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In Rome, the Eternal(ly culinarily conservative) City, simple yet traditional cuisine reigns supreme. Most chefs prefer to follow the mantra of freshness over fuss, and simplicity of flavor and preparation over complex cooking techniques.
Rome has been known since antiquity for its grand feasts and banquets, and dining out has alway been a favorite Roman pastime. Until recently, the city's buongustaii (gourmands) would have been the first to tell you that Rome is distinguished more by its enthusiasm for eating out than for a multitude of world-class restaurants—but this is changing. There is an ever-growing promotion of slow-food practices, a focus on sustainably and locally sourced produce. The economic crisis has forced the food industry in Rome to adopt innovative ways to maintain a clientele who are increasingly looking to dine out but want to spend less. The result has been the rise of "street food" restaurants, selling everything from inexpensive and novel takes on the classic supplì (Roman fried-rice balls) to sandwich shops that use a variety of organic ingredients.
Generally speaking, Romans like Roman food, and that’s what you’ll find in many of the city’s trattorias and wine bars. For the most part, today’s chefs cling to the traditional and excel at what has taken hundreds, sometimes thousands, of years to perfect. This is why the basic trattoria menu is more or less the same wherever you go. And it's why even the top Roman chefs feature their versions of simple trattoria classics like carbonara, and why those who attempt to offer it in a "deconstructed" or slightly varied way will often come under criticism. To a great extent, Rome is still a town where the Italian equivalent of "What are you in the mood for?" still gets the answer, "Pizza or pasta."
Nevertheless, Rome is the capital of Italy, and because people move here from every corner of the Italian peninsula, there are more variations on the Italian theme in Rome than you'd find elsewhere in Italy: Sicilian, Tuscan, Pugliese, Bolognese, Marchegiano, Sardinian, and northern Italian regional cuisines are all represented. And reflecting the increasingly cosmopolitan nature of the city, you'll find a growing number of good-quality international foods here as well—particularly Japanese, Indian, and Ethiopian.
Oddly enough, though, for a nation that prides itself on la bella figura ("looking good"), most Romans don't fuss about music, personal space, lighting, or decor. After all, who needs flashy interior design when so much of Roman life takes place outdoors, when dining alfresco in Rome can take place in the middle of a glorious ancient site or a centuries-old piazza?
Many people say this place—which is around the corner from the Trevi Fountain and had a cameo in the movie Eat, Pray, Love—serves the best gelato in Rome. Creative flavors like black fig, chocolate rum, Armagnac, and ginger-cinnamon all incorporate top-notch ingredients, and the shop is known for keeping its gelato hidden under metal covers to better preserve the quality.
This always-crowded pizzeria opens early and closes late, and in between it's packed with locals, tourists, and sports fans who know they can watch the Roma soccer team play on big flat-screen TVs. The selection of pizzas is extensive, with delicious mains available as well. The coveted street-side tables are a great spot from which to view Trastevere's people parade. The service can be slow, so don't go for a quick meal.
Right near the Vatican Metro stop, the "Island of Pizza" is also known for its copious antipasti. Ask for the house appetizers, and a waiter will swoop down numerous plates of salad, seafood, bruschetta, prosciutto, and crispy pizza bianca to choose from. Though it's easy to fill up on starters—you can order just one, or a selection for a fixed price—the pizza is dependably good, and meat lovers appreciate the steak.
Romans are starting to recognize Monteverde as a foodie hub, and this trattoria is one of the neighborhood's outstanding spots. The food ranges from the classics to carefully thought-out modern creations, but whatever you order, the quality of the produce shines. Dishes include hearty pastas, toasted veal tongue, and delicious onion soup. Desserts like cinnamon and pear cheesecake or tiramisu pair well with the selection of local dessert wines, like moscato from Terracina, a coastal town not far from Rome.
Fraschetta is the name given to one of the casual, boisterous countryside spots just outside Rome, where the menu focuses on porchetta, the Italian version of roast pork. This is a city-styled version of such an establishment, and the atmosphere is typical, with waiters yelling across the room and frequently breaking into song. Order porchetta (of course) and a cheese and charcuterie board, and follow it with pasta carbonara or amatriciana. The tiramisu here, served in a jar, is worth saving room for. Don't bother asking for a wine list—the only choice is the daily house wine, served in a tumbler, as it would be at a true fraschetta.
The pizza at this neighborhood spot is Roman-style—with a thin crust, charred on the edges. All the standard toppings are available, from margherita to buffalo mozzarella and prosciutto, but try one of the newfangled combinations like ricotta and pancetta and edible wildflowers. The supplì here are outstanding, and the perfect start to a meal. There are close to 100 varieties of craft beers to choose from, and the desserts are all homemade.
The crusts on the pizza at this casual, perennially popular spot just off the Piazza Navona are super-thin and charred around the edges a little—the sign of a good wood-burning oven. This is one of a few pizzerias open for both lunch and dinner, and it's busy day and night. Service is brusque, so don't expect to be invited to linger, but prices are low. When the weather is nice, there are tables outside, making this one of the most pleasant places for a cheap meal in the neighborhood.
This no-frills pizzeria al taglio (by the slice) and bakery is hidden a few minutes away from Piazza Trilussa. As in many traditional bakeries, pizza is sold by weight, so get yours sliced to the size you want. In the mornings, the pastries hot out of the oven are equally enticing, and you can order them from the window on the street if you prefer to snack and stroll.
