Restaurants in Rome
Although some ethnic food is available, when in Rome, it's best to eat Italian. Rome's traditional cuisine includes offal – try it in the Testaccio district. The area around Piazza Navona offers a choice of upmarket options, including the acclaimed Il Pagliaccio. For atmospheric dining, try Trastevere's osterias, with paper tablecloths and wine in carafes. Last orders are at around 10.30pm. Many places close in August. A cover charge, but not service, is usually included in the bill.
Top-end
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1. Il Pagliaccio - Top-end: (More than €80 for a three-course meal without drinks)
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Understated decor in muted colours allows the inspired food to shine at Il Pagliaccio. This gourmet restaurant, near Piazza Navona in central Rome, brings Eastern influences to Italian food - and creates exciting flavours in the process. Try dishes such as sirloin steak with spicy broth, or venison with ceps, chestnuts and quince.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening hours
Mon-Tue 8pm-10pm; Wed-Sat 1pm-2.30pm & 8pm-10pm
Address
129a, Via dei Banchi Vecchi, Rome 00186
Telephone
+39 06 6880 9595
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2. Antico Arco - Top-end: (More than €80 for a three-course meal without drinks)
Show morePerched on Gianicolo Hill near Trastevere, Antico Arco is a romantic restaurant set in a homely villa. Smart young Romans come for dishes like potato and chick pea gnocchi with cod, or roast chicken with red pepper sorbet. The chocolate soufflé is famed for its molten centre. Diners walk down moonlit Gianicolo Hill after dinner.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening hours
Daily 6pm-12am
Address
7, Piazzale Aurelio, Rome 00152
Telephone
+39 06 581 5274
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3. La Pergola - Top-end: (More than €80 for a three-course meal without drinks)
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La Pergola is set on the rooftop of the Cavalieri Hilton Hotel. Situated north-west of the Vatican, the frescoed ceiling and panoramic views of Rome are stunning. Chef Heinz Beck holds three Michelin stars for his imaginative dishes, like rabbit in mushrooms and grape juice. Jackets are required for gents.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening hours
Tue-Sat 7.30pm-11.30pm; closed some of Jan & Aug
Address
101, Via Alberto Cadiolo, Rome 00136
Telephone
+39 06 3509 1
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4. Checchino dal 1887 - Top-end: (More than €80 for a three-course meal without drinks)
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As its name suggests, Checchino dal 1887 has been in existence since the 19th century. This restaurant, in the former slaughter-house area of Testaccio, serves traditional Roman dishes based on offal, like oxtail stew and tripe. White walls and an arched ceiling provide an atmospheric setting. The cellar is stocked with approximately 600 wines.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening hours
Tue-Sat 12.30pm-3pm & 8pm-12am; closed in Aug
Address
30, Via di Monte Testaccio, Rome 00153
Telephone
+39 06 574 3816
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5. Agata e Romeo - Top-end: (More than €80 for a three-course meal without drinks)
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A short distance from Termini Station, Agata e Romeo is a family-run restaurant. The chef, Agata, has given a modern twist to traditional Roman dishes. Diners try inventive combinations like boned pigeon with liquorice and pomegranate sauce. Romeo looks after the old-fashioned dining- room, with its cane chairs, linen-topped tables, and foodie guests.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening hours
Mon-Fri 12.30pm-2.30pm & 6.30pm-10.30pm
Address
45, Via Carlo Aberto, Rome 00185
Telephone
+39 06 446 6115
Mid-range
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6. Glass Hostaria - Mid-range: (€35-€80 for a three-course meal without drinks)
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Trendy Glass Hostaria in Trastevere, stands out from the crowd with high ceilings and a contemporary industrial-style wood and glass decor. It attracts cool young Romans, who come to see and be seen. The modern Italian dishes include artichoke ravioli and risotto with mushrooms and berries.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening hours
Tue-Sun 7.30pm-11.30pm
Address
58, Vicolo del Cinque, Rome 00153
Telephone
+39 06 583 35903
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7. Tram Tram - Mid-range: (€35-€80 for a three-course meal without drinks)
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Popular with San Lorenzo hipsters since 1991, Tram Tram is a busy trattoria, featuring tram seats and other artefacts from Rome's old railway system. The cuisine is a mix of Roman classics and Sicilian specialties like the piella (rice, potatoes and mussels).Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening hours
Tue-Sun 12.30pm-3pm & 7.30pm-11.30pm
Address
44-46, Via dei Reti, Rome 00185
Telephone
+39 06 490 416
