Da Felice, one of the most well known trattorias in Rome in the Testaccio area, is a popular place among locals and tourists for serving traditional Roman cuisine.

I’ve been wanting to come to Da Felice for quite some time now but it’s always so difficult to get a reservation! We called about a week in advance and still could only score a 9pm reservation at the earliest. When we arrived, the restaurant was packed and people were still lining up at 10pm! They serve primi (pasta dishes), secondi (main courses), contorni (side dishes for the main courses), and dolci (desserts).

Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe: Long Pasta with Pecorino Romano Cheese and Black Pepper (9/10).

Close Up of the Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe.

Spaghetti alla Carbonara: Spaghetti with Egg, Bacon, and Black Pepper (8/10).

Saltimbocca alla Romana: Veal with Sage and Prosciutto (8.5/10).

Involtino al Sugo: Beef Roll with Tomato Sauce (8/10).

Patate al Forno: Roasted Potatoes (8/10).

Puntarelle in Salsa di Alici: Chicory Shoots with Anchovy Sauce (8.5/10).

Torta di Ricotta e Amarena: Ricotta Cheese Cake with Amarena Cherries (7/10).

Cinque Sensi di Sal de Riso: Chocolate Cake with Hazelnut Cream and Crunchy Wafer (8.5/10).

Da Felice has been one of my favorite trattorias in Rome serving delicious home cooked food. Without a doubt, their speciality is the tonnarelli cacio e pepe (long pasta with Pecorino Romano cheese and black pepper). While this dish may seem simple, it’s actually tricky to master; it needs to be creamy, have the perfect balance of cheese and black pepper, and be perfectly al dente pasta. If you go here, you must order it! Next, the saltimbocca alla romana was delightful with tender thin slices of veal and aromatic sage topped with salty prosciutto swimming in a tasty white wine sauce. Yum. The side dish of puntarelle was also a winner; crisp bitter chicory shoots tossed in a creamy luscious anchovy dressing. Lastly, the cinque sensi di sal de riso dessert was a great way to end a great meal. A scrumptious semisweet chocolate cake with layers of crunchy wafers and hazelnut cream.

De Felice is a great trattoria for experiencing true Roman cuisine so my overall rating is an 8.5/10.