In summer, the line at this gelateria stretches out the door and around the corner. Though it's a franchise that originated in Rimini, it's loved by Romans for its rich, creamy gelato made with organic milk, fresh fruit, nuts, and chocolate. This location is a bit out of the way, but there are also branches in Prati, Ostiense, San Giovanni, and near Piazza Navona.
This family-run institution has been serving seafood in the working-class Testaccio neighborhood for more than 40 years, and if you visit the local market early enough you might spot the owner selecting the freshest fish, which mainly arrives from Gaeta, south of Rome. The menu changes every day, but look for house specialties like paccheri (a very large tubular pasta) with totani (baby calamari), pasta with telline (small clams), or the wondrously simple spaghetti with lobster. Start with appetizers from the cart that the waiter can wheel over to the table, or opt for the excellent moscardini fritti (fried, small squid). Although the menu has non-seafood Roman classics like cacio e pepe and pajata (intestines of an unweaned calf), this really is the place to order fish.
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.
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.
Circus Maximus was a place for sporting entertainment, and now, just a few minutes’ walk from the ancient chariot track, Numa al Circo focuses on gastronomic spectacle. Carbonara pasta, melon-sized balls of mozzarella di bufala perched precariously atop massive platters of tomatoes, and traditional thin crust pizzas are the crowd favorites.
You might overlook Osteria der Belli because of its proximity to the central square of Trastevere, Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere—and that would be a crying shame. Leo, the owner, is Sardinian and has been running this place daily for over 35 years, and, while Roman dishes are on the menu, it excels at seafood and Sardinian cuisine. Between the friendly service and quality food, this one's a real find in an otherwise-touristy part of Trastevere.
A slow wander through town for a scoop of gelato after lunch or dinner is a summer sport in Rome. Galley-sized Otaleg is a must in Trastevere, where gelato master Marco Radicioni dreams up concoctions like croccante totale (completely crunchy) with fiordilatte, toasted nuts, sesame, and honey, as well as perfectly distilled seasonal fruit sorbets made with produce from the nearby open-air market in Piazza San Cosimato. The name may seem peculiar, but it is simply "gelato" spelled backward.
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.
This tiny, old-school bakery famed for its Roman-Jewish sweet specialties doesn't have a sign but is easy to spot because there is always a line snaking out the door. Service is brusque, choices are few, what's available depends on the season, and when it's sold out, it's sold out.
This chic, modern pasticceria and caffè run by a husband-and-wife team is the perfect place to stop for a quick lunch or something sweet near MACRO and Villa Torlonia. The panettone is award-winning, but it's far from the only thing worth trying—the cakes, petit fours, macarons, and gelato are some of the best in Rome. You'll also find savory pastries and sandwiches featuring house-made croissants and buns.
In Rome, you'll usually find either pizza tonda (round) or pizza al taglio (by the slice), but there's also pizza pinsa—an oval-shaped individual pie that's a little thicker than the classic Roman pizza. Pinsere is mostly a take-out shop, with people eating on the street for their lunch break, so it's the perfect quick meal. There is a large selection of meat and vegetarian toppings. The big winners are the tomato and buffalo mozzarella and the mortadella and pistachio versions.
This place is packed pretty much every night with diners munching on crisp pizzas that come out of the wood-burning ovens at top speed. It's best not to go during peak dining hours, so go early or late if you don't want to wait. Fortunately there's lots of great nightlife in the area so you can make a whole evening of it.
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.
Arrive promptly at 7 pm or expect to wait in line at this pizzeria favored by students and locals. There are no tablecloths or other nonessentials, just excellent classic Roman pizza and boisterous conversation. Start with some fried delicacies like zucchini flowers stuffed with mozzarella and anchovy or a battered piece of baccalà, then order the crispy-thin pizza that many consider the best in the city. You can't go wrong with the simple margherita, especially if you opt for the buffalo mozzarella version.
This friendly spot, a stone's throw from the Musei Vaticani, serves super-fresh, organic, made-to-order sandwiches, poke bowls, and salads. Seating is limited.
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.
Frequented by tourists and government officials from the nearby Senate alike, this caffè is considered by many to make Rome's best coffee. Take it at the counter Roman-style—servers are hidden behind a huge espresso machine, where they vigorously mix the sugar and coffee to protect their secret method for the perfectly prepared cup (if you want yours without sugar here, ask for it senza zucchero). Their sister caffè, Emporio Sant'Eustachio, is a modern specialty coffee shop a few minutes’ walk away past the Pantheon.
More upscale than a typical pizzeria but casual enough for a weeknight, this establishment pairs its pies with sparkling wines instead of beer. Opt for a classic pizza, or go with an innovative option, like one topped with squash, speck, pomegranate, and mint.
The focus at this happening spot is on using excellently sourced products to make simple but wonderful food. In the morning and afternoon, stop in for freshly baked sweet treats; in the evening, when people spill out into the street with cocktails in hand, come for an aperitivo or a hearty meal. Prices are great for the neighborhood and the quality of dishes.
Trastevere's best supplì (Roman-style rice croquettes) have been served at this hole-in-the-wall takeout spot since 1979. At lunchtime, the line spills out onto the street with locals who've come for the namesake treats, as well as fried baccalà fillets and stuffed zucchini flowers. The thin-crust pizza al taglio is baked the old-fashioned way—in low-rise rectangular pans—and the spicy marinara version is a must. A few daily pasta specials are available, too.
