Food Guide: Rome
A two-day food guide to the best spots in Rome! 🍝🍦
As I look back on my travels and the best dishes I’ve ever tasted, Rome always comes to mind. When visiting a new city, you want a truly authentic experience and don't want to waste a meal at a tourist trap. In this post, I'll share a two-day guide, from breakfast to dessert, featuring some of my favorite restaurants from my time living in Rome, as well as a few highly recommended spots.
Day One
Breakfast:
Forno Campo de’ Fiori and Bar Farnese
Stop by Forno Campo de’ Fiori for a quick pastry, then walk a short distance to Bar Farnese for a cup of coffee.
Address:
Campo de' Fiori, 22, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Via Dei Baullari, 20, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Lunch:
All’Antico Vinaio
This popular sandwich shop offers what I believe to be the best sandwiches in the city. Depending on the time of year and the time of day you visit, there might be a line. It’s centrally located just a few feet from the Pantheon.
Address: Piazza della Maddalena, 3, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Dinner:
Trattoria Da Cesare al Casaletto
Out of all the restaurants I’ve tried in Rome, this is by far my favorite. Depending on where you’re staying, it might require a car ride outside the city, but it’s well worth it. A Roman classic to try is the amatriciana. A great starter is the fried gnocchi, served with a cacio e pepe pecorino Romano sauce.
Link: https://trattoriadacesare.it/
Address: Via del Casaletto, 45, 00151 Roma RM, Italy
Dessert:
Gelateria La Romana
With locations all around the city, it’s easy to treat yourself to gelato. My personal order is a scoop of pistachio in a cone with warm hazelnut chocolate at the bottom.
Link: https://www.gelateriaromana.com/78-gelateria-roma.php
Address: Multiple
Day Two
Breakfast:
Le Carré Français Roma
You might be wondering why a French bakery is on this list when you’re visiting Rome, but it’s worth the visit. The pastries and coffee are excellent. Located right next to Piazza Cavour, you can grab your pastries to go and walk to the square to enjoy them on a park bench.
Link: https://www.carrefrancais.it/carrev2/it/home-lecarrefrancais/
Address: Via Vittoria Colonna, 30, 00193 Roma RM, Italy
Lunch:
Salvatore Di Matteo Le Gourmet
This pizza restaurant is a great spot to sit down and enjoy a classic Neapolitan-style pizza.
Address: Via Vittoria Colonna, 32A, 00193 Roma RM, Italy
Dinner:
Da Enzo 29
This popular restaurant focuses on traditional Roman-style dishes. They don’t take reservations and sometimes have long lines.
Link: https://www.daenzoal29.com/
Address: Via dei Vascellari, 29, 00153 Roma RM, Italy
Gelato:
Lubrano
Another excellent gelato spot. I always order pistachio.
Address: Via Renzo Rossi, 39, 00162 Roma RM, Italy
Other Recommendations and Things to Note
One thing you may notice when you travel to Italy or Rome specifically is that sit down long breakfasts are not a common occurrence. With that being said, I would recommend to stop by a coffee shop or a “forno” to grab a treat to begin your day.
An experience I highly recommend is Aperitivo. It’s similar to happy hour, but you’re offered traditional snacks and small plates. Many tourists choose spots that overlook famous landmarks, which is a great idea. However, you can also walk into almost any restaurant and enjoy a great Aperitivo there as well!
