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Overview

Dining The guide was updated: 2022-11-08

Rome's restaurants cater to all tastes. There are American steakhouses, Lebanese meze restaurants, Vietnamese eateries, and several haute cuisine establishments celebrated in the Michelin guide. But when in Rome, do as the Romans do and choose the less extravagant restaurants and trattorias for a memorable dining experience.

The Italian word for dinner, "cena", comes from the Latin convivium, which means "live together". Eating is a social get-together which consists of at least three courses — often even at lunchtime. The Romans do not eat dinner until nine in the evening.

Rome is known for its Carbonara (made with egg, guanciale, hard cheese, and black pepper) and Amatriciana (made with guanciale, pecorino Romano and tomatoes).

Below is a list of the best places to eat in Rome, Italy:

Felice a Testaccio

Felice a Testaccio

Felice a Testaccio is an esteemed trattoria, which has since 1936 been dedicated to serving tasty and original Roman cuisine. As you walk into this restaurant, you will notice many locals among the diners, which is always a good sign. Although all their pasta dishes, as well as meat courses, are delicious, most people come here for their scrumptious cacio e pepe pasta. Also highly recommended is the tiramisu, which is topped with melted chocolate.

La Pergola

La Pergola

On top of the Rome Cavalieri Hotel, La Pergola – an award-winning restaurant with three Michelin stars – offers not only exquisite, gourmet Italian fare but also a breathtaking panoramic view over the city of Rome. The wine cellar contains over 50,000 bottles of wine, and as for the accompanying water, there are over 25 different kinds to choose from.

Ad Hoc

Ad Hoc

Ristorante Ad Hoc, with its romantic setting, is the perfect restaurant to relax after a stroll in the city centre of Rome. Choose from a menu with typical Roman and Mediterranean dishes and well-reputed wines. Ad Hoc is also popular among locals and national celebrities.

Ristorante Tema

Ristorante Tema

Experience fine dining in one of the most ancient districts of Rome. Whether you prefer fish or meat, Ristorante Tema offers your protein of choice of the best quality and prepares it to perfection. Even if the restaurant is known for fine dining, the service is warm and relaxing.

Sakana Sushi

Sakana Sushi

If you are yearning for something other than Italian food, Sakana Sushi is the place to go. In a hip oriental setting, classic sushi, dumplings, and tempura are served from a conveyor belt. And if you feel like having your meal in a nearby park or just somewhere outside, Sakana Sushi also provides a takeaway menu.

Spirito di Vino

Spirito di Vino

In the heart of Trastevere, Spirito di Vino serves the very true meaning of "slow food". In their cavernous wine cellar, they house over 800 bottles of wines, where you will surely find the perfect combination to every dish and take the culinary experience to another level.

Osteria Barberini

Osteria Barberini

Taking advantage of its location—right in Piazza del Tritone—Osteria Barberini is a family-owned eatery that offers Italian fine cuisine. Jazz and swing music in the background, wooden tables, and a simple interior make the dining comfortable and a fave with locals and tourists alike. Refined dishes with black and white truffles made by chef Gabriel are the real stars here but don't miss out on the other innovative yet traditional plates. The menu also includes typical Roman dishes (such as ravioli, carbonara, and risotto) and seafood specialities.

Pane e Salame

Pane e Salame

Pane e Salame ('bread and salami' in English) with its long and narrow dining room is a snug yet comfortable eatery. Made-to-measure taglieri (wooden chopping boards) come loaded with cold cuts, cheeses, roasted eggplants, zucchini and pates, and are usually combined with a glass of fine wine to be enjoyed to the fullest. It is highly recommended to come early as the place gets busy, especially during rush hour.

Roma Sparita

Roma Sparita

Since the restaurant Roma Sparita blazed onto the Rome dining scene over ten years ago, it has been a power centre that bolsters the meaning of tradition and innovation with its original dishes. Its pièce de résistance is the outdoor terrace that comes to life, especially during the summer. The menu packs multiple Roman-style dishes, from the bucatini all'amatriciana to the trippa alla Romana.

Canova

Canova

Overlooking the splendid Piazza del Popolo, Canova is one of Rome's most remarkable rendez-vous spots. Once the hang-out of personalities that have marked Italian history, including behemoths like Fellini and Canova, it is the perfect setting for coffee, afternoon tea, light lunches and snacks, or for a romantic date night with live music in the moonlit Pincian Terrace.

Trattoria Da Cesare al Casaletto

Trattoria Da Cesare al Casaletto

The menu of Trattoria Da Cesare al Casaletto stands out for its simplicity and Roman-style dishes. Far from the well-beaten tourist track, this trattoria—with its simple decor and a few tables—offers the best fritti (deep-fried food) in town, along with carbonara, rigatoni with oxtail sauce, and gricia. Paired with the extensive wine list, the trattoria pulls off a winning formula.

