We’ve tested it and will be publishing a full review very soon. In the meantime, scroll down to see our photos and what others are saying about Il Pagliaccio.

Practical Information

Address: Via dei Banchi Vecchi, 129
Hours: Open  Wednesday-Saturday for both lunch and dinner from 12:30-14:00 and 19:30-22:00. Open Tuesday for dinner only from 19:30-22:00. Closed Sunday & Monday. 
Telephone: +39 06 6880 9595
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Il Pagliaccio in pictures

Photos by Meg Zimbeck © Rome by Mouth

What people are saying

• Gambero Rosso (2018) has awarded Il Pagliaccio with its highest rating of 3 Forks, with a numerical rating second only to La Pergola: 90/100 in 2018, 88 in 2017, 88 in 2016, 88 in 2015 (improving).
• Roma nel Piatto (2018) awards Il Pagliaccio a rating of 9 (out of 10) or “excellent,” second in Rome only to la Pergola. A forced period of time off for kitchen renovations has been good for Il Pagliaccio, they say. The cooking of Anthony Genovese has reemerged as really amazing. The always-present commingling on the plate of east and west has become more emotional, they say. They also praise the well-structured wine list. Their rating has been consistent over recent years: 9 in 2017 and 9- in 2016.
• “I Cento” by EDT ranks this as their #1 restaurant in Rome for 2018.
• “I Ristoranti d’Italia” by L’Espresso awards them 4/5 hats (“excellent”) for 2018.
• “Guida ai Sapori e ai Piaceri di Roma” by La Repubblica awards chef Anthony Genovese the “Best Fusion Cuisine” for 2018.
• Maureen B. Fant (2014) is less impressed and says “With two Michelin stars, it’s the runner-up to La Pergola and possibly the most adventurous of the top group—so much so that I wouldn’t put it on the list for newcomers to Rome. Our first several dinners there were amazing, with surprising but subtle tastes, but our most recent, our anniversary yet, was a real disappointment (except the amuse bouche and petits fours), with combinations that didn’t combine and an agonizingly slow pace.”
• The Telegraph (2013) calls Anthony Genovese “a strong contender for Rome’s most talented chef. And a major plus point of the serenely welcoming restaurant he presides over is that it’s in the heart of the centro storico – and not attached to a hotel.”
• Amanda Ruggieri (2013) reminds us that Il Pagliaccio is open in August, adding that “if you’re looking for something high-brow, this is the place—pretty much on par with the famed La Pergola, but just slightly less expensive. The tasting menu is a true treat.”
• Katie Parla (2010) gushes about her a la carte lunch, calling it an “affirmation that courtesy, elegance, and professionalism are not completely absent from Roman dining. There is someplace in this city where a meal can be truly flawless from beginning to end and the service can be equal parts well-orchestrated, professional, and warm.”