The best pasta in Timișoara

Timișoara has plenty of pizzerias and Italian restaurants, but few that put pasta first. You can tell the difference from the first forkful: tagliatelle made that same day, which hold the sauce instead of letting it slide off, a carbonara with guanciale, egg yolk and pecorino and no cream, a ragù that simmers for hours. The good news is that you can find them if you know where to look: from a restaurant run by two brothers who worked in Italy to a small trattoria on Piața Mocioni where a carbonara costs under 40 lei.

For this guide we read the ratings and reviews on Google Maps (checked on 7 October 2026), the restaurants' websites and the local press, and went through the menus, so we can tell you not just where to go but also what to order once you get there. We gave priority to places that make their own pasta. The Google rating is the starting point, not the verdict: a 4.8 from over a thousand opinions says more than a 4.8 from a hundred, and a very good pizzeria is not necessarily the best place for pasta.

Under each name you will find the rating, address and opening hours from Google Maps. Prices are those on the menus the venues publish, on their websites or on delivery apps, and may change.

1. Dei Frati: our pick

“Our story begins with two brothers who discovered their passion for hospitality while working in Italy,” reads the Dei Frati website. That is exactly what the name means: “the brothers’”. The restaurant also has addresses in Brașov, where it ranks among the most praised places for pasta, while in Timișoara it sits on Strada Vasile Alecsandri, a small street in the Cetate district between Piața Unirii and Piața Libertății.

The house rule is spelled out on the website too: pasta made in-house, daily, with authentic Italian ingredients. On the menu the section is simply called “Pasta fatta in casa” and has nine dishes, all under 65 lei.

What to order

• Spaghetti alla Carbonara: guanciale, egg, pecorino and parmesan, with no cream (46 lei)
• Tagliatelle al Limone: butter, parmesan, lemon and basil (39 lei), which one Google reviewer calls “a really pleasant surprise”
• Ravioli filled with gorgonzola, ricotta and pear, in melted butter with sage (54 lei)
• Tagliatelle con Ragù di Carne, with beef ragù (47 lei)
• Tagliatelle ai spinaci, green, with prawns, courgettes, tomatoes, garlic and chilli (54 lei)
• Spaghetti allo Scoglio, with seafood, white wine and cherry tomatoes (63 lei), the most expensive pasta on the menu
• for dessert: tiramisu (23 lei) or profiteroles with vanilla ice cream (24 lei), which one reviewer calls “a show”

The vibe: elegant but unfussy, Italian in style, with two small rooms. One reviewer describes it as a culinary gem hidden on a little street in the centre, a place “you don’t find by chance, you come back to on purpose”. Good for dinner for two or an evening with friends.

What people praise

• the pasta: “the pasta is extraordinary”, writes one Google reviewer
• the service, quick and attentive, with one waitress mentioned by name in reviews
• the tuna tartare, the duck and the antipasti
• the feeling of a “little corner of Italy” in the middle of Timișoara

Good to know

• it is full in the evening: book on 0728 847 910
• not every review is glowing: one diner found the pasta undercooked and bland, so stick to the house classics
• budget: 60–140 lei per person, according to customer estimates on Google

Why it is number one: of the restaurants in this guide, it is the only one that combines a 4.8 from over a thousand reviews with a list of pasta made in-house every day. And it is among the most affordable in the centre.

2. Dantino Ristorante: handmade pasta near Iulius Town

On Google Maps it still also appears under its old name, Casa Antinori, but the restaurant near Iulius Town is now called Dantino Ristorante. It occupies an old building with a rustic feel that reviewers often mention, and it has one of the most interesting pasta lists in town: alongside the dried pasta, the menu has a section of pasta made by hand, in-house, from gnocchi to mezzelune and pappardelle.

