Tavernaccia da Bruno, a trattoria in the Trastevere district to make you feel at home

Finding a restaurant in Trastevere that isn’t a tourist trap is not an easy task. It’s even more difficult to find a restaurant where you feel like a native in a foreign city. The Tavernaccia da Bruno, located in the Roman district of Trastevere, is one of those places where you feel at home, without fearing that the lack of familiarity with the menu or with the language is going to be a problem, because there, it isn’t.

Run by the same family for decades, this trattoria is just a few steps from the Testaccio Bridge and specializes in Roman dishes and the Lazio region. The friendly treatment seems to be the same for the regulars, who are the majority, and those are simply passing by and don’t even speak Italian fluently.

The decor is rustic and unpretentious, stone-view, antique kitchen utensils and tables with table cloths. The space is spacious and divided into two large rooms.

The menu changes with the seasonality of the products. However, as the waiter commented, the fresh pasta and the typically Roman fine crust pizzas are never missing.

The simple focaccia, as well as the bruschetta, are delicious. It’s also worth it to taste the “Maialino”, the roasted piglet, or Sicilian inspiration, as well as the eggplant parmesan, delicious. The vegetables in the wood-fired oven are a good companion for any of the dishes. For dessert, the recommendation from the house is the homemade mille-feuille, “è mondiale”, the waitress told us. And the reason is not lacking. The custard had the right consistency and it was the perfect closure for a delicious dinner.

The waiters know the wine list well, which has some of the best producers in Italy, and is worth it to be advised by them. Although the restaurant is spacious, it’s also very popular and therefore it’s recommended to book ahead, especially if you go on the weekends. You can book online on their website.