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8. Dal Bolognese - Mid-range: (€35-€80 for a three-course meal without drinks)
Show moreFashionable movers and shakers, from politicians to film stars, flock to Dal Bolognese in Piazza del Popolo. The cuisine, as the name suggests, is from Bologna in northern Italy and includes classics such as tagliatelle alla Bolognese. Even the models tuck into the famed misto di pasta, a quartet of pasta dishes.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening hours
Tue-Sun 12.45pm-3pm & 8.15-11pm
Address
1-2, Piazza del Popolo, Rome 00187
Telephone
+39 06 361 1426
Transport
Flaminio Metro station
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9. Ditirambo - Mid-range: (€35-€80 for a three-course meal without drinks)
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The wooden ceiling and whitewashed walls give a homely feel to Ditirambo, a bustling trattoria near Campo de' Fiori. Both the pasta and bread are homemade. Dishes include courgette flowers with ricotta, angler fish with capers, and spelt pasta with rabbit. Families and groups of friends gather here to eat, drink and chat.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening hours
Tue-Sun 1pm-3pm & 7.30pm-11.30pm
Address
75, Piazza della Cancelleria, Rome 00186
Telephone
+ 39 06 68 71 626
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10. Gusto - Mid-range: (€35-€80 for a three-course meal without drinks)
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Design-conscious modern eatery Gusto resides close to the Spanish Steps. The lively pizzeria downstairs attracts a young and funky crowd. Fashionable diners head upstairs to the restaurant, where dishes are Mediterranean with a creative twist. The decor is airy, with bare brick walls and pared down table settings.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening hours
Daily 12.45pm-3pm & 7.45pm-12am
Address
9, Piazza Augusto Imperatore, Rome 00186
Telephone
+39 06 68134221
Budget
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11. Da Baffetto - Budget: (Less than €35 for a three-course meal without drinks)
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Many claim that Pizzeria da Baffetto, near Piazza Navona in the city centre, serves the best pizzas in Rome. It must certainly be the most popular, as it's always loud and lively. The decor is simple, with paper tablecloths, and service is swift. The pizzas are thin and crispy, and cooked in a traditional oven.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening hours
Daily 6.30pm-1am; closed Aug
Address
114, Via del Governo Vecchio, Rome 00186
Telephone
+39 06 686 1617
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12. Naturist Club L'Isola - Budget: (Less than €35 for a three-course meal without drinks)
Show moreHidden away on the fourth floor of a building a short walk from the Spanish Steps, Naturist Club L'Isola is an unexpected find in central Rome. It's a busy macrobiotic and vegetarian diner serving only fresh seasonal produce. Fish and vegan dishes also feature on the menu.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening hours
Mon-Fri 12.30pm-3pm; Mon-Sat 7.30pm-10.30pm
Address
14, Via dell Vite, Rome 00187
Telephone
+39 06 679 2509
Transport
Spagna Metro station
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13. Alfredo e Ada - Budget: (Less than €35 for a three-course meal without drinks)
Show moreAlfredo e Ada is a tiny trattoria, near Piazza Navona, with no sign to indicate its presence. Local diners eat whichever homely dish the kitchen has prepared, be it pasta or stew. Pudding is usually homemade biscuits. The no-nonsense ethos, with no menu and no coffee on offer, gives this place a great atmosphere.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening hours
Mon-Fri 12.30pm-2.30pm & 6.30pm-10.30pm
Address
14, Via dei Banchi Nuovi, Rome 00186
Telephone
+39 06 687 8842
Transport
Bus 46 to Corso Vittorio Emanuele II
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14. Enoteca Corsi - Budget: (Less than €35 for a three-course meal without drinks)
Show moreThere's a real flavour of old Rome at Enoteca Corsi, a wine shop near the Spanish Steps. The dark decor dates back to its 1940s heyday. Food is served at lunchtime only, attracting locals and tourists who come for the atmosphere and hearty, traditional dishes, like tripe and salt cod.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening hours
Mon-Sat 12pm-3.30pm; closed Aug
Address
87-88, Via del Gesu, Rome 00186
Telephone
+39 06 679 0821
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15. Da Augusto - Budget: (Less than €35 for a three-course meal without drinks)
Show moreFor a sense of old Trastevere, visitors in the know go to Da Augusto, one of the few authentic osterias left in Rome. Diners queue for shared tables, and hurried waiters recite the menu. Traditional Roman dishes include chicken with potatoes, fettucine or tripe. Bills are scribbled on the paper tablecloths.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening hours
Mon-Sun 12.30pm-3pm & 8pm-11pm
Address
15, Piazza de' Renzi, Rome 00153
Telephone
+39 06 580 3798
Transport
Bus 630 to Trastevere
