Roscioli Salumeria con CucinaRome

Booked a month in advance. Yes, you read that right.

But anyway, let's talk about the dishes because they're absolutely worth it. Let's start with the guanciale—it's a whole different beast here: thick cubes, seared to perfection. Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, packed with flavor as it should be. That's the thing: this is what makes or breaks a carbonara and an amatriciana. Pasta cooked beautifully, top-notch ingredients, everything clicks.

That said, I would've thrown more pepper on both dishes. And the carbonara cream could've been a touch silkier. But honestly, those are just my own nitpicks—we're talking about dishes that absolutely nail it anyway.

For starters: mortadella and torn burrata Pugliese-style with zucchini and bottarga. Here we're in the realm of pristine ingredients, and it shows—you see it, taste it, feel it. Nothing to complain about.

And the desserts. A generous tiramisu, perfectly balanced between sweet and bitter. Almost flawless, really. The amaretto cheesecake though? Meh, it's fine but nothing special.

But here's the catch: the place is tiny. Tables crammed into little rooms or tucked along the corridors of this delicatessen, so you're sitting pretty close to your neighbors. And it's packed wall-to-wall with tourists from everywhere, so booking ahead isn't optional—it's essential. Well ahead, in fact. Showing up hoping for a walk-in table is pointless, any day of the week, any time.

Forty-five euros per person? Totally fair for this quality. Will we go back? Sure—in about a year when I can finally get a reservation again.