Da Tudini 1969 — Restaurant in Rome

What a gem in the heart of Rome! While exploring the city on vacation, we stumbled upon Da Tudini 1969, and it turned out to be one of the most delightful dining experiences of our trip.

As Americans, we initially popped in hoping for a quick bite of traditional Roman/Italian fare — but as anyone who’s dined in Italy knows, meals here are meant to be savored, not rushed. That said, Da Tudini struck a perfect balance. From start to finish, our meal took about an hour — just enough time to truly enjoy the food and atmosphere without feeling pressed or drawn out.

We kicked things off with a classic starter: cantaloupe and prosciutto, but with a refreshing twist — arugula! The peppery bite of the greens added just the right contrast to the sweet melon and salty prosciutto. Simple, fresh, and delicious.

Then came the pizzas. Naturally, we tried the Margherita and Fungi, both slightly larger than your typical American personal pan, and every bite was worth it. The crust was airy and light, with a soft undercarriage and a good amount of flop (sorry, Portnoy). In our book, both easily scored above an 8.2!

Da Tudini 1969 is the kind of place where the food, the pacing, and the ambiance come together seamlessly. If you're in Rome and craving something authentically Italian without a long wait or heavy tourist vibe, this spot is absolutely worth a visit.

Highly...

AVOID AT ALL COSTS!!

We were tired and hungry and didn’t check the reviews until AFTER we sat down. We got our menus and after watching the waiter check his phone in the bottom draw and fold tablecloths, I called him over. He put his hand up and said ‘wait a minute.’

He tried to upsell our meal ‘that pasta is going to take 20 mins, would you like bruschetta first? No thanks I said. Also after our dessert he asked if we’d like coffee- no thanks I said again. I realise these are reasonable questions from a waiter in a restaurant, but read the other reviews, there is a pattern here. I had to get his attention again to order our dessert and I also asked for the bill. He showed me the bill and they have a hide to charge a COVER CHARGE of 1.50 euro pp? What for? He couldn’t tell me, but did say it wasn’t for him. He then said and you’ll leave a tip for me? I said ‘ I don’t tip unless it’s great service. He says, don’t you like my service? I said no not really!

Give me your card he says. Ah, no way, I say and ask where I need to go to pay. I went around the corner to the back to pay. We got out of there as fast as we could. Don’t go there - give your money to a restaurant that provides good service and doesn’t want to manipulate the customer.

What a shame though as the food...

We were served by a man with a large mole on his face, and we were dissatisfied with his work... At first, everything seemed to be fine, and I turned a blind eye to the fact that he did not help me decide on a dish after my request and constantly interrupted me when we talked with him about the menu😐 The whole impression of this place was spoiled by the fact that this waiter did not bring what my father ordered. While ordering food, I clearly voiced and pointed my finger at the description of the dish on the menu, and this waiter confirmed it, but after a while brings a completely different position... And, instead of apologizing for his mistake and somehow correcting the situation, as they do in truly good restaurants, this man blamed me for his mistake, saying that I ordered this particular dish. I'm still in shock because he didn't even listen to the objections and left. It is worth emphasizing that this waiter did not repeat our order when we announced which items we wanted to order, which is a pity, because then there would be no misunderstandings. Speaking of food, she was not impressed, seemed mediocre, perhaps it seemed so because of my spoiled mood🫷🏻 I sincerely do not recommend this...