Il Maraggio of Rome, Italy

As some of you know, I’ve been to Rome four times. Before my 2018 trip, a friend of mine recommended a few restaurants to me and one of them was Il Miraggio in Trastevere. I’ve now been three times and I cannot imagine going to Rome again without stopping in for a meal.

There are three reasons I fell in love with Il Miraggio. First, there is zero pretense. It’s a casual family restaurant that is boisterous and welcoming. Second, the food is excellent and there is a lot of variety. Third, the portions are large and the prices are quite good.

I’ve had pizza here, and it was good, but the dishes I’ve ordered the most are the fried calamari and carbonara (surprise!). The fried calamari is excellent. The portion is huge and can either be an entree or shared. Also, the breading is light which is nice. Seafood is delicate a when it’s fried, the breading can dominate the flavor. The carbonara is perfect. The rigatoni they use is perhaps the perfect pasta for carbonara. Their dish a creamy with just the right amount of sauce and guanciale. And the serving is huge. Not enough for me to take home (I don’t believe in doggy bags) but the average person would have a nice lunch for the next day.

Overall, Il Miraggio checks all the boxes for me. You get a great atmosphere in my favorite city with my favorite Italian classics at a great price.