Discover Rome’s sensational local specialties, find out where to eat like a local, and learn how to make your own pasta the Roman way.
We’ve been to Rome many times over the years, including three weeks this past month. The more I go to this city, the deeper I fall in love with all the unique aspects that make Rome special. It’s a modern city that flows unimpeded in literally the same space as its 2,000 year old past, which makes for a truly stunning juxtaposition.
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The ancient Romans were engineering machines, and their structures still stand in almost every corner of southern Europe (and as far north as England), but nowhere as extensively (or magnificently) as in Rome. You can – and should – easily spend a week exploring all that remains of a fascinating civilization.
But they weren’t just builders; they were also architects of a lovely cuisine, full of local specialities made with the freshest regional ingredients. An integral part of their culture, food is where meaningful connections are made, whether with friends or loved ones. After multiple visits, lots of research, food tours and a cooking class, plus plenty of taste testing, we present a culinary journey through Rome.
Local Roman Specialties
Here is a list of some of the local dishes for which Rome is famous.
- Cacio e pepe
Deceptively simple dish made of just pasta, salted water, freshly ground pepper, and pecorino Romano requires the best of each ingredient, and it will blow your mind. - Amatriciana
Hearty Amatriciana sauce is made from guanciale (cured pork cheek), tomato and pecorino Romano and is typically paired with bucatini pasta. - Carbonara
Another delicious local pasta sauce, this one is made from cured pork, eggs, hard cheese, salt and pepper. - Suppli
Suppli are awesome Roman snacks found at stands and bars. The original suppli consists of rice balls with tomato sauce, but they come in many flavors, including cacio e pepe and amatriciana. - Porchetta
Savory, boneless, and fatty pork roast used in sandwiches and paninis - Jewish fried artichoke (carciofi alla giudia)
In this delicious dish, which originated in the ghettos of Rome, the artichoke is deep-fried whole, then segmented for sharing. - Oxtail Stew (coda alla vaccinara)
This rich, delicious dish evolved from a recipe using leftover meat from the slaughterhouse into one of Rome’s most iconic dishes. - Roman pizza
Medium crust pizza cut in rectangles generally served as a casual, takeaway snack. - Pecorino Romano
This hard, salty cheese made from sheep’s milk originated in Rome and is fundamental to many local specialties, like cacio e pepe and pasta all’amatriciana.
Roman Wine
The finest wines in the region of Lazio, where Rome is located, hail from Frascati, a city located about 20 miles southeast of Rome. Renowned for its white wines of the same name, Frascati predominantly uses Malvasia grapes blended with other varieties.
The sweet Cannellino di Frascati pairs beautifully with desserts and Pecorino Romano, while the Frascati Superiore complements seafood and bucatini all’amatriciana perfectly. Both wines proudly hold the prestigious DOCG designation (the highest classification Italian wines can be awarded). Other local grapes include Bellone and Cesanese.
Food Tours
We love to eat, and we firmly believe that food tours are the best introduction to a new city and a local cuisine. We always find new dishes and eateries we would never have gone to. Plus, we meet the nicest people on these tours! We recommend that you do these EARLY in your visit so you’ll learn where to go, what to eat, and how to avoid those insidious tourist traps (ALWAYS check Google for high ratings as well as a LOT of reviews). Plus, the guides usually give you their list of recommendations at the end of the tour.
We did this food tour in the cool Trastevere neighborhood that was really fun. We walked around the area, stopping for specialties at places frequented mostly by locals (which is always a good sign!) It has a 5-star rating and lasts about 3 hours.
Another good one was the Roman Street Food Tour, during which we sampled a variety of authentic street snacks favored by locals. History came alive as we walked around Rome, taking in the sights. Maximum group size is ten, and lasts 2-3 hours.
Pasta Making Class with Wine, Limoncello, and Dessert
There were four of us in our group. Game for a fun afternoon, we signed up for an immersive cooking class that had us making pasta from scratch. Costanza was our capable teacher and she made the class entertaining and informative. We made three different types of pasta, using traditional tools to cut and fill them. After we were finished with all the hard work, we sat down with some Tuscan wine and tucked into our pasta with sauce, congratulating each other on our new skills which would surely impress even the most discriminating nonna. Dessert and limoncello was the perfect ending to a fantastic afternoon.
Roman Drinking Tour
Sometimes you need alcohol to soak up all that food. We did this guided bar crawl with a local expert and had a blast. It kicked off at 8 pm near Monti, then we did a walking tour around the area, listening to our guide recount funny stories and occasionally popping into a cool bar for a libation. Our guide was hilarious and we really enjoyed the drinks. We were a *bit* concerned because we were afraid of being the oldest people on the tour, but there were plenty of folks our age (50’s).
Some Favorite Roman Restaurants
Here’s a list of some of the eateries that really stood out during our visit.
- Al Forno della Soffitta
We ate here twice during our stay. It’s a bustling but cozy restaurant and pizzeria, very highly rated with thousands of reviews. Delicious wood-fired pizza and a nice selection of pasta dishes and side. - Pasta e Vino | Come ‘Na Vorta
Another highly-rated restaurant with lots of delicious, hearty pasta dishes, they have seven locations around Rome. - Rimessa Roscioli
Upscale restaurant that celebrates Italian wine and authentic dishes with dining, tastings and multiple related establishments like a pizzeria and a grocery store. We ate here twice during our stay and both times were great. They have a location in New York City, but I’ll bet this one is better… and less expensive. - Il Fellini
Upscale restaurant in Ludovisi that harkens back to the golden age of Italian cinema. Attentive service and nice traditional Roman and Italian dishes. - Kisaki Ramen
Sometimes you have a hankering for something different, so we were happy to find this highly-rated ramen place. We consider ourselves ramen connoisseurs and this one did not disappoint. We started with a really delicious Japanese salad with miso dressing. The only knock on this place: the gyoza were deep-fried rather than steamed or pan-fried.
