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.
Il Pagliaccio
Italian with Eastern twists
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.
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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
Checchino dal 1887
Offal dishes
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.
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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
Antico Arco
Romantic hilltop dining-room
Perched 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.
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Opening Hours
Daily 6pm-12am
Address
7, Piazzale Aurelio, Rome 00152
Telephone
+39 06 581 5274
La Pergola
Michelin stars and views
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.
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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
Agata e Romeo
Modern twist on classics
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.
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Opening Hours
Mon-Fri 12.30pm-2.30pm & 6.30pm-10.30pm
Address
45, Via Carlo Aberto, Rome 00185
Telephone
+39 06 446 6115
Ditirambo
Homemade bread and pasta
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.
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Opening Hours
Tue-Sun 1pm-3pm & 7.30pm-11.30pm
Address
75, Piazza della Cancelleria, Rome 00186
Telephone
+ 39 06 68 71 626
Tram Tram
Rustic bistro
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).
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Opening Hours
Tue-Sun 12.30pm-3pm & 7.30pm-11.30pm
Address
44-46, Via dei Reti, Rome 00185
Telephone
+39 06 490 416
Transport
Bus 71 or 492
Glass Hostaria
Modern Italian canteen
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.
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Opening Hours
Tue-Sun 7.30pm-11.30pm
Address
58, Vicolo del Cinque, Rome 00153
Telephone
+39 06 583 35903
Dal Bolognese
Pasta with the elite
Fashionable 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.
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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
Gusto
Contemporary Roman dining
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.
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Opening Hours
Daily 12.45pm-3pm & 7.45pm-12am
Address
9, Piazza Augusto Imperatore, Rome 00186
Telephone
+39 06 68134221
Da Baffetto
Perfect pizza
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.
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Opening Hours
Daily 6.30pm-1am; closed Aug
Address
114, Via del Governo Vecchio, Rome 00186
Telephone
+39 06 686 1617
Naturist Club L'Isola
Vegetarian and fish dishes
Hidden 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.
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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
Da Augusto
Authentic osteria
For 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.
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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
Alfredo e Ada
Italian home-cooking
Alfredo 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.
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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
Enoteca Corsi
Atmospheric lunch spot
There'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.
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Opening Hours
Mon-Sat 12pm-3.30pm; closed Aug
Address
87-88, Via del Gesu, Rome 00186
Telephone
+39 06 679 0821
Transport
Bus 116/116T to Pantheon
