Rome Food and Drink Guide

Guide to the Best Food and Drink in Rome Italy

Like the rest of Italy, Rome has a strong culture around food and wine, and eating out, or al fresco, is an essential part of the social life in Rome.

If you are looking to truly experience the Roman cuisine, keep reading! This guide will help you find some of the top places to eat and drink in Rome, to compliment all the busy sight-seeing you’ll be doing.

Rome Food Tours and Classes

For any foodies that want a taste of the best food on offer in Rome, a guided food tour or a cooking class is a great option.

By booking onto a guided food tour in Rome, you’ll be accompanied by an expert local guide, who is familiar with all the local cultures and customs, helping to pick dishes, ordering in Italian, and finding you places to relax/sit in crowded restaurants or bars. 

There are also plenty of options for cooking classes in Rome, whether you want to try creating their famous oval-shaped pizza, or try your hand at pasta making, Rome has it all!

Rome Restaurants

Rome is home to some of the best restaurants in Europe, with a wide variety of traditional Italian cuisine mixed with a more modern mix of international food.

As a tourist, trying to avoid the many tourist traps can be difficult, so I’ve put together guides to some of the best restaurants in Rome.

Rome Drinks

With all of the sight-seeing you’ll be doing, especially in the heat of summer, you’ll be looking to stay refreshed when visiting Rome.

Rome is famed for its drinks with a selection for everyone, whether you’re looking for an early-morning coffee kick, or looking to celebrate into the night with the best drinking establishments.

What time do people eat in Rome?

In Rome, people typically eat lunch around 1:00 PM, with the meal often lasting until 2:30 PM.

Dinner is usually served later, starting around 8:00 PM, with many restaurants opening for dinner service at 7:30 PM.

Breakfast is a lighter meal, often consisting of coffee and a pastry around 8:00 AM.

How do I book a table in Rome?

You’ll find that a lot of the smaller and more traditional restaurants in Rome cannot be booked in advance, and you’ll often have to try your luck on the night.

However, some of the most modern restaurants can be booked online or via social media – try checking the Instagram and Facebook pages, as they can often be used to message and reserve tables.

I’ve often found that using OpenTable can make things a lot easier, with many great restaurants available and a painless booking system.

Traditional Rome Food and Drink

Although pizza may not be considered as popular as in other cities of Italy, like Naples, pizza restaurants and trattorias play a huge role in Rome’s food scene. In fact, Rome is renowned for its Roman-style pizza, which has a very thin crust and just a few toppings.

Rome is also renowned for its traditional pasta dishes, such as the classic carbonara and the cacio e pepe, made with pecorino cheese and black pepper.

The city’s cuisine also includes classic dishes such as saltimbocca, a savory combination of veal, prosciutto and sage; and carciofi alla Romana, artichokes braised with garlic, mint, and olive oil.

In terms of beverages, Romans enjoy wine from the nearby Lazio region and popular aperitifs like Campari and Aperol, often served in spritz cocktails.

---

More on Visit-Rome