The story
On Via Mazzini in Viareggio, Romano is a family-run restaurant that has earned a Michelin star for its precise, seafood-driven Italian cooking. The kitchen, led by the Franceschini family, draws deeply from the Tyrrhenian Sea and the surrounding Tuscan territory.
The menu changes with the catch and the season, offering a clear view of the kitchen’s ambition. Starters like the “Giardiniera” of mackerel with chervil soup and raisins sit alongside a classic fantasy of raw fish in multiple services. The calamaretti ripieni – baby squid stuffed with vegetables and shellfish – are a signature, and the delicate steamed crustacean and mollusc salad with peas and asparagus shows a light, confident hand.
Primi courses are equally refined. A spaghetto with garlic, oil, and chilli is elevated by scampi, olive powder, and Cabras bottarga. The carnaroli risotto with smoked juniper, lemon, and thyme-marinated red shrimp is a study in balance. For secondi, the day’s catch comes with potatoes, olives, capers, and fresh tomato sauce – simple, but exacting. Roasted turbot with zucchini in scapece, salty scarpaccia, and black garlic cream demonstrates a more layered approach.
Two tasting menus capture the restaurant’s spirit. The “2026” degustazione is a journey through the present moment and the flavours of the Tyrrhenian Sea, pairing local produce with precise technique – dishes like soft-cooked cod with wild herb pesto and 'nduja pil pil, or grilled tuna belly with squid lardo and braised lettuce. The “i grandi classici” menu, meanwhile, explores the family’s tradition, offering a path through the restaurant’s most beloved plates.
The wine list is extensive and well-curated, and the dining room – seen in the gallery – is elegant and understated, with space for private parties and outdoor seating in season. Romano is closed on Mondays and open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday, with Tuesday and Wednesday dinner only.
This is a restaurant that lets the ingredients speak, earning its Michelin star through consistency, respect for the sea, and a clear sense of place.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
High quality cooking
Il Ristorante Romano in Viareggio is much more than an icon of the Versilia: it is a true house of taste where tradition and innovation meet naturally. For almost sixty years, the Franceschini family has welcomed guests with warmth and style. Romano, a symbol of elegance and hospitality; Roberto, managing the dining room with his extraordinary wine list, remarkable for its variety and depth; and Nicola Gronchi in the kitchen, a young and brilliant chef who has breathed new energy into the establishment without ever betraying its soul. Alongside historical dishes – such as the unforgettable stuffed baby squid, incredibly fresh crudo, and crustacean salad – shine modern and surprising creations: the Rovellina di razza, with tomato, Pantelleria capers, and oregano (a reinterpretation of a classic Lucchese dish), fresh pasta buttons with chicory, or grilled cuttlefish with chicory, turnips, cuttlefish liver, and sea urchins, dishes that unite technique and imagination. Every course tells the story of the sea with respect and passion, in a perfect balance between elegance and authentic flavor. Impeccable service, world-class wines carefully recommended, and a family atmosphere make every dinner at Romano an experience that remains close to the heart.
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