Pasqualina Frascati | Sincere, Revisited Italian Cuisine with Local Wines & Authentic Dining
In the spring of 2025, a new story began to unfold in the hills of Frascati. Pasqualina opened its doors with quiet excitement and a clear purpose: to be a home for sincere cuisine, the kind that tells stories, evokes memories, and celebrates freedom at the table. Born from the shared vision of chefs Daniele Bonanni and Simone Giuliani, Pasqualina is more than a restaurant; it is a living expression of their philosophy. “Don’t just call it an osteria or a gourmet restaurant,” they say. “Pasqualina defies definition.”
Everything about the space reflects that idea: a comfortable kitchen, a welcoming dining room, and a cellar below, ready to be filled with bottles, laughter, and conversation. Time seems to slow down here. The clinking of glasses mingles with the scent of herbs, and each dish becomes an act of storytelling, a bridge between past and present, memory and imagination.
Pasqualina feels like stepping into an Italian home, intimate, unpretentious, and full of warmth. Every plate carries the chefs’ personal histories, transformed through technical mastery and contemporary sensibility. Bonanni and Giuliani do not seek to reinvent tradition but to honor it with authenticity and precision. Their cooking shows that sincerity and innovation can coexist, and that when cuisine comes from the heart, it speaks a universal language.
Reimagined and rebuilt by the two chefs themselves, Pasqualina embodies their personalities: passionate, curious, and instinctive cooks who see food as memory, play, and emotion. Recipes here are not simply followed but felt. A grandmother’s handmade pasta, a journey to Australia or Portugal that reshaped a palate, the perfume of rosemary caught on a breeze — these experiences shape the restaurant’s soul. “Pasqualina isn’t a format,” they explain. “It’s a feeling. It’s the joy of cooking something real and sharing it with others.”
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From left: Simone Giuliani, Daniele Bonanni and Alessio Pontemezzo |
The Owners – Two Paths, One Vision
Chef Daniele Bonanni was born in Rome on December 10, 1990, into a family where restaurants were part of everyday life. His grandparents and parents were restaurateurs, and it was only natural that he would eventually follow their path. After training at A Tavola con lo Chef in Rome, where he met his future partner Simone Giuliani, Daniele began an international journey that would shape his culinary identity. He trained under Heinz Beck at Gusto by Heinz Beck in Portugal before joining the prestigious kitchen of La Pergola in Rome, where he spent four years refining his precision and discipline. His time at Castello di Fighine in Tuscany deepened his appreciation for balance and flavor, while later roles at Le Tamerici, Hotel 47, and The Rome Edition expanded his mastery of Mediterranean cuisine and the art of hospitality. At Pasqualina, Daniele combines rigor with emotion, creating dishes that unite technical finesse with instinctive creativity.
Chef Simone Giuliani, born in Rome on November 29, 1989, began his culinary journey in his grandmother Maria’s kitchen, where his endless curiosity first took shape. After formative experiences in Roman hotels and restaurants, he moved to Australia, a decision that transformed his understanding of food and flavor. In Melbourne, he worked at Caterina’s Cucina & Bar and later at Attica, one of the world’s top fifty restaurants, before opening his own establishment in Albert Park and serving as Executive Chef of the Lupo Lab group. The experience broadened his global palate and strengthened his creative confidence. Returning to Italy in 2018 for love and family, Simone brought with him an international sensibility and a renewed commitment to authentic expression. At Pasqualina, he complements Daniele’s refined Italian grounding with curiosity, openness, and a modern edge. Together, they have created a cuisine that feels both rooted and free, deeply personal yet universally inviting.
Completing the trio is Alessio Pontemezzo, whose expertise lies not in the kitchen but in the cellar. Alessio curates Pasqualina’s wine selection with the same care and vision that the chefs apply to their dishes. His focus is on small producers who express craftsmanship, integrity, and a sense of place, with particular attention to the Lazio region, often overlooked amid Italy’s more famous wine territories. His thoughtful approach ensures that every label on the list tells a story, transforming the wine program into a natural extension of Pasqualina’s culinary philosophy — one of quality, authenticity, and discovery.
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Clockwise: Brioche bread with wine-infused broccoli, meatloaf with egg and wild herb, crumbed cutlet and marinated pumpkin “scapece” style |
The Cuisine and the Menu – Technique and Memory
At Pasqualina, every dish reflects a balance of technical skill, patience, and instinct. Recipes are rooted in memory and tradition but refined through precise cooking methods, resulting in flavors that are both approachable and sophisticated.
The dishes speak of simplicity and skill. Take, for example, the Breaded Cutlets, inspired by a cherished childhood memory. At home, Simone’s mother would fry the cutlets and cover them with foil to keep them warm. At Pasqualina, that foil becomes edible silver leaf, delicately wrapping the golden slices in a playful reinterpretation of tradition. The flavor remains comforting and familiar, while the presentation introduces a touch of modern creativity — a dish that conveys affection and storytelling through food.
Another highlight is the Meatloaf with Egg and Wild Herbs, reminiscent of a mother’s special Sunday meal. Here, technique sharpens the memory: flavors are precise, layered, and balanced, evoking warmth and familiarity while delivering clarity and refinement on the palate.
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Top: Homemade gnocchi with mutton in tomato sauce / Bottom: Slow cooked chicken thigs with cacciatora sauce and yogurt |
The menu is structured to allow guests to explore a complete experience: antipasti range from €7 to €12, primi piatti around €14, main courses from €15 to €21, and desserts from €4 to €8. Complementing the dishes is a carefully curated wine list, featuring small producers who exemplify quality and terroir, chosen to harmonize with the flavors of each dish.
Each plate demonstrates thoughtful execution, respect for ingredients, and attention to detail, combining technical precision with personal storytelling. The result is a menu that is both rooted in memory and inventive in approach, reflecting the chefs’ culinary vision in every bite.
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Top: Goat milk panna cotta / Bottom: Creamy meringue, lemon curd and capers |
Pasqualina – Cucina Sincera
Address: Via Santi Filippo e Giacomo, 12 – 00044 Frascati (RM), Italy
Tel: +39 06 88929413
Website: https://www.pasqualinafrascati.it/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61571535969990