Food & drink · Guidonia Montecelio

Osteria del Borgo, Montecelio

Tucked into the medieval borgo of Montecelio — the ancient hilltop nucleus of the municipality — this small family-run osteria serves cucina laziale with almost no concessions to tourist expectation. The handwritten menu changes with the season and the pasta is rolled by the owner's mother every morning.

What to Order

Start with bruschetta drizzled with local Sabina DOP olive oil and a plate of mixed cured meats from the Rieti hills. The rigatoni alla pajata — pasta with milk-fed veal intestine in tomato sauce — is confronting on paper but revelatory on the palate and rarely found this well-executed outside Rome proper.

Secondi lean on slow-braised meats: abbacchio alla cacciatora (lamb with rosemary and white wine), wild boar stew in winter, and grilled lamb chops scottadito in spring. Portions are generous to the point of requiring strategic planning across courses.

The Setting

The osteria occupies a vaulted stone room that dates to the 15th century, with rough-plastered walls, mismatched wooden chairs and a single blackboard listing the day's dishes. In summer four tables spill onto a narrow cobbled lane with views down the valley.

The house wine is a straightforward Castelli Romani white poured from a ceramic jug — cold, slightly cloudy and exactly right with the food. A full meal with wine rarely exceeds €30 per head.

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