Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion.
Sorry! We don't have any recommendations for Rome right now.
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?
This rustic-meets-glamorous bistro attracts locals for its flawless execution of Roman classics (many served photogenically in metal cooking pans) as well as original dishes. Its bar is known among amaro connoisseurs for having the largest selection in Rome, and the bitter liquors are the stars of the expertly crafted cocktail menu.
In front of the American embassy and a favorite of the design trendoisie, Michelin-starred Moma attracts well-heeled businessmen at lunch but turns into a more intimate affair for dinner. The kitchen turns out hits as it creates alta cucina (haute cuisine) made using Italian ingredients sourced from small producers. The menu changes seasonally, but might include dishes like chamomile risotto with smoked eel, honey, and oregano or pumpkin cappelletti with amaretti and provolone cheese fondue. At lunch, the more casual bistro area has fresh pressed juices and made-to-order sandwiches.
This sleek wine bar and restaurant is just a short walk from the Spanish Steps, and its modern design looks the part among the fashion-forward streets. However, it's unique in that its owners collaborate with the Regionale del Lazio (the state within which Rome sits), so the menu showcases regional products—from the cheeses to the wines to the bottled water. Come for a glass of excellent Lazio wine, and share a plate or two if you don't want a full meal.
The red-velvet chairs and marble tables of Rome's oldest café have seen the likes of Byron, Shelley, Keats, Goethe, and Casanova. Locals love basking in the more than 250 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.
At the left foot of the Spanish Steps, this family-run restaurant 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, or a risotto dish. Linger over a slice of homemade cake, and ask the server about the history of the tearooms.
There are plenty of options for good food at reasonable prices around the Trevi Fountain, but this large brasserie—open for lunch, dinner, and everything in between—is a great bet. Although it emphasizes seafood, the extensive menu has something for everyone, from salads to pasta and entrées. For lunch, the lobster roll is a fan favorite. The full bar has an impressive list of poured or mixed drinks.
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 or a snack. 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.
With orario continuato, or nonstop operating hours (noon till late at night), this sleek spot in the Hotel d'Inghilterra caters to jet-setters and hotel guests. The creative global menu can mean international misfires, so it's best to select from among the authentic Northern Italian meat and Southern Italian seafood dishes such as boar with polenta, seafood soup, or classic pastas. The tempting outdoor tables are close together, but perhaps you won't mind eavesdropping on your luxurious neighbor.
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.
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.
Excellence is at the forefront of everything at Imàgo, the Michelin-starred restaurant inside the legendary Hotel Hassler, now headed by young star chef Andrea Antonini. You can order à la carte, but this is the place to splurge on a tasting menu. Each carefully and meticulously created dish can be paired with an exceptional wine from the enviable cellar. Stay for a drink after the meal on the intimate rooftop terrace that has magical city views.
Old-world elegance is the name of the game here—think white-jacketed waiters who attend to your every need, classic decor, and impeccable dishes, which are the most modern thing about this restaurant on the seventh floor of the Hotel Splendide Royal. Be sure to request a table on the terrace, which has panoramas of leafy Villa Borghese and the center of Rome.
A favorite among international journalists and the rich and famous since the 1930s, this eatery does not seem to have changed at all over the decades. The interior is Tuscan country rustic, and the menu, accordingly, sticks to the classics.
Crowning the Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese hotel, this chic restaurant serves fancy takes on Rome's cucina povera (peasant cooking) in a chic space with graphic punches of color. The terrace offers fantastic views that stretch from Villa Borghese to the dome of St. Peter's, but the interior dining room, with its floor-to-ceiling windows and terrazzo-inspired floors, is lovely, too.
Sign up for Travel Tips & News
Thank you for your interest!
