Hosteria Grappolo d'oro — Restaurant in Rome

Outstanding traditional Italian eatery! When I first told my Italian friend that I was planning to visit Rome, the first place they recommended was Hosteria Grappolo d'Oro -- this classic spot is located a short walk away from Piazza Navona and the Pantheon, so it's a quick trip from most of the classic Roman tourist destinations. There's a ton of natural light from their giant windows, so it's a great spot to visit during the daytime, especially since they also serve an outstanding three-course lunch set for only 34 euros a person. While a bit pricey for lunch, it's absolutely worth it -- the food is delicious and the portions are sizeable, so you'll leave very full and very happy.

The meal starts off with a three-piece appetizer combo made up of small samples of a few traditional Roman dishes. It started off with a super light and refreshing panzanella made with fresh tomatoes and black olives. The tomato was tangy and sweet, which paired wonderfully with the briny, salty, and fatty olives. This finely chopped, almost paste-like salad went wonderfully with their table bread and was a great ode to the summer. The center appetizer, the cod fish mousse, was probably my favorite bite of this course; it was super smooth and light and had a pretty mild flavor but with a slightly fishy, umami undertone. It went great with the bread, but I honestly loved just munching on this on its own. I didn't get a chance to try the last appetizer, as it was a beef meatball and I'm a pescatarian, but my friend really enjoyed hers (and mine).

For our primi, both of us got the cacio e pepe. The pasta was perfectly al dente, and it was quite a generous portion. The pecorino romano was a little nutty and salty, and it mixed together with the oil and pasta water to create a rich, velvety sauce that just barely coated the spaghetti. The cracked black pepper offered a much-needed hit of spice to break up the richness of the cheese, and it was, all around a phenomenal dish.

We diverged a bit on our secondi; my friend ordered their beef and I got the Roman-style cod. The thinly sliced beef was incredibly tender and had a super flavorful, rich red wine sauce. It came with a few pieces of braised veggies, but it felt like the dish could be made a bit more balanced with a slightly larger side. On the other hand, my Roman-style cod was served with a generous portion of sauteed spinach. It was a smidge too salty, but I loved having a few extra greens. The cod was super flavorful, and I loved the zesty, tangy, slightly sweet tomato and olive sauce. The tomatoes were super fresh, and I loved the slightly briny flavor the olives brought to the dish; it honestly reminded me a lot of the panzanella served with the appetizer, so it was a nice way to make the whole meal feel a bit more cohesive. The cod was, unfortunately, quite overcooked, so it felt a bit rubbery, but it was still tasty and I loved the extra bit of texture from the pine nuts on top.

Our dessert was a lovely scoop of mascarpone ice cream topped with a sour cherry and wine sauce. The ice cream was a bit tangy from the mascarpone, and I loved the slight bite from the sauce. It was also served with a small wafer, which was super crispy and reminiscent of an...

After reading several articles and “must visit” lists for places to have great pasta I found myself at this restaurant and boy was it the biggest let down of Rome. Allow me explain:

My wife and I made the trek over with great hopes for an amazing Cacio e Pepe and other pasta fare. We were seated promptly inside and near the kitchen, without reservations this was convenient to not have to wait. The ambiance was nice and the dishes presented very well and looked great overall.

Menus were brought out and questions were pushed off as the server was too busy and walked off. No problem, I get it - who wants to tend to dumb tourists right? Except I wasn’t rude or standoffish or anything of the sort, my wife wanted something vegetarian or pescatarian and the menu lacks the necessary details.

We finally placed our order and were never given any bread or offered any such started (others tables all had it), our bottle of “Still Water” came in a nice glass bottle but had NO SEAL for the plastic lid and was instead filled with tap water, WHICH I WAS CHARGED €3.50 for! I don’t mind if you charge me for water - but it should be BOTTLED AND SEALED.

Next our main dishes came out, which looked excellent - I will say both dishes were piping hot and worthy of applause in the way of presentation. HOWEVER, the pasta with mussels was the fishiest week old mussel pasta I have ever encountered. The sauce was mediocre at best, significantly under seasoned, and the pasta: forget al dent, this was chewier than gum. It literally wouldn’t break and required active CHEWING like cud to break down.

I thought, let me try their famous Cacio e Pepe, pungent and revolting. Hardly any Pepe and the same ridiculously chewy overworked dough and heavily undercooked pasta.

If this is their best - they can keep it and the rest.

The waitress never brought me my check even after I declined dessert, so I asked for it and we paid and left.

The place next door had long lines to get it and now I can see why. How this place ended up as the NUMBER 1 SPOT on a pasta list for Rome is beyond me.

Don’t waste your money or appetite on this dismal excuse for a...

If this establishment is Michelin-recognized, I shudder to think what standard they’re upholding. My wife and I opted for the 4-course set menu, hoping for a memorable culinary experience. What we got instead was a masterclass in mediocrity, with moments of outright revulsion.

The starters? Bland and forgettable. The cod had a disturbingly “fishy” taste—a glaring indication of poor quality or mishandling. A rare bright spot was the carbonara, which was actually quite good, though hardly enough to salvage the overall experience.

Then came the cod. To call it inedible would be an understatement. I understand that Roman cod is traditionally salty, but this was absurd. The dish was so excessively salted that after just a couple of bites, both my wife and I felt physically unwell. We weren’t alone in our disgust: a diner at the next table, also served the cod, visibly gagged and couldn’t finish it.

When I raised my concerns with the server, I was met with condescension rather than professionalism. Rather than addressing the issue, he smugly insisted that “everyone loved the dish” and implied that I simply wasn’t accustomed to salty food. A laughable excuse that sidesteps the glaring reality: this dish was objectively unfit for consumption.

The final course was a small, neutral dessert—hardly enough to redeem the disaster that preceded it.

Overall, this restaurant reeks of a tourist trap. It is baffling how this place has received any accolades, let alone a Michelin acknowledgment. The glowing reviews must either be fabricated or written by individuals with exceedingly low standards. Avoid this establishment at all costs. The photo...