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Shot by a City Insiders curator.
Trattoria Pennestri
★ 4.0(1 review)Restaurant
warmlivelyunpretentious
About the Vibe
This is what a modern Roman trattoria should look like. Founded in 2017 by Valeria Payero and Tommaso Pennestri, the kitchen—led by an Italian-Danish chef—takes the classics you think you know and gives them a gentle, intelligent nudge. You'll find cacio e pepe that tastes like the best version of itself, fried sweetbreads with sage and tartar sauce, and a coratella that locals genuinely argue about (in a good way). The natural wine list is serious without being precious, and the warm, bustling dining room feels like the neighborhood joint it is—lively, unpretentious, and properly Roman.
Why it's worth it
An Italian-Danish chef rewrites Roman classics with precision and heart—fried sweetbreads, coratella, and a cacio e pepe that tastes fresher than the original.
Highlights
natural wineoffal dishesmodern RomanTestaccio staple
Before you go
In summer, ask for outdoor seating—the indoor AC is unreliable and the dining room gets stuffy when packed.
Known For
- •creative Roman classics with modern twists
- •natural wine selection
- •offal dishes like coratella and fried sweetbreads
- •cacio e pepe
Best For
dinner with friendswine-focused mealsadventurous eaters wanting authentic Roman cuisine
1 review
City InsidersEditorialMarch 31, 2026
Roman Classics with a Modern Twist
Trattoria Pennestri is the kind of place that makes you reconsider what a Roman trattoria can be. Opened in 2017 by Valeria Payero and Tommaso Pennestri, it's not trying to reinvent the wheel—it's just seasoning it differently. The Italian-Danish chef in the kitchen brings a Nordic precision to Roman staples, and the result is dishes that feel both deeply familiar and quietly surprising. The fried sweetbreads with sage and tartar sauce are a standout, and the coratella (braised offal) is the dish locals will tell you to order. The cacio e pepe nails the classic while tasting somehow fresher than most versions you've had.
The dining room is large and warm, and it fills up—especially on weekends. It's got the energy of a neighborhood spot, not a temple of fine dining, and that's exactly the point. The natural wine list is a real highlight, leaning into low-intervention bottles that pair beautifully with the rustic menu. Ask the staff for recommendations; they know what they're doing.
It's not without its flaws. Service can get rushed when the room is packed, and in summer the indoor AC is unreliable—ask for outdoor seating if it's hot. Portions are honest but not enormous, and some reviewers feel the wine markups are steep. But for a Roman dinner that respects tradition without being enslaved to it, Pennestri is one of the best bets in Testaccio.
Lire en français
Trattoria Pennestri, c'est le genre d'endroit qui vous fait repenser ce que peut être une trattoria romaine. Ouverte en 2017 par Valeria Payero et Tommaso Pennestri, elle ne cherche pas à réinventer la roue—elle l'assaisonne juste différemment. Le chef italo-danois aux commandes apporte une précision nordique aux classiques romains, et le résultat est des plats à la fois profondément familiers et discrètement surprenants. Les animelle frites avec sauge et sauce tartare sont remarquables, et la coratella (abats braisés) est le plat que les locaux vous diront de commander. Le cacio e pepe respecte la tradition tout en semblant plus frais que la plupart des versions que vous avez pu goûter.
La salle est grande et chaleureuse, et elle se remplit—surtout le week-end. C'est l'énergie d'un endroit de quartier, pas d'un temple de la gastronomie, et c'est exactement le but. La carte des vins naturels est une vraie réussite, penchée vers les bouteilles sans intervention qui s'accordent magnifiquement avec la cuisine rustique. Demandez conseil au personnel—ils s'y connaissent.
Ce n'est pas sans défauts. Le service peut être précipité quand la salle est pleine, et en été la climatisation intérieure est peu fiable—demandez une table en terrasse s'il fait chaud. Les portions sont honnêtes mais pas énormes, et certains clients trouvent les marges sur le vin élevées. Mais pour un dîner romain qui respecte la tradition sans en être esclave, Pennestri est l'un des meilleurs choix à Testaccio.