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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?
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.
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 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.
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).
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.
The place to go for Rome's extraordinary carciofi alla giudia, Piperno has been in business since 1860. The location, up a tiny hill in a piazza tucked away behind the palazzos of the Jewish Ghetto, lends the restaurant a rarefied air. In addition to the artichokes, try the exquisite prosciutto and buffalo mozzarella plate, the fiori di zucca ripieni e fritti (fried stuffed zucchini flowers), and filetti di baccalà to start. The display of fresh, local fish is enticing enough to lure diners to try offerings from sea instead of land.
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.
Set in a structure so massive that it takes up the better part of a block on a street that's gone from gritty clubland to popular nightspot, Porto Fluviale is a bar, caffè, pizzeria, lunch buffet, and lively evening restaurant with a sprawling design that honors the area's industrial past. The menu is all encompassing, too, with dishes that highlight cuisine from all over Italy.
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 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.
At this old school restaurant favorited by politicians and other VIPs, jovial waiters in while jackets serve traditional seafood specialties, including raw platters, spaghetti with clams, and whole baked fish. It's one of the few places in town where you can still get risotto alla crema di scampi.
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.
On chic Via del Babuino, the former studio of neoclassical sculptor Antonio Canova and his student, Adamo Tadolini, is now an atmospheric spot for coffee, a snack, or lunch. Opt for the budget-friendly option of taking your coffee at the bar while admiring the enormous plaster copies of the maestros' work, or pay more for table service and sit amid vast sculptures. Food is run-of-the-mill, but the setting is splendid.
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.
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.
Named in homage to the Italian-American crooner, this intimate restaurant has a refined yet casual atmosphere, with wine bottles lining the walls, black-and-white photographs of jazz musicians, and vintage touches like rotary telephones. The menu emphasizes Italian classics, with options like raw meat and fish, fried artichokes, carbonara, meatballs, and steaks. On Friday and Saturday nights, you can dine while listening to live jazz.
Impresario chef Stefano Callegari's casual restaurant excels at reimagining nostalgic dishes, as evidenced by the fettuccine al tortellino, which transforms the classic tortellini in brodo into a rich primo of homemade fettuccine cooked in broth and topped with mortadella, prosciutto, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and nutmeg. Order à la carte, or opt for one of the affordable tasting menus, which include an appetizer, primo, secondo, side dish, and dessert.
Pizzamaker Antonio Ruver may be young, but he has already spent years working alongside Rome’s pizza master Gabriele Bonci. Now setting out on his own solo venture, Ruver specializes in preportioned pizza by the slice. The expertly crunchy base comes topped with all the classics, but there is plenty of experimentation too, if you’re more in the mood for chicken curry pizza or hearty ragù on pizza bianca. The small shop is standing room only.
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.
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.
A Prati institution for more than a century, this family-run café has been in its current location since 1937, and it looks like little has changed since then. Grab a table or stand at the counter and order the signature caffè con cioccolato fondente (espresso with melted chocolate). Pastries, sandwiches, and cocktails are also available.
Crowning the Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese hotel, this chic restaurant serves fancy takes on Rome's cucina povera (peasant cooking) in a chic space with graphic punches of color. The terrace offers fantastic views that stretch from Villa Borghese to the dome of St. Peter's, but the interior dining room, with its floor-to-ceiling windows and terrazzo-inspired floors, is lovely, too.
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.
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.
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.
This elegant little restaurant inside the Galleria Alberto Sordi is bringing top-notch Milanese cuisine to the capital. Though there's a section of the menu dedicated to Roman pastas, we recommend sticking to Milanese classics, like the mondeghili (Milanese meatballs), risotto alla milanese, and osso buco, which comes in a hefty pan served atop risotto.
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.
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.
