Country fare on Rome's only island

Sora Lella restaurant in Rome, Italy

This trattoria with a unique location on Rome's tiny Tiber Island is best described as refined rustic, with rough-hewn beams, cozy rooms, elegant service, a great wine list, and a menu that combines inventive techniques with Roman classics. At these prices, the portions could be larger, but the quality is impeccable. Aldo Trabalza and his sons honor the memory of Aldo's mother, Sora Lella Fabbrizi—cook, unlikely star of Italian TV back in the 1960s, and archetypal Roman character—by serving traditional favorites, innovative lighter fare, and half-forgotten dishes with centuries of pedigree.

The specialty primo is tonnarelli alla cuccagna (pasta with sausage, eggs, walnuts, cream, and a dozen other ingredients), but the bombolotti alla ciafruiona (pasta with tomatoes, artichokes, peas, and tuna) is also great. For a secondo, try the rarely found old Roman dish abbacchio brodettato (veal pieces sautéed with eggs, lemon, parmigiano reggiano, and parsley) or the maialino al forno "antica romana" (sweet-and-sour suckling pig with prunes, raisins, pinoli, almonds, and baby onions).

Via Ponte Quattro Capi 16 (on Tiber Island, at the foot of Ponte Fabricio)
tel. 06-686-1601
Closed Sunday