Terrazza 121 — Restaurant in Rome

When in Rome... Let's. Do. THIS! Just like that, something great that you know, and have great comfort in, is married with equally great yet unfamiliar and there is a transformation into something fantastical, exciting, elating. Leave the "top things to blah blah blah" list that you Google's for another day - or delete it altogether - those lists are for the every manic mundane night, but you are only interested in having every night be SMT WTFS! The menu is filled with dishes that read more like a secret magic phrase - say the words aloud, with confidence, and the food or drink selected with soon appear and transport your senses to another realm. The ambiance is like a rooftop oasis of the chill vibes and lush greenery enveloping interesting, curated the and wooden treasures. If I were to guess to the method of these wonder makers, I'd say there is a genial equation at work on everything served: great ingredients you know and love, with some techniques you love applied great but less known ingredients, finished a few surprise ingredients that you never knew would go great with those others. Salmon and figs... but it's tartare - Wow. Handmade pasta & ragu... but it's deer - Wow. Negroni... but it's coffee infused - Wow. And on and on. Why are you still reading this? Go eat - go reintroduce your appetite for food to your appetite...

My wife and I decided to spend a week in Rome at the end of January (visiting from the USA), and as we do, split our time between a tourist section of town and a more "normal" section of town.

As we walk, from place to place, exploring the city, we passed Terrazza 121 coming and going from our hotel and decided to go to dinner there one night.

The restaurant has an enclosed roof area for dining and we had a fantastic experience eating and drinking there this week.

The design and aesthetic of the restaurant is very well put together.

We were visiting in January, but I suspect the roof top dining in the summer is fantastic as the enclosed space can be opened up to the fresh air.

The food and drink is fantastic, the staff is welcoming and friendly. Our waiter, Saif, was extremely helpful and friendly. He answered all of our questions and helped us translate the menu and made fantastic wine pairing suggestions. We even had some follow up questions for things to see and do in town and gave us great recommendations.

This restaurant might be a little off the tourist path, but its well worth the visit if you are visiting the Borghese Museum later in the evening and looking for somewhere to eat.

We're looking forward to when we get to...

Went in for a late evening drink and a bite to eat. The staff was extremely friendly and welcoming, and beared with us despite our mediocre Italian (they also spoke English quite well). We were treated to a very interesting and enjoyable selection of gins - would definitely recommend getting a gin and tonic. They also make all sorts of other cocktails of course.

Since we had eaten earlier, we just wanted one pasta, and asked our server for a recommendation. We were steered towards a smoked hand-made fettuccine with tomato sauce, guanciale and an excellent Modena balsamic vinegar - a twist on an amatriciana. It was one of the best dishes we had in Rome during our trip! It also came with complementary bread, which was great for mopping up the extra sauce. The focaccia was especially delicious - light and fluffy with the taste of olive oil.

We sat on the patio upstairs which was very nicely decorated and had a fun atmosphere. It's partially covered but we were happy to be sitting outdoors. The rest of the neighborhood was fairly sleepy, so this felt like a bit of a hidden gem. Definitely a neighborhood spot.

Just keep in mind, the kitchen closes at 11, and if the rest of the food is anything like our pasta, you won't...