Piatto Romano
Piatto Romano steams its cicoria and then hits it in a hot pan with oil, garlic and chili.
Why go
Sarah Cicolini eats here at lunch on a weekday and orders a spread of contorni, the vegetable dishes that are supposed to sit beside a main, taken on their own. She names the misticanza, a mix of wild herbs dressed with lemon, sumac, vinegar, olive oil and salt; the melanzane marinate, red eggplants from Basilicata; and the cicoria ripassata, which she rates one of the best in the city. The room sits in the heart of Testaccio. Gambero Rosso says the next generation pushed hard on the vegetable side (Gambero Rosso).
Order this / avoid
- Order: the contorni, as the meal. Start with the misticanza, take the melanzane marinate, and do not skip the cicoria ripassata. The classic Roman plates are on the same menu if somebody at the table wants pasta.
- Avoid: Sunday, when the kitchen is closed. The restaurant also shuts for the summer and reopens for lunch in early September.
What locals & experts say
- Katie Parla: "in Testaccio, which is especially good for vegetables, though they serve offal, too, so it is perfect when you’re craving fibre but also want pajata." She sells paid walking tours in Rome.3
- The Infatuation (Annie Replogle):
Start with one of the great daily specials like crispy artichokes and pair them with the miniature fried meatballs made from Italy's legendary chianina beef.
2 - Sarah Cicolini, chef-owner of Santo Palato (The Relisher, 2025):
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.
5
Good to know
- Timing: weekday lunch is when Cicolini comes. Closed Sunday.
- Booking: recommended; the restaurant takes them through its own link.
- Where: Via Giovanni Battista Bodoni 62, Testaccio, a short walk from the Mercato Testaccio.
Verdict
should-visit — Sarah Cicolini eats here on a weekday and orders the contorni as the meal. Katie Parla names the reason it works: the same menu carries the contorni and the pajata, so a table can go both ways. Gambero Rosso credits the vegetable side to the next generation of a neighbourhood trattoria. It stops short of must-visit because I have not found a scored review of the cooking.