Three young friends, united by their passion for food, opened this establishment in 2020 where tradition and innovation merge in a contemporary tasting journey with vegetarian highlights.
The story
Often, friendship not only nurtures the soul and shares joys, sorrows, and passions, but it can also be the driving force behind the realization of a dream. It was their shared passion for food that inspired Tommaso Venuti (chef), Manfredi Custureri (restaurant manager), and Alberto Martelli (partner and restaurateur) to open Almatò in Rome in January 2020. Long-time friends, the trio (whose respective initials create the perfect alchemy for the restaurant's name) brought this gastronomic project to life, drawing on each of their unique knowledge and experiences.
Tommaso, after graduating from ALMA, honed his skills under renowned chefs like Antonino Cannavacciuolo and Heinz Beck. Manfredi learned the "tricks of the trade" working at his family's establishment and expanded his horizons with studies in Economics at LUISS in Rome. Alberto has a prestigious background, with his family running the famous La Carbonara restaurant in Piazza Campo De’ Fiori.
The restaurant
Tucked away in Prati neighborhood, Almatò is an intimate establishment with just 18 seats where one can appreciate a genuine culinary philosophy, free from preset schemes. Here, traditional dishes (especially those from Lazio) are interpreted by Tommaso Venuti with careful attention, reimagining classic recipes with a necessary touch of modernity.
"Our cuisine has evolved significantly over time: we focus on ideas characterized by the fusion of research and roots, creating dishes with intense yet refined flavors, while always remembering who we are and valuing tradition," emphasizes the chef. At Almatò, he has curated tasting menus (of 5, 7, and 9 courses) alongside a carefully selected à la carte menu featuring three dishes for each type of course. This allows the team to showcase each ingredient to its fullest, working with raw materials as comprehensively as possible.
The dishes
The amuse-bouche includes: Fried potato with ketchup, Cone filled with wasabi sauce and coated with sesame seeds, Osmotic melon with cardamom (to be eaten last), Brisée pastry with stracchino cheese and passion fruit – very pleasant – Fried and breaded quail egg – delicious – and finally, a rehydrated bread with curry cream and berry reduction.
Towards the end of the entrée, an impressive focaccia, kneaded by the chef with organic semolina and durum wheat flours from Marche, extra virgin olive oil, and Maldon salt, is served. It undergoes a 24-hour fermentation process, making it light and digestible. At this point, maître and sommelier Riccardo Robbio steps in, offering an excellent Bollinger Champagne Brut to complement this convivial start.
The dinner reaches its peak with the Cauliflower with kefir: at the base is a cream made from the vegetable itself, accompanied by the flower roasted in brown butter, a tartar mayonnaise, and finished with charred raw cauliflower. This dish showcases the vegetable's versatility, maintaining its crunchiness and offering sweet notes on the palate from the kefir. "I've introduced some vegetarian dishes in recent menus, not to follow a trend, but to give these ingredients the importance they deserve," explains Tommaso. "Vegetables have their own structure and complexity, and I like to offer them as starters to create a softer approach to the tasting experience."
The second appetizer is a fusion of tradition and innovation: the savory Maritozzo with lamb picchiapò. "Compared to the traditional Roman recipe, which uses beef, I chose lamb because it works very well with this preparation. Another variation is the removal of spiciness from the sauce, which I serve separately in a chipotle chili mayonnaise. Finally, I add celery brunoise to bring a final note of freshness to the dish."
For the main course, the chef delights us with a comforting rabbit tagliatelle, orange beurre blanc, and olives. Even before tasting, its inviting aroma, enhanced by the citrus notes of orange, makes the dish appealing. Paired with this is the 2022 Ribolla Gialla from Livio Felluga, which complements the elegance of the ragù enriched with rosemary.
With the arrival of spring, the menu features Beef Bavette with pea cream, Roman-style artichokes, pickled red onion, and the vegetable's outer leaves in a fried version, all served on a reduction of artichoke broth kombucha and beef jus. The cut comes from cows typically used for Parmigiano Reggiano production, which makes the meat exceptionally flavorful and complex; additionally, the chef skillfully completes the dish with a welcoming touch of Roman tradition.
Among the desserts, the white chocolate, Jerusalem artichoke, and maple captures our attention: a creamy chocolate base with fresh grapefruit, Jerusalem artichoke, semi-candied maple syrup, and pink grapefruit juice. This dessert, which echoes the vegetable flavors we started with, provides a satisfying conclusion to a delightful experience.
Contacts
Almatò
Via Augusto Riboty 20/c – Rome
P. 06/69401146
Opening hours: Tuesday to Saturday and the first Monday of every month - 7:30 PM to 10:30 PM
