There’s a lot more to Italian food than pizza, pasta, and risotto. From delicately roasted lamb that melts on your tongue and prosciutto ham that’s so finely sliced you can see through it to velvet-soft hand-churned gelato and fluffy herb-speckled focaccia, Italian food is incredible. 

Rome boasts a huge number of Michelin-starred restaurants that have appeared in movies and TV shows all over the world. But you don’t have to go into debt to eat good food in the Eternal City. There are plenty of budget-friendly spots where you can treat your taste buds to colorful pizza al taglio and creamy cacio e pepe for the change in your pocket! 

Nothing compares to spending the morning exploring iconic historic sites that have stood in place for thousands of years before stopping off in one of the best places to eat in Rome for a decadent carb-laden lunch. Nab a table with a great view and revel in the atmosphere while sipping on a glass of prosecco and waiting for your chosen delectable meal to arrive. 

With so many delicious dishes to try and tempting restaurants to visit, it can seem almost impossible to determine which ones are worth visiting. To help you out, we’ve put together a list of the absolute best restaurants in Rome that will leave you with memories you’ll be talking about for years. 

Add these restaurants to your list of must-do things in Rome, and you’re guaranteed to have an amazing time dining in the Eternal City! 

The Best Restaurants in Rome, Italy

1. Enoteca La Torre

Hidden away from the hustle and bustle of the city’s busy streets inside Villa Laetitia, Enoteca La Torre is highly regarded for consistently serving some of the very best food in Rome. Offering hungry diners a taste of la dolce vita, the restaurant’s lofty ceilings, delicate tablecloths, towering French doors, and impeccable service will make you feel like a VIP as soon as you sit down.

Enoteca La Torre will wow you with stunning plates worthy of an art gallery. The seasonal menu is created by Domenico Stile, who brings his Campanian roots to the Eternal City. Here you can dine on classic Southern Italian delights made with indulgent ingredients such as fresh fish, Sorrento lemons, and buffalo milk cheese. 

While everything on the menu is superb, we recommend you splash out on the 7-course surprise tasting menu. Each dish is thoughtfully selected by the chef, and no two experiences are ever the same. 

2. Felice e Testaccio

Set in Testaccio, a gourmet hotspot that’s widely regarded as the best neighborhood for indulging in traditional Roman cuisine, Felice e Testaccio is truly a hidden gem. This unassuming restaurant may not look like much from the outside, but step through the door, and you’ll be treated to retro decor made up of checkered floors, bare brick walls, and long communal-style tables.

The menu matches the restaurant’s old-school vibe with plates that you’d expect to see featured in a classic Italian movie. Browse through, and you’ll spot buffalo mozzarella, prosciutto, bucatini all’Amatriciana, Saltimbocca alla romana, and semifreddi, among many others. 

Felica e Tesaccio’s signature dish is cacio e pepe. It’s served beautifully – a delicate swirl of housemade noodles tossed with the perfect balance of melted Italian cheese and freshly-cracked black pepper. It may not be the best spot for a romantic dinner. But it’s a fantastic place to visit for a more casual experience and the opportunity to treat yourself to some genuine Roman food.  

3. Giulia

Boasting a prestigious location on one of the city’s most dignified streets, Giulia is one of the top restaurants in Rome. Led by Chef Alessandro Borgo, who grew up in Rome and perfected his kitchen skills in Lazio, the restaurant is known for serving classic comfort food with a quirky twist.

Flip through the elegant menu, and you’ll spot dishes like wholesome oxtail served with cocoa ketchup and delicate spaghetti noodles tossed in a vibrant red sauce made from sea urchins and sea snails. Giulia certainly isn’t the place to go for classic Roman cuisine. But if you’re looking for imaginative fare you won’t find anywhere else, you definitely won’t be disappointed.

While you wait for your table to be prepared, grab a drink at the sophisticated cocktail bar. With a classic wooden counter, a welcoming atmosphere, and service from an excellent mixologist, the cocktail bar is a great spot to begin your evening. Opt for an Italian classic, such as a Negroni or Spritz, or ask the mixologist to whip you up something special! 

4. Trattoria Monti

One of Rome’s best-kept secrets, Trattoria Monti is the place to go for excellent food at affordable prices. Located in the center of the city, just a short walk away from the Termini, this restaurant is always bustling with local foodies – a telltale sign of a top restaurant.

Trattoria Monti is run by a family who originated in Le Marche and brought their delicious cuisine with them. The menu is laden with meat-focused dishes, such as duck breast with a rich cherry sauce and handmade rigatoni with sausage. The restaurant’s specialty dish is tortello, which is so huge it fills a whole plate!

What really makes this restaurant stand out from the crowd is the exceptional wine list. It’s staggeringly huge for such a small establishment, with tasty offerings from all over the country. With bottles of wine for around €25, entrées for €20, and appetizers for €10, Trattoria Monti is a wonderful place to go for amazing Italian cuisine without blowing your budget.

