La Ciambella In Roma

Each time I visit Rome, I eat here. Once again, absolutely superb. Wonderful food, amazingly good wines from small producers, the most excellent and enthusiastic sommelier and great service. A must go.

🍝 - Food: 3/5 🛎️ - Service 4/5 📍 - Location & atmosphere 4/5 Rome is a city of brutal extremes, and honestly, that’s how I like it. You either want to be hunched over a scarred wooden table in a gloriously greasy, chaotic trattoria where the house red tastes like ink and the waiter hates your guts, or you want the full-blown, transcendental wizardry of Heinz Beck. Anything in between? That’s where the trouble starts. My quest for the "New Roman Soul" ended behind the Pantheon at La Ciambella. On paper, it’s a dream. The space is a vault of impeccable taste—all soaring stone arches and soft lighting, a sleek, surgical atelier where Roman classics are dissected with high-end ambition. The wine list is a genuine love letter to the peninsula, and the service is a well-oiled machine, professional to a fault. But here's the rub: you can’t cook the soul out of a city and expect it to still move you. I started with the Wrap con porchetta di maialino da latte. The staff described it as "delicate." In my book, "delicate" is a word for lace doilies, not porchetta. To me, it was practically invisible. When you see the word porchetta on a menu, you expect a punch to the jaw—salt, fat, garlic, the wild taste of the countryside. Instead, I got a polite wrap where the marinated cherry tomatoes and yoghurt sauce felt like unnecessary bystanders to a ghost of a pig. The one flickering light in the dark was the Maritozzo with creamed cod and lime. This was a clever, cheeky bit of business. Taking a pillowy, sweet breakfast staple and weaponising it with salt cod so smooth it defies the laws of physics? That worked. The lime cut through the richness like a switchblade. It was a brilliant opening act, but it unfortunately left the stage quiet. I pinned my last hopes on the namesake Ciambella con la Crema. I wanted a riot. I wanted that heavy, sugary, warm hug for the stomach that justifies the calories. What I got was more "lightness"—technical, airy, and ultimately, hollow. It’s not a bad meal. It’s technically sound, and in a neighborhood where you’re usually dodging frozen pizza and neon-colored gelato, it’s a dignified escape. But dignity doesn't satisfy a craving. I didn't find the new soul of Rome here; I found a very expensive, very beautiful silence. If you want the heart of this city, you’re better off looking where the floor is sticky or the stars are Michelin-rated. This middle ground is just too polite for its own good.

We came into the city way too early for our check-in. We were hungry, tired and in dire need of a respite. They were kind enough yo accommodate us despite not meeting the dress code nor having a reservation. What we were treated to was nothing short of beyond exceptional service. Teaching us the importance of each dish and its connection to Rome. Making on-point recommendations based on our preferences. Allowing us the opportunity to explore old and new perspectives on traditional staples. And of course, the food is amazing! If you can, try the 10-year anniversary menu they have available in May 2026. While I did not have the tasting menu, I would highly recommend to try it. The trippa and traditional cacio e pepe are excellent.

Refined Roman cuisine, elegant atmosphere, excellent wine list.

Second visit. Always great food and great service and at reasonable price for a Michelin recommended restaurant.

What a lovely restaurant! Great food, wine, and service!

Very good, imaginative and tasty food. Long wine list, all prices. Large tables, plenty of room, great service.

Profoundly underwhelming. The flagship tasting menu, “Rome, Our Way”, promises a gastronomic homage to an extraordinary city, yet delivers a procession of tepid morsels, reticent flavours, and misfired concepts - ultimately more gimmick than meal.

A great find in Rome! Delicious food, attentive and friendly staff, and a lovely restaurant. 100% recommended. I'll be back!

Ive been 3 times, 3 years in a row. Magnificent each and every time. Wonderful staff, a terrific chef. Delightful flavors well-prepared and plated.