Rome

What to eat in Rome

Data checked on October 4, 2026

Cacio e pepe

Pasta with pecorino romano and black pepper, and nothing else. Trattorias serve it at lunch and dinner.

Pasta with egg, cured pork cheek and pecorino, made without cream. It is a Roman dish, so ordering it here is the right call.

A fried rice ball with tomato sauce and a core of melted mozzarella. It is sold at fry counters and eaten in the street between meals.

Roman pizza baked in large trays and cut into rectangles, usually sold by weight. A quick lunch, eaten standing at a counter.

Whole artichokes fried until the leaves turn crisp, a dish from the old Jewish quarter by the river. Best in spring, when artichokes are in season.

A soft sweet bun split and filled with whipped cream. Romans eat it for breakfast with a cappuccino.

Every itinerary on this site keeps a lunch break after 12:30, so there is room for a proper meal in the middle of the day.

Aperitivo in TrastevereBars in the lanes pour from early evening, and many put out snacks with the first drink. It is a slow way to spend the hour before dinner.
A weekend walk on the Appian WayThe old Roman road south of the centre has a limited traffic zone on Saturdays and Sundays outside August, which makes it easier to walk or cycle. Tombs and catacombs line the route.
Sunset at the Orange GardenA terrace on the Aventine hill with a view across the Tiber to St Peter's dome. The keyhole in a nearby gate frames the dome, and it draws a queue at busy times.
The Jewish Quarter and Tiber IslandWalk from Piazza Navona through the old quarter, past the ruins of a Roman portico, and cross to the island in the river. The whole loop takes about an hour.
A night walk through the lit centreGo from Trevi to the Pantheon and on to Piazza Navona after dark, when the squares are lit and quieter. The route is about 25 minutes without stops.

Markets in the stop base