Image: I Cardinali website
Leaving the Grande Raccordo Anulare to head towards the north coast often means seeking a balance between relaxation and good food. On the hills overlooking the sea at Santa Marinella, that compromise has given rise to a revolution: a cuisine that uses eggs from its own chicken coop to create unpredictable pink grapefruit tortellini and treats local meat with oriental techniques.
It is the work of a very young team that decided to transform the family vegetable garden into an unfiltered culinary research laboratory. This gastronomic experiment, suspended between Roman roots and global influences, is called Agriturismo I Cardinali.
Wild boar, mint, and teriyaki: the fusion revolution you don’t expect
Image: from the I Cardinali website
The menu at I Cardinali does not follow the path of predictability. The philosophy is clear: the raw ingredients are local (home-grown vegetables, local meat, wild herbs), but the execution reflects the chefs’ travels. Here, tradition is not a limitation, but a solid foundation from which to create surprising combinations.
It begins with appetizers that play on contrasts, such as battered artichokes with mint mayonnaise or Chianina carpaccio enriched with persimmons, tonka beans, and salted hazelnuts.
The first courses maintain the consistency of homemade pasta, but go further: pappardelle with spinach is served with a white wild boar ragù, while chestnut tortellini “alla cacio e pepe” is refreshed with pink grapefruit.
Image: from the I Cardinali website
The real surprise comes with the main courses, where picanha skewers with homemade teriyaki sauce coexist withgrilled lamb served with orange plum sauce.
Accessibility is one of the strengths of the establishment, which offers clear tasting menus:
Saturday lunch and dinner: fixed menu at €30 (includes appetizer, first course, dessert, water, and wine).
Saturday dinner and Sunday lunch: steak menu for €35 (with appetizer, grilled steak, side dish, and dessert).
À la carte menu: available for those who want to compose their own meal (average prices: first courses €15-17, second courses €16-19).
Between the green of Tolfa and the blue of the Tyrrhenian Sea: a dinner with a sea view 45 minutes from Rome.
The geographical location makes the visual experience equal to the taste experience. Agriturismo I Cardinali is located where the hills of Santa Marinella begin to rise towards Tolfa. This altitude guarantees a wide view to the south-southeast, overlooking the blue Tyrrhenian Sea.
Despite being just a few minutes from the highway exit and the Aurelia state road, the property is immersed in a silence interrupted only by the sounds of nature. In the summer months, dining under the stars with the sea breeze blowing up the hill transforms the evening into a unique moment, far from the heat of the capital.
The I Cardinali experience does not end with coffee. The establishment offers the possibility of staying in a farmhouse, with half-board or full-board options. For food lovers, workshops and tastings of local products and organic or natural wines are organized regularly.
There is also a zero-kilometer store where you can buy fresh vegetables, eggs laid that day, and artisanal cheeses and cured meats selected from the best producers in the area.
Image: from the I Cardinali website
Useful info: how to get to Agriturismo I Cardinali
Reaching I Cardinali is easy: just take the A12 Rome-Civitavecchia highway and exit at Santa Marinella/Santa Severa. Reservations are required, especially for tables with a sea view.
📍Address: Via dei Fiori, 120, 00058 Santa Marinella RM
📞 Telephone: 0766 513758 – 339 4968015 – 329 8895852
The venue is the perfect place for ceremonies and private parties in a country-chic setting.
Dining and Cooking