A travel reporter investigates the growing trend of 'pasta windows' in Rome to determine if they are authentic or a tourist trap. She visits one of the most popular restaurants, documents the mass-produced and chaotic atmosphere, reviews the food as mediocre, and ultimately concludes it's a gimmick, advising viewers to seek out smaller, traditional restaurants instead.
Post caption
In Rome, there’s a growing trend of restaurants hiring women to make pasta in their storefront windows.
Some locals told me it’s a sign of a tourist trap, but others said it’s a marker of quality. What is not up for debate: these “pasta windows” are popping up everywhere.
I tried one for the @washingtonpost on my most recent visit to the Eternal City to see if they’re worth your time and money.
To read my full story on the pasta window trend (and why food experts say it could be delicious, but it’s “wrong”), and how to find a great restaurant in Rome — comment with a newspaper emoji 🗞️ and I’ll send you the links.
Cover photo by Luigi Avantaggiato for the Washington Post
Transcript
If you walk through Rome's historic center, you will find a growing number of restaurants with employees, who are almost always women, making pasta in the windows. The owners say their fresh pasta is a sign of quality, while Italian food experts warn otherwise. What is not up for debate, these restaurants are popular with tourists. So should you eat there? I went to one to find out. Osteria bad Fortunazza is one of the most popular examples of this trend. I joined the line at their Pantheon location and was told the wait for a table with a view was about thirty minutes, or I could go sit inside immediately. I picked the ladder and was sent upstairs and discovered the place was actually huge. There worse staff running around with earpieces, TVs playing ads for the restaurant even though you were already in the restaurant. A woman seated next to me was playing TikTok videos without headphones. I ordered a glass of the house white wine and a plate with cacio e pepe, which the server warned me was very salty and strong. My food came out in just a couple minutes, and it was fine. The pasta was peppery. The noodles had a nice chew to them. The wine, on the other hand, horrible, just very sweet. Would I send you there? No. Even if the pasta is made by hand, the whole experience felt very mass produced, which is what the local experts had warned me about. Their take, these pasta windows are a gimmick to get tourists in the door. It's not rooted in tradition, but made for Instagram, like the places that serve pasta in saute pans. For a more memorable Roman pasta experience, the guide said to go support a mom and pop. Romans would never wait in line for pasta anyway. You can read my full article on the best window trend, how to find a truly good restaurant in Rome on the Washington Post.
