The best places we ate in Rome
Cacio e pepe at Flavio al Velavevodetto in Testaccio.
Everytime we travel to a new place, I create a Google map of the places I’d like to go. I somewhat intensely color-code it and cite my sources (since I trust some publications more than others) and then always have it on hand to consult as we’re wandering around. Fully aware that my personality is more obsessive than spontaneous, I like to think that this allows me to be more comfortable exploring without a plan (the true essence of travel, I suppose), knowing that I have the trusty Google map as a back-up. I’ve recently roped Pete into this hobbyist cartography, which truly is up there with the highest forms of trust I could bestow upon someone. Take this as the ultimate compliment, Pete.
Of course, we never make it to every place we pin down (like, why am I still adding an entire layer for bars?). Once, we shared a Maine map with friends who excitedly texted us that the restaurant we recommended was fantastic, but were surprised to hear we had never visited and have never let me live down this map fraud.
Anyway, here’s our full map for Rome, and below, a list of the best places that we can actually vouch for. :)
If it’s specifically traditional Roman pastas you’re interested in, check out The Great Roman Pasta Tour of 2021 on YouTube. ;)
PIZZA/BAKERIES/SNACKS
Pizza e mortazza from Antico Forno Roscioli.
I’m lumping pizza, bakeries (the forno type, not the sweets type) and snacks (like suppli) into one category. When you’re looking for a quick bite, not a sit down meal. These were our favorites.
This is the place we visited the most. You’ll find fornos all over Rome, and as the name suggests, things that are baked in the oven inside. I developed a deep obsession with pizza e mortazza-- mortadella sandwiched between pizza bianca (basically plain pizza dough, similar to focaccia), but you could get any filling of your choice. One day we even sampled porchetta between potato pizza. We also made a habit of grabbing a bag of pizzettes (pizzetti?!) -- tiny little pizzas with just tomato sauce -- for Hays to snack on when he was cranky. The sweet baked items here weren’t as noteworthy...stick to the savory. They also have a full restaurant that had some of our favorite traditional pastas (more below.)
As much as I hate to admit it, I’m not (or wasn’t) a huge fan of Roman style pizza. Ever since visiting Naples in 2015, I’ve put pizza in the same category as bagels-- something to eat only when in the right place (bagels: NY or NJ; pizza: Naples.) I learned on this trip to develop an appreciation for Roman style pizza...but they’re not all created equally. We visited Bonci on our food tour with Maurizio and were blown away. Chef Gabriele Bonci uses only the best ingredients and combines them for some more unusual toppings. And the dough is to die for. Roman style pizza is sold by weight, so it’s easy to mix and match many different types. Still, our favorite was the classic potato version.
This place was on our street, and we walked by several times thinking it looked good, but a little unsure given all the tourists in the area. Maurizio mentioned it on our food tour and that was the nudge we needed to check it out. We ended up eating it three times during our stay. The employees here are particularly friendly and helpful.
Along the lines of my former “pizza only when in Naples” logic, to have the best arancini, you must go to Sicily. However, Rome does their own version, suppli, and this place does them best. We only ate here once, on our first day, but future suppli simply didn’t live up to these.
RESTAURANTS
It’s easier to have a bad/mediocre meal in Rome than one might imagine. You’ll be rewarded if you travel to neighborhoods outside the historical center for meals. Testaccio/Ostiense is full of delicious trattorias, and our favorite, Da Cesare is even further afield.
Trattoria Da Enzo al 29 in Trastevere.
If you’re doing your research on places to eat in Rome, this will come up. We learned about it from Katie Parla, but it also features in Bon Appetit, the Michelin Guide, and Conde Nast Traveler. Still, it absolutely lives up to the hype of being the perfect neighborhood trattoria and is just out of the way enough that it’s filled with locals, not tourists. The pasta alla gricia is outstanding, as are the classic Roman dishes and fried seafood. The best part? A litre of house wine for 8€. If you’re going to check this place out, make time for exploring Villa Pamphili, our favorite park in Rome, before.
