Culinaria — Restaurant in Rome

We almost missed this gem by oversleeping past our reservation time, but we were so glad we made the effort dragging ourselves and our baby to the restaurant.

The decor could use some upgrades but I'm there for the food, not the decor.

The menu looked basic and unimpressive at first. I think the Italian to English translation lost a lot of the details or buzz words to make the menu pop!

I ordered fried anchovies and my wife ordered the veal, both tasted pretty good.

My wife ordered the risotto with shrimp and I ordered the cuttlefish fettuccine...I know...sounds pretty underwhelming. However both surprised us with wonderful flavors!

The risotto was creamy and rich, and the raw shrimp was clean and sweet, doesn't sound like a match but when put together it gave a sweet Umami flavor that made it difficult to put down the fork.

The cuttlefish fettuccine had a nice presentation and each ingredient tasted so fresh. Combined the cuttlefish, sauce, and the squid ink fettuccine tasted just so fresh. Like a creamy fresh ocean. Absolute wonderfully refreshing light lunch.

We also had a deconstructed tiramisu and coffee, both were wonderful as well.

The service was spot on. The chef was so dedicated to his food that he came out multiple times to check and when servers are busy he rushed out to deliver the food himself instead of risk it being cold when delivered. He is a man dedicated to his craft.

Overall, I would love to go back and try other things on the...

This restaurant, in a basement close to Termini station, was so good we ate there two nights in a row. It was recommended to us by our hotel and it was a very good recommendation.

Due to the current situation there haven't been many foreign tourists in Rome and the restaurants are just getting going. We were greeted warmly on arrival and offered a choice of sitting indoors or on the terrace. We chose indoors, where we could see into the kitchen.

The waiter apologised for the abbreviated menu but we struggled to choose from among the options anyway. On our first visit I opted for the fried anchovy starter (in bread and nut crumb, crispy and delicious), black and white pasta (chocolate fettucine in rich white sauce) as the first course and lamb cutlets as the second. Everything was beautifully presented and prepared.

To complete the meal we had the deconstructed tiramisu, which was both interesting and lovely.

The following evening, tired after a day of walking around in the sunshine, we returned. This time we didn't go for the full Italian meal (we'd had a big lunch) but the salmorejo starter was as good as you'd get in Andalucia and the duck confit with a very savoury cheese and onion pancake was delicious.

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Culinaria. The location makes it easy to get to from anywhere in Rome and the service and food make for a relaxed and...

•Had a good experience at Culinária, a classic Italian restaurant known for its hand-made pasta. The pasta was exceptionally delicious and flavorful. The location is also ideal, conveniently situated near Roma Termini, making it easy to find and a great spot for a meal before or after travel.

•Despite its small and simple setting, is cozy and welcoming. The size of the restaurant didn't bother us at all. The best part was its convenient location right next to our hotel, which made it very easy to visit. It was also recommended by the hotel receptionist, which was a nice touch. Even though we arrived close to closing time, the lady who served us was very friendly. This made a great impression on us and highlighted the high quality of their service. We were starving!

•We ordered two pastas: Rigatoni Amatriciana (€15) and Spaghetti alla Carbonara (€15). Both were well-made and, as I mentioned, delicious. [prices from JUN/2024]

•The service was good and fast, and the food was comforting given our hunger. We would return if we had another opportunity near the area. We felt that it was a great recommendation given to us!

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