Il Gaudio Ristorante Roma San Lorenzo — Restaurant in Rome

I had stumbled across an article in Bon Appetit claiming Rome’s best food neighborhood is San Lorenzo, so on the last night of our Italy trip my wife and I decided to explore this area located on the opposite side of the Termini rail tracks. The article’s description of a vibrant, authentic local food and bar scene where tourists rarely venture turned out to be quite accurate. Our first stop- Il Gaudio, for some wine and appetizers on their patio. Our very welcoming and knowledgeable waiter recommended an amazing bottle of Chianti paired with two appetizers; a delicately breaded/flash fried calamari dish, and a seemingly simple yet indescribably gourmet artichoke salad made with fresh, thinly sliced peak-of-the-season artichoke hearts lightly marinated in olive oil, a little parmesan cheese, and a lot of love. On a 10 point scale, the calamari rates a 10 and the artichoke salad gets an 11. I wanted to run into the kitchen and hug the chef. It was that delicious. Next time we are in Rome, Il Gaudio will be at the top of our dining list, in bold/all caps, so that we may experience more...

We had a fantastic dinner at Il Gaudio!

We started with the Il Gaudio focaccia, which was absolutely excellent - crispy and chewy in equal measure, perfectly salted, and garnished with charred rosemary that added a deep, aromatic flavor.

We also shared the Sautè di cozze (mussels in white sauce) - a standout dish. The mussels were cooked perfectly, the portion was generous, and the toasted bread for dipping in the broth was a delicious touch.

Next, I had the Tagliatelle ragú (long pasta with a tomato meat sauce) - the meat was tender and finely minced, and the tomato sauce was rich and delicious. My husband’s Tonnarelli ai frutti di mare (seafood pasta) was packed with flavor and seafood.

The portions were generous, the service was attentive, and the staff was knowledgeable, offering helpful recommendations based on food allergies.

A lovely surprise: the chef visited each table to check in, which added a warm, personal touch.

Beautiful space, great ambiance -...

Il Gaudio in San Lorenzo, Rome was not just dinner but a great evening where there are no such thing as strangers. From the moment my partner and I arrived, we got VIP treatment. Il Gaudio staff will speak English if preferred or make you feel your Italian is better than you thought. Lol The food was delicious from our starters, and we chose the fried calamari, gricia pasta dish, bacula fish, and dessert that was served too beautifully to eat, but when we did, it was incredible. Please put it on your places-to-go list in Rome. It is a quick taxi ride or walk from where you are in Rome/ San Lorenzo. Please tell Chef Filippo, Tatiana and the staff Christmas and Mauro sent you for an unforgettable meal. Buon...