Imàgo sits on the sixth floor of the Hotel Hassler, at the top of the Spanish Steps, with one of the few dining-room views in Rome that justifies the cliché. For most of its life it was a hotel restaurant with a panorama and a Michelin star anyway. Since 2020 the kitchen has belonged to Andrea Antonini, born in 1991, and the room is now worth the climb for the plates, not just the glass.
The Kitchen
Antonini trained under Quique Dacosta and Joan Roca, and cooks contemporary Italian that keeps one foot in Rome. He runs two tasting menus: one of his established hits, one called Project for the newer, riskier work. The dish that defines him is the spaghetto cooked risotto-style in roasted red-pepper extract, finished with lemon and mustard, smoky and sharp and exact. The tagliolini cacio e pepe with raw scampi and the pigeon with truffle are the menu's other anchors, and the barbecued yellow-datterino tomato pasta is the chef's own sentimental favourite. The kitchen holds one Michelin star, and in December 2023 the L'Espresso guide named Antonini its Best Young Chef for 2024. The cellar runs past 1,500 labels.
The Room
A 2024 restyling lightened the room without touching the view: low, flattering light, tables spaced for a long evening, glass looking out over the rooftops toward St Peter's. It is quiet enough to talk and formal without being stiff. A jacket is expected at dinner. The dining room is small, which is why a window or corner table is worth requesting when you book.
Practical Info
Best for an Anniversary
Book Imàgo for an anniversary because it does the three things the occasion needs: a view that makes the night feel like an event, a kitchen serious enough that the food is the story rather than the backdrop, and a room quiet enough to spend three hours in conversation. Tell the host you are celebrating; the small dining room can usually find a window table. The €230 tasting is the way to do it, and both menus run for the whole table.
Not for a quick, casual, or budget dinner; this is a €230 set tasting at a one-star hotel rooftop, and the whole table eats the same menu. Skip it if you came to Rome for trattoria cooking, because Antonini reinterprets the classics rather than serving them straight.
Frequently Asked
Is Imàgo worth it? Yes, for a special occasion. Imàgo holds one Michelin star, sits on the sixth floor of the Hotel Hassler with a rooftop view over the Spanish Steps, and since 2020 has been run by Andrea Antonini, whom the L'Espresso guide named Best Young Chef for 2024. The tasting menu is €230, and the cooking, not just the panorama, now earns it.
What should I order at Imàgo? The signature is Antonini's spaghetto cooked risotto-style in roasted red-pepper extract with lemon and mustard. The tagliolini cacio e pepe with raw scampi and the pigeon with truffle are the other anchors, and the barbecued yellow-datterino tomato pasta is the chef's own favourite. Imàgo serves two set tasting menus, so you are really choosing the Classics menu or the newer Project menu rather than dish by dish.
How much does Imàgo cost? The tasting menu is €230 per person, beverages not included, and the whole table takes the same menu. A three-course lunch starts around €120. With wine pairings or bottles from the 1,500-label cellar, dinner climbs well beyond that. It is a one-star splurge, priced like one.
How do I book Imàgo and what is the dress code? Reserve two to four weeks ahead for a weekend dinner, less midweek, through the restaurant or the Hotel Hassler. The dining room is small, so request a window or corner table and mention any celebration. A jacket is expected at dinner; smart dress is the minimum.