A Very Subjective List of the Best Places to Eat in Rome (2024 Update)

Issue #97

Pianostrada’s new location in Trastevere

Whenever I hear people say they visited Rome and didn’t eat well, I get a little upset. Did they do some research and make reservations? Or did they simply wander into a random restaurant they spotted while walking around the centro storico? Or worse—did they see the same famous places everyone goes to on social media and think they could get in without booking ahead? You wouldn’t believe how many people I’ve seen trying to get into Roscioli without a reservation. I always think: Are you kidding?

I don’t want to be too harsh or negative—I know it can be overwhelming to sort through the many ‘best restaurant’ lists out there. I also realize that blindly following those lists as if they’re gospel isn’t the way to go. Just because Condé Nast Traveler, Eater, and every food blogger or influencer out there touts a specific restaurant, it doesn’t mean that if you don’t go there, your trip was a waste. That said, I wouldn’t recommend the fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants approach either. There has to be a middle ground.

If you’re the kind of person who understands why it’s not a great idea to just wing it, if you know how to spot the tourist traps but don’t know where to find the creamiest cacio e pepe, if you plan your whole itinerary around meals and don’t want to be disappointed, or if you’ve already consulted the guidebooks and ‘best restaurants’ lists but want a local opinion, this list is for you. Please don’t take it as gospel—use it as a starting point.

Since I first published this list in February 2023, I’ve returned to many of the places on it (one of which now has a new location). I’ve added a new category (best for healthy options) and removed a few spots in an effort to streamline it. I still can’t claim to have eaten at every trattoria, pizzeria, and ristorante that’s ever been featured in a guide to Rome. Maybe one day I’ll eat a plate of cacio e pepe that blows every other plate of cacio e pepe out of the water. (If I do, I’ll update this list again.)

At the risk of constantly harping on about this, I would like to remind you, gentle reader, that even if we, as journalists, don’t always acknowledge it, every ‘best of’ list is subjective, even the most authoritative ones. So this is my very subjective list of the best places to eat in Rome. I’ve broken it down into 12 categories: best Roman trattoria, best fine dining restaurant, best pizzeria (sit down), best pizzeria (take out), best seafood restaurant, best creative bistro, best for a quick bite, best for healthy options, best market, best gelateria, best bakery (forno), and best bakery (pasticceria).

Best Roman Trattoria

Da Enzo is far from a secret, but I still think it’s the most quintessential Roman trattoria

An authentic Roman trattoria shouldn’t be trendy. It should be no frills, a bit boisterous, with no nonsense service, and the menu should stick to classic Roman dishes. If the decor is a bit too swanky, the lighting is low, or the menu includes ingredients like avocado, it might be a fine place to eat, but it’s not an authentic trattoria. 

When I want to bring an out-of-town friend to my favorite Roman trattoria, I go to Da Enzo al 29 in Trastevere. Every time I go, I curse myself a little bit for writing about it, because the line is always ridiculously long, and this is one of the very few restaurants in Rome that doesn’t take reservations, but when I finally sit down and bite into a forkful of their tonarelli cacio e pepe, I remember why it’s worth the wait. The tonarelli are fresh and homemade, but they’re hearty enough to stand up to the thick, creamy sauce. And whatever else my dining companion and I order, it never disappoints. Despite this family-run trattoria’s popularity, the prices are still extremely reasonable. 

Best Fine Dining Restaurant

Petit fours at Ristorante All’Oro

The Michelin guide has bestowed a total of 22 stars on 17 restaurants in Rome. So far I’ve been to seven of them. The designation of a Michelin star sets up certain expectations that can lead to disappointment, and when you’re spending a couple hundred euros on a meal, no doubt you’d rather avoid disappointment. 

For me, the standout restaurant with the tasting menu that’s really worth every penny is Ristorante All’Oro and the reason is simple: it’s not only delicious but also fun. A lot of fun. Chef/owner Riccardo Di Giacinto plays with classic Roman recipes—creating a pasta-less carbonara served in an egg shell, for example, and transforming coda alla vaccinara into the shape of a Ferrero Rocher—but he also plays with the presentation, using funny souvenir mugs or children’s toys to serve his creations. His tasting menu is one of the few truly memorable multi-course meals I’ve eaten and months later can still remember exactly what I ate without looking at my notes.

Best Pizzeria (Sit Down)

A couple of sublime Neapolitan-style pies at i Quintili

This category might be the hardest one for me to narrow down. (In fact, I wrote a whole list of my favorite pizzerias in Rome.)

Personally, my favorite place for Neapolitan-style pizza is i Quintili. The pizzaiolo, Marco Quintili, is from Caserta and it shows. There are two locations, neither of which is in the center of Rome, which gives you a clue that this place is not pandering to tourists but catering to locals. The menu is extensive, the service is speedy, the pizza and fritti are excellent, and the prices are very reasonable, unlike at the more famous Seu Pizza Illuminati. (Not to knock the quality at Seu—the pizza is good, but I think it’s a bit overhyped and overpriced.) Having been to both, I would skip Seu and go back to i Quintili again and again—but that’s just my opinion.

For the best Roman-style pizza, 180 Grammi is one of Rome’s next gen pizzerias that’s fanatical about ingredient sourcing and the best quality dough and serves creative pies in addition to the classic toppings. This place has a cult following among locals, so plan to book two weeks in advance or cross your fingers and hope for a last minute cancellation.