180 GrammiRome

We went with friends after spending months trying to book a table. The reservation system only takes bookings a month in advance, and I could never seem to find availability. Experience tells me the best time to try is around noon. Naturally, all this waiting built up considerable expectations, which were partly met and partly left wanting. The fried foods are outstanding, with the supplì rightfully ranking among Rome's best: crispy, flavorful, and delightfully stringy with melted cheese. The sampietrino too, which is essentially a supplì made with pasta—in my case cacio e pepe—was good, but didn't quite blow me away. As for pizza, naturally I started with the margherita, decent, in the low, crispy style of Roman tradition, but certainly not worth months of waiting for. This made me think the place might be far more interesting for those who love gourmet pizzas loaded with countless toppings. We tried one of those—"I forgot the margherita in the oven"—topped with tomato, smoked mozzarella, and other ingredients all playing into a smoky theme. Personally, I didn't care for these sweet and smoky flavors together on a pizza, but it's well known that I'm a hopeless traditionalist. To finish, a good tiramisu, though for my taste a bit too sweet. Overall, it's a place I'd gladly return to try some different pizzas, but I can't say it's worth the hassle of actually managing to secure a reservation.