13 Best Restaurants in Ancient Rome, Rome

Wine bottles cover just about every inch of wall space in this intimate restaurant a few blocks from the Colosseum, which, perhaps unsurprisingly, also has an encyclopedic wine list. The friendly staff will happily help you navigate the options and suggest pairings for the dishes, which are rooted in tradition but often with a little twist, like the addition of artichokes in their version of la gricia (pasta with guanciale and pecorino romano).

The emphasis is on all-natural ingredients at this woman-owned gelateria, which has several locations in Rome, including one near Campo de' Fiori and another in Trastevere. Flavors change often but might include favorites like stracciatella (with chocolate shavings) and hazelnut as well as more unusual flavors like matcha or carrot cake.

Tucked on a cobblestone street at the edge of Monti, this cozy little family-run restaurant is one of the best places to eat near the Forum. An eclectic collection of sketches, photos, and paintings decorates the walls, and the menu offers traditional Roman trattoria fare as well as some creative twists on the classics, like cacio e pepe, usually a simple dish of pasta in a peppery cheese sauce but here featuring black truffle, and burrata-stuffed ravioli.

Translating to "Aunt Rosetta," the name of this tiny sandwich shop is a play on words, since rosetta is not just a female name but also a type of roll commonly found in Rome. Here the rolls are used to make gourmet sandwiches with delicious combinations of meat, cheeses, veggies, or fish, such as the "Peggy Rockefeller" with prosciutto, crunchy parmigiano reggiano, and eggplant or the "Elisabetta" with Roman-style stewed cod, raisins, pine nuts, and chicory. There are even sweet fillings like nutella or ricotta and cherries, and they all come in classic or mini versions.

The panoramas from this Michelin-starred restaurant atop the Palazzo Manfredi Hotel are undeniably stunning; it's the best unobstructed view of the Colosseum in Rome, so ask for a table on the terrace. With chef Giuseppe Di Iorio's tasting menus, each dish is an innovative twist on Italy's top cuisine. Service is attentive without being obtrusive, and it all adds up to a dining experience not soon forgotten.

This charming osteria, with burgundy leather booths and vintage advertisements, serves forgotten recipes from Rome and Lazio in addition to classic dishes like carbonara and an excellent cacio e pepe with homemade tonnarelli. Don't expect artichokes in July or eggplant in December—the cuisine is strictly seasonal and made using the finest local ingredients.

In an unassuming location between the Colosseum and Piazza San Giovanni, this elegant restaurant with exposed brick arches and white tablecloths serves some of the freshest seafood in the city—with tanks full of live lobsters and crabs to prove it. Owner Francesco Tripodi personally goes to the fish auctions in Fiumicino every day and presides over the dining room, charismatically dispensing suggestions and taking orders, which are expertly prepared by his brother Giuseppe.

This busy spot conveniently close to the Colosseum has been serving real-deal Roman-style pizza (super thin and cooked to a crisp) since the mid-1980s. The interiors—designed to resemble the exterior of a house—are kitschy, and the kitchen has made some concessions to tourists with items like a Greek salad, but it's a solid choice for pizza in this neighborhood. The magic might be due to the fact that they let their pizza dough rise 24–48 hours before baking to guarantee an extra-light pizza, said to be more easily digested than others.

Just behind the Colosseum, this intimate seafood-focused restaurant has a romantic ambience, with white tablecloths and tasteful decorations. A large selection of oysters displayed in a window and a tank full of lobsters between the kitchen and the dining room hint at the delicacies that await, while wine bottles displayed on shelves showcase just a few of the 400 labels in the cellar.

It's hard to find genuinely good food in the Campidoglio area, but this wine bar next to Trajan's Column is an exception. Ideal for coffee, a late lunch, early supper, or just an aperitivo (aperitif), it showcases local produce and is a great spot to rest after wandering amid the ruins.

This restaurant serving lunch and dinner embodies the kilometro zero concept, highlighting hyper-local food from the surrounding Lazio region. The local boho crowd comes for tasty lunch and dinner options like amatriciana served in a pan or cheeseburgers in an industrial-chic space (with free Wi-Fi). In warm weather, the outdoor tables are the perfect people-watching perch.

For an alternative to the heavy pastas typically found in Roman restaurants, this cheerful bistro inside Palazzo Bonaparte is a great choice. There are plenty of healthy options like excellent salads and poké bowls, as well as heartier fare such as burgers and, yes, pasta. This woman-owned business has four locations in Rome, and they're all B Corp certified with an emphasis on sustainability.