Antico Arco

Antico Arco is a sophisticated contemporary restaurant on the Gianicolo hill at Piazzale Aurelio, a short distance above Trastevere, and a long-standing favourite for special occasions in Rome. Open since the mid-1990s, it helped pioneer a modern, refined approach to Italian cooking in the city, taking quality seasonal ingredients and treating them with a lighter, more creative hand than the traditional trattoria while keeping Roman and Italian flavours at the core. Emblematic dishes include a much-praised reinterpreted carbonara, inventive pasta courses, well-sourced fish such as ricciola (amberjack) and a celebrated warm chocolate soufflé that regulars return for. The cooking balances technique and comfort, and the kitchen's confidence has kept it among the city's most reliable mid-to-upper tier addresses for years. The setting spans elegant interior rooms in a converted historic building and a coveted terrace, lending the meal a relaxed but polished feel suited to dates, celebrations and unhurried dinners; smart-casual to smart dress fits the room. The wine programme is a genuine strength, with a deep, well-curated list spanning Italy and France and knowledgeable staff to guide pairings. Prices sit in the upper-middle range, with pastas around €18 and main courses from the high twenties, and tasting options that offer good value for the quality. Its hillside location near the Gianicolo's panoramic terrace and the Fontana dell'Acqua Paola makes it easy to combine dinner with one of Rome's best viewpoints. Open for dinner Monday to Saturday and popular with both Romans and visitors, Antico Arco rewards a reservation, ideally made a few days ahead for weekends. It remains a benchmark for modern Italian dining in a memorable setting above the city.