Trattoria Polese — Restaurant in Rome

Located in the heart of Rome and boasting a strong online reputation, Trattoria Polese came highly recommended by my Airbnb host as a dependable destination for good, authentic Italian cuisine. While the quality of the food met expectations, the overall dining experience was significantly marred by inattentive and dismissive service.

I arrived at the restaurant at 7:25pm on a Thursday evening as a solo diner and noted that several tables were available outdoors. The waiter who greeted me almost took me to a table outside that was available but despite this, I was led to an empty, dimly lit side room. I reluctantly agreed. The lights in the room were off when I entered and were only switched on after I had taken my seat, creating a noticeably uninviting atmosphere from the outset.

Service throughout the visit was impersonal and, at times, verged on passive-aggressive. Within two minutes of being handed the menu, a waiter appeared and requested my order, giving little time to consider the options. I intended to order a second course, but the conversation was abruptly redirected toward my drink choice. I ordered a glass of Pinot Grigio and a plate of penne all’ arrabbiata. The dish arrived quickly, by 7:32pm, and was, to the kitchen’s credit, well executed: the pasta was cooked to the right texture and the sauce delivered a pleasant, spicy kick. The wine was crisp and complemented the meal well.

However, basic service expectations were not met. At no point during the meal was I offered water, despite clearly having ordered a spicy dish. There was no follow-up from staff to check on the meal, and my presence was largely ignored. Meanwhile, staff could be seen attentively preparing an outdoor table for a newly arrived couple. After finishing my meal at 7:44pm, I waited twenty five minutes for my empty plate to be cleared and at no point was it cleared. During that 25 minutes I wrote this review and constantly saw my waiter walking past clearing, setting up and attending to other tables. I ended up having to ask a different waiter for the bill. 2 minutes later my original waiter sped walked into the side room, placed the bill on the opposite end of my table, didn’t say anything, and immediately rushed back outside. It took a further 5 minutes for the waiter to come back with the EFTPOS machine so I could pay, and when I did pay my dishes were still on the table. When I left the restaurant I counted 10 free tables outside.

Though the food at Trattoria Polese was commendable, the service detracted heavily from the overall experience. Hospitality is an essential element of any restaurant visit, and in this case, it was entirely lacking. What could have been an enjoyable and authentic dining experience was instead defined by a sense of neglect and detachment.

I’m not sure why the experience was this bad, but my guess is that it was because I was a tourist, didn’t speak Italian and was by myself. Maybe if I did speak Italian and was a local then I could understand why my Airbnb host recommended it. I worked in hospitality for 3 years, so I can understand if the waiter was having a bad day, felt rushed and under pressure. But for a restaurant that prides itself on its history and on the outside seems very welcoming, it did not life up to the expectations. Dining out in Rome should feel warm and welcoming. Sadly, on this...

We ordered caesar salads. The dressing was spoiled and I got food poisoning from it, had the worst stomach pain and vomiting for 24 hours, starting several hours after eating. The Worcestershire dressing simply wasn't fresh. I would have left three stars for the food if it wasn't for that.

Edit: response to the owner. We had two Caesars salads, with sauces on the side. And one deep fried rice ball with a little bit of mozzarella inside. We ate previously that day exactly the same things, and only I added the Worcestershire sauce to the salad. Then I didn't eat for several hours, and only in the evening, before eating anything else, around 5 hours later, I started feeling bad. It lasted for a little more than a day, and passed quickly like food poisoning usually does. I vomited and had a fever for a very short period with severe stomach pain. I don't need to show you pictures because we don't take these for standard Caesars salads. I don't need to provide you with my medical information. That's ok if you don't believe me. I'm sorry for the bad review, you were truly nice, but I can't give more than that after...

We found out about this restaurant a day before we left Rome. If we had known in advance that such a great restaurant that catered to our family's tastes was so close to our accommodation, we would have visited it several times. The family we went with also said that there were so many things they wanted to try.

The dishes we ordered were 'Polpo rosticciato con cremadi patate', 'Penne all'Arrabbiata', 'Pizze Bianbche Romana', and 'Polpette di vitella ai funghi porcini'. All of the food was excellent. The octopus was very tender, and the meatballs were flavorful. I personally loved the Romana with pan sautéed chicory as a topping. All the food was not salty, even though I didn't ask for less salt.

Even better, unlike other restaurants, there was a liter of Coca-Cola among the beverages on offer, which made my drink choice easier.

The friendly service from the staff also made us feel comfortable.

This is definitely a restaurant I would like to visit again the next time I have the opportunity...