I am in heaven when I visit Italy, especially Rome.  The prosecco is always flowing, the pasta is al dente and the gelato is to die for! As if that is not enough, add pizza and an aperitivo into the mix and it has to be the perfect destination.

When you think of Italian food you probably think of pasta, pizza, bolognese, lasagna, and perhaps tiramisu. Of course, those foods can be found all over the country, but regional food in Italy has its own unique identity.

With over 20 regions waiting to be discovered with their special culinary treats Italy is a must-visit for foodies.

Much Roman food you will not find anywhere else in Italy. You might find a dish with the same name in another city, but you can be certain that it will not taste the same as it does in Rome. That’s what makes it such a delight to discover the foods of Rome. My delicious Rome food guide showcases the city’s iconic dishes.

What to eat in Rome

Pizza and pasta feature on the list, but there are many other delicious things to try, If you expect to find a pizza with pineapple or banana toppings then you will be hopelessly disappointed. Italian food revolves around the seasons. What could be better than fresh local ingredients?

I always seem hungry when I am in Rome, even if I have just eaten. There is so much to try, but here are a few of the must-try foods in Rome that I have to eat whenever I am there.

1. Filetti di baccalà

This is always what my husband and I like to call our “first-night” dinner. Cod fillets are dipped in batter, deep fried and incredibly succulent when you bite into them. One portion is never enough. This is a cheap and delicious meal and the best food to eat in Rome especially if you are looking for a delicious cheap meal.

Our favourite place to eat the filetti is at Dar Filettaro (Location: Largo dei Librari, 88).

Don’t be put off by the fact that it looks a bit dingy and you smell fried fish as you walk through the door. Don’t expect anything else either. The fish is simply served in a paper serviette, with a minimum of fuss. You can stretch to adding a salad and something to drink, but that’s as far as it goes.

Try and get a seat facing the back, where you can watch the ladies fry fish in huge pans of bubbling oil while you enjoy some of the best food in Rome.

🤩 Recommended: Trastevere Roman Food Guided Walking Tour

2. Spaghetti alla carbonara 

This dish is relatively new when it comes to food in Rome. The name “carbonara ” first appeared in an Italian newspaper in 1950. It was described as a dish brought by the Americans with the Allied liberation of Rome. The Americans brought powdered eggs and bacon which they distributed to the starving population and so the dish was born. There are no written records of recipes to be found until the 1940s.

Another theory is that it is derived from the word Carbonaro, which is the Italian word for charcoal burners. It is thought that it was a popular meal for Italian charcoal workers.

Spaghetti is the only thing that there is in common with the creamy dish you are probably more familiar with. Don’t confuse that with this version. There is no cream in this version and the richness comes from the egg.

In Rome, the spaghetti is dressed in raw egg, black pepper, grated Pecorino Romano and guanciale (a type of Italian cured pork made from the cheeks of a pig). Sometimes pancetta replaces the guanciale and the pasta could be vermicelli or rigatoni. However it is served, it is yummy!

Roscioli (21 Via dei Giubbonari, 00186 Roma) comes highly recommended, but as it is popular you should book a table.

3.Bucatini all’amatriciana

Bucatini is a typical food in Italy and is a thick spaghetti that looks like a tube. The hole through the pasta is the perfect vehicle to trap the sauce. L’amatriciana is made of tomatoes, red wine pepperoncini, guanciale and grated Pecorino Romano and is my ideal comfort food.

4. Cacio e Pepe

Cuisine in Rome doesn’t have to be complicated to be delicious. Cacio e Pepe is just about as simple as it gets when it comes to pasta. The sauce is made with sharp, salty Pecorino Romano cheese (cacio), black pepper (pepe), and leftover pasta water. Everything is stirred into the hot pasta and creates a plate of cheesy, spicy deliciousness.

The pasta used for traditional Roman food is tonnarelli, although spaghetti is sometimes used.

5. Artichokes / Carciofi

Artichokes (il carciofo) are at the top of my list of the famous food in Rome and have been a staple of Roman food for centuries. They grow in the surrounding countryside of Rome. When they are in season you will see them piled high on market stalls all over the city. You will also see signs advertising them wherever you go.

There are 2 ways of preparing artichokes in Rome.

• Carciofi alla Romana – . Roman-style artichokes have a rounder shape and fewer thorns compared to other types. They are filled with a blend of garlic, mint, and parsley, and then cooked upside down until tender. Some versions include a touch of lemon juice for added flavour. The final dish is soft, buttery, and simply melts in your mouth.
• Carciofi alla guidìa – Jewish-style artichokes have a fascinating history dating back to when Roman Jews were confined to a ghetto. The artichokes are prepared by removing the outer leaves, frying them until golden brown, and then frying them again for a crispy texture. The contrast between the crispy leaves and tender hearts makes this dish unique and my absolute favourite classic Roman dish.

