Rome favourite lunch Da Tonino

When Bill and I are in Rome we are grateful for the reliable restaurant Da Tonino. We sometimes cross town to get here because we know how much we will enjoy ourselves.

We find it half way along Via del Governo Vecchio, ten minutes from Piazza Navona.

The two medium sized rooms inside can accommodate dozens of people so there is little waiting.

Da Tonino serves all the tradional Roman pastas and some superb meat dishes.

On the side I'm having a salad of arugula and tomatoes, Bill is having his beloved stewed greens [cicoria].

My pasta in ox tail sauce [sugo di coda] could not be more flavourful or more satisfying.

Bill's having slices of roast veal with arguably the best roast potatoes in the city: crispy outside, moist within. Veal delicious [arrosto di vitella].

Once the weather warms up we try to arrive at the stroke of noon for lunch so we can snag a table at the small patio.

It is lovely to sit outside on a Roman afternoon.

We always feel so good here. The vibe is mellow under the protective canopy.

Bill often orders a warm bean salad. I like the arugula and tomato salad. Sometimes we mix them on one plate.

All of their Roman pastas are excellent. They do their cacio e pepe on tonnarelli noodles.

Traditional pasta alla carbonara with guanciale.

Bill also favours the veal stew with mushrooms and peas [Spezzatino di vitella con funghi e piselli].

It is nice to chat with Francesca as she adds up our bill.

Rome favourite bar

Bill and I have regular habits. We try to reserve our table at the popular bar il Piccolo (the Little One) for 7 pm.

At this time the April sun is coming straight down Via del Governo Vecchio -- straight into our eyes.

Bill and I have been coming to il Piccolo for more than 10 years. Italians appreciate return customers.

We've seen the staff change but the vibe has not changed.

The servers are wine enthusiasts and customer care can involve detailed discussion of the wine list.

Service is quick.

Bill and I always order the same thing: a bottle of prosecco, or more often, an unfiltered varient, because the staff never tire of trying and recommending new things.

A Toronto friend asked me for What'sApp photos to distract her from her chronic pain. I sent this picture of the guy at the next table. She texted back: "Yes. More like this please."

Via del Governo Vecchio runs west then north from the bottom of Piazza Navona: a main artery in central Rome.

It is always busy.

This makes for reliably good people watching.

Every il Piccolo visit has a different crowd, a different feel.

Tonight, local artist Federico Ruxo, asked me to photograph him with two buddies -- all three are servers at the bar.

Bill caught this interesting group who had pushed several tables together. In town for a conference?

Il Piccolo is also a place where a solitary visitor can feel comfortable, unhurried, included.

The gentleman on the left sat alone with his drink for a long time. We observed this while drinking our prosseco variant. Then a friend appeared.

We'll leave them all under the attentive eye of Carlo, another of il Piccolo's fine servers.

Rome favourite pizza

Bill and I always do our best to arrive at pizzeria La Montecarlo sharp at the stroke of noon.

This way we can get a table on the empty patio.

I walk into the restaurant to wash my hands.  I walk past the cashier. That's the very busy kitchen behind.

The pizzaiola's are always busy creating the material conditions for the miracles that follow.

Miracle arriving now on its silver tray. Patio is filling up.

A volcanic, cheesy, delicious Margherita pizza -- my fave.

Bill likes the Napoletana, which is a margherita with a sprinkling of anchovies.

Bill eats his pizza with a knife and fork. I cut mine in half, fold it over and devour.

By the time our pizza's arrive that patio is full.

La Montecarlo also serves excellent traditional pastas. Bill's cacio e pepe could feed two hungry college students.

This year we started following our pizza course with a shared mixed salad of tomatoes,

lettuce, radicchio, arugula and shredded carrot. 

Ask for an insalata mista.

Another volcanic Margherita.

Over the years we've gotten to know Mentor, one of the Montecarlo servers. Mentor behind me in 2013. 

Here we are in 2026. We've both getting older.

The Vicolo staff are friendly and accommodating, the customers relax.

The passersby are interesting, the food superb. It all adds up to our favourite pizzaria in Rome.

Bill and John Get Married

 Bill and I got married at Toronto City Hall on Monday, October 5th. We have already been together for 41 years.

A friend called this a very long engagement.

Lisa Roosen-Runge took the nice pictures. Bill's 81, I'm 71.

P. O. Reilly was a charming and authorative officiant.

She asked us to take each other by our right hands while she read the words of the ceremony.

"...I now pronounce you married."

No words.

Happiness.

Lisa Roosen-Runge and Trevor Hughes, our witnesses, friends of more than 40 years.

We stand before you now, an old married couple of 41 years, and simultaneously as the blushing newlyweds.

And so to lunch!