The Gargioli family – the restaurateurs behind Armando al Pantheon – has been feeding Romans for almost six decades. And feeding them well. Found in the Centro Storico, not far from the ancient Roman monument from which the restaurant takes its name, Armando al Pantheon offers diners all manner of Roman classics in its intimate restaurant. Decorated simply with framed pictures and awards, and a few shelves of wine bottles, Armando al Pantheon keeps the focus squarely on where it should be – the food.

There’s Spaghetti alla Carbonara (here made with guanciale, eggs, Pecorino Romano and black pepper) and Trippa alla Romana (tripe cooked in the Roman style with tomatoes, mint and Pecorino Romano). Artichokes drenched in olive oil, and a puntarelle salad of garlic, anchovies and vinegar, both of which appear on the menu when they’re in season. There’s Affettati Misti (a platter of local meats) and many incarnations of bruschetta, from the classic tomato-topped version to the more decadent Bruschetta alla Serafina, which is a moreish antipasto offering of grilled bread topped with cured lard, quail egg and black truffle from Norcia.

If you have room after the antipasto and the primi, secondi and contorni, then the dessert menu – or dolci – is well-worth tasting your way through. For those who saved room, the tiramisu is rich and light, just as you’d hope. But for those who just want a little bite of something sweet, you can’t go wrong with the Roman cookies and sweet wine. Just what you need to round of a meal. This is la dolce vita indeed.