Outside of New York, Rome is probably my favorite city. It’s draped in the kind of magic you can’t recreate somewhere younger, the kind of place where some of the world’s best cocktail bars are mere feet away from the Colosseum. It’s where even the really good wine is still affordable, and everything tastes amazing because Italians are obsessed with their culinary traditions. And it’s a beautiful juxtaposition of old and new in the bar and restaurant landscape — it’s easy to find all of the Roman classics, but it’s just as simple to seek out chefs who are putting their own modern twists on the city’s cuisine. I travel to Rome as often as possible, and here’s where I eat and drink when I go.
The Best Restaurants in Rome
Dining at Roscioli is a transcendental experience. The food and wine is so good, and the menu is massive (which is both a blessing and a curse because you simply can’t try everything). The working salumeria makes the best mortadella and lardo I’ve ever tasted — it was probably my favorite meal of my most recent trip because it gave me an excuse to eat nothing but cured meats, foie gras and chicory sauteed with garlic, olive oil and chili. The carbonara (one of the four classic Roman pastas) here is also a dream, but you truly can’t go wrong with anything.
Roman Jewish cuisine is one of the most delicious reasons to travel to the Eternal City, and most of it can be enjoyed in the historic Ghetto, centered around Via del Portico d’Ottavia. For three centuries, Rome’s Jewish community was forced to live in this cramped, tiny area — which was prone to flooding because of its location near the Tiber River — whose gates were locked at night. But this horrible period actually led to the preservation of Cucina Ebraica Romana, which you can enjoy at places like Nonna Betta today. You have to order the most famous Roman Jewish dish, a crispy, succulent fried artichoke, or carciofo alla Giudia. The fried anchovies and sauteed chicory are great for sharing, and the carbonara alla Giudia with artichokes is divine. But my personal favorite is the trippa alla Romana, a hearty peasant dish of tripe cooked in tomato sauce.
My cousin first took me to this gem of a restaurant in 2015, and I’ve been eating here ever since. Snag a table on the cobblestone terrace and dig into supplì (rice balls), a huge list of homemade pizzas, prosciutto di Parma, escarole with olives and pine nuts, and perhaps the best cacio e pepe you’ll ever have. Emma also takes great pride in its wine list, and the restaurant has more than 1,000 labels in their cellars under the Theater of Pompeo.
This charming, friendly restaurant has one of the best tasting menu deals in town — for a mere 34 Euro per person, you get three antipasti for the table, choice of Roman pasta, choice of main course, seasonal vegetables and dessert. Even if you’re not that hungry, it’s still worth a visit. Start with the beef meatballs with salsa verde, move onto one of their excellent pastas and don’t miss the classic baccalà alla Romana, cod fish served in a tomato sauce cooked with raisins and pine nuts.
Il Marchese is the kind of place you go to celebrate, whether it’s something super special like an engagement or simply the fact that you’re on vacation. A wood bar wraps around the space, and the brass-accented backbar shows off the liquor and amari selection. Il Marchese excels in cocktails; they serve their own takes on classics like a Paper Plane and Mint Julep, and the menu has sections for spritzes and Americanos. Classics with a modern twist populate the food menu, like scottadito lamb meatballs and fettuccine with wild boar ragù and cocoa crumble.
Piperno is another gem of Rome’s historic Jewish Ghetto where you can sample delicious dishes like a perfect carciofo alla Giudia, fried zucchini blossoms and veal-filled agnolotti. The coda alla vaccinara, or oxtail stew, is another winner, as is the bream in a potato crust.
Perched on the rooftop of the historic Hotel Eden — which was the first hotel in Rome to feature an elevator, electricity and running water when it opened in 1889 — Il Giardino Ristorante offers some of the most gorgeous views and best service in the city. You can’t go wrong stopping by for a sunset aperitivo, but a lunch or dinner here is a real treat. Start with a shellfish salad or roasted octopus and crispy eggplant, and their amatriciana with mezzi paccheri is a must. As for secondi, the beef ribs with friggitelli peppers and roasted sea bass with fennel and citrus salad are both gorgeous choices.
