Smoked by AI · Rome · people

Sarah Cicolini

Chef · Owner / operator — Roman cooking and the quinto quarto in Rome. Offal, tripe and carbonara, cooked with the Abruzzese hand she brought to them.

Listed with the chefs in Rome.

Sarah Cicolini is the chef-owner of Santo Palato, the Appio-Latino trattoria she opened in 2017 and which made her one of the most-cited young chefs in the city. The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times have both singled out Santo Palato's carbonara and its tripe, and the restaurant appeared in Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy. Her authority here is a practitioner's: she cooks the idiom she is naming other people's rooms in.

Their own reviews and picks.

Their own judgment, in their own words, by the piece it appeared in.

• The Relisher ↗their pick · 2025-04-01
  • 180g Pizzeria RomanaCentocelle

    “a restaurant that's redefining Roman pizza. For years, Roman pizza was a thin and crunchy style often made with lower-quality ingredients, but a new generation of pizzaioli (pizzamakers) is bringing it back to life—reviving traditional techniques while using top-quality ingredients.”

  • Armando al PantheonPigna

    “with its prime location right in front of the Pantheon, is one of the best restaurants for lunch during the weekdays. This historic, family-run restaurant has been around for generations and is now run by the third generation.”

  • Farinè la PizzaSan Lorenzo

    “known for a completely different style of pizza. Their dough is made with fermented flours and high-quality, locally sourced ingredients. They put a lot of research into perfecting their dough.”

  • FaroSallustiano

    “If you love coffee, Faro is the best spot in Rome. It was actually the first place in the city to introduce specialty coffee culture, and they're incredibly passionate about what they do—constantly experimenting with new techniques.”

  • La MescitaGarbatella

    “This natural wine bar is a local favorite, known for its organic and biodynamic wines. It's located in the historic Garbatella district and has a wonderfully relaxed ambiance with dim lighting. Their waiters are highly knowledgeable about wine and usually do a great job selecting one for you.”

  • La TavernacciaPortuense

    “What makes this place special is its large wood-fired oven, where they cook everything from meats to pizzas. They make an amazing pizza alla Romana (Roman pizza)—a thin, crispy-crusted pizza—as well as great pasta dishes, but I usually go for their maialino al forno, a slow-roasted suckling pig.”

  • OtalegMonteverde

    “my favorite Gelato shop... For me, it stands out for its truly unique and hyper, seasonal flavors. Think prickly pear, passion fruit with cocoa beans, or even gorgonzola with blond chocolate. They also offer an entire section of dairy-free sorbets.”

  • Piatto RomanoTestaccio

    “the best place to go for classic Roman dishes. I love this restaurant because they have a very large vegetable menu... sometimes, I just order a selection of contorni on their own because they offer such a variety of vegetable dishes.”

  • Sora LellaRipa

    “a historic restaurant with over 70 years of tradition. It's adored by locals. The restaurant itself is special for both its architecture and location—it sits on Isola Tiberina, a small island in the Tiber River, inside a medieval tower.”

  • TrimaniCastro Pretorio

    “a wine bar known for its incredible selection of wines from all over Italy, especially from the Langhe region—a well-known area in Piedmont famous for its rich red wines, Barolo and Barbaresco. Here, you can pair your wine with delicious small bites.”