Restaurant in Rome, Italy
Seasonal Roman cooking, easy to book.
A Michelin Plate-recognised address on Via Metastasio in Rome's historic centre, CiPASSO pairs Roman and regional cooking with a wine list that skews heavily toward Italian regional bottles by the glass. The room blends contemporary lines with vintage detail, and a young front-of-house team keeps the atmosphere grounded and professional without formality. Seasonal ingredients drive the menu, with occasional Mediterranean detours beyond the Lazio canon.
If you are deciding between a mid-range Roman trattoria and CiPASSO on Via Metastasio, book CiPASSO. It earns two consecutive Michelin Plates (2024 and 2025) while staying at a €€ price point, which is a rare combination in central Rome. A Google rating of 4.8 across more than 4,400 reviews is the kind of consistency that rules out a lucky run. This is a reliable choice for a second visit where you want to push further into the menu and the wine list rather than play it safe.
CiPASSO sits on Via Metastasio in the 00186 postal district, putting it squarely in the historic centre between Campo de' Fiori and the Tiber. The room pairs a contemporary look with deliberate vintage touches — not a full retro exercise, but enough material contrast to feel considered rather than generic. For a return visitor, the setting rewards attention: the design choices are specific enough that you notice more on a second visit than a first.
The menu moves between Roman and regional Italian traditions, with occasional Mediterranean detours and a consistent commitment to seasonal produce. If your first visit leaned on the Roman classics, a return trip is the moment to follow the kitchen's imaginative sidesteps — the dishes that do not fit neatly into any single regional category tend to show the most creative range. The young service team is described as friendly and professional, which in practice means you are unlikely to feel rushed or ignored, both common failure modes at busier central Rome restaurants.
The wine programme is a genuine differentiator at this price tier. The list is wide, with a particular focus on regional Italian bottles, and the by-the-glass selection is extensive enough to work through several pairings across a meal without committing to a full bottle. For a solo diner or a pair with different preferences, this is more useful than it sounds: many Roman restaurants at €€ treat wine as an afterthought. CiPASSO does not.
Venue database does not confirm a dedicated private dining room, so groups considering CiPASSO for a special occasion should contact the restaurant directly to confirm configuration options. What the record does confirm is that the service team is professional and the room has a considered, composed atmosphere that works for celebratory dinners in the main space. At €€, a group booking here delivers noticeably more polish than most comparable central Rome options , the Michelin Plate recognition gives it credibility for occasions where you need the meal to feel deliberate rather than casual. For larger groups needing guaranteed private space, consider Il Pagliaccio or Enoteca La Torre, both of which operate at €€€€ and are built for that format.
CiPASSO is not the only option in this part of Rome worth knowing. For traditional Roman cooking with deep historical roots, Checchino Dal 1887 and Antica Pesa are the reference points in Trastevere. Armando al Pantheon holds a similar position near the Pantheon for no-frills Roman classics. Da Danilo and Da Tullio are reliable mid-range alternatives if you want something more straightforwardly traditional. CiPASSO's edge over all of them is the wine programme and the contemporary-creative angle, which sits in a different register from strictly Roman cooking.
Italy's broader fine dining circuit , places like Osteria Francescana in Modena, Uliassi in Senigallia, or Reale in Castel di Sangro , operates at a different ambition level and price point. Within Rome at €€, CiPASSO is in its own tier for Michelin-recognised cooking. If you want Roman cuisine outside Italy, Il Marchese in Milan and Osteria Romana in Brussels are worth noting as points of comparison. For context on what Italy's leading regional and creative kitchens are doing, Atelier Moessmer Norbert Niederkofler in Brunico, Dal Pescatore in Runate, and Quattro Passi in Marina del Cantone are the benchmarks.
For broader planning in the city, see our full Rome restaurants guide, our Rome hotels guide, our Rome bars guide, our Rome wineries guide, and our Rome experiences guide.
Booking difficulty is rated Easy. CiPASSO is accessible without weeks of advance planning, which makes it a practical option for trips where your schedule is not fully fixed. The address is Via Metastasio, 21, Rome. Hours and booking method are not confirmed in the current record , check directly with the restaurant or via a third-party reservation platform.
| Venue | Price | Michelin | Booking Difficulty | Leading For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CiPASSO | €€ | Plate (2025) | Easy | Wine-forward Roman dinner, good value |
| Zia | €€€ | , | Moderate | Modern creative, younger crowd |
| Il Pagliaccio | €€€€ | Star | Hard | Special occasion, full tasting menu |
| Idylio by Apreda | €€€€ | Star | Moderate | Hotel fine dining, modern Italian |
| Enoteca La Torre | €€€€ | Star | Hard | Creative tasting, private dining |
Go in knowing it is a Michelin Plate restaurant at a €€ price , that combination means you get recognisable quality without the formality or cost of a starred room. The menu covers Roman classics and seasonal creative dishes, so do not limit yourself to what you already know. The by-the-glass wine selection is a genuine strength, so use it. Booking is Easy, so you do not need to plan weeks ahead, but confirming in advance is sensible for a specific evening.
