La Locanda di Pietro — Restaurant in Rome

Why do Italians loath tourists so much? Is our money so very different from the locals?

Perhaps they all just wish we would leave immediately and never come back?

After 2 weeks of Romans looking down at us with such unmitigated disgust on our arrival at several restaurants, we were beginning to feel rather jaded by it all, I must confess. I had had enough. I'm used to better - you know me.

This on top of the fact that nowhere in the city could we find a decent meal. Having avidly glued ourselves to google maps reviews for the best part of our holiday, trying desperately to find a real 5 star meal, we had all but given up. Awful service and hideous food was all we could find.

(Why can't Romans welcome you with a smile when you arrive at their restaurant? Is it so alien to them, this peculiar quirk of humanity?)

And so there we were, walking along Via Sebastiano late at night, hungry and fed up. I dreaded going into another restaurant to be given the "Roman Sneer" as I now refer to it, and the thought of yet another night waiting an hour to be served, filled me with a desire to run screaming to the nearest plane. Get me out of here.

Fortunately, all was not lost.

Upon arrival, all of the waiters seemed strangely busy. "What's this?" I thought to myself. Staff cleaning bottles, wiping counter tops, smiling, serving, being attentive. Then I spotted it. The owner sitting at a table towards the back of the restaurant. How did I know? It was the only way there could be such activity; a conscientious devotion to the business.

The interior of the place was gorgeous. Obviously designed by a superiorly skilled interior designer. So stylish, and yet a very pleasant ambience in the place. Amazingly, we sat down and a waiter appeared, with a smile. To be honest, this was enough to make my night. I was ready to pay the bill right there. As the minutes passed, I could feel the last couple of weeks' antagonism slowly melting away, as I bathed in the incredible uniqueness of decent service. I ordered what looked to me some fine fair, but I kept my enthusiasm in check like wild dogs on a leash. Rome has a habit of kicking you when you're down. Could we actually be getting some delicious food? God help us.

Whilst we waited, the mature gentleman approached from where I had spotted him earlier. He introduced himself and surprise surprise - it was the owner. I knew it.

Such a pleasant chap. I felt like I was dreaming, an Italian being so nice in Rome. He told us he had been a chef for more than 30 years, and this was the first place he had started on his own. He went through the menu and explained his "Evolution" concept to us - one side of the menu had the usual ingredients, and the other had "Evolution" ingredients - where it was the same dish, but a much healthier version, less sugar etc. Fascinating idea.

We put this to the test later, with one of his Tiramisu's. The Mrs had the regular one, and I of course had the "Evo" version.

It really was quite something. The differences were really minute - both were absolutely wonderful, and yet....the Evo version seemed lighter, softer.

The food we ordered was superb. I can't remember what I ate - it's all a bit of a blur, I think I must have blacked out in the ecstasy of attentive service. It was all delicious though. Healthy, tasty and truly authentic. The food we had been searching for all this time.

Rome wanted us to leave angry, fed up and bitter. "We don't give a damn if you never come back" is the common vibe people like to give out there.

Locanda saved us, and gave us hope.

I can only wish this fine gentleman the very best in his endeavours to stand apart from his local contemporaries, and spread the word on how make real Italian food.

And more importantly, to treat...

TOURIST TRAP. The least I could do is to leave an honest review for the sake of the tourists visiting the vatican. Its literally a two minute walk from the vatican so that's why we went there but I honestly have no idea how it can have good reviews. This place is so so wrong in every aspect, from the quality of food to the rudeness of staff and especially the fact that they OVERCHARGE you. We ordered pizzas for lunch and we literally could not tell apart which was which because its literally a margherita pizza with maximum 2 or 3 pieces of toppings, plus my partner ordered an eggplant toast and it came with raw cheese on top. Not only that, but we witnessed the crazy people serving us raising their voice to two costumers who complained about their raw pasta, demanding payment eventhough the food served was disgusting and they didn't eat it. When we got the bill, it was charged for 50 euros for pizzas that costed 10 euros each, a bottle of water, two soft drinks and a strange looking appetiser, they don't tell you the price of the drinks, they bring you stuff you don't ask for and they overcharge you in the end for their very bad quality of food and rudeness, plus the fact that they try to push you to pay by cash. We didn't like the fact that they were extremely rude to the two costumers next to us and We're not ones to make a circus so we just payed and left, but here's an honest review of this place. They literally make a mock of the people going there and they steal from tourists. Very dishonest. Luckily this was the worst thing that happened because everywhere else, places and people have been great and with good quality of food and service, except this one. Check the reviews from a while back and Avoid...

What can I say.... My wife and I have been to many places in Italy and have been extremely disappointed in the food, price, quality & service. We are Canadians from Vancouver we are hardcore foodies and are extremely well rounded cooks of our own. We went through 4 or 5 place before we found the holy grail of Italian cuisine. I kid you not Roberto the owner of his amazing establishment is THE MAN... His passions for quality is undeniable and the flavours are sincerely the best I've ever had period. I had the opportunity to share a conversation outside with him and let me tell you there is nothing better than to see the conviction and complete obsession over the love of food. Not just any Food.. HIS FOOD. I've never left a restaurant feeling the way I did when I left his fine establishment he has put forth the benchmark which will never be beat. For you wiery and tired travelers that have been repeatedly let down from the tourist traps in Italy Please read this review as it is truly an un baisist opinion to what Italy truly holds. ROBERTO IS THE MAN he made us feel like we are the only customers in his restaurant.his food his passion and everything he hold dear lies in his benchmark cuisine. ROBERTO IF YOU READ THIS. I HOPE YOUR HUMBLED. You, your food and your restaurant made my trip and will hopefully make many more couples as extremely happy just like us. Who need stars to rate when there are simply not enough to rate him and his fine establishment . I highly highly highly highly recommend Roberto and his establishment. Cheers to you my Friend Salute!!! Your new found friends Gregory and...