Restaurant

A Trio of Michelin-Starred Restaurants Unveil Makeovers in Rome

Sleek redesigns and reinvigorated chefs could be signaling the resurgence of gastronomic temples in the Italian capital. Here, three tables to book now.    

The dining room at Ristorante All'Oro.

Ristorante All’Oro

Shuttered for more than a year, Riccardo di Giacinto’s Michelin-starred spot reopened last spring inside the new H’All Tailor Suite hotel. In the moody new space designed by di Giacinto and his wife, Ramona, low ceilings and velvet banquettes in muted jewel tones envelope patrons in warmth. Curved brass lamps illuminate the tables, spotlighting dishes in a chiaroscuro technique worthy of Caravaggio. A meal might begin with savory baccalà tiramisu, moving on to carbonara foam served in an eggshell, and end with warm, air-light ciambelline with vanilla dipping sauce—the ultimate elevated comfort food.

La Terrazza dell’Eden

The massive top-to-bottom renovation of the Belle Époque Hotel Eden by the Dorchester Collection has ushered in a new era for the historic property, especially its distinguished restaurant, La Terrazza. Renowned chef Fabio Ciervo’s domain is like an überefficient lab where he can test the contours of his imagination. Paris-based firm Jouin Manku chose an understated charcoal-gray color scheme that accentuates glass dividers etched with ancient Roman motifs and panoramic views of Rome’s rooftops. Dinners are full sensory experiences: Arancini lollipops, liquid nitrogen, juice served in test tubes, and rare Madagascar pepper flavoring Ciervo’s take on spaghetti cacio e pepe are just a few of the chef’s everyday staples.

Romeo Chef & Baker

Rome’s only female chef to earn her restaurant a Michelin star, Cristina Bowerman, recently moved her haute-casual trattoria to new digs in an abandoned Testaccio warehouse. The dramatic space, designed by Andrea Lupacchini—who is also behind Bowerman’s Glass Hostaria in Trastevere—plays with stark black-and-white contrasts. An abstract ceiling installation resembling coral with amorphous lamps anchors the jet-black bar near the entrance, while a cavelike nest coddles guests feasting on carbonara and burgers in the back. Bowerman, who teaches at LUISS University and Roma Tre, also added a multipurpose space that opens onto the kitchen—a shiny new classroom for her students.

Romeo Chef & Baker's Cristina Bowerman.
All Stories