Where to Eat in Rome
With so many choices, finding a place to eat in Rome can be overwhelming. When it comes to finding a place to eat when travelling, we generally follow two rules; ask a local and go with your gut feeling. We did just that on a recent trip to Rome and had several delectable meals. Below are some of our favourite spots that we highly recommend you try on your next trip to Rome.
Ai Tre Scalini
In the hip neighbourhood of Monti, we came upon this bustling little restaurant/bar just around lunch time so we decided to nip in and see what the fuss was about. We sat at the counter along the wall and ordered drinks. Their food and drink menu is written on a blackboard at the back of the restaurant and was enticing enough for us to decide to stay for lunch.
We enjoyed a squash & chestnut lasagna and beef stew served on rice, although the beef stew had to be returned for lack of heat, it was succulent when served very hot.
Al Vino Al Vino
Recommended by a friend and local as a good place for aperitivo, we stopped here around six o’clock one night and were the first people to arrive. We ordered the caponata, an eggplant dish served with crusty bread, and two glasses of a full bodied Sangiovese.
The caponata was some of the best we have ever tasted and when asked for their recipe the owner went into great detail on how they prepare it.
Pizzeria al Forno della Soffita
On our last night we were looking for a good pizzeria not too far from Termini Station and after doing a bit of research we decided to try al Forno della Soffita. We have to admit, the reviews were good but what lured us in was a picture of their pizza oven, a work of art, positioned at the entrance so it’s the first thing you see.
Reservations are recommended but we decided to try our luck and were able to get a table for two in a cozy back corner. We ordered a salad composed of radicchio, cheese and ham, two pizzas, a margarita for Nat, and sausage for Tim, and a beer each. The pizzas were delicious with crispy, chewy crust and not too much cheese. The beer was good but too expensive, it turned out costing more than the pizza. Next time we’ll stick with wine.
Meid in Neipols
We discovered this restaurant a few years ago when we asked a local where to get a good pizza near The Beehive Rome ho(s)tel. It has become our go to place when we arrive in Europe through Rome and it has never let us down.
Their buffalo mozzarella is delivered from Naples every morning, they serve it in several of their dishes, our favourite is on one of their pizzas, cooked to perfection.
Ristorante Regina
You won’t find anything fancy here, this is an old school Italian restaurant with consistently good food. Its lighting is reminiscent of a high school cafeteria but don’t let that deter you, locals eat here which is enough of a review for us.
We both had a big plate of fresh pasta, spaghetti carbonara for Tim and tortellini alla Regina (mushroom cream sauce) for Nat, served piping hot with a carafe of house red wine. The wine left us with a bit of a headache but had we splurged on a more costly bottle the meal would have been perfect.
For more information on travelling to Rome, talk to a Flight Centre travel expert today, visit your closest Flight Centre store, or call 1-877-967-5302
About the Author
Nat and Tim together for close to a quarter of a century, have indulged their passion for life and experience to the fullest, but they feel most alive when traveling, cooking and eating. An award winning chef, Tim has dedicated his life and career to cooking and the pursuit of honest food. As a professional photographer, Nat records their adventures with incredible pictures of everyday life and the extraordinary. They believe that everyone should get to know a culture by learning about the foods they eat and living like locals as much as they can.
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These places look and sound really good. I will have to keep them in mind the next time I visit Rome. We had some good meals there the last time, but not all were that special.
We always try to get recommendations for new places to eat from the residents we come in contact with while we travel, just like you. Not only can we try some amazing new and traditional dishes but many times we end up saving some money. All your photos showed some gorgeous looking dishes but I’d love to try that squash and chestnut lasagna … mmm!
Everywhere looks absolutely divine. A wood fired pizza from Pizzeria al Forno della Soffita would be my first stop right now as I’m feeling particularly hungry reading this post 😉
We used the same technique for finding places to eat in Rome—-wander around and eat where the locals are eating. We were never disappointed. Good tip about the price of beer. Note to self: When in Rome, always go with the wine.
What a great list! Dining in Rome can be hit-or-miss, so it is always good to have suggestions from someone who is familiar with the options.
What a yummy selection of Rome restaurants! I’ll be using this list next time I’m in town, but I might have trouble deciding where to go first.