When we asked Maurizio, our food tour guide, for a recommendation to eat with my parents (nothing too fancy), he immediately suggested Da Cesare. When we mentioned we had been there already, Trattoria Pennestri was his next recommendation. It’s a great place for both classics but also more creative dishes. The tables on the sidewalk are great, and both times we went it was full with a young, hip crowd. Don’t skip dessert-- the chocolate mousse with olive oil and salt is divine.
We only ate here once, during The Great Roman Pasta Tour of 2021, but it served our favorite pasta alla gricia of the trip (ahead of Da Cesare’s by a fraction of a hair.)
Our neighborhood, Trastevere, was full of plenty of tourist traps, and when we saw a queue forming for this place well before they opened, we were skeptical. But, an Italian friend of ours and also an Italian friend of Geoffrey and Ludo’s had mentioned it, and it was convenient, so we hopped in. We snagged one of the last tables and had a great meal!
Runner up: Flavio al Velavevodetto
Another The Great Roman Pasta Tour of 2021, Flavio al Velavevodetto (say that five times fast) is a great place for Roman classics and we enjoyed sitting outside in the courtyard with other families enjoying a Sunday meal.
GELATO/SWEETS
Hays eating gelato at Fior di Luna (which didn’t make the cut.)
We couldn’t do a food round up with Rome without an entire category for gelato. And while I didn’t meet any gelato I didn’t like, we had a favorite and second favorite. A bonus in this category is Boccione for ricotta cake (more below.)
What’s there to say? This place (“gelato” spelled backwards) has The. Best. Gelato. There’s always a line, and it will definitely have tourists in it, but jump in and see for yourself. The pistachio here was unreal and full of huge chunks. I’m still not sure how a cone of that stuff is only 1.5€ but I guess they know what they’re doing.
Around the corner from Otaleg, Fatamorgana (they have multiple locations) was our second favorite. They have more interesting flavors (although Otaleg always has a couple of wacky ones, like bruschetta or blue cheese), but we didn’t like the gelato quite as much.
We passed this place when wandering through the Jewish Ghetto one morning. The bakery is unmarked, but there was a huge line outside so we jumped in, figuring something good was at the other end. Boccione is known for its pizza Ebraica (“Jewish pizza”), a super dense, sweet bread filled with nuts and dried fruit and their ricotta tarts. It’s the latter that we loved. They offer both sour cherry and chocolate versions. Go for the cherry.
DRINKS
Aperol and Campari spritzes in Naples (not Rome.)
This is a category I didn’t get to explore as much as my map intended. There are a few places on there I’d stll love to go...we just never made it. And mostly, we drank Aperol spritzes wherever looked good, which always sufficed even if the establishments weren’t super memorable.
This was our local wine bar (close enough for us to venture downstairs after bedtime while closely observing the baby monitor), though the opening hours seemed a little mysterious, which to be honest, added to the allure. Definitely seemed like a spot where the cool kids hang out. The wine is great, but learn from us and don’t make a meal of the limited snack menu.
This is a cute little kiosk in Testaccio. A great place to stop for a coffee, or grab a cocktail to go (they’ve got some unusual spritzes) to enjoy while your son plays in the playground nearby, like we did. :)
Runner up: Salotto 42
Not necessarily somewhere I would consider a “don’t miss,” but a solid option in the historical center for an aperitivo away from the crowds, with a great view of Hadrian’s temple. It gets busy, so consider reserving to get one of the prime outdoor tables. We went here with fellow Chattanoogans Meredith (River City Street Poet) and Allison, who learned about it from YouTubers Kara and Nate.
MARKETS
You can’t forget eating at the glorious markets! These two were our favorites.
We based ourselves in Trastevere, but found ourselves eating mostly in Testaccio. This covered market is full of wonderful stalls selling clothes, produce, meat, fish, and a few stalls selling food you can eat right away. Mordi e Vai is a popular choice for sandwiches filled with Roman classics.
We visited this market with Maurizio on our food tour and revisited to shop for groceries to cook with. It’s massive and definitely worth exploring. Combine it with a visit to Bonci for pizza.