Glass Hostaria
Rome, Italy
⭐1 Star
The Experience
From Michelin Guide
In the heart of popular Trastevere with its many restaurants, Glass comes as a surprise, housed in what was once a coach-house (as the high ceilings still demonstrate) and now an elegant restaurant (if you want more privacy, there are a few tables set up on the mezzanine). Cristina Bowerman offers a choice of tasting menus (one of which is vegetarian) and a limited selection of à la carte dishes. Her cuisine is creative, with the occasional nod to the culinary traditions of Lazio. The excellent wine list also includes a choice of liqueurs and spirits.
Unique Things
From Visitor Experiences
Architectural and Interior Design Innovation: Glass Hostaria features a daring and ultra-modern interior design with glass cases embedded in the floors displaying wine bottles, mezzanine levels, and a sophisticated play of light and shadow. The design blends original building features with contemporary elements such as rough brick walls, iron, wood, suspended lamps, and illuminated niches, creating a clean, linear, and industrial-chic atmosphere that contrasts with the traditional Trastevere neighborhood.
Eclectic Fusion Cuisine with Global Influences: Chef Cristina Bowerman’s cooking is a unique fusion of modern Italian with American, Asian, and international flavors. Signature dishes include sashimi with fermented pears and tobiko, linguine with miso butter and frangipane served with wasabi, reflecting a blend of tradition, innovation, and experimentation rooted in her Puglian heritage and global travels.
A Culinary Journey and Artistic Experience: Glass Hostaria is described not just as a restaurant but as a journey and an experience. The tasting menu offers an “untraveled” à la carte path that tells the story of the chef’s eclectic gastronomic proposal, combining memories and influences from Italy and remote lands into a colorful, artistic palette of tastes designed to feed curiosity and surprise the palate.
Ingredient Stars
From Visitor Experiences
The most honored or signature ingredients at the Michelin-starred Glass Hostaria in Rome include:
60 months aged Parmigiano Reggiano: Used in the signature liquid ravioli dish, this exceptionally aged cheese provides deep, complex flavors and a luxurious texture that exemplifies the restaurant's blend of tradition and innovation.
Duck breast: Featured in a signature dish paired with tarragon and "uva fragola" (a type of grape), showcasing a refined balance of rich meat flavors with aromatic herbs and fruit.
Solidified olive oil: Served with bread as a siphoned olive oil that looks like butter but offers a divine, intense olive oil flavor, highlighting the restaurant's creative approach to classic Italian ingredients.
Seasonal ingredients: Chef Cristina Bowerman emphasizes the use of fresh, seasonal produce, applying scientific and molecular gastronomy techniques to manipulate flavor and texture, which is central to the restaurant's modern Italian cuisine philosophy.
Innovative flavor combinations: Examples include unusual pairings such as corn and passion fruit, reflecting the restaurant’s inventive culinary style that pushes boundaries while respecting Italian tradition.
These ingredients and approaches are significant because they embody Glass Hostaria’s philosophy of blending innovation with tradition, creating dishes that are both rooted in Italian culinary heritage and forward-thinking in technique and presentation. The use of aged Parmigiano Reggiano in a liquid ravioli is a standout example of this signature style.
Menu & Pricing
Current Offerings & Prices
Tasting Menus
- Tasting Menu: 8 courses, €250 (€350 with wine pairing)
- Vegetarian Tasting Menu: 8 courses, €220 (€320 with wine pairing)
A La Carte
- Blue Lobster: €95
- Foie Gras: €45
- Scallops: €35
- Risotto: €30
- Pappardelle: €28