Must-see restaurants in Rome

  • Zia Rosetta

    Monti, Esquilino & San Lorenzo

    Grab a pew at a marble-topped table and brace your taste buds for a torturous choice between 25-odd gourmet panini and another dozen specials – all…

  • L’Arcangelo

    Vatican City, Borgo & Prati

    Styled as an informal bistro with wood panelling, leather banquettes and casual table settings, L'Arcangelo enjoys a stellar local reputation. Dishes are…

  • Gelateria dei Gracchi

    Vatican City, Borgo & Prati

    This is the original location of a small and highly regarded local chain of artisanal gelaterie. The proprietors here only use fresh fruit in season, so…

  • Litro

    Trastevere & Gianicolo

    Crunchy bread comes in a paper bag and the 1950s clocks on the wall – all three dozen of them – say a different time at this understated vintage-styled…

  • Marco Martini Restaurant

    San Giovanni & Testaccio

    A lush garden pavilion at the Corner Townhouse provides the lovely setting for this casual fine-dining restaurant. The man with his name on the menu is…

  • Tordomatto

    Vatican City, Borgo & Prati

    The dining room is elegant simplicity itself at this Michelin-starred restaurant, which puts the food ahead of fuss. With a corner spot on genteel streets…

  • La Renella

    Trastevere & Gianicolo

    Watch pizza masters at work at this historic Trastevere bakery. Savour the wood-fired ovens, bar-stool seating and heavenly aromas of pizza, bread (get…

  • Sbanco

    San Giovanni & Testaccio

    With its informal warehouse vibe and buzzing atmosphere, Sbanco is one of the capital's best modern pizzerias. Since opening in 2016, it's made a name for…

  • Aroma

    San Giovanni & Testaccio

    One for a special occasion, the rooftop restaurant of the luxury Palazzo Manfredi hotel offers once-in-a-lifetime views of the Colosseum and Michelin…

  • Panella

    Monti, Esquilino & San Lorenzo

    Freshly baked pastries, fruit tartlets, pizza al taglio (pizza by the slice) and focaccia fill display cases in this famous bakery, and there's also a…

  • Seacook

    Southern Rome

    For stylish seafood dining in a chic aquatic ambience, look no further than this glorious white Nordic corner restaurant in Ostiense, with bar-stool…

  • Il Sorpasso

    Vatican City, Borgo & Prati

    A bar-restaurant hybrid sporting a vintage cool look – vaulted stone ceilings, exposed brick, rustic wooden tables and summertime outdoor seating – Il…

  • Pianostrada

    Centro Storico

    This chic contemporary bistro has a dining space adorned with vintage and designer furnishings as well as a lovely rear summer courtyard. Reserve ahead,…

  • C'è pasta... E pasta!

    Trastevere & Gianicolo

    Fresh pasta sold here is ready for you to prepare and eat at home; ready to eat and wrapped for takeaway; or ready to eat at one of the simple tables here…

  • Verde Pistacchio

    Southern Rome

    Camilla, Raffaele and Francesco are the friends behind Green Pistachio, a stylish bistro-cafe with a minimalist, vintage interior and pavement tables. The…

  • Forno Roscioli

    Centro Storico

    This is one of Rome's top bakeries, much loved by lunching locals who crowd here for fabulous sliced pizza, delectable pastries and hunger-sating supplì …

  • Giolitti

    Southern Rome

    Locals needn't make the long trek to the Pantheon for some of Rome's best gelato. Legendary Giolitti has a cafe right beside Lago dell'EUR. Get a cone or…

  • Caffè Palombini

    Southern Rome

    EUR's best option for a meal, a snack or a cocktail is this large, buzzing, bustling cafe and restaurant. Sit on the sunny terrace for a drink, browse the…

  • Tiramisù Zum

    Centro Storico

    The ideal spot for a mid-afternoon pick-me-up, this fab dessert bar specialises in tiramisu, that magnificent marriage of mascarpone and liqueur-soaked…

  • Antico Forno Urbani

    Centro Storico

    This Ghetto kosher bakery makes some of the best pizza al taglio (sliced pizza) in town. It can get extremely busy, but once you catch a whiff of the…

  • Al Ristoro degli Angeli

    Southern Rome

    Right under the arches in a landmark Garbatella building, this refined trattoria packs in locals in the know, who come for sterling renditions of Roman…

