The best places to eat and drink in Rome

We spent a long weekend in Rome, which isn’t enough time to eat and drink at all the places I’d have loved to visit in the city. Rome is a true foodie capital, with a wide range of world-famous restaurants and lesser known gems to choose between.

As a huge fan of Italian food and especially Roman pizza, I was excited to eat and drink at as many cafes, restaurants, and bars in the city as we could. These were our favourites.

The best places to eat and drink in Rome

Ai Marmie

This low-key pizza spot in Trastevere is worth the queue (which does move quickly). It’s an institution, with a long menu of varied pizza flavours as well as antipasti options, and it did not disappoint. The service is speedy and we had some of our favourite food in Rome here.

Bottega67

A surprisingly good find while we were wandering the streets close to our hostel, Bottega67 sells pizza by the slice. This was the first place we ate in Rome, and it was hard to beat! Choose from 8-10 flavours and even select how large you want your slice. The only downside is that it’s not the cheapest place to eat… but the flavours were worth the price.

I Vaccinari

We stumbled across this restaurant in Monti and had to wait about 10 minutes for a table during a busy lunchtime but it was well worth the wait. I ordered a pizza with fresh tomatoes and basil on a white cheese base – not my usual go-to – and I think it might be one of the best pizzas I’ve ever eaten. It was so fresh and delicious – perfect for lunch on a hot day wandering the city. The pasta dishes and drinks were also excellent, and sitting outside on the terrace is great for watching the world go by.

Tonnarello (or Tonnarello PoP)

Tonnarello is a Trastevere favourite – which means it gets very busy. They actually have a few restaurants in the neighbourhood with very similar menus, so we went to Tonnarello PoP which had a queue of only 15 minutes. The pasta here was delicious and the restaurant is tucked in a cute corner with an outdoor area lit by fairly lights. The staff were great, and while at first I was skeptical about the hype surrounding Tonnarello, I quickly came around. It’s worth the queue for a table here!

Pastamore

If you’re looking for a quick place to grab some lunch in Rome and you don’t want to sit down (though you can, if you want) Pastamore is a go-to. We wandered here between the Colosseum and Monti, and had some delicious take-out pasta. It was exactly what I needed after a busy morning in the sun – light and delicious and filling enough to carry me through the afternoon without feeling so lethargic I needed to lie down! Eating pizza and pasta twice a day is one of the joys of Rome, but it can get very filling after a while…

Cave Canem

Another great spot in Trastevere is Cave Canem. If you’re looking for more than just pasta and pizza, they have a meat and fish menu as well as a selection of filled potatoes. Obviously we still went for pizza and pasta… and I’d definitely recommend!

Pizza Zizza

Often noted as one of the best pizza places in Rome, Pizza Zizza is not far from the Vatican and offers thick-based square pizzas by the slice. They have some great flavours including plenty of veggie and vegan options, and they’re not too expensive when you just want to grab a quick snack or lunch on the go.

Bar San Calisto

This popular bar in Trastevere has a long queue for a reason. Large bottles of beer cost about €3 and if there are no seats outside you can wander into the square and drink it on the benches. They also offer Aperol on tap as well as lots of other great, affordable drinks. We came back here a few times for the great prices and vibe, but it does get very full of student pub crawls, so expect crowds and lots of noise! This is not a relaxed, romantic Roman bar…

Honourable mentions

Some recommended restaurants that we didn’t have time to try include:

• Bonci Pizzarium

• Luciano Cucina

• Alfredo alla Scrofa

• Antico Forno Roscioli

Find out more about how we spent three days in Rome here.