Fast and Delicious
- Fuorinorma
We love this popular place in Monti. In addition to charcuterie boards, they have a lot of different panini sandwich choices. We’ve tried several, but the champion is the porchetta, the best in Rome. Also great: the amatriciana. - Pizza Florida
Our favorite Roman pizza, they always have a big selection of flavors on display. Cut into squares and heated, they are sensational. Very limited seating though, but just walk across the street and sit on a bench for your feast. - Alice Roman Pizza
We went to several locations of this restaurant popular with locals. Tiny with limited seating (sometimes standing), you just point at the pizzas on display and they will cut them to your size preference and heat them in the oven. - Donkey Punch
Fun rock and roll-themed panini restaurant in Trastevere offering a lengthy menu of sandwich selections. We sampled the Eddie Van Halen and the Led Zeppelin and they were super tasty. - Central Market (Mercato Centrale)
This food market is located at Termini Station, Rome’s main train station, and has a bar, cafe, and lots of different foods to choose from. Try the Trapizzino, a stuffed Italian pizza pocket.
Best Roman Gelato
Gelato can be found everywhere but they are not all equal. Our reigning champion is La Romana (since 1947 y’all), but we also had surprisingly good gelato at Venchi, the chocolate store.
- Gelato La Romana
- Rivarena Gelato
And One Cool Bar
- The Race Club Speakeasy – Located near the Colosseum, this late-night hidden cocktail bar is serious about their libations. Five euros gets you a one-year membership to this club. The dark, intimate space filled with plush sofas and leather armchairs sets the vibe. The bar offers elevated, experimental cocktails delivered with visually stunning and surprising presentations – think light, smoke, and creative glasses. One cocktail we ordered arrived in a small sidecar with a helmet and a pair of goggles. Our group of four had a really fun time here.
Day Trips from Rome
- Frascati – Frascati is known as a foodie town and it’s famous for its dry white wine of the same name. The town has a magnificent cathedral, as well as a few stately villas you can visit. We didn’t do a tour; we just took an easy 30-minute train from Roma Termini train station.
- Tuscany – We took a day tour to Tuscany, during which we visited Montepulciano and Pienza. What I loved about it is it included transportation via coach plus brief walking tours, then we had plenty of free time to wander around, shop, eat, or (in our case) settle down with a bottle or two of red wine and people-watch.
Roman Sights Not to Miss:
- Trevi Fountain
The most beautiful fountain in Rome is now undergoing a cleaning and repairs, but you can still view it from atop the new platform. It’s still worth it. - Spanish Steps
- Forum
- Colosseum
We highly recommend this skip-the-line Colosseum tour with a super knowledgable local guide. You’ll walk past the lines to enter, then walk around the interior of this massive structure. You’ll also get access to the brand-new partial floor, as well as the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill (which is worth it for the panoramic views of the city!) Semi-private tour with maximum of 6 people. - Catacombs
The Catacombs are ancient underground Christian burial sites. There are multiple catacombs and you can’t access them without a guide. We highly recommend the catacomb tour that we did. The entry tickets cost extra (bought on site, cash only), but the prices are nominal: Adults: 10,00 €, 6 to 15 years: 7,00 €, 5 years and under: FREE.
Great Squares:
- Piazza del Pópolo
Enormous square inside the northern gate in the Aurelian Walls that holds some elegant fountains and impressive churches. - Piazza Navona
Huge open square in the shape of an oval, built on the site of a former stadium from the first century. The square has a few nice fountains by Bernini. - Campo de’ Fiore
Site of a huge historical food market by day, lots of bars and restaurants by night. - Largo di Torre Argentina
A large open square featuring the remains of four ancient temples as well as the remains of Pompey’s Theatre, juxtaposed against buildings of modern Rome.
Where to Stay… and a Word of Advice
NOTE: Rome Jubilee 2025 will be going on for all of 2025, so the city promises to be even busier than usual. If you plan on visiting Rome in 2025, PLAN EARLY!
We find the hotels in Rome – and including brands like Marriott – to be quite pricey. We are fortunate to have a time share-type property in the Monti area; however, we can’t always get the weeks we want so we then have to find other lodging.
There is a good airbnb and vacation rental market in Rome and prices are more reasonable. We recommend going to Booking.com (or airbnb) and searching in the Monti area. It’s very centrally located, not too touristy, and there are some small boutique hotels there as well.
We’ve also stayed in the Ludovisi area near Villa Borghese at these two hotels:
- Tribune Hotel (JdV by Hyatt)
This is a lovely boutique hotel overlooking the ancient Roman Aurelian walls and close to the lush Villa Borghese gardens. Features a nice rooftop restaurant. - Sofitel Roma Villa Borghese
5-star hotel in the Accor brand. We stayed here before we began our nomading adventure and it was quite nice. Located on the edge of the Villa Borghese gardens, it was close to everything. - citizenM Roma Isola Tiberina Hotel
We haven’t stayed here – but we’ve stayed at citizenM in Paris, Amsterdam and Austin. Hip and stylish hotels – the rooms are small but efficiently designed with super-fast wi-fi and controls adjusted on an iPad.
All You Need to Eat (and Drink) Your Way Through Rome
There you have it! All you have to do is book your ticket to Rome and make some plans. We’ve done all the research for you! Start with a food tour (or two), follow some restaurant recommendations for lunch and dinner, explore the city – it’s super walkable – and maybe take a cooking class for an unforgettable Roman experience.
