Where to Eat in Rome: Best Restaurants, Trattorias & Pizza (2027 Guide)

This Rome dining guide covers the best trattorias, pizzerias, street food, and traditional dishes including carbonara, cacio e pepe, and Roman-Jewish cuisine.

Updated for 2027 with local restaurant recommendations by neighborhood. For more tourist information, see Flight4's Rome Nightlife Guide, or Rome Shopping Section.

Understanding Roman Cuisine

Roman food culture centres on simplicity, seasonal ingredients, and time-honoured recipes shaped by working-class traditions and regional history.

The city's cuisine emerged from humble beginnings, with working-class families creating memorable dishes from affordable staples, including speciality meats, simple vegetables, and pasta. This approach, known as cucina povera or peasant cooking, now defines Roman dining and attracts food lovers worldwide.

The Four Classic Roman Pasta Dishes:

Four pasta preparations dominate Roman menus and conversation among food-focused visitors, each showcasing the cuisine's emphasis on technique over complexity.

For example:

• Carbonara combines egg yolks, Pecorino Romano cheese, guanciale (pork), and black pepper into a creamy sauce achieved entirely without cream. The heat from freshly cooked pasta emulsifies the eggs and cheese, creating silky perfection. Restaurants like Luciano Cucina Italiana near Teatro di Pompeo reportedly serve the best carbonara in Rome according to food writers, while Santo Palato creates a version that brings tears to devoted fans.
• Cacio e Pepe uses just three ingredients: Pecorino Romano cheese, black pepper, and pasta (typically tonnarelli or spaghetti). This simple dish showcases a chef's skill, as the cheese must emulsify with pasta water and pepper to create a smooth sauce. Salumeria Roscioli is renowned for its precision with cacio e pepe. Armando al Pantheon, operating since 1961 near the Pantheon, upholds high standards for this classic dish.
• Amatriciana adds tomato and guanciale to Pecorino cheese, creating a red sauce with remarkable depth from minimal ingredients. The dish originated in Amatrice, a mountain town east of Rome, but Romans adopted and refined it into a local staple found throughout the city.
• Gricia delivers guanciale and Pecorino without tomato, creating what many consider carbonara's ancestor dish. The rendered fat from guanciale combines with Pecorino and pasta water into a rich coating that clings to each strand.

Traditional Roman Trattorias by location

Trattorias (traditional Italian restaurants) represent the heart of Roman dining culture, offering family-run establishments with generous portions, rustic atmospheres, and recipes passed through generations.

Trattorias in Trastevere

The Trastevere district is one of Rome’s top tourist destinations. It is a quintessential bohemian dining district, with cobblestone streets lined with family-run trattorias, cosy pizzerias, and trendy eateries. It’s celebrated for authentic Roman dishes and inventive modern cuisine alike, making it a vibrant destination where locals and visitors gather for genuine Italian dining.

• Da Enzo al 29 has achieved iconic status, serving authentic Roman food in an intimate setting. Reservations prove impossible since they don't accept them, requiring arrival at least 30 minutes before opening. The restaurant buzzes constantly with perpetual lines, but devotees consider the wait worthwhile for silky carbonara and crispy artichokes.
• Grappolo d'Oro maintains reliable standards for Roman classics without pretension or inflated prices in a neighbourhood increasingly dominated by tourist-focused establishments.
• Zi Umberto maintains old-school atmosphere and traditional recipes appreciated by locals who remember when Trastevere felt less discovered. The family-run operation emphasises hospitality and consistent quality over trendy innovations.

Trattorias in Centro Storico and Monti

The Centro Storico and Monti neighborhoods strike a unique balance between old traditions and modern food trends. Even though high rents often push restaurants to offer tourist menus, these areas still have many authentic, family-run places that keep the true spirit of Roman dining alive.

• Armando al Pantheon stands as a legendary trattoria operating since 1961 just steps from the Pantheon's ancient dome. The Gargioli family maintains benchmark standards for traditional Roman cuisine, with dishes like amatriciana and saltimbocca alla romana cooked to perfection. The restaurant attracts both locals and visitors who appreciate traditional cuisine in a central location without compromise.
• Osteria La Carbonara in Monti (close to the Roman Forum) serves reliable Roman classics in a neighbourhood attracting creative types and younger Romans. Despite the name's tourist appeal, the kitchen maintains authentic standards for pasta preparations and meat dishes.
• Trattoria Monti (near the Colosseum and the Roman Forum) serves dishes from the Marche region and central Italy, offering regional variety beyond standard Roman preparations. The family-run establishment presents simple, old-style décor while focusing entirely on quality cooking.
• Antica Pizzeria di Trevi is a popular restaurant located steps from the Trevi Fountain in Rome. It is celebrated for its authentic, Neapolitan-style wood-fired pizzas and traditional Roman pasta dishes like carbonara and amatriciana. The eatery is highly regarded for its friendly service and cosy atmosphere. It offers reasonable prices and is open for lunch and dinner.

Trattorias in Testaccio

Testaccio is Rome’s culinary heart, famed for its cucina povera—simple, flavorful peasant dishes. At its heart lies the lively Testaccio Market, with street food, fresh produce, and traditional eateries offering everything from creamy carbonara to modern spins on Roman classics, attracting locals and food lovers alike.

