Just steps from Avenue Louise, Osteria Romana is more than just an Italian restaurant: it’s an institution.
Renowned for its generous cuisine, cozy atmosphere, and charismatic chef Filippo La Vecchia, the restaurant has been delighting lovers of authentic Roman cuisine for years.
But behind its walls, a surprise awaits those in the know: a secret, intimate, and flower-filled terrace, ideal for escaping the hustle and bustle of the city and experiencing a true moment of la dolce vita… without even leaving dear old Brussels.
The terrace, ideal for dining out in the current hot weather, is adorned with flowers and plants and comes complete with its very own bar.
It’s a discreet garden, which you discover as you pass through the main dining room. A verdant courtyard, bathed in light in the evening, where you can happily linger as soon as the first rays of sunshine appear.
With summer now well and truly upon us this makes for an ideal spot to enjoy a delicious meal. Just beware that the restaurant will be closing for a well deserved annual summer break soon. The good news is that it reopens on 21 August when you will still be able to dine out on the terrace, of course.
Whatever the weather, at aperitivo time, you can share some antipasti—creamy burrata, vitello tonnato, bresaola, or Roman-style fried artichokes—along with a house cocktail, a glass of Montepulciano, or a perfectly measured Spritz. The decor is simple yet elegant, the atmosphere relaxed yet refined: the perfect place for a summer dinner with friends or a romantic rendezvous with an Italian flair.
The menu, worth a close look in itself, contains the recipe for the house speciality, carbonara, with the slightly cryptic message attached: “Don’t forget you are making carbonara, not an omelette.”
The carbonara comes in different weights, from 50grams to 250grams but 150 grams is probably big enough for most folk. There is also, aside from the great menu, a 6 course, two person Degustazione (priced €99pp). Well worth it considering the sheer quality. Also available is a selection of lovely Italian hams.
Also recommended is the Roman-style veal scaloppine, delicious.. and you may also like to taste the lovely cheery tomatoes as a side dish.
The fab food is served in the same pans it is cooked in while the delicious desserts come in wonderful ceramic pots. All very stylish, in keeping with the whole concept of this pleasant place.
The menu, interestingly, is printed on the same type of paper Picasso used for his drawings.
At the helm of Osteria Romana is the very friendly Filippo, a key figure in Brussels’ Italian gastronomy. True to his roots, he celebrates the cuisine of his hometown with passion and precision. Among the must-try dishes: the authentic carbonara (without cream, of course), the tagliolini with Amalfi lemon and caviar, the wagyu tartare and truffle, and the parmigianina di melanzane. As for desserts, you can’t miss the homemade tiramisu, or the very daring 1 grammo di felicità, a signature dessert made with chocolate, gianduja, and olive oil.This is a refined, generous menu full of character, to be enjoyed indoors… or on the terrace, weather permitting.
Osteria Romana, for those yet to discover it, is the essential flavour and taste of Italy distilled into dishes that tell a real story: that of Filippo, a chef who doesn’t mince his words and prefers to let his dishes do the talking. With his unforgettable carbonara and other creations that flirt with insolence, he has redefined the contours of Italian cuisine in Brussels
Ever the innovator, Filippo has also divulged the recipe of one of his personal favourites: Fettuccine alla Papalina, a little-known Roman dish, born from a very special request… that of Pope Pius XII himself.
The story dates back to the early 20th century. Eugenio Pacelli—the future Pius XII—tired of the Vatican’s gastronomic routine and so reportedly asked his chef to concoct a lighter, more digestible pasta, yet still faithful to Italian tradition. Several versions clash over the details: some say the dish was created before his pontificate, others in the 1950s. As for the recipe’s creator, it remains a mystery: a Vatican chef? The chef of the Roman restaurant La Cisterna? The highly respected Cesaretto Simmi? Or… the Pope himself? The Holy Spirit has yet to pronounce.
What is known, however, is that this refined variation of carbonara ditches the guanciale in favor of prosciutto, swaps the pecorino for a milder Parmesan, and ties it all together with a base of buttered onion, egg yolk, and—in some modern versions—a dash of crème fraîche.
Despite the cost, many of the ingredients used by Filippo, who used to work on America´s east coast for six years,are flown in directly from Italy and it shows in the fabulous cuisine.
The quality and freshness of the delicious food is equally very high. The dishes are all typical ones from a Roman kitchen but prepared in a more innovative way, with attention to the detail.
His mission is to bring the finest Italian cuisine to his adopted home and there can be no doubt that with his lovely restaurant he has succeeded brilliantly.
You just have to hand it to the Italians, they know how to cook and Italian cooking doesn´t come any better than here.
Beware that it is best to book a table because this great Italian restaurant is very popular.
I only visited Rome once but Osteria Romana definitely feels like finding a bit of the Eternal City in Brussels. I recommend this place for everyone who looking for a proper Italian restaurant – you won’t find anything better in Brussels.
This is a gem of a restaurant – a little bit of Rome transplanted to Brussels. The fact that, even in mid summer, a quiet period for restos, it is still packed is a sign of the quality of the place.
Check out that terrace before the summer ends. It can seat up to 38 and is delightful.
In November, it will be 13 years since Filippo opened this resto. 13 can be an unlucky number for some but not for this guy… he just goes from strength to strength.
Osteria Romana, Av Legrand 11,Brussels
Tel 02 648 1395
