Food · Rome · Italy
What to eat in Rome
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Rome, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Quick answer
Start with Spaghetti alla carbonara, Cacio e pepe and Bucatini all'amatriciana. Testaccio's covered market mixes fruit, cheese and butcher stalls with counters selling sandwiches, fried snacks and pasta; it is where locals grab a weekday lunch. Many restaurants add a per-person 'coperto' (cover charge) for bread; it is legal if it is shown on the menu.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Spaghetti alla carbonara
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 7
- Tipping
- Tipping is not expected.
- Food experiences
- 4
12 foods to try
Dish
1.Spaghetti alla carbonara
Pasta tossed with guanciale (cured pork cheek), egg yolk, pecorino romano and black pepper — no cream. The sauce should be glossy and just set, never scrambled.
Where: Trattorias across the city, particularly in Testaccio, Monti and around Campo de' Fiori.
Dish · Vegetarian
2.Cacio e pepe
Just tonnarelli or spaghetti, pecorino romano and plenty of black pepper, emulsified with starchy pasta water into a creamy sauce. Its simplicity makes the cook's skill obvious.
Where: Traditional Roman trattorias; it is on almost every menu in Trastevere and Testaccio.
Dish
3.Bucatini all'amatriciana
Thick, hollow spaghetti in a tomato sauce with guanciale and pecorino, named after the mountain town of Amatrice north-east of Rome. Pasta alla gricia is the older version without tomato.
Where: Trattorias citywide, often listed alongside carbonara and gricia as the Roman pasta quartet.
Street food
4.Supplì
Deep-fried rice croquettes with tomato ragù and a piece of mozzarella in the centre that stretches into strings when you bite — hence the nickname supplì al telefono.
Where: Pizza-by-the-slice shops and fry shops, and as a starter in pizzerias.
Street food · Vegetarian
5.Pizza al taglio
Rectangular pizza baked in large trays and sold by weight, cut with scissors and topped with anything from potato and rosemary to mortadella and burrata. It is the classic Roman lunch on the move.
Where: Bakeries and slice shops everywhere, with well-known ones near the Vatican in Prati and in Testaccio.
Dish · Vegetarian
6.Roman-style pizza (Pizza romana)
Rome's sit-down pizza is thin, crisp and lightly charred at the edges ('scrocchiarella'), unlike the soft Neapolitan style. Meals usually start with fried starters such as supplì and stuffed courgette flowers.
Where: Neighbourhood pizzerias in Trastevere, Testaccio and San Lorenzo, most of them open only in the evening.
Dish · Vegetarian
7.Roman artichokes (Carciofi alla giudia / alla romana)
Roman artichokes come two ways: alla giudia, flattened and deep-fried until crisp like a flower, a Jewish-Roman speciality; and alla romana, braised with mint and garlic. They are at their best from about February to April.
Where: Restaurants in the Jewish Ghetto for alla giudia; trattorias across the city in spring.
Dish
8.Saltimbocca alla romana
Thin veal escalopes topped with prosciutto and a sage leaf, pan-fried in butter and white wine. The name means 'jumps in the mouth'.
Where: Traditional trattorias across the historic centre.
Dish
9.Coda alla vaccinara
Oxtail stewed for hours with tomato and plenty of celery, a dish of the 'quinto quarto' offal tradition from the workers of the old Testaccio slaughterhouse.
Where: Old-school trattorias in Testaccio.
Breakfast · Vegetarian
10.Maritozzo
A soft, sweet brioche bun split open and filled with a mound of whipped cream, eaten with a cappuccino at breakfast.
Where: Pastry shops and bars across the city; look for ones filled to order.
Dessert · Vegetarian
11.Gelato
Good artisan gelato is kept in covered metal tubs or flat trays with natural, muted colours; towering, brightly coloured mounds usually signal industrial bases. Pistachio and seasonal fruit flavours are the test of a good gelateria.
Where: Artisan gelaterie near the Pantheon, in Prati and in Monti.
Drink · Vegetarian
12.Espresso (Un caffè)
Coffee in Rome is drunk standing at the bar: un caffè is an espresso, cappuccino is a morning drink, and a caffè corretto adds a dash of grappa or sambuca.
Where: Any bar; at busy ones pay at the till first, then hand your receipt to the barista.
Food experiences
Lunch at the Mercato di Testaccio
Testaccio's covered market mixes fruit, cheese and butcher stalls with counters selling sandwiches, fried snacks and pasta; it is where locals grab a weekday lunch.
Aperitivo
From early evening, bars in Monti, Trastevere and Prati serve a spritz or glass of wine with snacks, and some lay out a buffet for the price of a drink.
Pizza al taglio by weight
Point at the slices you want, show how big a piece with your hands, and the counter weighs and reheats it — a fast, low-cost lunch anywhere in the city.
Jewish-Roman cooking in the Ghetto
Restaurants along Via del Portico d'Ottavia serve fried artichokes, fried salt cod and other Jewish-Roman dishes that have been cooked in this neighbourhood for centuries.
Quick bites and street food
- Supplì — Pizza-by-the-slice shops and fry shops, and as a starter in pizzerias.
- Pizza al taglio — Bakeries and slice shops everywhere, with well-known ones near the Vatican in Prati and in Testaccio.
- Maritozzo — Pastry shops and bars across the city; look for ones filled to order.
Vegetarian options
Of the 12 foods in this guide, 7 are usually vegetarian: Cacio e pepe, Pizza al taglio, Roman-style pizza, Roman artichokes, Maritozzo, Gelato and Espresso. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Many restaurants add a per-person 'coperto' (cover charge) for bread; it is legal if it is shown on the menu.
- Romans dine late, typically from 8pm to 9:30pm; restaurants that fill at 7pm are usually full of visitors.
- Avoid places with touts outside and multilingual picture menus near the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain and the Vatican.
- Cappuccino is a breakfast drink; after lunch or dinner, Romans order an espresso.
- Free drinking water flows from the city's nasoni fountains; block the spout with a finger and the water arcs up from a hole on top.
- Most pizzerias open only for dinner; at lunchtime look for pizza al taglio instead.
Tipping
Tipping is not expected. Many restaurants charge a coperto or include service; locals leave small change or round up, and €1–2 per person or up to 10% is generous for good service.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Buongiorno | Good morning / hello |
| Buonasera | Good evening |
| Grazie | Thank you |
| Il conto, per favore | The bill, please |
| Permesso | Excuse me (to get past) |
| Un caffè | An espresso |
| Quanto costa? | How much is it? |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Rome famous for?
Spaghetti alla carbonara, Cacio e pepe, Bucatini all'amatriciana and Supplì. Pasta tossed with guanciale (cured pork cheek), egg yolk, pecorino romano and black pepper — no cream.
+Is Rome good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Cacio e pepe, Pizza al taglio and Roman-style pizza.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Rome?
Tipping is not expected. Many restaurants charge a coperto or include service; locals leave small change or round up, and €1–2 per person or up to 10% is generous for good service.