Osteria Fernanda

It was the last dinner in Rome. And it was tragic. It is difficult to understand where the starter is and where the main course is. The flavor combinations are incredibly bad. It was the first time that the pictures and the taste did not match at all. There were five of us and we ordered a lot of food, but most of it was inedible, leaving me hungry. I really like sweatbreads and the first time I couldn't eat it because it was inedible, smelly, and unchewable. It was probably the worst experience in Italy. The service was also hit and miss, had to repeat several times before they were able to take the order. I don’t understand how they are able to receive good reviews? Please avoid that place and go somewhere else. It was a waste of money.

A gem of a fine dining restaurant tucked away in Trastevere. But don’t let the fine dining moniker put you off. They’re genuinely friendly here. They made our little one feel right at home and made him a pasta dish off menu. Bless. We had the 5 course tasting menu. Home made breads were tasty. The amuse bouche were interesting. The tomato infused liquor needed a little more oomph. The squid had a texture I had never experienced before. Soft yet meaty yet al dente. Impressive. The prawn infused risotto was a triumph. Umami bombtastic. Pigeon was perfectly cooked. The palate cleanser pre dessert was an utter revelation. The dessert of fermented black garlic ice cream and candied vegetable peels (yes you read that right) was a wonderful conclusion to an excellent meal. There were flashes of brilliance that would deserve a Michelin star. Highly recommended and definitely worth a detour from the historic centre of Rome.

*Dinner on 1/5/23* This was the most amazing food experience we had while in Rome. Each individual of the wait staff came to our table greeted us as they presented the courses and explained them, even if not in perfect english, they tried their absolute hardest to make sure we knew and understood what we were getting. I cannot express how helpful and nice it was for them to do that. They truly cared about what they were giving you, all very friendly and talked to us and asked us questions about our trip and what we enjoyed most in Rome and from the menu. The food was top notch, as you would expect with the Michelin star they have. All food was an experience, and all extremely tasty and provoked thought on how the flavors can be blended together. Not a single course we had was bad, all delivered and were interesting. Would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a modern, high end food experience while in Rome. 10/10 just a perfect experience.

We really wanted to like this restaurant but unfortunately the food just didn’t achieve what it was trying to. Of the seven course meal we only enjoyed one of the six savoury dishes (the beef). Everything else was average at best, despite the lovely presentation. The cod was particularly dry/tough. The staff were friendly and restaurant had a relaxed atmosphere.

Contemporary Italian cuisine close to Trastevere. We went with 9 friends and everyone loved it. To start, the restaurant surprised us with different types of bread and small appetizers. We ordered each one of the courses as they are small portions and I cannot decide which one was the best. From the burned eggplant spaghetti to the lemon dessert, everything was beautiful presented and the flavors were mild but spot on. The wine list is very good as well with Italian natural wines. This is a recommendation for anyone who wants to experiment with flavors outside of the classics!