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'Gusto
If Terence Conran was Italian, he might have dreamed up 'Gusto, a formerly mould-breaking warehouse-style gastronomic complex. Now it's all a bit '90s, but it still has a buzz and is a great place to sit and eye up the new Richard Meier-designed Ara Pacis museum. Go for the Neapolitan-style pizzas rather than the fusion food in the restaurant.
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Agustarello
Old-timer Agustarello hides its in-the-know hubbub behind frosted glass. Inside, plain and simple, is thoroughly Roman, from the clientele to the food. It serves mostly offal, specialising in sweetbreads and oxtail, but if innards aren't your thing, you'll still eat splendidly here (though veggies may want to give it a miss).
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Al Forno della Soffitta
None of those namby-pamby thin crusts - this is pure Neapolitan pizza, keeping workers from nearby offices happy with its cheery décor, substantial dough and fine array of toppings. Try the amatriciana , topped with pancetta and tomato.
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Al Settimo Gelo
The name's a play on '7th heaven' and it's not a far-fetched title for one of Rome's finest gelato meisters, fixated on top-notch ingredients. Jaded palates shouldn't miss the Greek ice cream with cardamom, made to a vintage Afghan recipe.
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Alfredo e Ada
Find a seat at this tiny, brick-arched and wood-panelled place, with its spindly marble-topped tables, and then eat what Ada puts in front of you (there's no menu). It'll be simple tasty staples like pasta with tomato sauce and salsiccia con fagioli (sausage with beans). Dessert comes from Ada's legendary biscuit tin.
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Alle Fratte di Trastevere
A warm, welcoming trattoria with chirpy paintings, frothy curtains, delicious food and outside seating, Alle Fratte is a big hit with savvy priests, busy businesspeople and grateful tourists, all eager to tuck into big plates of classics like orecchiette a cacio e pepe (OK, the real Roman recipe uses spaghetti) and main courses of roasted fish and escalope.
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Andreotti
Film director and Ostiense local Ferzan Ozpetek is such a fan of the pastries here, he's known to cast them in his films. They're all stars, from the fragrant almond biscotti and buttery crostate (tarts) , to the piles of golden sfogliatelle romane (ricotta-filled pastries). There's even a supporting cast of savoury gems such as frittini (fried canapés) and cute-as-a-button bruschettine (mini bruschetta).
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Antica Hostaria Romanesca
If you want to sit and eat on the happening Campo, watching the flower market by day and the bar hoppers by night, this is a good choice. It's a simple, straightforward Roman eatery, with a cramped, TV-dominated interior and lots more seating outside on the square. Food is fine and good value, including bucatini all'amatriciana and meatballs.
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Armando al Pantheon
Since 1961 this warm, family-run trattoria, almost opposite the Pantheon, has been dishing out hearty staples such as herring with red onion and beans or gnocchi with tomato sauce. It's down-to-earth, classic and authentic, despite its history - philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre and footballer Pelé have both eaten here. To finish try the homemade cakes. Booking is advisable.
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Asinocotto
Asinocotto means 'cooked donkey' but don't let that put you off. The cooking here is creative, with imaginative, balanced, harmonious dishes such as loin of lamb stuffed with foie gras and caramelised figs, or swordfish with capers. The interior is invitingly hung with grapevine lighting, and it's one of Rome's few self-proclaimed gay-friendly restaurants.
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Boccione
You'll spot this small, ancient, Jewish bakery by the queue. Specialities include ricotta cake with chocolate flakes and cherries, marzipan amaretto biscuits, and mostacciolo romano (a kind of sweet biscuit) - all served by authentically grumpy elderly ladies.
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Bruschetteria degli Angeli
A vibrant pub-style place, this unpretentious joint specialises in bruschetta. Thick slabs of toasted bread come with a range of toppings: from the classic tomato, basil and olive oil to courgette flowers and mozzarella, and, in season, truffles. There are also decent pasta dishes and steaks, and a good range of seldom-seen Italian beers. In summer you can sit outside, though the views are nothing special.
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Cacio e Pepe
Romans flock for the home cooking at this humble trattoria, with gingham-clad tables spreading across the pavement in all directions. They'll even put up with freezing winter temperatures to sit outside and dig into great steaming bowls of classics as spaghetti alla carbonara and meatballs, rather than wait to eat in the tiny interior. Dessert is fruit and the coffee's good.