What to order

• Homemade pappardelle, with mushrooms, black truffle, pancetta and parmesan (59 lei)
• Homemade mezzelune, filled with a mix of wild mushrooms and thyme, with parmesan and black truffle (69 lei)
• Gnocchi in guazzetto: homemade gnocchi with mussels, clams and cherry tomatoes (62 lei)
• Gnocchi Primavera, gratinated, with asparagus, pancetta and white sauce (48 lei)
• Tortellini filled with foie gras and candied figs, in a gorgonzola sauce with pistachio (69 lei), for a special evening
• Paccheri Portofino, with fresh cherry tomatoes, parmesan, basil and burrata (58 lei)
• for dessert: Tiramisu Speziato, with homemade ladyfingers and raisins (24 lei), or amaretto semifreddo (24 lei)

The vibe: an old house with a distinctive design, as one reviewer puts it, where you can stay until midnight. Good for dinner for two, a birthday or a business meal.

What people praise

• the food, “tasty” and “top-notch”, from the pasta to the fritto misto
• the service, attentive from taking your coat to the very end
• the decor and the atmosphere

Good to know

• the prices above are from the menu on the website; one reviewer writes that the menu in the restaurant has higher prices than the online one, so check at the table
• fish is priced per 100 g: ask how much it weighs before you order
• it is open daily until midnight, the latest on the list
• it is outside the historic centre, near Iulius Town

3. Locanda del Corso: pasta and Neapolitan pizza on Strada Mărășești

On pedestrianised Strada Mărășești, in the heart of the Cetate district, Locanda del Corso is the Italian restaurant with the most reviews in this guide, over 2,600. It presents itself as a refined restaurant with Italian specialities and selected wines, and the menu has two pasta lists: one with fish and seafood, the other with the classics, from ravioli with butter and sage to lasagna with Angus beef.

What to order

• Seafood linguine: mussels, clams, squid, prawns and cherry tomatoes, with white wine (98 lei, 650 g), which reviewers rank among the best dishes in the house
• Linguine with prawns and courgettes (75 lei), also praised in reviews
• Spaghetti carbonara, with guanciale, egg yolk, parmesan and pecorino (51 lei)
• Ravioli with spinach, butter and sage, with ricotta and parmesan (52 lei)
• Tagliatelle with porcini and beef tenderloin, with truffle cream (84 lei)
• Squid ink spaghetti with prawns (89 lei) or octopus linguine (83 lei)
• on a smaller budget: penne pomodoro fresco (44 lei) or spaghetti aglio, olio e peperoncino (42 lei)

The vibe: an airy, tastefully decorated interior with uniformed staff, on a pedestrian street. Many people come for the pizza too, which one reviewer calls “the best Napoli style pizza in Timisoara”. Good for a quiet dinner in the centre or a business meal.

What people praise

• the seafood pasta and the prawn pasta
• the staff, welcoming and calm, and the waiters' recommendations
• the Neapolitan pizza and the lava cake
• the setting, on one of the prettiest streets in the centre

Good to know

• not every plate is equally good: one reviewer complained about the lasagna and another was not convinced by the fagotti with pears, so stick to the seafood pasta
• on Fridays and Saturdays it is open until midnight
• budget: 80–200 lei per person, according to customer estimates on Google

4. L'Osterietta: artisanal pasta from Abruzzo, on Calea Torontalului

“Il gusto della tradizione”, the taste of tradition, reads the line under the name on the menu, and that is what L'Osterietta promises: classic Italian cooking, away from the centre, on Calea Torontalului. The pasta is not made in-house but comes from Rustichella d'Abruzzo, an artisanal pasta maker from Abruzzo, and the menu splits it into “the great classics” and a long list of fish and seafood pasta.

What to order

• Carbonara autentica, with guanciale, egg and pecorino (65 lei)
• Ragù bolognese, with a pork and beef ragù cooked in-house (60 lei), or amatriciana (60 lei)
• Lasagne alla bolognese (68 lei)
• Linguine allo scoglio: fresh clams, langoustines, prawns and squid (120 lei)
• Spaghetti with prawns and basil-and-pistachio pesto (100 lei)
• for an occasion: Linguine all'astice, with a whole lobster (220 lei, 700 g)

The vibe: “elegant and refined”, according to one reviewer, while another describes the food as “home cooking, if you grew up in Italy”. Good for a family dinner or a meal with a large group.

