Marco G | Rome, Italy | Favorite Places

choosing a restaurant in rome is not an easy feat.  one can easily be caught up in a tourist trap quicker than you can say "colosseum".  when choosing a restaurant we tend to steer clear of the restaurants with waiters begging you to come in and/or with a menu the size of a highway billboard posted out front.  some of the best restaurants are off the beaten path and require a long walk to get there, but the results are typically stunning and worth the blisters on your feet.  my husband, shawn, also does hours and hours and hours [and hours] of research on his favorite food blogs and he religiously reads the ny times food section... 

all of this research led us to marco g's while we traveling in italy last summer [2012].  now we are back in italy in 2013 and once again loving our trips to marco g's.  during our first visit marco (whom waits on each and every table--with the help of a friendly and welcoming staff) recognized us from last summer which really made us smile :)  marco makes each and every guest feel as though they are dining in his own home.  his food is his passion and if there is one thing that shines above that, it is his service.  marco believes deeply in his mission and it translates to beautiful, traditional italian food. marco using only the freshest of ingredients and his menu will change to accommodate seasonal offerings found at the markets.  

below is a menu my husband and i enjoyed on our first visit this summer...we have since been back to enjoy the same.  however, during the second visit we also feasted on beautiful grilled porcini mushrooms that marco had picked up at the market that morning.  and for dessert we had fragolini [baby strawberries] with a touch of fresh lemon juice and sugar--the traditional way to enjoy this delicacy.  

anyone that stops in rome should make marco g's a must stop for dinner.  put away your cell phone and enjoy "slow food" dining with impeccable service. 

our menu:

amuse bouche of homemade foccacia with rosemary and corse salt | octopus salad with potato, red onion, and carrots | grilled aubergine [melanzane] with homemade mozzarella and fresh basil | pacchieri with large shrimp [mazzancolle] in a fresh tomato sauce

marco g

via garibaldi, 56, roma 06 580 9289

they take reservations but outside is first come first serve; even with a reservation