La Dispensa Restaurant, no-frills cuisine in a country farmhouse in Boccea

How Ristoro La Dispensa was born

Ristoro La Dispensa is the story of Gianfranco Iegiani and his wife, who purchased a plot of land in Boccea: "We purchased this plot of land in 2000, before the changeover to the euro had even taken place!" Gianfranco explains. "We fell in love with this place at first sight. These two farmhouses surrounded by greenery immediately captivated my wife and I, and we knew it was the perfect place to give shape to our project." It took seven years, between bureaucracy and renovations, before Ristoro La Dispensa took shape: "On the land where our restaurant stands today, there was previously a farm that sold its produce to the public; it was called La Dispensa. We simply added the word Ristoro."

There are approximately 200 seats inside, spread across two large rooms, the Fireplace Room and the Rock Room, plus a large outdoor area during the summer.

What to eat at Ristoro La Dispensa

But what do they eat here? "Mediterranean cuisine," explains Gianfranco. A fairly generous menu that includes meat, fish, and even pizza. Although there are plenty of seats, they don't skimp on the quality of the ingredients. Fruit and vegetables come from neighboring farms: "One kilometer from us is the Ortuso farm, and another handful of kilometers away is the Fratelli Papa farm. We've been buying seasonal, ultra-fresh produce from them since we opened, with daily delivery." The fish, meanwhile, comes from the Fiumicino fish market, and for the meat, they relied on selector Christiana Petti of EKCarni.

Simple, no-frills dishes that largely come from Italian tradition. There's lots of fish. Seafood soup (15 euros), fried anchovies (15), spaghetti with clams, scampi risotto (18) but also grilled octopus (23) and fried calamari (21). There's also room for Roman cuisine: "We're in Rome and we've never even thought about not including carbonara or amatriciana (12) among the first courses, with the bacon that we get in Viterbo from Coccia Sesto." And also homemade ravioli filled with lamb cacciatore (18) and beef fillet with two peppers (26).

Finally, there's pizza, made with sourdough starter, left to rise for at least 48 hours, and cooked in a wood-fired oven.

What to drink at Ristoro La Dispensa

The wine list is decidedly extensive, with nearly 1,200 labels. "I've always focused on and invested heavily in the wine list, ever since we opened. Today, this cellar is my greatest pride, not only for the vast selection but also because it offers something for all our customers, including those looking for a good value." There's also a selection of gins and classic cocktails.

Ristoro La Dispensa. Via di Boccea 1401, Rome. Tel. 06 61597811 / 393 6580219. Website. Facebook. Instagram. Open daily for dinner. Saturday and Sunday for lunch and dinner. Closed on Wednesdays.