Some Roman evenings begin by leaving the centre behind. At Ai Piani, on Via Francesco Denza, the destination is Parioli and the mood is a dinner built around the sea, with enough room in the evening for the conversation to find its own pace.

Seafood is the thread running through the kitchen, from raw preparations to pasta made in house. The menu changes, which makes asking about the day's selection a better starting point than arriving with a fixed order. A bottle chosen to follow the fish gives the meal its direction without making it feel like an elaborate occasion.

There is also a choice of settings: two dining rooms, one more intimate, and a garden for evenings when an outdoor table appeals. That flexibility is part of the attraction. A dinner for two and a gathering of friends can belong to the same address, each with its own rhythm and degree of privacy.

Ai Piani belongs on the list for a particular kind of Roman pleasure: making the neighbourhood itself the destination. Leave time for dessert, and let the journey back through the city happen a little later.

Ai Piani
Via Francesco Denza 35, 00197 Roma
Telephone: 06 807 9704
Official website & reservations