"Antonio Ziantoni's thirty-cover Trastevere room, one Michelin star and Rome's most assured young tasting menu — book it for a first date."
Zia opened in 2018 on a quiet street behind the busiest of Trastevere, and took a Michelin star in 2019 that it has held since. Chef Antonio Ziantoni cooks the food and gives the room its name; his partner, sommelier Christian Marasca, runs the floor and the wine list. With about thirty covers it is one of Rome's most personal fine-dining rooms, the kind of place locals guard. For the wider city, see our Rome dining guide.
Antonio Ziantoni's cooking is creative but measured, built on classical technique rather than shock. The plates diners remember are his smoked eel, the slow-cooked pork belly, and an oyster with cruciferous vegetables that opens many menus. The five-course tasting menu is €110 and the seven-course is €130, both better value than most one-star rooms in the city, and Christian Marasca's pairings are part of the pleasure. The kitchen leans on Lazio produce and finishes plates with restraint. For the global field, read our best Italian restaurants worldwide and our ranked best Italian restaurants in Rome. The Michelin Guide holds it at one star.
The room is small and low-key, a single space tucked behind the tourist crush of Trastevere with about thirty covers. Lighting is warm and dim, the sound level stays conversational because the room is intimate rather than packed, and tables are close enough to lean across without touching the next party. Dress is smart but not formal. The scale is the appeal: with one seating turning slowly, an evening here never feels rushed.
Book Zia for a first date because the room does the work: thirty covers, warm light and a quiet street keep the focus on the table, and a fixed tasting menu means no menu negotiation. The pricing is honest enough that picking up the cheque is easy, and Christian Marasca's pairings give you something to talk about. Reserve midweek for the calmest room. See our first-date restaurant guide for more.
Not for a big group or a quick bite. With only thirty covers and a multi-course tasting format, Zia is built for couples and small tables on a slow evening.
Yes, especially for the price. Zia holds one Michelin star and seats only about thirty, with chef Antonio Ziantoni cooking creative but disciplined Italian food in Trastevere. Tasting menus run €110 to €130, which undercuts most one-star rooms in the city, and sommelier Christian Marasca's pairings round out the experience. It is one of Rome's best fine-dining values.
Plan ahead for weekends. With only thirty covers the room fills weeks out for Friday and Saturday, so book through the Zia website as early as you can. Midweek dinners are easier to land, and lunch is the quietest seat in the house. For a special date, name the occasion when you reserve so the kitchen and floor can plan.
Take the tasting menu and let the kitchen lead. Signature plates include the smoked eel, the slow-cooked pork belly and an oyster with cruciferous vegetables. The five-course menu at €110 is the easy choice; the seven-course at €130 is the fuller read. Add sommelier Christian Marasca's wine pairing, which is one of the strengths of the room.
Yes. The intimate thirty-cover room, warm lighting and quiet Trastevere street keep the focus on conversation, and the fixed tasting menu removes any ordering stress. Book midweek for the calmest evening and take the wine pairing. See our first-date guide for more Rome options.
Book through the Zia website. With only thirty covers the room fills weeks out for weekends; midweek is easier and lunch is the quietest seat.
Affiliate disclosure: Restaurants for Kings may earn a commission when you book through our reservation links, at no cost to you. Our scores are editorial and never paid for.
Zia ranks on our Rome guide as the city's best-value one-star room, for Antonio Ziantoni's disciplined Trastevere cooking.
See the ranking →