Checchino dal 1887, Rome

The restaurant has long been established in Rome and is now run by Ninetta Mariani with her sons Francesco and Elio. The restaurant is very beautiful, with two rooms for smokers and one for non-smokers. The decor is very attractive and the service attentive and efficient. The typical Roman country cooking is recreated to be fit for a king. The menu is long and varied with traditional dishes, including Rigatoni with Pajata, sweetbreads, tripe, and offal with artichokes. The trolley provides a wide choice of local cheeses that are not often found in the shops. There is also a fantastic dessert menu, with standouts such as spuma di ricotta with cocoa powder or cinnamon. The wine-list has both Italian and foreign wines.