Rome is one of those cities that is easy to fall in love with, and one where food is inseparable from the experience of visiting.
But every trip offers only a limited number of meals, and it is a shame to waste even one on an overpriced, mediocre restaurant chosen simply because it happened to be near a major tourist attraction.
The Italian capital offers excellent coffee drunk standing at the bar, classic Roman pastas, Jewish-style and Roman-style artichokes, local pastries and plenty of tiramisu. Ahead of the summer travel season, here are six places worth saving.
Roscioli Salumeria con Cucina: For eggplant and pasta
Few names are as closely associated with Rome’s food scene as the Roscioli family.
Within a few minutes’ walk of one another, visitors will find the family’s famous bakery, a café known for maritozzo — a Roman brioche bun filled with whipped cream — and its flagship deli-restaurant, Roscioli Salumeria con Cucina.
The restaurant is not cheap by Roman standards, and reservations are highly recommended, but it offers an excellent introduction to local ingredients and dishes.
Diners can sit upstairs beside counters piled with cheeses and cured meats, or descend into the cramped wine cellar, where thousands of bottles line the shelves.
A good place to begin is the melanzana: a compact cube made from thin layers of eggplant, tomato sauce and cheese, fried and baked until the edges become crisp.
Other dishes worth ordering include rigatoni with butter and three types of aged Parmesan, burrata with anchovies and tiramisu.
Address: Via dei Giubbonari 21, Campo de’ Fiori
Estimated price: 20–70 euros per person
Start with the eggplant
(Photo: Noa Hirschfeld)
Pianostrada: A seasonal dinner in Trastevere
Pianostrada is a chef-driven restaurant in Trastevere with a seasonal menu centered on vegetables, alongside meat and fish dishes.
The ingredients are handled with precision, and the plates are polished without feeling overly formal or heavy.
One of the restaurant’s signature dishes is its focaccia, which arrives exceptionally airy inside with a crisp exterior. The Jewish-style artichoke and anchovies served with whipped butter are also among the dishes worth trying.
The restaurant occupies a bright space with an open kitchen, glass ceiling, plants and flowers.
It was founded by chef Paola Colucci, who left a career in finance and entered the restaurant world without attending culinary school. She now runs the restaurant with her two daughters and her closest friend.
Pianostrada is more expensive than most of the other places on this list, and advance reservations are advisable.
Address: Via della Luce 65, Trastevere
Estimated price: 50–100 euros per person
Polished but not overly formal
(Photo: Noa Hirschfeld)
Sora Margherita: Jewish-style artichokes in the heart of the ghetto
Rome’s Jewish Quarter is a central stop on a first visit to the city, and the small trattoria Sora Margherita, operating in the area since 1927, makes for a fitting place to pause.
It serves one of the city’s better versions of carciofo alla giudia, the Jewish-style artichoke that is fried until crisp.
Alongside it, diners can order carciofo alla romana, which is slowly cooked and arrives softer and more delicate. Together, the two dishes offer a clear comparison between two of the most distinctive artichoke preparations in Roman cuisine.
The kitchen also serves local pastas, other traditional dishes and Roman desserts.
Prices are relatively comfortable, from the food to the pitchers of wine. Check the opening hours in advance, as the restaurant operates mainly at lunchtime.
The atmosphere is simple and family-friendly, making it suitable for larger groups as well.
Address: Piazza delle Cinque Scole 30, Jewish Quarter
Estimated price: 20–30 euros per person
Also suitable for families
(Photo: Nitzan Kahana)
All’Antico Vinaio: A Tuscan sandwich near the Pantheon
All’Antico Vinaio began in Florence, where the Mazzanti family turned schiacciata — a flat Tuscan bread similar to focaccia — into an international brand with dozens of branches around the world.
Its Rome location is not a traditional local institution, but it works well for travelers looking for a quick and filling meal in the city center.
The bread comes out of the oven throughout the day, soft inside and crisp outside, before being filled with cheeses, cured meats, vegetables and spreads.
The line may look long, but it usually moves quickly.
One of the chain’s best-known sandwiches is La Favolosa. Vegetarians can choose from a separate Le Veg menu, while those who prefer beef can order the Tricolore, made with beef carpaccio, stracciatella cheese, pistachio cream and hazelnuts.
The sandwiches are large, though travelers may want to think twice before sharing, particularly if this is their main meal.
The branch near the Pantheon is best visited in the afternoon or early evening, with the sandwich taken to eat nearby. The chain also has a location at Fiumicino Airport.
Address: Piazza della Maddalena 3, near the Pantheon
Estimated price: 10–20 euros per person
Think twice before sharing
(Photo: Nitzan Kahana)
Tazza d’Oro: Coffee standing at the bar
Drinking coffee while standing at the bar is part of everyday Roman life, and Tazza d’Oro is one of the city’s best-known places to experience it.
Customers can sit at many cafés, but doing so usually costs more. Here, most people order and drink beside the long bar.
Despite its central location near the Pantheon, Tazza d’Oro is not simply a tourist café.
It uses a house blend roasted at the company’s own facility, which has operated since 1944.
Cappuccino and espresso macchiato are the obvious choices. In summer, the café also serves its famous coffee granita topped with whipped cream.
The ordering process is simple: pay first at the register, take the receipt and hand it to the baristas behind the counter.
Even when the line appears long, it usually moves quickly.
Before leaving, visitors can pick up a small box of chocolate-covered coffee beans or a bag of beans to take home.
Address: Via degli Orfani 84, near the Pantheon
Estimated price: 1–10 euros per person
Drink it standing at the bar
(Photo: Nitzan Kahana)
Fatamorgana: Gluten-free gelato
Rome has no shortage of good gelaterias, and one clue to quality is the way the gelato is displayed.
At better shops, it is often stored in closed metal containers rather than piled into tall, brightly colored mounds, which can sometimes indicate the use of stabilizers and artificial coloring.
Fatamorgana is a local gelato chain founded by Maria Agnese Spagnuolo, who has celiac disease and wanted to create gelato she could eat herself.
Tourists outside the Colosseum in Rome
(Photo: AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca)
Everything sold there is gluten-free, including the cones, and the gelato is made without artificial coloring or stabilizers.
The texture is soft, while the flavors tend to be delicate and unconventional.
Options may include lavender or basil with walnuts and honey. Customers can add whipped cream, which is not overly sweet and complements the flavors well.
Fatamorgana has several locations across Rome, including a branch on Via dei Chiavari.
Address: Via dei Chiavari 37A, Rome
Estimated price: 1–10 euros per person
Delicate, unconventional flavors
(Photo: Nitzan Kahana)
The writer is an attorney, a specialist in advancing social policy and the owner of a website featuring restaurant recommendation maps from around the world.
First published: 11:59, 07.25.26