🤩Recommended: Guided Food Tour in Trastevere – gluten-free options available

6. Quinto Quarto

Quinto Quarto (the fifth quarter) is eaten all over Rome. It originates in the Testaccio area where the slaughterhouse was located from 1890-1975.  The carcass was divided in a specific way, one quarter for the nobility, the second quarter for the clergy, the third quarter for the bourgeoisie and the fourth for soldiers. Workers were often paid with the offal which was left and this soon became known as Quinto quarto or the fifth quarter.

This might not be top of your list of what to eat in Rome but tripa alla Romana (tripe served with a rich tomato sauce and pecorino cheese is one of the dishes that Rome is known for, Another is coda alla vaccinara, a Roman oxtail stew slow cooked for hours in either a tomato sauce or another version has a chocolate base, I like the oxtail stew but I prefer eating this in winter because I find it quite a heavy dish.

7. Roman Salami

Italians have been eating salami since ancient Roman times. They belonged to a food group called salsum, meaning “salted. This was an ideal way of preserving meat as salt naturally expels water and blocks the growth of bacteria.

In Italy, pane e Salam,bread and salami, is an essential part of traditional appetizer plates, such as antipasto di salumi and antipasto misto (a mixed meat antipasto). It is simple and delicious.

Look out for Corallina salami flavoured with wine, garlic and black pepper and Schiacciata Romana which is also called “spianata” because of its flattened shape and strong, spicy flavour.

My favourite shop for foodies in Rome for cured meat, cheeses and salami is on the Piazza Campo de’ Fiori. Norcineria Viola has been around since 1890 and is the best place to go if you want to try traditional food from Rome.

🤩 Recommended: Campo de’ Fiori & Ghetto Street Food Guided Tour

8. Pizza Bianca

The direct translation means “white pizza”. It is a type of pizza that typically doesn’t include tomato sauce. Instead, it is topped with a variety of ingredients such as olive oil, garlic, herbs like rosemary or oregano, and sometimes cheeses like mozzarella, ricotta, or Parmesan. This focaccia-style bread is one of the famous foods in Rome It is a light, crispy fluffy, lightly salted delicious snack and you can find these at bakeries all over the city. It is, in fact, the ultimate street food in Rome.

Antico Forno Roscioli makes some of the best pizza bianca in Rome.

9. Roman-style pizza – Pizza al Taglio

Pizza differs throughout Italy. In Rome, the pizza is extremely thin and the base is slightly charred. The wood fire adds an extra dimension to the flavour and tastes different to pizza baked in an electric oven. Pizza al Taglio is the perfect Italian street food,

“Pizza al taglio” is baked in advance and is perfect for a snack lunch in Rome while you are enjoying the sights in Rome. Large trays of pizza are prepared and cut into slices. For the best experience, we recommend ordering a variety of slices. You’ll pay by the kilo so choose a couple of different toppings and enjoy!

10. Suppli

Suppli is similar to arancini and one of the famous Rome foods you must try. It is a deep-fried rice ball, coated in breadcrumbs and filled with tomato and mozzarella and sometimes meat. Break it in half and enjoy the oozy cheese. Today, chefs are experimenting and coming up with new flavours for supplì, like chilli, anchovies, and smoked cheese

The best place to try this Italian street food classic is at  La Casa dei Supplì (The House of Supplì), in the Trastevere neighbourhood.

11. Saltimbocca alla Romana

Saltimbocca alla Romana is another delicious Roman food. The name translates as ” jumps in your mouth” so as you can imagine it is packed with flavour. Although you can eat saltimbocca around the world, the original is a famous Roman food.

It is simply veal,  prosciutto and sage, rolled up and cooked in white wine and butter. Sometimes the veal is not rolled up but is left flat, more like a schnitzel.

12. Pasta alla gricia

Like so many delicious Italian dishes this is another humble pasta dish made from just a few simple ingredients. Similar to Cacio e Pepe, guanciale, pecorino and black pepper and pasta water are the basis of this dish, but the result is completely different. You have to try it to see what I mean.

According to food historians, pasta alla gricia was invented around 400 AD and was a typical dish served in the taverns of Ancient Rome. It’s also often referred to as white Amatriciana. In fact, some say that this dish was the original recipe that Carbonara, Cacio e Pepe and Amatriciana were developed from.

Spaghetti and rigatoni are the most common pasta choices for the dish.