• Flavio al Velavevodetto occupies a building carved into Monte Testaccio hillside, serving traditional meatballs worth crossing the city to taste. Their cacio e pepe features the crispiest guanciale you'll encounter, while the outdoor terrace offers moonlit summer dining.
• Da Remo delivers traditional Rome-style pizza with no-frills environment and wood-fired ovens. Locals queue for thin-crust pies that arrive perfectly charred at reasonable prices.
• Trattoria Perilli in Testaccio is a historic Roman trattoria that has been serving traditional dishes since 1911. Beloved by both locals and visitors, it is celebrated for its warm, old-world charm and its exceptional Roman cuisine (especially the carbonara), often regarded as one of the finest in Rome.
• Piatto Romano focuses on fresh seasonal ingredients from the nearby Testaccio Market, showcasing classic Roman cooking in a welcoming atmosphere. The name translates to "a Roman dish," reflecting their commitment to authentic preparations in one of Rome's most authentic neighbourhoods.

Best Roman-Style Pizzerias in Rome

Roman-style pizzerias focus on pizza with a thin, crispy crust and creative toppings, making them different from the soft, chewy Neapolitan style. They come with slightly charred bases that somehow hold toppings without collapsing. These pizzerias usually come in two types: (1) casual shops that sell pizza by the slice, and (2) sit-down restaurants.

Top Roman-Style Pizzerias include:

1. Pizzeria Remo in Testaccio serves traditional Rome-style pizza with marble tables, wood-fired ovens, and straightforward service. Open only for dinner without reservations, arriving early prevents long waits. The thin, crunchy pizza uses quality ingredients across scrumptious combinations.
2. L'Elementare operates multiple locations creating Rome's thinnest, crunchiest crusts through 24-hour rise times. The fried appetisers, particularly baccalà and unusual supplì made from cacio e pepe spaghetti, deserve orders alongside pizza.
3. Ai Marmi functions as a Trastevere institution where generations of Roman families gather for traditional thin-crust pizza. The casual establishment attracts families and students seeking fun evenings with good pizza and quick service.
4. Dar Poeta has served some of Rome's best pizza for decades from a pretty Trastevere street, offering traditional preparations that remain light and delicious at reasonable prices.

Best Neapolitan Style Pizzerias in Rome

In Rome, Neapolitan-style pizza, or Pizza Napoletana, differs significantly from the local "scrocchiarella," which is thin and crispy. Roman pizza, known as bassa (low), contrasts with the thicker, airy Neapolitan pizza, referred to as alta (high). The Neapolitan pizza has a soft, stretchy centre that's often "soupy" or "wet" due to fresh mozzarella and tomato sauce, leading many to eat it with a fork and knife.

Top Neapolitan Pizzerias include:

1. Seu Pizza Illuminati in Trastevere established itself among the city's best contemporary pizzerias since opening in 2018. Pier Daniele Seu achieves perfect balance between Neapolitan chewiness and Roman crunchiness through double-leavening techniques.
2. Sorbillo Roma brought authentic Neapolitan flavours to the capital in 2019, with Gino Sorbillo's legendary Naples pizzeria opening a Roman franchise. Stellar ingredients shine in simple pieces, with the basic marinara featuring just tomato sauce, garlic, olive oil, and oregano revealing maximum flavour from minimum components.
3. Peppo al Cosimato serves wonderful Neapolitan pizza in Trastevere with warm staff and old-fashioned décor providing reason enough to visit. Each slice delivers slight chewiness with crisp edges, enhanced by hot salami or other quality toppings.

Best Pizza al Taglio (pizza by the slice)

In Rome, Pizza al taglio, means "pizza by the slice." This is a distinctive Roman-style pizza cooked in large rectangular pans and sold in square or rectangular slices. It features a thick, focaccia-like crust, a light, airy texture with a crispy base, and a diverse range of gourmet toppings.

Top Pizza al Taglio Pizzerias include:

1. Casa Manco serves some of Rome's finest pizza al taglio at Testaccio Market, using 100-hour rising dough made from organic flour blends. This family-run spot features an enthusiastic owner who shares details about daily toppings and dough prep. The long rise time results in light, crunchy bases accentuating fresh, seasonal toppings. Alongside classics, daily specials like pear and gorgonzola or lemon and provola are worth trying. They also have a second location in Trastevere.
2. Bonci Pizzarium near the Vatican represents Rome's most famous pizza al taglio destination, where Gabriele Bonci earned the title "Michelangelo of Pizza" through colourful creative toppings on perfectly executed bases. The small shop attracts foodies worldwide, creating lines that food tours help bypass. The gorgeous creations justify both the wait and premium prices.
3. Alice Pizza has about 60 stores in Rome and 190 across Italy, known for its thin, crispy pizzas with great toppings. They ensure consistent quality, so you can find good pizza romana near major attractions. The Too Good To Go app offers Alice's pizza boxes for around €4.99, reducing food waste while saving money.

Please note: All prices are approximate, restaurant guides are suggestions only, and information is subject to change. Please check the official websites for current opening times, menus, prices, and suitability information.

Updated February 2026 · Researched by Flight4 Travel Team