The story
At Pascucci al Porticciolo in Fiumicino, chef Gianfranco Pascucci practices what he calls cucina di mare – a cuisine of the sea, not merely of fish. For him, the sea begins not at the shoreline but inland, in the scrubland and salt‑kissed herbs that grow between Rome and the Tyrrhenian coast. This holistic vision earned the restaurant a Michelin star in 2023, recognition of a kitchen that extracts the absolute flavour from every ingredient without disguising it.
Pascucci grew up in Fiumicino and learned to cook as a boy, gathering telline clams from the local shore. Today, his menu paints “the sea at different depths.” Local fish is used whole, from the prized cuts to the less‑noble parts, while wild herbs from a friend’s garden and the briny scent of the shoreline find their way into every dish. The result is food that tastes unmistakably of place – salty, sapid, and deeply honest.
Vanessa Melis, Pascucci’s wife, leads the dining room with a philosophy of “measure and empathy.” She describes the service as tailored like a bespoke suit, reading each guest’s needs without pretense. The space itself is accented with vivid paintings by artist Gabriele Leonardi, whose marine‑inspired works echo the restaurant’s coastal soul.
The wine list, curated with sommelier Luca, is built around “wines of the sea” – bottles from vineyards that face the ocean, where salinity and minerality give the grapes a distinct character. Alongside Champagne and sparkling selections, these wines are chosen to mirror the iodine and herbaceous notes of Pascucci’s cooking, completing an experience that feels as much like a dive into the Mediterranean as a meal.
Pascucci al Porticciolo is a place where the periphery of Rome meets the salt‑stained identity of the Lazio coast – a genuine, thoughtful expression of seafood cuisine that has earned its star.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
High quality cooking
Gianfranco Pascucci is synonymous with the sea, locality, and sustainability, which he interprets through technical mastery and deep knowledge, innovation and ambition. At his Porticciolo in Fiumicino, the experience sails close-hauled—against the wind, against the fleeting trend, and against everything old that some still stubbornly insist on calling tradition. The chef’s course runs parallel to America’s Cup foiling yachts. One soars high, gliding over a dynamic philosophy of ingredients. The dishes recount depths as rugged as rocks and as ancient as lampreys. From the land come the fragrances and resins of strictly coastal pines. From the territory come its ultra-local excellences. And then there is the dining room, guided by Vanessa Melis, whose storytelling voice stirs the guest like a Maestrale wind, precisely where the blue foams across the palate.
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