Soak up the sun, culture, best food and carbonara with our selection of the top restaurant you need to try on your next Italian getaway. If you’re visiting Rome for your next city break, these traditional restaurants are an essential part of your stay so make sure you take your tastebuds on a tour of the very best food like pasta, pastries and porchetta on offer.

Here are the top restaurants where to find the best food in Rome

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Felice e Testaccio

Testaccio is widely considered the best neighbourhood for Roman cuisine in where to find the best food, and this eatery is its unrivalled star. With retro checkered floors, white tablecloths, and a tantalizing array of traditional dishes, the old-school restaurant makes a perfect leisurely weekend lunch with family or a romantic choice for a gourmet dinner. Cacio e pepe is Da Felice’s signature dish; this tangle of noodles, melted cheese and black pepper comes freshly tossed at the table for you.

Trattoria Mare e Monti

One of the most dependable and delicious restaurants in Rome, Trattoria Monti seems to get better with time and remains a favourite among local. The reasons for its popularity are simple; friendly service and a charming ambience, and best food. A huge wine list with reasonable markups certainly helps.

The cuisine, like the family that runs the place, is from the region of Le Marche, so meat features prominently on the menu. There are many vegetarian options, too, like tarts with seasonal vegetables and the oversized tortello with a runny egg.

Pianostrada

One of the most popular restaurants in Rome at the moment, Pianostrada features a menu full of creative gourmet dishes and shareable plates. Start with lighter-than-air wedges of focaccia before ordering a squid ink burger, pasta with zucchini flowers or eggplant parmesan stuffed with sweet red onions from Tropea. You should also try the sister restaurant Pianoalto, home to a leafy rooftop terrace in Southern Rome, in where to have the best food options with a view.

Osteria Fernanda

Osteria Fernanda is on par with many of the city’s most celebrated establishments. The menu is exceedingly avant-garde, and the dishes are at once “comfort food” while providing an innovative culinary experience: look out for the rigatoni with a sweet roots-based sauce and snails and eel with radishes and Campari. The extensive wine list features notable champagnes that will help you wash down the just-as-delicious desserts.

Roscioli

A household name, eating at the deli-restaurant Roscioli is an absolute must while in town. This culinary haven lies just steps from Campo de Fiori and serves Roman classics alongside a mouthwatering array of fresh cheeses, cold cuts and pickled products straight from the deli counter. It’s a classic haunt beloved by food critics and travellers alike, so make sure to book a table in advance.

Enoteca la Torre

Set within Anna Venturini Fendi’s magnificent Villa Laetitia, Enoteca La Torre captures the essence of la dolce vita. This high-end restaurant serves artful plates that complement its grand setting: helmed by Domenico Stile, who hails from Campania, you’ll find Southern Italian ingredients like buffalo milk cheeses, Sorrento lemons and fresh fish featured on the menu. For a real treat and have the best food, opt for the seven-course surprise tasting menu selected by the chef.

Ristorante Moma

A Michelin star establishment, Moma offers a great price value for its stellar dining experience. Named after the Metropolitan Museum of Art, it’s located right in front of the US Embassy and attracts a business crowd that enjoys expertly executed dishes. You’ll find thoughtful re-interpretations of classic dishes alongside modern plates, like ravioli filled with cod and caramelized onions and chestnut flour lasagne with vegetables and cheese, all appropriately plated like works of art.

Trapizzino

Stefano Callegari, the mastermind behind Trapizzino, invented this innovative street food after venturing into the world of pizza in 2008 and working as a delivery boy. From there, he attended a culinary training course and opened a series of renowned pizzerias and street food joints.

His legacy is assured with this latest creation: the trapizzino is a soft and mouthwateringly flavourful focaccia pouch filled with deliciousness ranging from eggplant parmesan to meatballs with tomato sauce and chicken cacciatore, plus vegetarian options like Roman artichoke and misticanza – a mixture of leafy greens sautéed in garlic and red chilli pepper.

Pizzeria Da Remo

Traditional Roman pizza is served paper-thin with charred edges and fragrant ingredients in the heart of Testaccio. This historic, no-frills pizzeria is Rome in a nutshell; gritty, delicious, brusque but friendly, all at once. It’s only open in the evenings, and it fills up quickly, especially on weekends, so show up early to snag a table. The rice supplì and potato croquettes make for excellent starters.

Supplizio

The humble supplì is Rome’s most quintessential street food snack. The deep-fried rice ball has its roots in the city’s Cucina povera (“poor man’s cuisine”) tradition, which makes the most of simple ingredients. Today, you’ll find modern variants at chef Arcangelo Dandini’s beloved eatery. Try the supplì with butter and anchovies or the arrabbiata flavour for a kick.