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Necci
Cinema great Pier Paolo Pasolini loved the place, and local bohemians still flock to retro-tastic Necci to nosh and slosh to blaring '60s pop. Especially jumping at night, this place is Pigneto at its unadulterated best. Soak up beers and philosophy on the terrace or tuck into hearty, homemade grub to Little Tony jukebox tunes.
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Obikà
Part of Rome's new guard, this is a mozzarella bar that resembles a sushi joint, but with the white stuff rather than the fishy stuff. The name isn't Japanese: it means 'here it is' in Neapolitan dialect, and the mozzarella arrives fresh daily at . Try the burrata (mozzarella-like cheese filled with cream). Brunch is famously good too. Décor is ancient meets modern with columns and an underlit floor.
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Osteria ar Galletto
You wouldn't expect there to be anywhere reasonably priced on Piazza Farnese, one of Rome's loveliest outdoor rooms, but this long-running osteria is the real thing, with good, honest Roman food, a warm local atmosphere and dazzlingly set exterior tables. Roasted chicken is the house speciality ( galletto means little rooster), but the roasted lamb in season is just as fine.
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Osteria del Gambero Rosso
Lip-smacking restaurant at Città del Gusto, a six-storey shrine to gastronomy run by Italy's premier food organisation, Gambero Rosso.
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Osteria dell'Angelo
Having hung up his boots, former rugby player Angelo has been at the helm of his neighbourhood trattoria since 1989. Nowadays it's a hugely popular spot - making a reservation a must - with paper cloths on solid wooden tables and photos of Angelo's sporting heroes on the walls.
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Osteria dell'Ingegno
A casual yet chic restaurant, this is a favourite of Italian politicians and their glamorous entourages. Eat inside at brightly painted tables, surrounded by cubist-style paintings, or outside overlooking the charming square and temple of Apollo. Food has an adventurous twist, and dishes include a delicious salad of fresh buffalo mozzarella, baby chicory and anchovies, and farfalle (butterfly-shaped pasta) with leeks and saffron.
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Osteria della Frezza
Part of the 'Gusto complex , della Frezza is trendy yet simple, with white-tiled, photo-covered walls and a monochrome look. It's part osteria , part enoteca and part tapas bar. As well as selections of meat or cheese, you can order cichetti (mini-helpings) of pasta, meat and fish dishes on the menu, such as tortelli di baccalà (cod in pasta wraps) and fried ricotta.
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Osteria Margutta
Epitomizing the picturesque trattoria, this theatrical spot is colourful both inside and out: blue flowers and ivy cover the quaint entrance, while inside its blue glass, rich reds and fringed lampshades. Plaques on the chairs testify to famous thespian bums it has supported. The menu combines classic and regional dishes; fish is served fresh on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday. Desserts are homemade, there's a top wine list and service is friendly.
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Osteria qui se Magna!
A real neighbourhood secret, this buzzing, gay-friendly osteria (wine bar serving food) serves up cheap, lip-smacking Roman dishes such as pasta all'amatriciana (pasta with tomato, pancetta and chilli-pepper sauce) , grilled meats and puntarella (Lazio chicory with anchovies, garlic and a splash of vinegar) to loud'n'merry locals. Book for weekend dining.
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Osteria Sostegno
A well-kept secret, this intimate place is a favourite of journalists and politicians, with simple yet excellent dishes such as caprese (tomato and mozzarella salad) and lasagnetto al forno con punte di asparagi (little lasagne with asparagus heads). There's a charming small terrace between the steep walls of a narrow alley. Nearby is the similarly splendid Ristorante Settimio (06 678 96 51; Via della Colonnelle 14) run by the same family.
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Otello alla Concordia
Otello is a haven near the Spanish Steps. Outside dining is in the vine-covered courtyard of an 18th-century palazzo where, if you're lucky, you can dine in the shadow of the wisteria-covered pergola; indoors is cramped yet attractive, cluttered with pictures. The fairly priced food's pretty good, with an ample selection of antipasti, pastas and secondi ranging from sautè di cozze (sautéed mussels) to fried brains and roast turbot.
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Palatium
An unusual, sleek, chic wine bar, usefully placed in the Tridente shopping district, Palatium is run by the Lazio Regional Authority, but is a lot more glamorous than that sounds. There's an impressive wine list, with a fantastic choice of traditional local products - such as pecorino , artichokes, broad beans and ricotta - to accompany it. All this and kosher too.
