Osteria del Gallo — Restaurant in Rome

We went to eat at Osteria del Gallo on our last day in Rome and were sad that we hadn't eaten there from our first.

In a city exploding with restaurants and in an area (Piazza Navona) that is flooded with places that cater specifically to the tourist trade, the Osteria del Gallo offers dishes that reflect true Roman cooking - fresh ingredients that are selected by the chef that day and incorporated into that evenings fare.

(Side note: Michael lived nearby, on Via della Vetrina, while finishing high school in Rome 50 years ago, and we had just had a visit that afternoon with his family's cook, Paolo Celli, who, after working for his family, became "Chef to the Stars" with his own very successful restaurant in Trastevere, and had traveled the world cooking for the likes of Francis Ford Coppola, Aristotle Onansis, and Bridgette Bardot. Michael rarely misses a chance to talk about "Paolo's amazing cooking").

We had Fettucine with fresh porcini mushrooms, Spaghetti Carbonara, Saltimbocca, and a kind of eggplant bruschetta. All the dishes were straightforward, no frills, and wonderfully delicious - a fitting coda to spending some time with Paolo. The fettucine was the star, cooked with a simple sauce of oil, garlic, sauteed sliced porcini, and a little thyme - absolutely transporting. Michael ordered it, but Janet kept dipping her fork in. The carbonara was likewise delicious - the sauce thickened with egg mixed with pasta water and just enough parmigiano (the way it should be). The saltimbocca was perfectly cooked, with a sauce made of pan drippings and a hint of lemon and instead of a sage leaf toothpicked to the top, the chef added fresh chopped sage to the layer between the scallopine and the ham, an interesting and delicious innovation. The eggplant bruschetta (I don't think it was called that on the menu) was a delight - seven or so rounds of fresh sauteed eggplant topped with fresh tomatoes - simple, light, toothsome. Even the bread, which in our six weeks in Italy was unusually limp and tasteless at many restaurants, was very flavorful with a crunchy crust.

Our servers couldn't have been nicer and more attentive, checking in with us regularly, and offering advice on what to order (they brought a basket of porcini by the table, and encouraged us to order the fettucine), and making sure we had everything we wanted and needed. The atmosphere was likewise welcoming - pleasantly low-key, almost rustic, no glitz or frills, comfortable seating, and and intimate setting.

Like we said at the top, if we had known about Osteria del Gallo during our two-week stay in Rome in September, we would have eaten there more than once or twice. Michael would have liked to see Ossobuco on the menu and would have ordered it if it had been. Given time, we're sure it will be, and it will be done perfectly.

Couldn't recommend Osteria del Gallo...

I was excited to try this restaurant based on friends reviews, and when I first arrived, I thought it was going to be amazing. This restaurant is located in a small alley off of the main streets and looks charming inside and out. But that's where everything fell apart. I was with a a party of 5 people, and three of us received our entrées in a timely manner, and the two people at our table who ordered pizzas, had to wait an extra 20 minutes. By the time our pizza arrived, the other three were completely finished with their meal. I ordered a vegetarian pizza which had weird vegetables on it like carrots and potatoes. There was hardly any cheese, and no sauce of any kind, so it was extremely dry. I was very disappointed. I wouldn't serve that pizza to anyone! My friend's pizza was also very dry. The pasta dishes that the others ordered looked and smelled good but not very big portions. We all left hungry. I will not return and cannot recommend...

The best place we visited for food all weekend!

I would highly recommend this restaurant to anybody reading. The waiter & waitress were very friendly and the food was outstanding.

We had a number of meals over our 4 day stay in Rome and this was by far our favourite.

The card machine was having issues with it's signal due to their location but unlike elsewhere where this was a tactic to make us pay cash, the waiter couldn't have done more to help. Eventually putting his sim in the device so it had enough signal. - unbelievable service!

The best place to enjoy our final meal in Rome, we will definitely be back if we...