Located in the hip and historic Trastevere section of Rome along the Tibor river is Taverna Trilussa providing authentic Italian fare in a comfortable, rustic setting serving locals, visitors and sports stars.

An extensive wine and food list provides a bounty of local choices. If you enjoy cheese, cured meats, pasta or fish you can find many items to captivate your palate. The house made cheeses and cured meat plates are beautifully displayed.

I am crazy for the pasta that comes in an iron pan straight from the kitchen. The pasta is fresh, rich and delicious. It soothes my soul and I ate every bite forgetting about any dietary concerns How can one come to Rome and not savor all the great food! Diets are for another place and time.

The walls are displayed with tennis rackets which I found unusual and then our delightful waiter explained that the brother of the owner is friends with tennis legend Roger Federer so he and all the other famous tennis players started to come to Taverna Trilussa to enjoy the food while in Rome and left a racket to be hung on the wall.

Trastevere is such a funky and Bohemian area filled with people of all ages eating, sipping drinks, enjoying ice cream and just mingling. Rome has so many splendid neighborhoods but Taverna Trilussi being in Trastevere is a mix of traditional fare within a hip neighborhood that combines the old and the new.