gusto.it

It’s easy to find good food in Rome, but try finding an eatery with a slick bar and atmosphere, too. Enter Gusto, the two-story emporium in the Piazza Augusto Imperatore, which began as a bar/restaurant but now holds a pizzeria, an enoteca, an osteria, a cheese shop, a wine bar, a cooking store, and a school. Dinner caters to a vibrant, young crowd of Romans and visiting hipsters who know that good food and ambiance are not mutually exclusive. The decor is minimalist, stylish, and distinctly Italian; exposed brickwork, marble-top tables, and industrial light give the joint an elegant, inviting look. And the food isn’t just celestial southern Italian pastas and pizzas; Gusto serves up Asian-influenced dishes as well, like spaghetti stir-fried in a wok with prawns and tempura-battered baby vegetables. The tables outside (facing Richard Meier’s redone Ara Pacis pavilion) are the most sought after for indulging in long meals under the Roman night.

Piazza Augusto Imperatore, 7    +3906323.6363