Most Romantic Restaurants in Rome

If you plan to honeymoon in Rome, there are a few restaurants that you must explore. For a splurge, try L'altro Mastai near Piazza Navona. The chef was trained at the highly acclaimed La Pergola (at the Rome Cavalieri Hilton) and the tasting menu, ambience and service will make you swoon. For a more picturesque experience, Giggeto al Portico d'Ottavia in the Jewish Ghetto brings you face to face with the ruins of the Theater of Marcellus and the Portico Octavia while you enjoy traditional Roman-Jewish fare. If you prefer a more Bohemian atmosphere, try Sabatini in Piazza Santa Maria (pictured) in Trastevere. Not exactly a quiet romantic spot, but the heady combination of good food, people watching and the view of the piazza and its namesake 12th century church will certainly put the Roman into your romance.
Readers: What's your favorite romantic restaurant in Rome?

Piperno in the Jewish Ghetto

Since 1860, Piperno has been a fixture in the Jewish Ghetto of Rome. Located on the Piazza Cenci, it is in the heart of the Ghetto (and a little hard to find). Specializing in traditional Roman Jewish fare-think artichokes alla Giudia-Piperno also brings in the best of the season and changes the menu accordingly. Piperno is the quintessential Roman Jewish experience. Everything is kosher and it's closed in August.

Roman Holiday on Salon.com

The Modern Traveler always enjoys reading other people's impressions of the Eternal City. An article on Salon.com in July summed up much of the Modern Traveler's own feelings about Rome. Ever more crowded, ever more stimulating, it's easy to be overwhelmed when you are there and forget that everything you are seeing is extraordinary. But the author of the article, Gary Kamiya, captures the best of what is Roman when he writes: "Our last night in Rome, we wandered at dusk through the Ghetto. A coolness had fallen on the city and the shadows lingered on the piazzas. Passing the Portal of Octavian, we came to the end of a dead-end street. Below, in the shadow of the Theater of Marcellus, a pianist was playing Chopin. A few listeners were sitting on a railing; a woman was painting. Ahead of us rose up the three illuminated columns of the Temple of Apollo, built in 20 B.C., when the Roman republic, the glory of the world, had just fallen. The past touched us, a brief blast of trumpets and light, then receded into the gathering darkness, leaving only a faint echo, like the sound of the sea. It was one of a thousand corners in this unknowable city. We looked around to remember this fleeting and eternal moment. And then we walked on."

Elle Magazine Interviews Designer Erin Bazos About Her Rome Favorites

Erin Bazos, a designer at the Hanger Design Group in New York City, was a long-time resident of Rome. The July issue of Elle Magazine (unfortunately not on-line) interviews her about her top spots in Rome for shopping, dining and living. Included in her recommendations are the Hotel Teatro Pace near Piazza Navona (pictured), avant garde clothing at Luna & L'altra (Piazza Pasquino 76 near Via del Governo Vecchio), and organic groceries and health foods at Albero del Pane (Via di. Santa Maria del Pianto, 19, in the Jewish Ghetto). Stay tuned for her restaurant recommendations.

Fontana delle Tartarughe in the Jewish Ghetto

The historically Jewish neighborhood of Rome is still today a thriving neighborhood of kosher food shops and trattorias. The center of the neighborhood is Piazza Mattei, where you will find the Fontana delle Tartarughe (Tortoise Fountain), by Taddeo Landi in 1584. The Jewish Ghetto is nestled between the Roman Forum, the Tiber River and the Campo dei Fiori, making it the perfect place to stroll or have lunch on your way from one to another. The Ghetto is famous for the carciofi alla Giudea, deep-fried artichokes. Try the restaurant Giggetto al Portico d'Ottavia, located at Via del Portico d'Ottavia 21a-22, for an authentic experience. The restaurant is right next to the ruins of the Portico Octavia, built in the 1st century BCE by the emperor Augustus.