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Palazzo del Freddo di Giovanni Fassi
Sprinkled with old-fashioned marble table tops and vintage gelato-making machinery, Rome's oldest ice-cream peddler is one of its best. Undecided palates should opt for a heavenly riso (rice), pistachio and nocciola (hazelnut) combo.
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Panattoni
Locals know it as l ' obitorio (the morgue) because of its marble tabletops, but thankfully the similarity stops there. This is one of Trastevere's liveliest pizzerias, with paper-thin pizzas, a clattering buzz, grumpy waiters, streetside seating and excellent fried starters (specialities are supplì and baccalà ).
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Pane, Vino e San Daniele
This wine bar explains itself in its name: 'bread, wine and San Daniele' - San Daniele being a sought-after ham from the north of Italy. It's a friendly, dark-wood and mirror-lined place in the Ghetto. Try all sorts of northern hams and salamis, alongside a strong wine list. A great place for a drink and a light meal.
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Panella l'Arte del Pane
A devilishly tempting bakery near the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, offering a magnificent array of pizza, focaccia, rice balls, fried croquettes, pastries and chocolate that is every bit as tasty as it looks. You can eat in, standing at one of the tiny circular tables, or take away.
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Papa Baccus
To breed your own hogs to ensure a ready supply of quality meat requires a passion verging on obsession. But it's exactly what the owner of this refined Tuscan restaurant does. Meat rules here, with pride of place going to the succulent Chianina beef, but there's plenty else besides, including panzanella (a summery starter of bread with salad, herbs and oil). Reservations are preferred, and you can sit outside on the quiet cobbled street.
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Paris
Nothing to do with Paris (it's the name of the founder), this is the best place for Roman-Jewish cuisine outside of the Ghetto. Sit under wooden beams and a big metal chandelier, or white-clothed tables on the cobbled square. Outstanding dishes include the carciofi alle giudìa , tempura-crisp fritto misto con baccalà (deep-fried vegetables with salted cod) and, on Tue and Fri, the rare minestra di arzilla ai broccoli (skate soup with broccoli).
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Piperno
Veritable Roman-Jewish Piperno, tucked away on a cobbled corner, is a wood-panelled restaurant of the old school, where white-clad waiters serve some of Rome's best deep-fried food, such as filetti di baccalà , carciofi alla Guidia (Jewish-style artichokes) or fiori di zucca ripieni e fritti (cheese-and-anchovy-stuffed courgette flowers). It's formal without being stuffy and perfect for family occasions. Booking is essential on Sundays.
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Pizza Florida
You'll spot this takeaway place by the surrounding busy buzz. Run by the friendly Fiori family, it offers delicious slices of pizza with a fantastic range of fresh toppings, such as fontina cheese, bacon and chilli.
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Pizza Ré
Part of a chain, but a good one, this popular pizzeria - handy for Piazza del Popolo - offers Neapolitan-style pizzas, with thick doughy bases and delicious, diverse toppings. The salads are fresh and the antipasti is great - try the fried things or the mozzarella fresca di bufala e prosciutto San Daniele (buffalo mozzarella with San Daniele dry-cured ham). There's a narrow strip of outdoor tables. It's busy so you might have to book or wait.
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Pizzarium
Without a doubt, Rome' best pizza by the slice (even foodie authority Il Gambero Rosso agrees). Served on wooden block, its fluffy dough and perfect crust are topped with intensely flavoured produce. Eat standing up. A selection of hard-to-find beers completes the revelation.
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Pizzeria al Leoncino
It can be difficult to source a cheap meal in upmarket Tridente, which is why the existence of Leoncino should be celebrated. A boisterous neighbourhood pizzeria with a wood-fired oven, it has two small rooms, a cheerful décor and gruff but efficient waiters who will serve you an excellent Roman-style pizza and ice-cold beer faster than you can say delizioso .
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Pizzeria Amalfi
This neighbourhood pizzeria is so popular that it recently expanded into the next shop. Murals of the Bay of Naples and other Neapolitan vistas set the scene for punters tucking into splendid thick-crust pizzas.
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Pizzeria da Baffetto
Once a meeting point for '60s radicals and now a raucous pizzeria beloved by loud locals and less-loud tourists, Da Baffetto offers the full-on wham-bam Roman pizza experience. To partake, join the queue and wait for the bustling waiters to squeeze you into whatever table space is available. The pizzas are the thin-crust Roman variety, served bubbling hot from the wood-fired oven. Expect to be hurried on your way once you've finished.
