Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion.
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?
With wood-paneled walls, white tablecloths, and formally attired waiters, the vibe is old school at this Prati standby, so it's no surprise that the menu emphasizes culinary tradition. Homemade pasta with meat sauce is the primo to order; marinated anchovies and sardines or raw oysters quell seafood cravings, and thick Florentine steaks satisfy meat lovers.
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.
At the most upscale wine bar in town, you come for the vino but return for the food. Everything here is appropriately raffinato (refined): raw and marinated fish; spaghetti with garlic and minced raw shrimp; and saffron risotto with red prawn carpaccio. Main courses might be seafood or meat—all of which complement the vast offerings of top-notch wines.
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.
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.
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.
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.
A coffee bar by day with specialty brews and excellent pastries, this popular enoteca has an impressive selection of Italian, French, and other international natural wines on the menu. The brunch menu offers bacon-and-egg sandwiches and healthy breakfast bowls, while the lunch and dinner offerings lean more traditionally Italian. In the summer, sit out on the patio just outside the walls of tranquil Villa Sciarra and you'll feel a million miles from the hectic clamor of Rome.
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 bright, white-subway-tiled bistro functions as a bar, café, and restaurant all in one, with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Salads, pastas, steaks, and seafood run the international gamut, but the beef burger is a standout. Although the restaurant buzzes from morning till night, things are especially busy in the late afternoon and early evening, when the waitstaff serves cocktails and light bites.
Family-owned neighborhood staple with its quintessentially Roman wooden tables and wood-beamed ceilings, Matricianella charms with hearty Roman dishes and a biblical wine list. Try any of the Roman pasta trifecta—amatriciana, cacio e pepe, and carbonara—or other classics like crispy fried artichokes or saltimbocca alla romana (thin veal slices with prosciutto and sage).
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 neighborhood institution serves all the Roman-Jewish classics. Like most of the starters, the carciofi alla giudia (Jewish-style artichokes) are outstanding, and a perfect meal might also include the carbonara, which incorporates dried beef instead of guanciale, or the semolina gnocchi baked in a terra-cotta ramekin. The restaurant gets extremely busy, so don't expect service to be all that attentive; the food more than makes up for it, though.
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.
This casual, trendy place—vibrant with colorful paintings by local artists—is a great spot to enjoy an ancient piazza while savoring a glass of wine or a gourmet meal. The simple but innovative menu includes dishes like Roman artichokes with baccalà, beef tagliata (sliced grilled steak) with a red-wine reduction, and a perfectly cooked duck breast with red fruit sauce. Outdoor tables (April–October) make you feel as if you're in an open-air museum since your perch looks out over the Tempio d'Adriano (AD 145). If ever there was a place to linger outdoors over limoncello, this is it.
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.
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.
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.
This tiny family-run restaurant has changed a lot since it first opened in 1959 as a simple trattoria. Today you'll still find classic Roman dishes on the menu, but it's worth trying original creations like salmon marinated in Aperol with avocado and savory panna cotta or the homemade ravioli stuffed with ricotta and topped with octopus confit. There is just a handful of tables inside, but in the warmer seasons you can sit outside on the cobblestone street.
A favorite among international journalists and the rich and famous since 1934, this elegant Tuscan restaurant with wood-paneled walls and white tablecloths does not seem to have changed at all over the decades. Its menu is meat-focused with many Tuscan classics: try the bistecca di costa all'arrabbiata, a flavorful rib-eye steak cooked with chili and garlic.
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.
The draw here—in addition to the wonderful food—is the fantastic setting on Isola Tiberina, the wondrously picturesque island set in the middle of the Tiber River between the Jewish Ghetto and Trastevere. As for the food, try the delicious prosciutto and mozzarella to start and move on to classics like pasta all'amatriciana, meatballs in tomato sauce, or Roman baby lamb chops. The stuffed calamari in white wine sauce is worthy of facendo una scarpetta—taking a piece of bread to sop up the savory sauce. The dining rooms, spread over two floors, are elegant, and service is discreet.
At this restaurant, you get to enjoy an evening of historical interest alongside an excellent meal. The building was constructed on the site of an 11th-century synagogue, and the spot is rich with history—several ancient sculptures, now in the Vatican and Capitoline museums, were unearthed in the basement in the 19th century. The proud owner is happy to explain every dish on the menu and offers a post-dinner tour of the wine cellar—and the famed basement.
An increasingly familiar sight on the streets of Rome are all-you-can-eat Japanese restaurants, popular for their inexpensive prices—but Take Sushi couldn't be further from this concept. It's all about top-quality, authentic food here. The pan-fried gyoza are a good way to start, followed by an order of a variety of sashimi and classic hand rolls (the menu features predominantly familiar options like spicy tuna and California rolls).
The Borgo area near St. Peter's Basilica hasn't been known for culinary excellence, but Taverna Angelica was one of the first refined restaurants in this part of town. The dining room is small, which allows the chef to create a menu that's inventive without being pretentious.
Exposed brick walls and tables made from upcycled parquet flooring or white marble are among the design elements at this welcoming bistro founded by two surfer brothers. With the exception of primi (pastas) and burgers, all of the dishes can be ordered as full-size options or small portions that let you taste your way through the menu.
This beloved neighborhood trattoria does many things well, from the fried starters to the pastas to the meaty secondi (second course), so it's no surprise that it's won the hearts—and stomachs—of Romans all over town. The wine list is extensive, and the friendly waitstaff are happy to offer advice. There's also a pleasant outdoor seating area when weather allows.
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.
Sitting between Testaccio and Ostiense, Trattoria Pennestri manages to strike a careful balance between tradition and innovation. The thoughtful takes on Roman classics brighten up heavy dishes and add a more appetizing spin to some of the city's beloved entrails recipes. The wine list, which features many natural and organic producers, is also excellent.
