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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?
The red-velvet chairs and marble tables of one of Rome's oldest caffès have seen the likes of Byron, Shelley, Keats, Goethe, and Casanova. Locals love basking in the more than 260 years of history held within its dark-wood walls lined with antique artwork; tourists appreciate its location amid the shopping madness of upscale Via Condotti. Drink your coffee at the counter for a much less expensive experience.
The scent of cookies wafts out into the street as you approach this family-run bakery, where a small team makes sweet treats the old-school way in a massive oven bought in the 1960s. There are dozens of varieties of baked goods, mostly sweet but some savory. Try the brutti ma buoni, the dainty floral cookies with marmalade centers, and anything made with almond paste or covered in chocolate.
In a window next to the entrance of this renowned gelateria, you can see the fresh fruit being used to create the day's flavors, which highlight the best of Italy—from Amalfi lemons to Alban hazelnuts. In addition to traditional options, look for interesting combinations like raspberry and sage or white chocolate with basil. There are also homemade chocolates and biscotti along the counter.
Open since 1900, Giolitti near the Pantheon is Rome's old-school gelateria par excellence. Pay in advance at the register by the door; take your receipt to the counter; and choose from dozens of flavors, including chocolate, cinnamon, and pistachio. The prices rise steeply with table service, so most people take it to go and eat outside.
The unusual flavors of gelato scooped up here include cinnamon and ginger and fig with cardamom and walnut, but the classics also get rave reviews. Ask for a taste of the passito flavor, if it's available; it's inspired by the popular sweet Italian dessert wine. The homemade panna or whipped cream is a great addition to any flavor. If you can't decide on one, mix and match.
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.
Located at the base of the Spanish Steps, this family-run English-style tea house has catered to the refined tea and scone cravings of travelers since 1893. The blends are carefully designed and can be brought to your homey table accompanied by a tower of tiny sandwiches, a fully loaded salad, a club sandwich, or curry. Linger over a slice of homemade cake, and ask the server about the history of the tearooms.
Here, gelato production is artisanal, and the selection of seasonal sorbetti and cremolate (the latter is similar to sorbetto but made with the fruit pulp rather than just fruit juice) is diverse. Although the gelateria got a contemporary makeover for its 50th birthday, it offers the same old-fashioned treats that the family has been serving for decades.
Immediately beside the Pantheon is this gelateria, which is well known for its flavors, like mango, pistachio, and chocolate chip. The chocolate sorbetto—an icier version of gelato, made without the dairy—is also excellent, and even better with a dollop of whipped cream on top. The shop is small but the service is fast and friendly.
Hidden inside a covered arcade, this Sicilian pasticceria, which opened in 1955, has pastry cases filled with cannoli, cassata, cakes, and marzipan as well as savory items like sandwiches and arancini. Go for breakfast, and try the cornetto filled with ricotta and chocolate chips—this might be the only place in Rome where you can find it.
The highest-quality ingredients go into the gelato here, and the flavors range from the traditional to the wonderfully unique (think Gorgonzola or tobacco and chocolate). The fruit flavors are always in season.
The gelato is certainly excellent—the chocolate chip and After Eight (mint chocolate chip) flavors are delicious—but this small spot is also known for its affogato di zabaione (hot espresso poured over a small scoop of creamy marsala wine ice cream). Look for intriguing seasonal gelato flavors like pear cinnamon.
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.
Established in 1878, Venchi is one of Italy's premier confectioners, and you'll see the brand all over the country. At this brick-and-mortar shop, you can buy chocolate as well as gelato, made fresh daily. The nougat and caramel flavors are fabulous, and, of course, there are several chocolate variations, but the real crowd-pleaser is the fountain of melted chocolate that takes up the entire wall behind the counter. There's a second location on Via della Croce, but this branch is more impressive.
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.
Set in a historical, ivy-covered building in the Piazza del Catalone, with its famous fountain for pilgrims, this charming gelato shop makes its products according to tradition, with just the essentials: milk, cream, sugar, and eggs—usually all from organic farms. Its sorbetti are also classic, consisting of just water, sugar, and 51% minimum of fruit. Cannoli and other desserts are also made in the shop.
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.
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.
Formerly a fine dining restaurant, this sleek caffè and bakery now serves brunch every day until 4 pm. When you tire of pasta, come here for international standards like eggs Benedict and avocado toast, plus specialty coffee (including the oh-so-rare-for-Rome filter coffee) and sweet treats.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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