Retrobottega

★ 4.4 (1,253)$$$$ · Premium

Retrobottega serves inventive, technique-driven Italian cooking near the historic centre, built around tasting menus with names like Sabotage that hint at its more experimental leanings. Reviews here run to real extremes, one diner calls the delicate food and wine pairings worth every penny of a special evening, while another, choosing it for the final night of a honeymoon, describes the visit as their worst experience of the whole trip. At 4.4 from over 1,250 reviews and premium pricing, it seems to reward diners drawn specifically to creative, boundary-pushing tasting menus more than those wanting a safer, classic Roman dinner, so it's worth going in with a clear sense of what you're after.

✨ Reasons to go

1Tasting menu named "Sabotage" reflects the kitchen's experimental, boundary-pushing approach to Italian cooking.
2The restaurant relocated from its original location, with some reviewers recalling a different à la carte format beforehand.

💡 Good to know

1Book ahead given its central location and tasting-menu format
2go in specifically wanting inventive, non-traditional Italian cooking rather than classic trattoria fare
3consider it for a celebratory dinner mid-trip rather than the single most important night, given how mixed some experiences have been

⏱️ Typical visit

2h30

🚶 Walking intensity

Easy pace

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Address

Via del Velabro, 9, 00186 Roma RM, Italy · RomaGoogle Apple

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Booking

Booking required

What people say

"Amazingly delicate food with excellent wine pairings. This is a special place with excellent service. We had the Sabotage tasting menu which is worth every penny. The staff know the food and wine they serve inside out. We were in the safe hands of Francesco and Georgia who made our meal more special with their knowledge. And the added bonus is the amazing view."

— Murat Soncul

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