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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?
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.
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.
The craft beer movement has taken hold in Italy, and this stylish, sprawling space tucked down a tiny side road near Campo de' Fiori is headed up by the Baladin beer company. Staff members take their jobs—and brews—seriously, and they're helpful with recommendations from the more than 40 choices on tap and the over 100 options in bottles. For food, there are chicken strips, hand-cut chips, and savory burgers.
Helmed by Colombian-Italian chef Roy Caceres, Orma boasts a modern mix of inventive gastronomy, sleek wooden interiors, and attentive service. The rotating prix fixe menus offer delicacies like egg tortelli stuffed with pig head and drizzled with roasted onion broth. Choose a five- or eight-course prix-fixe menu, or a mixture of dishes from both menus. At lunch, it offers more casual bistro fare.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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