Right in the tourist center, but proudly gourmet
At the very heart of the city, between via del Corso and the Trevi Fountain, Anavà’s mission is ambitious: bring the most authentic cuisine to the centre of Rome and provide a quality gastronomic offer to all those visiting the city for pleasure or business, as well as to the locals living in the area who never compromise when it comes to food and taste.
Located inside the Hotel Je Rome, by The Ner Collection, Anavà is open every day from breakfast to late evening, from 7:30 a.m. to midnight, and it is committed to an authentic and sophisticated Italian cuisine that stands apart from the traditional trattorias nearby.
“Italian cuisine with its traditions is my playground: I get in, look around, and invent new games,” says Executive Chef Danilo Mancini. Born and raised in Frosinone, he trained at the hotel school in Cassino before moving to Rome, where he spent six years at the Hotel d’Inghilterra, then worked at Caffè Propaganda and as sous chef to Michelin-starred chef Angelo Troiani. Danilo enjoys deconstructing flavors and reinventing them in his own way, putting different techniques at the service of simplicity. In his vision there are no easy dishes, only dishes crafted with precision, built on balance and clean flavors.
Alongside the chef, the Anavà team includes Sous Chef Gaetano Occhipinti, Restaurant Manager Jacopo Salvati, Maître Matteo Pola, Bar Manager Alessio Di Stefano and Head Bartender Massimo Romano.
Breakfast at Anavà
The day at Anavà starts with two formulas. The Continental Buffet (€25, drinks included) offers a rich spread of scrambled and boiled eggs, bacon, a selection of fresh bread, cured meats and cheeses, salmon, fresh and grilled vegetables, savory and classic cornetti, homemade cakes, fresh fruit, yogurt and cereals.
Breakfast is also served à la carte, with great classics such as omelettes, avocado toast, English breakfast, pancakes and crêpes, and healthy yogurt bowls for a lighter start. Alongside the classic coffee menu, the drinks list includes fresh smoothies, iced coffee, fruit and vegetable juices and ice cream shakes.
From Primi to Dolci: A Journey of Culinary Illusions
As the name of the street it is located on suggests, Via dell’Umiltà (Humility Street), Anavà takes a humble approach, treating staple ingredients with maximum respect. The restaurant embraces a no-waste philosophy that transforms what others might discard into culinary poetry.
The menu at Anavà is a journey through rich, layered sauces – small concentrates of memory where Danilo rediscovers the profound meaning of cuisine as an artisanal craft, far from mass production, still capable of surprising. The chef’s idea is to encourage the guests to share different types of plates, from starters to first and second dishes. The offer features traditional plates as well as dishes revisited from the ’70s and ’80s such as pennette alla vodka.
Chef Mancini plays with textures and contrasts. The Capasanta is a refined starter where a seared scallop meets lettuce gel, Jerusalem artichoke, black salsify and flaked almonds. The Vitel o Tonné is a play on the classic: a tuna carpaccio dressed with its own jus and served with a veal marrow mayonnaise. La Cipolla (€22) takes its inspiration from French onion soup, with Tropea onion petals and Borettana onion consommé under a crisp Emmental and hazelnut crust. Il Polpo (€28) is crispy octopus served on a cream of cannellini beans with bitter greens. To finish, the Ananas al Maraschino is grilled pineapple infused in a clove, saffron and mint syrup, served with almond crumble and vanilla foam.
Lunch at Anavà
At lunchtime, Anavà turns into a relaxed bistro with a menu rooted in Roman tradition, built around homemade pasta and designed for business lunches or a break between shopping and museum visits. Pasta dishes, from €13 to €16, include tonnarelli cacio pepe with lime, carbonara with homemade pici, fettuccine al ragù and gnocchi alla romana. Among the mains, you’ll find beef entrecôte with roast potatoes, beef meatballs in tomato sauce on Emmental cream, the catch of the day and, for vegetarians, a grilled escarole heart stuffed with raisins and pine nuts. All desserts are €8, including the tiramisù made with moka coffee.
Aperitivo at Anavà
In the afternoon, the offer caters to both sweet and savory tastes. For those with a sweet tooth, there is a selection of fine teas and hot chocolates, served with homemade cakes. On the savory side, the drink list created by Bar Manager Alessio Di Stefano pairs with a board of top-quality cured meats and cheeses, or with a seafood platter of oysters, Mazara red prawns, seafood charcuterie and other specialties, perfect with the cocktail and wine lists.
The Cocktail Bar Offer
The same creative spirit can be found in the drinks menu. For an aperitivo or an after-dinner drink, the cocktail list by Bar Manager Alessio Di Stefano and Head Bartender Massimo Romano reworks the great classics with homemade preparations. The Bellini uses a yellow peach shrub and Bellone, a white wine from Lazio. The Negroni gets a creamy twist from mascarpone, while the Espresso Martini swaps sweetness for Johnnie Walker Black Label, Tio Pepe sherry and a salted caramel foam. The Americano blends Campari and Cynar with a homemade citrus tea.
Tasting Menus: the Full Journey
In addition to the à la carte menu, Anavà offers two tasting menus. Revival (5 courses, €75) is a playful take on the classics of the ’90s: Prosciutto e Melone, where amberjack replaces the ham, Vitel o Tonné, deconstructed Pennette alla Vodka, a swordfish Cordon Bleu and Ananas al Maraschino. Anavà (7 courses, €95) is a deeper journey into the chef’s cooking, from carciofo alla giudia with black garlic and blue cheese to Stracciatella turned into a clear consommé, a raviolo with saffron and veal jus, and Bianconiglio, rabbit blanquette with Mazara red prawn and truffle. Both include a welcome entrée and homemade bread with organic olive oil from Lazio.
In a neighborhood filled with tourist-oriented restaurants, Anavà stands as a bold statement.
INSPIRATION
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