By Tyler Chauncey
When one goes to Tony’s in Trastevere, they leave with a full belly and a happy heart. Accomplishing that has been his mission ever since he opened his first restaurant over 35 years ago.
Other restaurants, in not just Trastevere but all over Rome, have tried to mimic Tony’s menu, process, and even his character. Still, they haven’t been able to reproduce his popularity. That’s because Tony’s quality comes from his heart. When you come into Tony’s, he puts his heart and soul into your experience and offers his genuine friendship to everyone, which is why you’ll come back. The grilled, fried, and fresh veggies, bruschetta, cheeses, breads, calamari, gnocchi, pesto, chicken and eggplant parm, tiramisu and as much wine as you’ll ever need to drink are pretty good reasons too. This heavenly combination of courses is a result of the conversations he’s had with customers over the years, who have themselves crafted the menu with their own feedback and suggestions.
Hostaria del Moro da Tony is the third location that Tony has owned in Rome. He also worked in restaurants in New York City for a few years, where he learned to work hard and fast. He combined processes, which he learned from the hustle and bustle of the concrete jungle, with his mission of bringing happiness to the world through carbs and cheeses, to create the wildly successful operation that he runs today.
His first restaurant was also in Rome, located by the Pantheon. He did everything himself, from beginning to end. He did well, bringing in about 70 customers per day. This number dwarfs in comparison to his Trastevere restaurant today.
Tony says the American students who frequent his restaurant are his favorite customers because they are thankful and appreciative, a natural reaction after a few glasses of wine and a greeting from his handsome smile. So they will be sad to hear that Tony’s time in Trastevere is nearing an end. After serving so many late nights and 7-day work weeks, Tony is ready to retire to a smaller outfit. Surely his new restaurant will be a must see. So once Tony closes his doors keep an eye out for his smile on a new block, and if you should find him be sure to let us know.