French brasserie meets creative Italian cuisine at this gorgeous restaurant in Centro Storico. Sidle up to the bar for a Martini and selection of Italian hams and burrata with Cantabrian anchovies, or opt for a full-on dinner so you can try chef Nabil Hadj Hassen’s famed carbonara (his food helped put Roscioli on the map when he helmed the kitchen there). Other standouts: a croissant with porchetta, butter and anchovy sauce and the sole “Mugnaia” style with yuzu and mashed potatoes.
8 Ways to Eat Like a Local When Traveling
Tip: don’t trust every person’s opinion, even if they live thereThe Best Bars in Rome
Snake down a quiet side street and ring the bell of this clandestine establishment, and you’ll be led inside the bar (with a reservation and the accompanying password, of course) that’s responsible for kickstarting the modern craft cocktail movement in Italy. The dark room is adorned with vintage photographs and pinups and plush furniture, and the cocktails do not disappoint. The staff is fun and friendly, and you’ll likely strike up a conversation with the people next to you. It’s just that kinda place.
There is nowhere else in the world like The Court, probably because the terrace bar is smack dab in front of the Colosseum. Not only are the views ridiculous, but the cocktails are extraordinary, which is why this spot has found itself on the list of World’s 50 Best Bars. You experience starts with a tower of aperitivo snacks, including chips, nuts, olives and tiny sandwiches. But the main event is the cocktail program, and their recent “Martini in Rome” section of the menu is my favorite. Each one is served from a nasone, mimicking the fresh water drinking fountains found around Rome. I recommend the Cacio e Pepe Vesper (redistilled pecorino Bombay gin and black pepper) and the Mr. Cipollini (redistilled roasted onion gin and vodka mix and Mancino Secco Vermouth).
Katie Parla introduced me to this petite wine bar in the center of Rome, and it’s a true gem in an area that’s dense with tourist attractions. The menu changes often and focuses on really interesting producers from around Italy (and the world). Try your best to snag an outdoor table so you can sip your vino while you partake in prime people-watching.
Drink Kong is one of those places that proves you can have very serious cocktails in a very fun, not-at-all stuffy setting. The bar’s futuristic design draws parallel lines to the cocktail menu, which are very technical and developed in a lab by Patrick Pistolesi and his team. The menu speaks in riddles — for example, a current cocktail called Rubra is described as spicy, harvested and pickled with white rum as the base — but the staff is more than happy to help you decide on a drink you’ll love.
Freni e Frizioni might be the coolest bar in Rome. Maybe you have to scream over the music a little, but who cares — the place to be is outside anyway, either crowded around a cafe table or sitting on the wall that looks down on the Tiber River. The cocktails are excellent, and they’re typically served with a baggie of homemade chips and crackers in case you’re peckish.
Hotel de Russie is located in one of my favorite corners of Rome, and Stravinskij Bar is the crown jewel of the property. Walk through the lobby, and doors will open to this lush courtyard bar, teeming with trees and flowers. Spring for one of their signature cocktails like the Artichoke Garibaldi, a Roman twist on the classic with Campari, Cynar, orange bitter, mandarin, artichoke leaf and artichoke sorbet.
A Culinary-Minded Hotel
Located a stone’s throw from Rome’s Borghese Gardens, this hotel is perfectly situated if you want to walk (mostly) everywhere. The rooms are more spacious than in other Roman hotels I’ve stayed in, and the ceiling fresco and marble bathrooms were nice touches. But when I wasn’t traipsing through the cobblestone streets outside, I spent a lot of time at Settimo, the property’s rooftop restaurant.
I think I want to redecorate my apartment to match the aesthetic of this space. The gorgeous terrazzo floor, sleek lacquered tables and green velvet chairs are so inviting, and tons of plants make the room lush and cozy. Weather permitting, you should take your meal on the terrace, which offers a stunning view of the city below. Breakfast was excellent, with both a la carte options and a buffet filled with local and international dishes. But also make it a point to enjoy lunch or dinner in the restaurant. The pasta amatriciana (my favorite of the Roman pastas) was divine, and dishes like hand-cut beef tartare with mustard ice cream show off Executive Chef Giuseppe D’Alessio’s culinary expertise.
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