What people praise

• the large portions and the Italian flavour
• the service: “always a 10+”, writes one reviewer
• the fritto misto and the fish dishes
• the value for money, “fair”, according to one reviewer

Good to know

• it is outside the centre, so plan on a taxi or a car
• book: one reviewer warns that it gets crowded
• the prices above are from the menu on the website, published in 2025, and may have gone up since
• budget: 60–180 lei per person, according to customer estimates on Google

5. Al Caminetto: nineteen pasta dishes, since 2013

Al Caminetto is first and foremost a pizzeria: since 2013, on Strada Salcâmilor in the south of the city, it has been baking pizza in a wood-fired hearth oven, to Italian recipes. But the menu also has nineteen pasta dishes, one of the longest lists in this guide, and the website mentions fresh pasta and tagliatelle. With over 2,300 reviews and a 4.7, it is one of the best-loved Italian restaurants in town.

What to order

• pasta with pears and cheese, filled, in a gorgonzola sauce (55.90 lei), which one regular orders every time: “really very good and different from other places”
• Bucatini all'amatriciana, with tomato sauce, smoked pork and pecorino (48.90 lei)
• Gnocchi with gorgonzola and walnuts (48.90 lei)
• pasta with porcini and pancetta (55.90 lei)
• seafood pasta with cherry tomatoes (67.90 lei) or with prawns and courgettes (66.90 lei)
• Lasagne al forno (45.90 lei)
• on a tight budget: spaghetti aglio, olio e peperoncino or pasta al pomodoro (35.90 lei)

The vibe: warm and welcoming, with an elegant but relaxed decor and seating indoors and out. A restaurant “for everyone”, as one reviewer writes: families, large groups and people who just want a pizza all come here.

What people praise

• the pasta with pears, mentioned in several reviews
• the pizza, the main reason most people come
• the variety of the menu: pasta, cheese, wine, desserts
• the decent prices and the friendly staff

Good to know

• the carbonara here has cream and smoked pork, so it is not the Roman recipe
• some negative reviews come from delivery orders: eat in
• it is far from the centre, some two to three kilometres from Piața Unirii
• budget: 40–120 lei per person, according to customer estimates on Google

6. Ristorante Duomo: carbonara with guanciale for under 40 lei, on Piața Mocioni

A small trattoria on Piața Mocioni, in the Elisabetin district, with a 4.8, the same as Dei Frati, but from far fewer reviews. Duomo is best known for its Roman pinsa and pizza, but the pasta list is long, at prices you rarely find in Timișoara any more: most dishes cost 35–45 lei, and the lasagna is made with homemade pasta.

What to order

• Carbonara: egg, pecorino and guanciale, with no cream (39 lei), or truffle carbonara (45 lei)
• Lasagna with homemade pasta, pork and beef, tomato sauce and mozzarella (50 lei)
• Amatriciana, with guanciale and pecorino (39 lei)
• pasta with burrata and truffle, with porcini and truffle paste (65 lei); one reviewer who tried it says Duomo has become their favourite restaurant
• seafood pasta: prawns, baby squid, octopus, clams and mussels (65 lei)
• Penne vodka (45 lei) or, for vegetarians, pomodoro (35 lei)

The vibe: rustic and Italian, with soft music: it “feels like you're in Italy”, writes one reviewer. The host is warmly mentioned in several reviews. Good for an easy-going lunch or dinner.

What people praise

• the prices, very good for the quality
• the pasta and the large portions
• the pizza, which some call the best in Timișoara
• the authentically Italian atmosphere and the host

Good to know

• the place is small, and its rating still comes from a small number of reviews
• it opens at 10:00 but closes early, at 22:00
• budget: 40–60 lei per person, according to customer estimates on Google, the lowest on the list

7. Del Vecchio: cheap pasta and an inner courtyard, also on Piața Mocioni

A few doors from Duomo, Del Vecchio is a neighbourhood pizzeria and restaurant with loyal regulars, which moved here from an older location. It is not a place for homemade pasta, but the list is long, the portions are large and the prices among the lowest in this guide.