Osteria Fernanda

Osteria Fernanda

Osteria Fernanda is tucked away in the outskirts of the tranquil Trastevere neighbourhood. Distinguished by a welcoming and warm service and simple decor, the eatery offers top-notch food worthy of a Michelin star at an affordable price. The cuisine is distinctively Roman, embodying a creative blend of modernity and tradition.

L'orso 80

L'orso 80

The wide range of antipasti along with the house wine has drawn locals to L'orso 80 for over 40 years. An antipasti buffet, pizzas, freshly made pasta, and many more tantalising delights await you in this homey hideaway in Piazza Navona.

Supplì

Supplì

Supplì is a take-out eatery acclaimed for its namesake supplì: deep-fried rice balls stuffed with tomato sauce, mozzarella, and your pick of favourite ingredients. Besides the crispy supplì, other ready-to-go specialities are calamari fritti (fried squid), mozzarella in carrozza (fried mozzarella), parmigiana di melanzane (eggplants parmigiana), and of course, pizza by the slice and pasta.

Ginger Sapori e Salute

Ginger Sapori e Salute

Inaugurated in 2012, Ginger is truly special, serving healthy and tasty dishes made with locally sourced ingredients (although not exclusively so). A tuck into their vegan and vegetarian dishes or the organic quinoa salads regenerates body and soul. Meat and fish make an appearance here too.

Barnum Cafe

Barnum Cafe

Digging into Barnum Cafe's healthy offerings will delight the eye and stir the heart. Barnum Cafè offers quality strong coffee, freshly baked pastries, aperitifs, and light lunches. After 6 pm, Barnum booms with life welcoming guests for dinner and cocktail time.

Ristorante Clotilde

Ristorante Clotilde

The makers of upscale Clotilde restaurant respect the principles of the Slow Food movement. Their seasonal menu features specialities from the Ciociaria region in Italy. At night, Clotilde becomes a cocktail bar as well.

Va.Do al Pigneto

Va.Do al Pigneto

Following the vibe of its neighbourhood, Va.Do al Pigneto comes off as a hip, creative eatery featuring Italian cuisine, influenced by Thai, Indian and Japanese flavours. As an after-dinner walk, you can marvel at Pigneto’s murals or conclude the night in one of the lively district’s bars.

Reserva Restaurante y Cocteles

Reserva Restaurante y Cocteles

Opened in 2019, Reserva is one of Rome’s latest gems and serves Latin cuisine with a hint of Caribbean vibe. As a “transversal, informal but elegant place”, Reserva is a perfect place to enjoy an exotic dinner and finish with one of their wines and cocktails. The interior features brown, green and marble colours and provides a calm ambience.

Roscioli

Roscioli

Roscioli is one of the best establishments in Rome, where you can experience local specialities in a welcoming atmosphere. They have three locations within a block, which is split into a bakery, a deli counter, and a wine shop. From the varieties of cheeses, meats, and an outstanding wine selection to some unique takes on classic Roman dishes, Roscioli is a true gem in the Italian capital. It might be hard to score a reservation, but it's all worth it!

Hostaria Da Cesare

Hostaria Da Cesare

In Rome since 1965, Hostaria Da Cesare offers local fish from the coast of Lazio, seafood dishes, Chianina's beef certified, exquisite pizza, and an amazing selection of wines in an old-world, wood-panelled dining room. Seasonally, white and black truffle, boletus mushrooms, and royal agaric.

Harry’s Bar

Harry’s Bar

Harry’s Bar is the unique place that evokes the “Dolce Vita” as if it was a clip from the film, creating a vivid flashback to the golden era of the Via Veneto. As in the roaring 60s, you can still sip an apéritif, enjoy the live piano bar every evening and dive into the magic of the Via Veneto from the exclusive Harry’s Bar. The refined cuisine recalls the freshness of Mediterranean flavours based on prime ingredients.

BaGhetto Ristorante Kosher-Portico d'Ottavia

BaGhetto Ristorante Kosher-Portico d'Ottavia

BaGhetto offers the best of the Roman-Jewish cuisine, with the capital’s best carciofi alla giudìa (Jewish style deep-fried artichokes). But they also offer an authentic cuisine that brings you back to ancient Rome with dishes like carbonara and amatriciana, brain with artichokes, and much more. And if you are a pizza lover, visit BaGhetto Milky.

Rinaldi Al Quirinale

Rinaldi Al Quirinale

Rinaldi Al Quirinale is a spot for fine dining, where you will be treated like royalty and feel at home at the same time. Excellent Italian cuisine, mainly seafood dishes (daily fresh fish), which are lovingly prepared by their chef. Rinaldi Al Quirinale blends sea and land in a great fusion based on fresh seasonal produce, plus an outstanding wine cellar with over 800 selected labels representing all Italian regions and international labels.

Ristorante Camponeschi

Ristorante Camponeschi

Piazza Farnese, one of Rome's most sophisticated and splendid squares, provides the setting for the restaurant Camponeschi. The secret of the restaurant's success lies in its cuisine, which is varied, creative, imaginative, and suited to all tastes: fish, meat, game, as well as national and international specialities in season.

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