Trecca

The checkerboard floor could almost make you think you’ve just stepped into a French bistro, with its familiar pattern of alternating red and white squares. Yet there is no doubt about it: this is Rome, steeped in the purest tradition of the Italian trattoria. At the helm are the ever-energetic brothers Manuel and Nicolò Trecastelli, whose tongue pastrami sandwich at their former wine bar, Circoletto, had won over Stanley Tucci. At Trecca, whether for an efficient lunch or a long, lingering dinner, the repertoire is exactly what you might expect—but cooked in the best spirit of the old days, with precision, a touch of modernity and plenty of love. On mismatched porcelain plates come Roman-style artichokes, stretched out in olive oil, beautifully prepared tripe and offal of every kind, classic Roman pastas and slow-cooked dishes simmered for a long, very long time, such as rabbit with artichokes. These are recipes that taste like home without actually being at home, served on plates that could have belonged to their grandmother. They are filled with cuisine brilliantly executed by a new generation that understands that the best dishes are made in old pots.