L'Arcangelo

This Prati restaurant, with its retro wood-panelled décor, was one of the first in Rome to take the fresh-and-local trattoria formula and give it a Cordon Bleu twist. To sample what they do best, order the rigatoni alla carbonara – a classic Roman trattoria dish, given wings by the quality of the ingredients and the perfection of the technique. At the end of the meal they offer free, homemade Vov – a zabaglione liqueur – with sweet biscuits for dipping.

For an impeccable marriage of the traditional and the new, head for L’Arcangelo (59/61 Via Giuseppe Giocchino Belli) in the Prati district, now ten years old, where Stefania and Arcangelo Dandini show an ebullience that translates into sumptuous renderings of Roman classics like gnocchi potato dumplings with dried tomatoes, salt cod, and mint (13€) ; tagliatelle with dried porcini mushrooms (13€); onion ravioli with herbs and butter and a sweet-and-sour sauce (13€); cheese-stuffed lamb with an egg sauce (18€); and cod and tomato sauce with plums and dried fruit (16€). Don’t miss the terrific Italian charcuterie from artisanal master Fulvio Pierangelini.

Chef-kok Arcangelo Dandini maakt in het naar hem genoemde L’Arcangelo (Via Giuseppe Gioacchino Belli 59) een carbonara zonder peper maar mét gerookte guanciale. Hij gebruikt rigatoni uit Gragnano en voor de saus alleen het eigeel (volgens hemzelf was hij de eerste in Rome die dat deed, maar dat valt niet echt te controleren) en een flinke handvol gerijpte pecorino romano. Het resultaat is een romige, warmgele carbonara die volgens Arcangelo symbool staat voor de gastvrijheid van de Romeinse culinaire traditie in het algemeen en die van zijn restaurant in het bijzonder.

At L’Arcangelo (Via Giuseppe Gioacchino Belli 59, +39 06 321 0992) in Prati, chef Arcangelo Dandini has gained a cult following for his supremely light potato gnocchi, which surpass all others in flavor and texture. He dresses them sparsely with a gently cooked fresh tomato sauce, strips of guanciale and Pecorino Romano. While a some call this condiment “amatriciana” and attribute its origins to the town of Amatrice 100 miles northeast of Rome, Dandini rejects this as urban legend and instead calls the dish “matriciana.

Arcangelo Dandini chef e patron del ristorante propone una interessante carbonara con spaghetti del pastificio di Martino, guanciale e Pecorino Romano Dop selezionati per il loro basso tenore di salinità, tuorli d’uova e niente pepe. Lo spaghetto è volutamente tenuto “al chiodo” e quasi croccante alla masticazione, un tratto che alcuni apprezzano particolarmente. La crema di uovo e pecorino ha un’ottima consistenza e un buon equilibrio di sapori: gentile e sapida allo stesso tempo.

( MAP) The boiled meatballs and cod fish Panzanella are fine starters at L’Arcangelo, especially when followed by the tagliolini with butter and anchovies. Intelligent pairings of ingredients work perfectly, such as roast cod served with peppery olive oil and a hint of vanilla or quail served with wild cherries. Dessert-wise, try the bitter chocolate with saffron and coffee or the zuppa inglese, an Italian-style trifle with layers of custard and rum-soaked savoiardi biscuits.

Sui sapori dei miei ricordi di bambino elaboro la carta del mio ristorante e dedico continuamente piatti a quello che ho vissuto”. Quale piatto più dell’amatriciana, dunque, si sposa con la filosofia di Arcangelo Dandini, originario dei Castelli, appartenente alla quarta generazione di una grande stirpe di ristoratori romani…. Il tipo di pasta prescelto è lo spaghettone, mentre la salsa è con pomodori del piennolo; il pecorino, infine, è di Rocca Priora.

Arcangelo Dandini, the chef and patron of this charming restaurant located in the elegant and bourgeois Prati district, is a scholar and historian of Roman cuisine. Over the years of work he has managed to create a real temple of the Capitoline tradition at the table. A cultured and refined cuisine with recipes taken from ancient cookbooks that are also inspired by recipes from the time of the Roman Empire.

‘Today it’s in fashion – or so they tell me – but once upon a time it was the dish of the working class.’ Among his recipe’s secrets is the lack of pepper. There are some who argue that pepper is the fundamental ingredient, as the dish’s name came from the black colour of carbon, which only the pepper gives. But for others the name refers to shepherds who used carbon as firewood in the Abruzzo region.

Arcangelo Dandini is one of the undisputed kings of the carbonara. “It’s fashionable now,” he tells us, “but once upon a time it was a dish of the masses.” Dandini’s carbonara is made unique by the absence of pepper. Some believe pepper to be an integral part of a carbonara, arguing that its name stems from the word carbone [coal], the colour of which is provided by the pepper.

Arcangelo Dandini, host and chef at L’Arcangelo in the Prati neighborhood, opts for rigatoni di Gragnano in his carbonara rendition. The dish, marked by its simplicity and delicacy, skips the use of black pepper. Although slightly on the pricier side, the hand-grated Pecorino Romano DOP becomes infused with the richness of egg yolks, enveloping the entire dish.

If you ask a local where they serve the best carbonara in Rome, you’ll hear one name again and again: L’Arcangelo. Indeed, executive chef Arcangelo Dandini has been recognized as an authority on the dish, and his advice on the techniques can be found all over the Internet. He’s on team yolk-only, which gives his version a deep yellow hue and rich flavor.

Chef Arcangelo Dandini is the man behind the name at his eponymous restaurant in the Prati district. The carbonara at L’Arcangelo is excellent. Chef Dandini, being a stickler for authenticity, doesn’t add black pepper to the pasta because he says that when carbonara emerged in Rome pepper was too expensive and thus, wasn’t part of the original recipe.

L’Arcangelo has been one of the best restaurants near the Vatican for quite some time. Founder of Supplizio, one of Rome’s most famous street food places, Arcangelo Dandini has his own take on the carbonara. At L’Arcangelo, one of the best restaurants in Prati, you will inevitably notice a stronger yellow shade than your usual carbonara.

For an unforgettable dining experience in Rome, head to L'Arcangelo, a family-run trattoria with a cozy and intimate ambiance. Their pasta dishes, especially the Cacio e Pepe and the Amatriciana, are divine. Be sure to try their signature dish, "Pollo alla Romana," a succulent Roman-style chicken preparation.

Dinner at L’Arcangelo (Via Giuseppe Gioacchino Belli 59) tends to be busy, so go at lunchtime and order the classic suppli, a rich mixture of rice, tomato sauce, ground meat, chicken innards, and melty mozzarella. The hefty €15 for two suppli is worth every penny and then some.

The food at L'Arcangelo is excellent, and the ambiance is fun, warm, and convivial but not too crazy. The carbonara, while often cooked just 1 minute short of perfectly al dente, is sublime. Delicious, very al dente carbonara at L'Arcangelo in Rome