Ciao, Roma

Marta marries Rome’s signature dishes and air of joyful chaos to deliver a hit

- Pat Nourse

Carbonara, carbonara, carbonara – there could be worse ways to write a Roman menu. At Marta they’ve opted instead to take a proper lunge at offering a real taste of the food of Rome. The artichokes, that specialty of the Jewish quarter, are present and correct, fried whole till the leaves are crisp and the heart is tender. The suppli – crumbed balls of risotto, beef ragù and mozzarella – are as hearty as any at Roman trattoria Cesare al Casaletto. Carbonara there is, yes, but much more to tempt and delight – and at prices the Romans wouldn’t baulk at to boot.

Flavio Carnevale runs the floor with as much brio as his brothers and sisters in Trastevere – and a lot more patience. He also has the stones to have taken a well-liked restaurant like Popolo, the southern-Italian eatery he opened on this site in 2014, and flip the script. The smart bistro lines are the same, but now the flavours are focused on Rome, the prices are lower (lower!), and the can-do attitude is cannier and doier than ever, right down to the kids’ menu, and the offer of 10 different kinds of Spritz.