13. Porchetta

Porchetta has been a favourite food in central Italy for more than 2000 years. An ancient collection of Roman recipes attributed to Marcus Gavius Apicius, who lived in the first century AD is credited with the creation of this delicious dish. Among the recipes was a way to cook roast pork or “porchetta“.

Porchetta is a classic example of Roman food and is a boneless pork roast, generously seasoned with garlic, sage, rosemary and spices. It is then wrapped in its rind and slow roasted over a wood fire.

I had delicious porchetta at Er Buchetto, a tiny sandwich shop near Termini Station that has been serving porchetta sandwiches for over a century. It doesn’t get much better than that.

14. Gelato

You have to try gelato when you are in Rome. It is totally divine and no doubt my favourite dessert in Italy. To understand the difference between the good and the bad my guide to finding the perfect gelato comes to the rescue. Some of my favourite gelaterias are Gelateria del Teatro, FataMorgana has nine shops around the city to choose from and Otaleg , where you can even have caio e pepe flavoured gelato!

15. Best Markets in Rome

There is an abundance of markets around the city all offering a fantastic selection of produce. These 2 are my favourites.

Campo de Fiori

A market has existed on this spot for more than 400 years. If you are a foodie then you really must visit it. The name translates as  ‘field of flowers” and naturally you can buy fresh flowers here. There is also a great selection of cheese, meat, colourful pasta, olive oil and nicely packaged items to take home as gifts.

There are a large number of restaurants around the market square as well as some speciality food shops worth popping into. Although the restaurants are generally overpriced it is still a great spot to soak up the atmosphere.

Testaccio Market

Testaccio market offers so much more than just fresh produce. The market website says that there are “100 stores, 100 stories and 1000 products” and I believe it!  I love this market I think that it is the best market in Rome, I always buy big chunks of Parmesan cheese here that they vacuum pack for me to take home. It is excellent value. It is also a fantastic place to have breakfast, brunch or lunch. Be sure to try a sandwich from Mordi e Vai a Roman institution and Rome’s no 1 street food vendor since 2012.

Tips for what to eat in Rome

Enjoys drinks like a local

If you order a coffee, drink it while standing at the bar. It is a tip that I picked up in Venice. It saves you money because there is no service charge.

Be on the lookout for lunch specials

Like the prix fixe menus in France the lunch specials are affordable. They are generous and typically you can choose from either 2 or 3 courses. While the menu is limited there is always something delicious to choose from.

Be prepared to eat late

A breakfast of coffee and pastry at the bar in the morning is usual. Lunch between 12-3. Aperitivo between 5-7. Restaurants open for dinner at about 7:30 though they fill up later so a reservation in the more popular restaurant is always a good idea.

17. What to drink in Rome

There are vineyards on Rome’s doorstep in the communes known as Castelli Romani. Frascati is best known for its white wines and is not well known outside of Italy because not much of it is exported.

Many different varietals of grapes are used so the blend is often different. The wines range from dry to sweet and even a sparkling wine is produced. It is reasonably priced and you will spot it on many menus in Rome.

🤩 Recommended: From Rome: Tuscany Guided Day Trip with Lunch & Wine Tasting AND From Rome: Half-Day Frascati Wine Tour with Farmhouse Lunch

18. Best food tours in Rome

I always love to go on a food tour. Even if I visit a city for a second time I still tend to book a food tour. There is so much that you can learn from them. Not only do you get to try great food, but you can find out where the locals go to eat and stay away from the tourist traps.

Taking a cooking class is another favourite activity of mine and if you have the time I highly recommend trying one.

Food experiences Rome and best food tours in Rome

• Pasta & Tiramisu Workshop with Dinner
• Pasta Cooking Class in the Kitchen of Mamma
• 4-Hour Food Tour by Night
• Street Food Tour with Local Guide ( I did this one)
• Make Your Own Pizza Cooking Class & Dinner
• Traditional Food Tour and Wine Tasting
• Trastevere: Food and Drink Tour – (this is my favourite part of Rome and a foodie heaven)
•  Jewish Ghetto & Campo de Fiori by Night Food Tour

So, savour every moment, every flavour, and every bite. Rome for foodies is a heavenly culinary journey. Every meal is a celebration of life itself. From the tantalizing aromas wafting through vibrant markets to the cosy trattorias tucked away in ancient alleys, each bite tells a story.

More to read

• Rome: Where to stay in Rome | Best areas and hotels for tourists
• Rome: 20 Not to be missed attractions in Rome
• Florence: Where to stay in Florence – The best areas 2022 UPDATE
• Florence: The best things to do visiting Florence for the first time
• Positano: 18 Memorable things to do in Positano Italy
• Positano: The best hotels in Positano: Luxury, romance and breathtaking views
• Sorrento: 24 Epic things to do in Sorrento, Italy
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