The story
Although the history of this restaurant now in its fourth
generation dates back to 1929, the Romagnoli family began its first restaurant business a few years earlier, in 1864.
The founder of Il Moro, Mario Romagnoli, began working at a very young age alongside his brother in his father Vincenzo’s trattoria, which opened in 1864 near the
Galleria Colonna, in the center of Rome.
The family was originally from Ariccia, where they owned vineyards and produced the house wine served at the restaurant.
After mastering the art of traditional Roman cuisine, Mario Romagnoli decided to strike out on his own and, in 1929, opened—together with his wife Elide a small tavern called “al Moro” (a nickname given to him by his friends because of his dark complexion), located on Vicolo delle Bollette, just a stone’s throw from the Trevi Fountain, also in the center of Rome.
Elide, too, had followed in her family’s footsteps. Her family had owned several butcher shops in central Rome for generations. In short, at Mario and Elide’s new tavern, quality meat and wine would certainly not be in short supply.
The tavern consisted of a single small dining room and a compact kitchen. Here, they prepared a few traditional Roman dishes and served wine from their own vineyards in Ariccia, in the Lazio countryside.
This tavern was characterized by a rustic atmosphere, often featuring long shared tables, where simplicity and a focus on the quality of the ingredients were already the norm. The tables were made of wood, without tablecloths, and the service was equally spartan.
Elide, known by the nickname “the Baroness” (due to her authoritarian demeanor in the kitchen), was already considered one of the best cooks in Rome.
In fact, she was the one running the kitchen with the support of her husband and a few helpers. Mario, of course, was primarily in charge of service, welcoming guests, and purchasing supplies.
Given its proximity to the Teatro Quirino, actors and directors who were at the forefront of the theater scene began coming to dine there more and more often.
So, as the years went by, its reputation continued to grow, to the point that it became the go to spot for the leading figures of La Dolce Vita. In the years that followed, the founder, Mario, seeing the success of their cuisine and the growing number of customers, decided to expand the restaurant by opening a second dining room.
Il Moro thus became, as early as the 1960s and 1970s, a gathering place for workers in the heart of Rome.
People discussed politics and business and told stories. Il Moro was frequented by artists, poets, actors, and filmmakers in search of inspiration.
In fact, it was right there that Mario Romagnoli met Fellini, who offered him a role (as Trimalchio) in one of his films, *Satyricon*.
In the 1960s, the first generational transition took place, with Franco Romagnoli, Mario’s son, taking the reins of the family business.
Having been trained by his father Mario and mother Elide, he had mastered the art of Roman cuisine and the art of providing attentive service to a certain type of clientele.
It was under his leadership, however, that the restaurant took a turn toward the world of “high-end dining.”
Starting in the 1970s, Franco Romagnoli began the process of transforming the family tavern into a high end restaurant.
Under Franco’s management, a third dining room was added, bringing the total seating capacity to over ninety, plus outdoor tables.
The tavern has now become a full fledged restaurant. The experience and passion of the founder, Mario, have been passed down to subsequent generations. The same is true both for the entrepreneurial and managerial skills and for the elegance and attention to detail of his son, Franco.
Today, Il Moro is run by Franco’s son, Andrea Romagnoli,
with the support of his sister Elisabetta and his daughters Guendalina and Benedetta.
Like his predecessors, Andrea has not stood still. About twenty years ago, he decided to expand the restaurant further by purchasing space on the lower floor to house the new wine cellar, as the old one was no longer sufficient to store the growing consumption and variety of wines, champagnes, and liqueurs requested by customers.
Under Andrea’s leadership, the restaurant has now reached its highest level of quality, elegance, and uniqueness. It has become a benchmark not only in Rome’s restaurant scene but also nationally and beyond.
There are customers who come from all over the world and choose Il Moro as a regular stop for their lunches and dinners in Rome, booking their table even several months in advance to secure a seat.
Politicians, businesspeople, actors, and filmmakers continue to frequent the restaurant regularly for their lunches and dinners, whether
for leisure or business. Above all, it continues to be frequented by the children and grandchildren of those customers who used to come for lunch and dinner back in the days of Mario and Franco.
Perhaps this last point is the most important achievement in the history of this family of restaurateurs. They have managed to grow, evolve, and constantly improve over time to adapt to the changing needs and desires of their customers.
This has allowed them to forge such a strong bond with their customers that the restaurant has become the go to spot, not only for their families but also for the next generations.