5. Ristorante Moma

You’ll struggle to find rooftop restaurants in Rome, but Ristorante Moma is about as close as you can get. It may be on the ground level, but the gorgeous decoration will make you think you’re on a beautiful rooftop. The restaurant offers a small al fresco terrace, with tables dressed with white linens surrounded by manicured green hedges and protected from the sun by stylish towering umbrellas.

The stunning restaurant is a Michelin-starred establishment named after the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which is pretty fitting considering the artful plating of the dishes. You’ll find it located opposite the US Embassy and, as you’d expect, caters mostly to business people that want to treat themselves to something a little special.

Sit down among the suits, and you’ll find a decadent selection of reinterpretations of iconic Italian dishes. Whether you opt for the lasagna made from flavor-packed chestnut flour, large pockets of ravioli stuffed with delicate cod and rich caramelized onions, or something else entirely, your taste buds will be in for a real treat. 

6. Seu Pizza Illuminati

For the best pizza you’ll ever have in your life, make a reservation for Seu Pizza Illuminati. And because the place is so tremendously popular among local and visiting foodies, you really do have to make reservations well in advance.

Worlds apart from most of the classy restaurants on this list, Seu Pizza Illuminati takes a much more contemporary and stylish approach to interior design. Take a look around, and you’ll notice minimalist black-and-white decor with bright neon lighting. It creates the perfect vibe for a high-end pizza joint.

The menu is overflowing with all kinds of tempting pizzas, all of which are Neapolitan-style, with huge puffy crusts you’ll never find in Roman pizzerias. Offering everything from classic margherita pizzas and marinaras to all kinds of creative pies topped with things like pistachio crumbles and purple cauliflower, Seu Pizza Illuminati is definitely a place you’ll want to return to.

Better still, the prices are extremely affordable compared to a lot of top restaurants in Rome. Especially considering this is widely regarded as the home of the best pizza in Rome. 

7. Va.Do

Va.Do is an excellent restaurant to visit if you’re dining in a group with a lot of different preferences. The comprehensive menu is laden with a wonderful selection of fish, meat, and vegetarian dishes inspired by flavors and cooking techniques from all over the globe.

Browse through the menu, and you’ll discover everything from flavor-packed tuna tartare and crispy tofu with couscous to handmade ravioli stuffed with pork cheek and chicken curry tossed with noodles. If you’re in the mood for something a bit more local, you won’t be left wanting. The dessert menu is brimming with classic Roman treats, such as almond-flour chocolate cake and tiramisu. 

The decor is the perfect blend between old and new. Solid wooden tables and chairs are topped with stylish glassware and flickering candles. The bare brick walls and curved archways will make you feel like you’re dining in a luxury wine cellar. 

Despite serving such fantastic quality food in gorgeous surroundings, Va.Do doesn’t fill up that far in advance. If you make a reservation in the morning, you can usually get a table the same evening. 

8. Pianostrada

Make a reservation at Pianostrada and try a little bit of everything. This modern restaurant is popular among local foodies because they boast an uber-creative menu that highlights plates designed for sharing. Although when you see the masterly presentation of the food, you certainly won’t want to be the first one to touch it!

Delicate squares of the lightest focaccia you’ll ever try in your life feature on the menu next to bizarre-yet-tasty squid ink burgers and plant-based eggplant parmesan enhanced with beautifully sweet red onions imported from Tropea. If you’re in the mood for something carby and comforting, we definitely recommend ordering pasta with zucchini flowers. It’s the perfect blend of comfort food and gourmet cuisine. 

All the servers here are incredibly knowledgeable when it comes to wine. So if you’re not quite sure what to order, leave it to the experts. The menu changes often, and it’s almost impossible to get the latest copy before you go, so keep an open mind, and you’ll be in for an amazing experience. 

9. Trattoria Pennestri

One of the coolest restaurants in Rome, Trattoria Pennestri is the type of warm and inviting place where you lose track of time and find yourself spending the entire afternoon there following an indulgent lunch. The small dining room features sunny lighting, casual table settings, and an eye-catching ochre bar that makes you feel like you’re at a friend’s restaurant instead of a fine dining eatery.

The menu is a wonderful reflection of the restaurant’s rustic vibe and offers wholesome pasta and risotto-based dishes with a handful of grilled meat and baked fish options. 

Whatever you decide to order, you’ve absolutely got to leave room for the signature dessert. Trattoria Pennestri is famed throughout the city for its sweet and salty chocolate mousse, infused with rosemary and accompanied by Sardinian flatbread. It sounds like an unusual combination, but it works! 

If you’re a fan of wine, you’ll have a great time here. The wine list is absolutely huge, with a surprising number of varieties available by the glass. 

10. Osteria Fernanda

For an exceptional dining experience you’ll be telling all your foodie friends about for years to come, you can’t go wrong with Osteria Fernanda. Widely regarded among locals as one of the most outstanding restaurants in Rome, this dining spot invites diners to dig into an ultra-modern and sophisticated selection of reimagined comfort foods.

Risotto made with cauliflower butter, pigeon cooked with sage extract, lamb with a vermouth sauce, and beef with preserved persimmon are some of the highlights. The dessert menu is also superb, tempting even the fullest of diners with delights such as passionfruit-saffron soufflé and porter beer ice cream.

