Don’t expect anything out of the box. Il Pasticcio plays all the hits — but it doesn’t miss.   

What’s not? I arrived with my lunch companion at 1 p.m. on a Friday, on what should have been a quiet day when people work from home. But the restaurant was jam-packed! I waited a good 15 minutes to sit despite booking. The delay was sweetened by a complementary prosecco, but it’s not a place to go when you’re in a rush, especially because the servers, while always very friendly, are stretched a bit thin. 

Vibe: Exposed bricks, white plaster walls, paper place mats. You could almost be in a bistro in Rome, that is until you look through the glass doors at the back into the gray Belgian drizzle. 

Who’s picking up the check? The restaurant bills itself as a tavola calda — literally a “warm table,” meaning a quick, cheap eat. With the check coming at €35-€40 per person, without wine, it’s not quite that. Still, the price is right when you consider the quality of the food and the portion size. 

Insider tip: The restaurant is packed and noisy. It’s a good place to bring a contact when you want to have a long conversation without being overhead. Food-wise, the waitress said that besides the tagliolini ai funghi porcini, the carbonara is her favorite dish. One for next time. 

How to get there: It’s in the European quarter just off Place du Luxembourg. Cross the street to United Tastes for a fancy coffee after eating. 

— Review published on  March 27, 2024. Illustration by Dato Parulava/POLITICO