28 Best Restaurants in Esquilino and Environs, Rome

This family-run hole-in-the-wall has been in business since 1890 and specializes in one thing and one thing only: porchetta, the slow-roasted pig that the town of Ariccia in the Castelli Romani is famous for. Alessandro, the fifth-generation proprietor, slices it thin and slaps it on a sandwich roll. For vegetarians and the pork-averse, there are cheese-and-veggie sandwiches.

Pigneto is full of hip restaurants and bars now, but Necci is the neighborhood's original hangout, the haunt of famed director Pier Paolo Pasolini, who grew up in Pigneto when it was still a rough-and-tumble working-class area. There's a full menu of pastas and other Italian fare, but the servers won't bat an eye if you just want drinks or a small bite; it also hosts wine tastings in its recently discovered, 1st-century-BC hypogeum. Inside, a white-and-orange color scheme gives off a mod 1960s vibe; outside, a street-art-style portrait of Pasolini overlooks a large patio where people eat and drink from morning till night. 

In addition to serving the usual array of sandwiches, salads, pastries, and gelato, this caffè—conveniently situated at the No. 660 bus stop on the corner of Via di Cecilia Metella—has teamed up with Bicycle Roma to rent bikes to use on the Appian Way and arranges guided tours (book via  www.bicycleroma.com). There's lots of outside seating in the back, where your meal will be accompanied by birdsong.

One of the next-gen pizzerias taking over the Eternal City, this place has locals buzzing about its superlative Neapolitan-style pies and colorful, punchy design. High-quality ingredients sourced from Campania, including mozzarella from Agerola and San Marzano tomatoes, top the pizzas, which range from a traditional margherita to the "tartufata" with mozzarella, truffle cream, porcini mushrooms, guanciale, and basil.

Set in what was once an industrial space, this cavernous all-day restaurant and bar—replete with soaring ceilings, Chesterfield sofas, and open shelves filled with wine bottles—is popular for coworking, aperitivo, and apericena (light evening meal with small plates). The menu eschews pasta and focuses instead on pinsa (Roman-style oval pizzas) as well as fritti (fried foods), burgers and steaks, and some salads and other light fare.

At this welcoming osteria run by three young owners, wood-paneled walls, terrazzo floors, and green pendant lamps evoke 1970s nostalgia. The menu features homestyle dishes like tortellini in brodo, fried meatballs with salsa verde, and puntarelle (bitter greens dressed with anchovy sauce). The restaurant is connected to the pizzeria next door, whose pizzaiolo bakes the bread in his wood-fired oven.

At this spot on a quiet street near Piazza Vittorio, Scandinavian-inspired minimalist design is the backdrop for bread and pastries by fourth-generation baker Sergio Conti. You'll find staples like excellent croissants and pain au chocolat as well as special items like apple strudel, cheesecake, or brioche with salted caramel and peanuts.

This gelateria (open until midnight) places quality above all else and can easily rival some of Rome's most storied ice-cream shops. All flavors are properly labeled for special dietary restrictions. The sorbetti here, from Amalfi lemon to raspberry basil, are bursting with flavor. Pair one with a creamier variety like pistachio, available in both regular and vegan versions.

The four owners of this pizzeria come from the deep south (Sicily, Calabria, Campania, and Puglia), and the influence can clearly be seen in the pizza, which is of the thicker Neapolitan variety. There are classic pizzas and interesting options like the Pizza dei Fratelli with 'nduja (a spicy Calabrian sausage), smoked provola cheese, and porcini mushrooms.

In this circa-1804 farmhouse you can dine beside the fireplace in cool weather or in the garden under age-old vines in summer. Specialties include risotto with robiola cheese, beets, and hazelnuts, rack of lamb with Jerusalem artichoke, and fresh seafood. The atmosphere is friendly and intimate, but the vast property can also accommodate large parties.

Part of the wave of new restaurants with chefs embracing Rome's traditional cucina povera and making it hip for a younger audience, Mazzo doesn't shy away from off-cuts like tripe. Vintage furniture and vinyl records set the tone, while the wine list focuses on natural and organic wines. For diners who'd rather skip innards, there are plenty of vegetable-focused items and more innocuous pastas on the menu.

This gourmet food hall is in the last place you'd expect—Termini Station—and it's great for a quick bite even if you're not catching a train. There are stalls from some of Rome's best food purveyors, including Stefano Callegari (of trapizzino fame), pizzaiolo Marco Quintili, and fritti by Arcangelo Dandini. In addition to pizza, pasta, and gelato, you'll also find sushi, empanadas, hamburgers, truffle dishes, and Sicilian specialties. 

Opened in 1929, this bakery and tavola calda sells both sweet and savory items, including more than 70 types of bread. Line up for the pizza al taglio (by the slice) at lunchtime, or sit down at one of the outdoor tables for a cappuccino and cornetto or an aperitivo replete with mini sandwiches made on homemade buns. There's also a small location inside Termini Station where you can grab a quick espresso on the way to catch a train. 

