My Go-To Rome Establishments

After living in Italy for a year without ever having planned a “Rome trip,” so to speak, I’d found myself in a Rome half a dozen times. Rome is hard to stay away from: it’s located centrally in Italy, it’s a major hub of both domestic and international transport, and with its outstanding history and incredible beauty, it was always too alluring to pass by.

Eventually I realized I’d been to Rome quite a few times and really came to look forward to visiting (and not just as a transit stop-over!).

Most of the time I’ve stayed in Rome, I’ve rented an AirBnB in the Trastevere neighborhood. I love this area for its narrow, rambling streets, its great restaurants and shops, and walking distance to so many other Rome highlights (like the Pantheon and Trevi Fountain — about a 30-minute to either from Trastevere). When I think of my favorite spots in Rome, they begin in Trastevere and extend to some of the other establishments I always want to revisit anytime I’m back in the Eternal City.

Enough people have asked me about my favorite places when I go to Rome that I wanted to streamline my tips and put together this Google map with all of my go-to places tagged.

If you’re more of a list person than a map person…

First up, Otaleg for gelato! They have really quality ingredients and fun, innovative flavors (in addition to the standards).

Suppli Roma — suppli are like arancini (fried risotto balls stuffed with various delicious things), and the suppli here are dope. Get some then stand at their tables on the sidewalk to enjoy.

Dar Poeta for pizza! It’s located on one of the narrow streets of Trastevere — it’s a delight to take a pie away and eat it sitting in a nearby piazza or opting to dine in at this casual spot.

In the mood for outstanding wine? Les Vignerons for an excellent selection of natural wine to go (I think you can drink there, too, though that kind of stuff is constantly evolving in Covid times!)

Across the river from Trastevere is Roscioli Caffè Pasticceria and they’ve got fantastic loaves of bread (and other treats. If you visit around Christmastime, I suggest getting their panettone!). If you’ll be having a picnic or something, that’s a great place to pick up some bread.

My other favorite gelato place is near the Pantheon and it’s called Giolitti. It’s an old-school spot (reportedly the oldest gelateria in Rome!), with a great ambiance, outdoor seating, and awesome gelato (get yours con panna).

Also near the Pantheon is a casual restaurant called Trattoria Sugo. Excellent pasta dishes, they do the typical Roman pasta dishes really well (Carbonara, Cacio e Pepe, Gricia, and Amatriciana — worth trying all of them while you’re in Italy!)

Marigold Roma is a great brunch spot (and micro-bakery) but it feels more like you’re in Brooklyn than Rome, IMO — an excellent option if you’re at the end of your trip and want yummy food that isn’t super traditional Italian. It’s in the Testaccio/Ostiense area of Rome — worth taking a stroll around the Garbatella neighborhood if you’re there to scope out the design and architecture.

Some friends of mine from a language class I took in Rome while I was researching my book a few years ago introduced me to Nuovo Mercato Esquilino, which is notable to me because there are so many international flavors and ingredients here! (It’s the only place I could find cilantro the entire year I lived in Italy!) It’s near the Roma Termini train station and in the area just surrounding it, it can have a vibe bordering on sketchy, but if you’re here in the middle of the day and just want to check out a vibrant and international market that isn’t overrun with tourists, it’s your spot.

Those same friends introduced me to casadante, a restaurant that has “cool vibes” written all over it (and was actually written about as such in a recent NYTimes 36 Hours in Rome article.) I suggest going for a negroni and one of their pinsa (similar to pizza, a Roman specialty.)

And last but certainly not least!!! Near Vatican City is a pizza al taglio (pizza by the slice) spot called Bonci Pizzarium and they do THE BEST pizza al taglio in Rome. Their IG is @bonci_gabriele — have fun drooling over their photos until you can get there IRL :)

If you’re headed to Rome — lucky you! Enjoy yourself. I hope my little list helps give you some direction upon landing there, and I hope you discover your own favorite places, too!

xoxo

Katie Q.