If you can’t decide what to order, opt for one of the tasting menus. They’re made up of 4-10 courses and are remarkably affordable. Set wine pairing isn’t offered, but Osteria Fernanda does boast an extensive wine selection with a number of highly-regarded champagnes that work beautifully with any dish. 

11. Trapizzino

Trapizzino dishes up some of the very best street food you’ll find anywhere in Rome. This trendy restaurant was created by the genius Stefano Callegari who first worked as a pizza delivery boy in 2008. 

Over time, he developed an incredible passion for pizza and many other types of casual fast food. After working his way through culinary school, he opened up a number of hugely successful pizza parlors and street food joints throughout Italy. 

Trapizzino is proud to serve his latest epicurean creation. The restaurant is named after the trapizzino dish, which is a type of soft-as-a-cloud focaccia pouch stuffed with all kinds of creative and delicious fillings. From chicken cacciatore and eggplant parmesan to traditional meatballs and Roman artichokes, any type of Italian dish you can think of, Stefano has managed to tuck it into a focaccia pouch. 

As you’d expect, Trapizzino isn’t the place to go for a romantic meal for two. But when you’re looking for something exciting, filling, and on-trend, it ticks all the boxes. 

12. Marigold

Think of the best restaurants in Rome, and you probably imagine a fancy place to enjoy lunchtime pizza or an upscale dining room for an evening meal. But breakfast can be luxurious, too. Marigold is open from early morning until early afternoon and dishes up all kinds of sweet and savory creations that are absolutely worth getting out of bed for. 

An unusual blend that works incredibly well, Marigold is half-bakery and half-cafe, as well as being half-Italian and half-Scandinavian. While the surroundings (which feature light wood, natural textures, and fresh flowers) invoke the comforting hygge vibe, the food is strictly Roman.

There’s rarely an official menu because the selection changes each day, according to which fresh, seasonal ingredients have been foraged. But you can expect to find the likes of stracciatella with walnut pesto and zucchini, as well as cinnamon swirls and sourdough bread on the menu. There’s a fabulous choice of Italian coffee available, as well as freshly-pressed unfiltered juices and housemade lemonade. 

13. Da Enzo al 29

For some of the best pasta in Rome, avoid the busy restaurants surrounding the city’s major landmarks and explore the back streets. Wander around long enough, and you’ll find Da Enzo al 29, a charming dining spot hidden away from Rome’s hustle and bustle on a clandestine street in Trastevere. 

This restaurant has a typical Roman trattoria vibe, with a small selection of fresh, handmade pasta dishes you’ll be trying to recreate at home for years. Arrive early and grab one of the few outdoor tables so you can enjoy your simple yet decadent lunch al fresco.

Despite the very affordable prices, portions here are incredibly generous, so make sure you don’t over-order. Absolutely everything you see on the menu comes highly recommended, from the rich carbonara and perfectly braised artichokes to giant meatballs and creamy tiramisu.

The service is always super friendly without being over-imposing. You leave feeling like family with a strong desire to return for the dishes you couldn’t quite manage the first time. 

14. Roscioli

Step into Roscioli, and you’ll immediately be surrounded by local foodies in the know. Although this is well-known among people in Rome as being a phenomenal place for antipasti, it’s very much off-the-beaten-track for travelers and visitors.

Roscioli has more of a deli vibe than a restaurant atmosphere, with a cramped bar stacked high with bottles and a small number of wooden tables set against bare brick walls. Located just a short walk away from Campo de Fiori, here you order food directly from the deli counter. Don’t worry about what you choose, everything is good.

Items change regularly according to availability and seasonality. But there’s always a fantastic assortment of local cheeses, cold cuts, tinned fish, and pickled products. If you’d prefer something a little more filling, the kitchen also dishes up classic Roman fare, including pasta e faioli, lasagna de Marco, and seared salmon. 

While many restaurants in Rome focus on building up an impressive wine list, Roscioli specializes in cocktails and local gin and tonics with all kinds of aromatic extras. 

15. Pizzeria Da Remo

For the best Roman pizza in Rome, it’s got to be Pizzeria Da Remo. Here you’ll find wafer-thin pizzas (even thinner than New York-style pizzas!), which are beautifully charred on the edges and come with the perfect crunch every time. Situated in the beating heart of Testaccio, this casual pizza joint is set inside a stunning historic building but keeps things low-key with straightforward service and simple outdoor seating.

There’s a huge selection of classic red and tomato-free white pizzas to choose between, with everything from classic prosciutto and marinara pizzas to pizzas topped with German sausages and smoked salmon. The menu also features a drool-worthy selection of dishes that can be used as sides or appetizers, such as bruschetta, croquettes, and salads.

Make a note that Pizzeria Da Remo is only open in the evening, so don’t attempt to grab a slice for lunch. It also fills up incredibly quickly – especially on weekends – so it’s a good idea to show up as soon as it opens so you can get a table. 

There you have it! The 15 best restaurants in Rome. Where is your favorite place to eat in Rome, Italy?

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