  • La Buca di Ripetta

    Tridente, Trevi & the Quirinale

    Popular with locals, who know a good thing when they taste it, this trattoria serves traditional dishes with a refreshingly refined execution – there's…

  • Gelateria del Teatro

    Centro Storico

    All the gelato served at this excellent gelateria is prepared on-site – peer through the window and you'll see how. There are numerous flavours, all made…

  • I Dolci di Nonna Vincenza

    Centro Storico

    Bringing the sweet flavours of Sicily to Rome, this pastry shop is a delight. Browse the traditional cakes and tempting dolci (sweet pastries) arrayed in…

  • Pizzeria Ostiense

    Southern Rome

    Run by folks formerly of the much-lauded classic Roman pizzeria Remo in Testaccio, Pizzeria Ostiense offers similarly fab paper-thin, crispy bases with…

  • Retrobottega

    Centro Storico

    Fine dining goes casual at trendy Retrobottega. Here you'll be sitting on a stool at a high communal table or chatting with the chef during plating of…

  • Il Margutta

    Tridente, Trevi & the Quirinale

    This chic, art-adorned restaurant is packed at lunchtime with Romans feasting on its good-value buffet deal. Everything on its menu is organic, and…

  • Fatamorgana

    Vatican City, Borgo & Prati

    The Prati branch of Rome's trendy gelateria chain. As well as all the classic flavours, there are some wonderfully esoteric creations, including a…

  • Gelateria dei Gracchi

    Rome

    Fresh seasonal fruit, natural ingredients and a low-key vibe make this one of Rome's least flashy but most venerated gelaterie. It has several branches…

  • Gelateria dei Gracchi

    Centro Storico

    This branch of the famous gelateria is conveniently located just off Piazza Navona.

  • Dish on restaurant's menu

    Achilli al D.O.M

    Centro Storico

    This restaurant is the impish sibling of Michelin-starred Enoteca al Parlamento Achilli, both overseen by chef Massimo Viglietti. Expect playful dishes…

  • Ba'Ghetto, fried artichoke alla giudia.

    Ba'Ghetto

    Centro Storico

    This historic kosher restaurant whips up Roman Jewish fare such as amatriciana with beef instead of the classic pork, plus grilled meats and North African…

  • A sampling of the buffet at veggie and organic bistrot 100% in the Testaccio neighborhood.

    100% Bio

    San Giovanni & Testaccio

    Veggies star at this cosy bistro a quick jaunt from the Piramide di Caio Cestio. All dishes are vegan or vegetarian and rich in legumes, grains and greens…

  • Explora Museum entrance where pizzeria is located

    Antica Pizzeria da Michele

    Rome

    The Rome location of the famed Neapolitan pizzeria imports the same rules that work so well at its original eatery in the south: no reservations, thick…

  • Trapizzino, store interior

    Trapizzino Trilussa

    Trastevere & Gianicolo

    Stefano Callegari’s ever-popular Trapizzino franchise delivers a mash-up of a tramezzino sandwich and a slice of pizza. The resulting trapizzino is a…

  • I Suppli', restaurant's fried street food.

    Supplì

    Trastevere & Gianicolo

    This blink-and-you-miss-it Trastevere tavola calda (hot table) has Roman street food down to an art. Locals queue for its namesake supplì: fried risotto…

  • The entrance of sandwich shop Paraponzipò, right across from Rome's ancient pyramid.

    Paraponzipò

    San Giovanni & Testaccio

    Paraponzipò proves that the best thing since sliced bread is superb Italian salumi and cheese packed between said bread. An impressive selection of cold…

  • The entrance of tavola calda Feliziani near the Vatican Museums.

    Forno Feliziani

    Vatican City, Borgo & Prati

    Ditch the tourist traps around the Vatican Museums in favour of this tavola calda, Italy’s version of fast food. Instead of ordering from a menu, you…

  • Trattoria Da Danilo

    Monti, Esquilino & San Lorenzo

    Da Danilo offers well-cooked Roman specialities served in rustic, atmospheric surrounds. It's renowned for its pasta cacio e pepe (pasta with caciocavallo…

  • Outside Testaccio bar and pastry shop Pasticceria Barberini.

    Pasticceria Barberini

    San Giovanni & Testaccio

    Revel in Rome’s sweets-for-breakfast tradition at Barberini, hailed for its homemade cornetti (croissants), often lavishly filled with jam or Nutella…

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