are plentiful, the seven rooms--each named for a composeronly. or artist--come with stylish furnishings that are romantically rustic. The rooftop terrace is great for sunbathing or relaxing with a sunset drink (Double-€90-140, Triple-€120-170, includes breakfast, air-con, no elevator, Via delFor Boschetto 84, Metro: Cavour, tel. 06-484-894, www.anticalocandaroma.it, [email protected]).use Domus Nova Bethlem, run by the Oblate Sisters of Baby Jesus, is a spacious, pristine, and institutional-feeling hotel in the Monti district. The 24 high-ceilinged rooms are modest yet classy, and guests have access to a peaceful and leafy courtyard garden (Single-€88, Double-€110-135, Triple-€140-175, family rooms, includes breakfast, air-con, Wi-Fi, 1:00 in the morning curfew, Via Cavour 85A, Metro: Cavour, tel. 06-4782-4414, www.domusnovabethlem.it, [email protected]). EATING IN MONTI L'Asino d'Oro ("The Golden Donkey") is a top choice for foodies in this neighborhood (so reserve ahead). Chef Lucio Sforza, who previously ran restaurants in Orvieto, serves Umbrian cuisine with a creative twist--and mingles savory and sweet flavors to create a memorable meal. The service is crisp, the pasta is homemade, and the simple, modern space is filled with savvy diners (€11-13 pastas, €14-17 main dishes, €13 fixed-price lunch is a great value, Tue-Sat 12:30-15:00 & 19:30-23:00, closed Sun- Mon, some delightful outdoor seating, Via del Boschetto 73, tel. 06-4891-3832). La Taverna dei Monti is frequented by locals and in-the-know tourists who want great, old-fashioned Roman cooking and the Italian standards. Perhaps the dressiest of my Monti recommendations, it has good seating inside and out. Baked lamb is a favorite (dinner only, €8 pastas, €12-18 main dishes, just off of Via Nazionale at Via del Boschetto 41, tel. 06-481-7724). La Carbonara has been serving locals since 1906 with food that makes up for the lack of smiles. Under walls scribbled with notes from happy diners, you’ll enjoy tasty dishes and great prices (€7-9 pastas, €9-15 secondi, Mon-Sat 12:30-14:30 & 19:00-23:00, closed Sun, reserve for dinner, Via Panisperna 214, tel. 06-482- 5176, www.lacarbonara.it). Enoteca Cavour 313 is a wine bar with a mission: to offer good wine and food with an old-fashioned commitment to value and friendly service. Its slightly unconventional menu, ranging from couscous and salads to high-quality affettati (cold cuts) and cheese, makes a nice alternative to the usual pasta/pizza choices. You'll be served with a mellow ambience under lofts of wine bottles (€9-14 plates, daily 12:30-14:45 & 18:30-24:00, 100 yards off Via dei Fori Imperiali at Via Cavour 313, tel. 06-678- 5496). Taverna Romana is small and simple--with an open kitchen and hams and garlic hanging from the ceiling. Their cacio e pepe (cheese and pepper pasta) personalis the hands-down favorite at this family-run eatery. It’s popular so arriveonly. early or call to reserve (€9-10 pastas, €9-14 secondi, Mon-Sat 12:30-14:45 & 19:00-23:00, closed Sun, Via Madonna dei Monti 79, tel. 06-474- 5325). La Vacca M'Briaca ("The Drunk Cow") has a casual and fun vibe with its open kitchen,For indoor and outdoor tables, and good mix of hearty Roman and Italian fare.use The bucatini all'Amatriciana and saltimbocca are favorites. Avoid the back room if possible (daily, Via Urbana 29, tel. 06-4890-7118). La Cicala e La Formica has its own little nook on Via Leonina. The terrace dining is good for people-watching, while the homey interior is livelier. The cuisine is more Italian than Roman, and the €10 two-course lunch special--offered weekdays only--is a good value (€10 pastas, €10 secondi, daily 12:00-15:30 & 19:00- 23:00, Via Leonina 17, tel. 06-481-7490). Taverna dei Fori Imperiali is a favorite with Monti locals and understandably popular with tourists. You’ll enjoy typical Roman cuisine served in a snug interior that bustles with energy (€9 antipasti, €9-12 pastas, €12-16 secondi, Wed-Mon 12:30-15:00 & 