10/08/2025: A hidden gem next to the Trevi Fountain: Quirino Restaurant
Sometimes, Rome gives you moments that seem like they're written in a movie script.
We arrived today from Barcelona, where I live, because I wanted my aunt Myriam, recently arrived from Colombia, to experience this beautiful and spectacular city.
My aunt Miriam and I were walking, enjoying the eternal charm of the Trevi Fountain, when, a few meters away, we ran into Emma. With a bright smile and a friendliness that invites you to follow her, she led us to her family's restaurant: Quirino.
Founded in 1959 by her grandfather—who arrived from Sicily with his brother, carrying recipes and dreams—this place exudes tradition. It's not just a restaurant; it's a living piece of Roman and Sicilian history.
Within its walls, fresh pasta is not a fad, but a legacy passed down from generation to generation.
The restaurant's decor itself is part of the experience: every corner tells a story, showing how Quirino has adapted to each era and every life without losing his essence. It's like walking into a memory album where the walls hold the memories of all these years.
We ate a delicious Carbonara with its spectacular guanchale and freshly made pasta, and some finger-licking taglietelle al ragu. They also gave us a piece of freshly baked apple pie, which Emma says is her mother's recipe that they are trying to replicate with one of the chefs! It must be said that it was delicious!
It was then that we met Elisabetta, Emma's mother, who shared a story that left us speechless: her mother—Emma's grandmother—made a cannoli so extraordinary that Pope John Paul II was captivated by its flavor, making it his birthday cake year after year.
And the surprise didn't end there. Chatting with Elisabetta, we discovered we had many things in common: her daughter is studying dentistry in Madrid, but her passion is the restaurant; my husband is a dentist, and so is his. So many coincidences made us feel at home, as if we had known each other all our lives.
Our experience was simply fantastic: the warm service, the welcoming atmosphere, the aromas that enveloped the room, and, of course, the flavors… Each dish felt like a hug. We left feeling like we had experienced something unique.
Quirino is not just a restaurant: it's a journey back in time, a bridge between Sicily and Rome, a place where stories are told through food… and even the walls have something to say.
If you are lucky enough to be in the Eternal City, don't pass up the opportunity to experience it.
We wholeheartedly recommend it.
Tatty and Myriam.
06/08/2025: Carbonara is so-so...old-school atmosphere, but professional and knowledgeable waiters. Prices are reasonable for being right next to the Trevi Fountain.
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