Not to be confused with the art foundation also located inside the former Cerere pasta factory, this industrial-chic restaurant wouldn't be out of place in New York or London. Some dishes combine Italian and international flavors with out-of-the-box results, while others feature subtle touches like adding salted ricotta to the fusilloni pasta with smoked tomato sauce. On some evenings, there's live music or a DJ.

Reservations are a good idea (especially if you'd like to sit outside) at this popular spot, where the changing menu of Roman dishes reflects the use of seasonal produce. Start with one of the many foccacie, such as goat cheese, grilled zucchini, and thyme, and then move on to a primo—perhaps a hearty ragù in cooler months or a more-delicate vegetarian pasta dish in the summer. Main courses include fillets of salted cod or an excellent trippa alla romana (Roman-style tripe).

At this pizzeria in the Appio-Latino area between San Giovanni and the Appia Antica, respected pizzaiolo Marco Quintili strays from his usual Neapolitan style to create extremely thin dough with a 48-hour leavening process, topped with the best quality ingredients. Don't skip the fried starters, including the signature "gelato genovese," which arrives on popsicle sticks.

Hailing from the province of Caserta, where some of Italy's best pizzerias are located, Marco Quintili is quietly taking Rome by storm. His dough is heavenly light, with a soft, puffy crust, and he uses high-quality toppings like San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella di bufala, and sausage from Caserta to make traditional and creative pizzas that are among the city's best. There is also a stand in the Mercato Centrale.

A cornerstone of the neighborhood, this historic family-run restaurant was bombed during the Second World War, but later reopened and became a favorite of artists, intellectuals, politicians, and actors, including Stanley Tucci, who came here on his show Searching for Italy. Homestyle Roman cuisine is the specialty here, with dishes like fettuccine with porcini mushrooms, chicken and peppers, and fried lamb chops.

Originally opened as a wine shop, this bistro has floor-to-ceiling shelves stacked with some 2,000 bottles from renowned wineries like Antinori and Frescobaldi. Ask for a recommendation to accompany dishes that range from tried-and-true favorites, including tagliatelle al ragù and eggplant parmigiana to a burger or black cod. Save room for the molten chocolate cake or tiramisù served in a moka pot.

Established in 1916, this family-run pasticceria is famous for its maritozzi (soft, sweet cream buns), which often sell out by lunchtime. Other pastries include cream puffs, cannoli, and tarts made with tiny wild strawberries from Nemi.

Tucked away in a little alley, this historical shop and tearoom is heaven for chocolate lovers. Third-generation owner Fabrizio de Mauro carries on the tradition started by his grandfather, who lost his original shop during the bombings of WWII, though the factory has always been here. Buy some chocolates and pralines at the shop up front or sit and savor a decadent hot chocolate, cakes, pastries, and a selection of savory items in a cozy space decorated with early 20th-century industrial relics. Everything is produced on-site.

Though she hails from Abruzzo, the young chef-owner Sarah Cicolini earned her place as one of the rising stars in Rome's restaurant scene at this trendy trattoria, where she embraces quinto quarto—or the fifth quarter of an animal, like tripe, tail, and heart. Be sure to book ahead for the vintage vibes and superlative carbonara.

At this award-winning pizzeria in the Appio-Latino area between San Giovanni and the Appia Antica, the dough is thicker than traditional Roman-style pizza and sturdier than Neapolitan-style pizza. Creative offerings include a cacio e pepe pizza and the "Tropeana" topped with mozzarella di bufala, Tropea onions, taggiasca olives, 'nduja from Calabria, and lemon zest. There's also an ample selection of fritti, including mozzarella in carrozza, zucchini blossoms, and several types of supplì.

The name refers to its proximity to the tram tracks, but it could also be used to describe the small interior of the restaurant, which is often packed with diners (in warmer weather there's a "side car" of tables along the sidewalk). Founded by Rosanna Borrelli and her two daughters, the restaurant gives Roman cuisine slight Puglian touches, emphasizing meat and vegetables—pappardelle with a white ragù of lamb and artichokes, for example—as well as a variety of homemade pastas.

There is just a handful of wooden tables crowded into the upstairs and downstairs dining rooms at this family-run trattoria, where the walls are festooned with photographs and soccer jerseys. Owner Danilo Valenti presides over the dining room, while his mother, Pina, whips up Roman classics, including an excellent carbonara, carciofi alla romana, and cacio e pepe that gets tossed tableside in a wheel of pecorino cheese.

This casual, relaxed trattoria follows the style of a fraschetta, a type of countryside restaurant where the menu focuses on porchetta—here, it's served on butcher's paper according to how many people are in your party. Accompany the main attraction with a cheese-and-charcuterie board followed by pasta all’amatriciana or cacio e pepe.