The Alfredo alla Scrofa restaurant celebrates 111 years of history, confirming its position as a historic establishment in the capital. Founded on December 1, 1914, this iconic Roman restaurant is world-renowned for its famous Fettuccine all’Alfredo, a dish that has captured palates and hearts far beyond Italian borders.
The secret to these fettuccine, an authentic alchemy of flavors, lies in the mantecatura, an ancient art that owner Mario Mozzetti, the current “Mantecatore,” masters and passionately protects. As Mozzetti explains, “Three ingredients, but of the highest quality: Fettuccine, butter, Parmigiano Reggiano, and the hands of the mantecatore.” This technique, which involves “creaming” the fettuccine in front of the customer, has made the dish a main attraction and a sought-after destination for Romans and international tourists alike.
The global fame of Fettuccine Alfredo took off in the 1920s, when Hollywood stars Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, on their honeymoon in Rome, fell in love with the dish. Upon their return to the United States, they sent Alfredo di Lelio, the founder, solid gold utensils—a fork and a spoon—engraved with their names and a special dedication.
Despite its export, as Mozzetti points out, “Fettuccine Alfredo ‘sailed across the ocean,’ but they were poorly exported,” eventually becoming “a ‘trashy’ dish in the collective imagination” over time due to incorrect versions. The Mozzetti family, who acquired the restaurant from Alfredo in 1943, is now committed to restoring the excellence of this iconic dish, with Mario Mozzetti describing himself as a “pianist” capable of making the fettuccine “dance” with a technical and passionate gesture.
Alfredo alla Scrofa was the first restaurant in the Capital to be included in the Register of “historic” businesses by the Rome Chamber of Commerce, testifying to its value and tradition. Mario Mozzetti’s current challenge is to combine history with novelty, tradition with the future, and to reinterpret the past in a contemporary key. Recent initiatives include the inauguration of the restaurant’s ancient cellars, now boasting a selection of over 500 labels, and the upcoming opening of an Academy dedicated to the art of mantecatura, which will be located right next to the historic restaurant.
This continuous commitment to preserving heritage and fostering innovation ensures that Alfredo alla Scrofa will remain a landmark in Roman gastronomy.
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