19:30-23:00, closed Tue, Via della Madonna dei Monti 9, reserve for dinner, tel. 06-679-8643, www.latavernadeiforiimperiali.com). Trattoria da Valentino is a classic time-warp hiding behind its historic (and therefore protected) Birra Peroni signs. Serving simple plates, pastas, and salads--but no secondi--to a smart local clientele, it’s a hit with government ministry workers (closed Sun, Via del Boschetto 37, tel. 06-488-0643). Closer to Piazza Venezia and Trajan's Column: Enoteca Nel Cuore di Roma, while not strictly in Monti, is nearby and even more convenient to Piazza Venezia and Capitoline Hill. Overlooking Trajan’s Column, this modern little place has a cool, peaceful, and well-lit dining room and a few outside tables. It celebrates Roman cuisine with fresh local produce; the prices are quite high (€12-14 pastas, €15-22 secondi), but the daily €13 specials including wine are a good value (Tue-Sat 11:00-16:00 & 18:00-23:30, Sun-Mon 11:00-17:00, Foro Traiano 82, tel. 06-6994- 0273). Fast, Simple Meals and Takeaway in Monti The streets of Monti are crowded with fun and creative places offering inexpensive quality snacks and light meals to eat on tiny informal tables or to take away. Here are my favorites: Ai Tre Scalini feels like the youthful meeting point of the entire community. The cobbles out in front of this bar are jammed with hipsters enjoying drinks al fresco (it's tough to get a seat unless you arrive early). While the focus here is on drinking and socializing more than dining, they do have a chalkboard menu of €5-10 plates (daily 12:30-24:00, Via Panisperna 251, tel. 06- 4890-7495). Pizzeria Chicco di Grano is a big, sloppy pizzeria with a large outdoor terrace serving tasty, wood-fired pizzas. It has plenty of red-and-white-checkered tables and is ideal for families (€2-4 bruschetta with a wide array of toppings, €8-11 pizzas, daily 12:00-24:00,personal Via degli only.Zingari 6 at the corner of Via del Boschetto, tel. 06-4782-5033). Fafiuché Vineria is an intimate yet vibrant family-run wine bar with a fun-loving vibe and no pretense. They serve a broad selection of wines and beers inside or at tables on the cobblestones outside.For Each evening from 18:30 to 21:00 Andrea and Mario offer a popular aperitivouse special: €8 covers a glass of wine and one trip to the buffet--making it a cheap, light meal. Or, for more money, you can order serious regional specialties from Apulia and Piedmont (Mon-Sat 18:00 until late, closed Sun, Via della Madonna dei Monti 28, tel. 06-699-0968). Zia Rosetta is a tiny eatery specializing in gourmet-like rosette, sandwiches on rose-shaped buns. At €3 for the tiny ones or €6 for the standard size, they're perfect for a light bite-- either to take away or eat in. Their fun, healthy, and creative menu includes salads and fresh-squeezed, vitamin-bomb fruit and veggie juices (Tue-Sun 11:00-22:00, closed Mon, Via Urbana 54, tel. 06-3310-2516). Pizzeria la Boccaccia serves eye-catching pizza-to-go by the gram. Point at what you like and mime how big of a rectangle you want. I recommend sampling several small slices, or go for a stuffed one--pizza farcita. They also have vegan and vegetarian options (Via Leonina 73, mobile 340-455-1968). At dall'Antò, it's all about traditional Italian bread hot out of the wood-fired oven. While you'll find inexpensive standards like bruschetta and focaccia, the owners (Antonio and Antonio) encourage you to branch out with chickpea flatbread, chestnut crêpe, or crispy Sardinian flatbread. They serve €4 wine in paper cups (Tue-Thu 12:00-20:00, Fri-Sat 12:00-15:00 & 19:00-23:00, Sun 12:00-15:00, closed Mon, Via della Madonna dei Monti 16, tel. 06- 678-0712). Gaudeo ("I'm Happy" in Latin) prides itself on assembling sandwiches from seasonal ingredients, either to go or eaten in their small, modern interior (€3-4 small sandwiches, €5-7 big sandwiches, €6-9 salads, €10 tagliere cheese-and-meat sampler platter, daily 10:00-21:00, Via del Boschetto 112, tel.