Osteria der Belli in Trastevere, Rome

I have always noticed Osteria der Belli because it is located right on the corner near Santa Maria Trastevere. It is a corner I’ve passed countless times, either heading straight towards the piazza or hanging a right down Via del Moro, towards La Renella and Ponte Sisto.

You will also probably find yourself stopping to admire Osteria der Belli’s typography and outdoor seating, but somehow I was still never willing to risk taking a seat myself given the restaurant’s proximity to major tourist stops.

However, Maria of Heart Rome knows better and has long been a regular. We recently met there for lunch with some other lovely Rome bloggers to chat about her newly published I Heart Rome the book. (More about the book here).

Starting with sea bass carpaccio, I realized that I had been wrong to pass on the local Trastevere restaurant for so long.

A family-run business, Osteria der Belli is actually a Sardinian restaurant in this old Roman neighborhood. That being said, it’s a place to go for regional specialties rather than necessarily being a first stop for Roman classics.

Think fresh fish and local pasta dishes – one of which I couldn’t resist. When I heard that the owner’s sister has her own pasta shop up the street and provides fresh fettuccine daily, I went straight for the fettuccine alla sarda – pasta with a decadent creamy mushroom sauce. (Though the Sardinian ravioli was also tempting so I’ll need to go back to try it soon).

Most main courses are seafood based, so I stole a bite of Elyssa’s daily special to sample.

Don’t forget to end on a sweet note – be that with homemade tiramisu, or a bowl full of tiny wild strawberries sprinkled with sugar.

There is nothing quite like sitting in the Trastevere sun over a good meal, and I’m so happy to finally know about Osteria der Belli!

Osteria der Belli

Piazza di Sant’Apollonia, 11
00153 Rome (Trastevere)

+39 06 580 3782

Open Tuesday – Sunday from 12 – 3 pm and 7 – 11 pm.

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