What to order

• Tagliatelle con gamberi e zucchini, with prawns, courgette, garlic and lemon (53 lei)
• Tagliatelle con funghi porcini, with wild mushrooms (49 lei)
• Tagliatelle Fiorentina, with spinach, gorgonzola and parmesan (39 lei)
• Tagliatelle con frutti di mare (60 lei)
• Spaghetti aglio, olio e peperoncino (31 lei), the cheapest plate of pasta in this guide
• if you are not in a pasta mood: pizza, which is what most people come for

The vibe: a welcoming, tastefully decorated restaurant with a beautiful terrace and an inner courtyard that reviewers call “superb”. The owner is described in reviews as a good sort. Good for a summer dinner with the family.

What people praise

• the generous portions and “sensible” prices
• the inner courtyard and the quiet
• the pizza and the fish

Good to know

• the carbonara here has pork belly and cream, not guanciale
• at lunchtime, on the set menu, service can be slow, according to several reviews
• the prices are from the restaurant's digital menu
• budget: 40–120 lei per person, according to customer estimates on Google

8. Rigatoni Pasta Bar: pick your pasta and sauce, at the mall

The only pasta bar in this guide is not a restaurant but a counter in the Iulius Town food court. The pasta is made in its own kitchen from durum wheat flour and plenty of egg yolk, and the formula is simple: you choose the shape, tagliatelle, rigatoni, fusilli, gnocchi or spaghetti, and one of about twenty sauces. Portions are 400–450 grams.

What to order

• Funghi e tartufi: mushrooms, truffle cream, butter and parmesan (50 lei)
• Con gamberi, with prawns, cherry tomatoes and basil (56 lei)
• Bolognese, with beef ragù and wine (50 lei)
• Primavera, with broccoli, truffle paste and mushrooms (46 lei)
• Pomodoro (41 lei), the simplest plate
• for dessert: pistachio cannoli (26 lei) or tiramisu (31 lei)

The vibe: food court, with shared tables and mall noise. Not the place for a romantic dinner, but for a good, quick lunch between shops or after a film.

What people praise

• the freedom to choose your pasta and sauce
• the pasta with prawns and courgettes and the seafood pasta, “extraordinary”, according to one reviewer
• the friendly staff, who help you choose

Good to know

• the carbonara here comes with bacon and cream, not the Roman recipe
• Rigatoni also has a counter at Shopping City, on Calea Șagului 100, rated 4.8 from fewer reviews
• the prices above are from the Wolt delivery menu and may differ slightly at the counter
• reviews are more divided than for the other places: the carbonara and quattro formaggi have been criticised as bland, and one reviewer says the team starts packing up after 21:00
• budget: 40–60 lei per person, according to customer estimates on Google

In short: where to go, depending on what you want

• the best pasta in Timișoara: Dei Frati
• handmade pasta with truffle: Dantino
• a carbonara like in Rome: Dei Frati or Duomo
• seafood pasta: Locanda del Corso or L'Osterietta
• dinner in the centre, on a pedestrian street: Locanda del Corso
• pasta and pizza at the same table: Al Caminetto
• cheap and good: Duomo or Del Vecchio
• quick, between shops: Rigatoni Pasta Bar
• a late dinner: Dantino, open daily until midnight

A few tips

• ask for carbonara without cream: the Roman recipe has only guanciale, egg, pecorino and pepper, and that is how Dei Frati, Locanda del Corso, L'Osterietta and Duomo make it; at Al Caminetto, Del Vecchio and Rigatoni it comes with cream
• book in the evening and at weekends, especially at Dei Frati, which has two small rooms, and at L'Osterietta
• most kitchens close at 22:00–23:00; for dinner after 23:00, go to Dantino or, on Fridays and Saturdays, to Locanda del Corso
• four of the places are outside the Cetate district: Dantino and Rigatoni near Iulius Town, L'Osterietta on Calea Torontalului and Al Caminetto in the south of the city

Opening hours, menus and prices change, and Google ratings shift as new reviews come in. Check each venue's page before you set off.