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Cantina Cantarini
Expect meat in the first half of the week and fish thereafter at this crowded, jovial, salt-of-the-earth centenarian. The plastic-covered menu focuses on the simple, robust flavours of Italy's Lazio and Le Marche regions, delivered by veteran staffer Mario Fattori (on the floor since 1946). Get in early or queue.
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Casetta di Trastevere
With outside seating on a cobbled Trastevere corner, this characterful trattoria is held in high regard by Italians, who will cheerfully queue for a table, either inside or out. What they're waiting for is no-nonsense hearty fare served in pleasantly large portions. Particularly good is the crema di fave con crostini (broad-bean puree with croutons) and pasta e fagioli (thick borlotti-bean soup). Service can be slow when it's busy.
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Charly's Sauciere
To recharge between San Giovanni and the Colosseum, try this small Italian-Swiss restaurant, with twee lace curtains, crisp white tablecloths and theatrical deep-red curtains. Choose from a menu that features delectable onion soup, Roquefort salad, different takes on steak and even fondue for two. Wines are mainly French.
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Checchino dal 1887
A pig's whisker from the city's former slaughterhouse, Checchino is a Roman institution, one of the grander restaurants specialising in offal, from calf heads to pig trotters. Run by the fifth generation of the Mariani family, it has risen from humble roots to become one of the city's most vaunted eateries, attracting a well-to-do clientele of local regulars and curious foreigners.
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Checco er Carettiere
Something of a food complex, this is a restaurant, bakery, gelateria and osteria . With a swinging 1950s feel, the restaurant is wood-panelled throughout and terracotta-floored. Roman dishes to savour include saltimbocca alla romana or bombolotti (ridged tube pasta) all'amatriciana . The osteria is a small, appealing place with a few daily specials. The cakes at the café ( - ) are delicious, and the ice cream good too.
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Colline Emiliane
Splendid food is the name of the game at this warm, elegant trattoria. It flies the flag for Emilia-Romagna, the Italian province that has gifted the world Parmesan cheese, balsamic vinegar, bolognese sauce and Parma ham. It's all about cream, veal, homemade pasta and scrumptious pasta fillings such as mashed pumpkin. Magnificent.
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Da Augusto
As a concession to the modern age, Augusto has printed a menu on laminated plastic. But don't look for other frills at this long-standing, much-loved trattoria. For a truly Roman meal plonk yourself at one of his rickety Formica tables and choose from the selection of traditional starters, pastas and meat dishes. Everything's good - the rigatoni all'amatriciana and stracciatella (clear broth with egg and Parmesan) are
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Da Enzo
With just a few tables, this is a classic Roman family-run trattoria that's been here for around 50 years. The chef used to cook at the parliament, and now feeds the workers from the nearby market. The fresh pasta is divine, the sausage super and the tiramisu feathery light.
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Da Enzo (Trastevere)
A warm-yellow, welcoming, pocket-sized trattoria, open to the street and decorated with pictures of cats. There are a few outside shaded tables. You can start with bruschetta with burrata, and go on to rigatoni cacio e pepe followed by abbacchio al forno (roasted lamb) and other such Roman classics.
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Da Felice
Film director Roberto Benigni has written a poem to this place. It's renowned for its food and the way cantankerous old Felice used to vet his clients. He's retired now but still keeps an occasional beady eye on proceedings. The trattoria has smartened up a lot, and is hidden behind frosted glass. If you make it inside you'll enjoy true Roman fare, great pasta and lots of meat and offal. You might get in trouble if you don't finish your food though.
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Da Francesco
Paper tablecloths, frazzled yet jovial waiters, tables sprawling along the cobbled street, and a menu of pizza, pasta and meat - this is the classic eat-up-and-ship-out joint. Long on character and short on frills, it's popular and fills up quickly, so unless you rock up early you'll have to queue. Pizzas are tasty and typical, beer is on tap and music comes by way of folksy guitar-strumming buskers.
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Da Giggetto
One of the best-known restaurants in the atmospheric Ghetto area, Da Giggetto is a marvellous labyrinth famous for its Roman-Jewish cooking. Particularly good are the fried starters like carciofi alla Giudia and fiore di zucca ; baccalà is another tried-and-tested favourite. Bag an outside table next to the ancient ruins of the Portico d'Ottavia.