Yes. The €€ price point and Easy booking difficulty make it a low-friction choice for a solo dinner in central Rome. The wine list's strong by-the-glass selection means you can work through several pairings without over-committing. The room has enough considered detail to make a solo meal feel like a deliberate choice rather than a fallback. For a solo diner who wants more stripped-back Roman cooking, Armando al Pantheon is the closer alternative.
At €€ with two Michelin Plates and a 4.8 Google rating, CiPASSO is a credible special occasion option if your priority is quality-per-euro rather than ceremony. The room has genuine design intent and the service team is described as professional. If you need the full white-tablecloth experience or a confirmed private space, step up to Il Pagliaccio or Enoteca La Torre at €€€€. But for a birthday or anniversary dinner where value matters, CiPASSO over-delivers for its category.
The venue record does not confirm a tasting menu format, so it is worth checking directly before booking with that expectation. What is confirmed is Michelin Plate recognition and a creative kitchen with a seasonal focus , the components of a strong tasting menu are present. If a structured tasting progression is non-negotiable, Idylio by Apreda or Il Pagliaccio are the confirmed options in Rome at that format.
No specific dietary policy is confirmed in the current record. Given the seasonal, ingredient-led menu approach and the professional service noted in the Michelin description, it is reasonable to expect some flexibility , but confirm directly before booking if dietary needs are a deciding factor. Contact details are not available in the current record; use a third-party reservation platform or check the restaurant's own channels.
| Venue | Awards | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| CiPASSO | A small restaurant which combines a contemporary feel with a hint of vintage style in its decor. The menu is inspired by Roman and regional traditions, with the occasional imaginative twist and other more Mediterranean-inspired dishes, all showing a strong focus on seasonal ingredients. The impressive wine list includes an excellent selection of regional wines, with a particular focus on wines by the glass. Friendly yet professional service from the young team completes the picture.; Michelin Plate (2025); Michelin Plate (2024) | €€ | — |
| Il Pagliaccio | Michelin 2 Star | €€€€ | — |
| Enoteca La Torre | Michelin 2 Star | €€€€ | — |
| Idylio by Apreda | Michelin 1 Star | €€€€ | — |
| La Palta | Michelin 1 Star | €€€ | — |
| Zia | Michelin 1 Star | €€€ | — |
Comparing your options in Rome for this tier.
Book it as a mid-range Roman meal with genuine culinary credibility: two consecutive Michelin Plates (2024 and 2025) at a €€ price point is a strong value proposition. The kitchen works from Roman and regional Italian traditions with a seasonal focus, and the wine list punches above its category with a solid selection of wines by the glass. Booking difficulty is rated Easy, so you do not need to plan weeks ahead — a few days' notice should be sufficient for most visits.
Yes. The young, professional service team and a well-curated wine-by-the-glass programme make CiPASSO a comfortable solo option — you are not penalised for not ordering a bottle. The contemporary room with vintage touches works well for a single diner without feeling cavernous or impersonal. For solo diners who want a livelier bar-counter format, Rome has other options, but CiPASSO's Easy booking rating means you can secure a table without having to plan far ahead.
It works for a low-key special occasion where you want Michelin-recognised cooking without the formality or price of a starred room. At €€, it is not where you go to impress with a budget, but the consecutive Michelin Plates and focused seasonal menu give the meal enough weight to mark an occasion. The venue database does not confirm a private dining room, so check the venue's official channels if you need a dedicated space for a group celebration.
The venue database does not confirm whether a tasting menu is offered, so this is worth clarifying when you book. What is documented is a menu rooted in Roman and regional Italian tradition with Mediterranean touches, driven by seasonal ingredients — the format tends to suit à la carte exploration at this price tier. At €€ with Michelin Plate recognition two years running, the value case is strong regardless of format.
No specific dietary policy is documented for CiPASSO, so flag any restrictions when reserving. The kitchen's seasonal, produce-led approach to Roman cooking suggests flexibility is more likely than at a menu-fixed format, but confirm directly. Given the Easy booking rating, reaching out ahead of time is straightforward and worth doing.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
