A carbolicious guide of the best places to eat in Rome

Sep 19 2018, 3:17 am

Pasta, pizza, wine – oh, my! The list goes on and on of the delicious and carb-filled treats you will try on your adventure in Rome.

When travelling in European countries where English is not the national language, it’s usually a good rule of thumb to avoid the restaurants with an excess of photos or English on the menu. While there are exceptions to every rule, this is usually an easy way to spot a tourist trap offering subpar food at an expensive price.

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To help you find the most delicious eats in the eternal city, here are 16 restaurants for you to try in Rome. Carb lovers, start your engines.

Classic Italian: Armando al Pantheon

 

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Often named one of the top trattorias in Rome, Armando al Pantheon is a family-run restaurant next to the Pantheon. It was first opened by Armando Gargioli in 1961 and is run by his two sons Claudio and Fabrizio, who serve Roman classics like spaghetti all’amatriciana, seasonal salads and weekly specials. This restaurant is closed Saturday evening and all day Sunday, to allow the owners to spend time with their family (aw, family-oriented Italians).

Address: Salita dei Crescenzi 31
Neighbourhood: Centro
Phone: +39-06-6880-3034
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Best gelato: Otaleg

Otaleg

You can’t go to Rome and not take the perfect Instagram of your gelato. Otaleg (gelato spelled backwards) serves up rich and creamy cold treats made with premium ingredients like Madagascar vanilla and IGP Tonda Gentile Trilobata hazelnuts.

Address: Viale dei Colli Portuensi 594
Neighbourhood: Portuense
Phone: +39-338-65-15-450
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Cheap eats: Pastifico

Image provided by Pastifico

If we told you could get pasta and wine for €4, how fast would you run there? Pastifico is a delicious and cheap option just minutes away from the Spanish Steps. They offer two types of freshly made pasta dishes for lunch and dinner, which you can enjoy while drinking vino out of a plastic cup. 

Address: Via Della Croce 8
Neighbourhood: Monti
Phone: +39-06-679-3102
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High-end gourmet: La Pergola

 

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Set in the stunning Waldorf Rome Cavalieri hotel, La Pergola is a high-end panoramic restaurant creating opulent Italian dishes by chef Heinz Beck. 10-course (€245) and 7-course (€210) tasting menus are available, progressing through a series of traditional Italian flavours presented in innovative ways. La Pergola is open in the evening only and is closed on Sunday and Monday.

Address: Via Alberto Cadlolo, 101
Neighbourhood: Vatican
Phone: +39-06-3509-2152
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Vegetarian: Il Margutta

 

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While many of the restaurants in Rome have delicious vegetarian options, Il Margutta is an upscale veggie and vegan gem just around the corner from Piazza del Popolo. The menu is filled with classic Italian dishes including include soup, pasta, pizza and fresh organic vegetables. Drop by on Sunday for their jazz brunch with live music and delicious treats. 

Address: Via Margutta 118
Neighbourhood: Monti
Phone: +39-06-3265-0577
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Pizza by the slice: Pizzarium

 

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One of the main differences about ordering take-out pizza in Italy vs. in Canada is that you order rectangular pizza by weight. After visiting The Vatican Museum, swing by Pizzarium for some of the best pizza al taglio (pizza by the slice) made with cold-fermented, heirloom wheat-based dough topped with artisanal cured meats and cheeses. If you’re in the area, be sure to visit Gabriele Bonci’s other spot, Panificio Bonci as well.

Address: Via della Meloria 43
Neighbourhood: Vaticano
Phone: +39-06-3974-5416
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Best late night eats: Trapizzino

 

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After an evening dancing at a disco to the latest euro hits, Trapizzino is calling your name with its cheap eats and is open late just for the after bar crowd. One of its best creations is the pizza bianca cut into a triangle and stuffed with slow-simmered meats and vegetables. On second thought, it’s so good, maybe head to Trapizzino before the bar too.

Various locations
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Best deli: Roscioli

 

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A great option for between meal times, Roscioli is a high-end deli filled with Italian and foreign delicacies. Many of the specialties served here can be purchased to bring home, making it the ideal spot to stop at before enjoying a picnic in the piazza.

Address: Via dei Giubbonari 21
Neighbourhood: Regola
Phone: +39-06-687-5287
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Carb-less oasis: Ginger

 

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In a city country where carbs are a way of life, sometimes you crave something other than pizza or pasta. Ginger is a brightly decorated spot filled with delicious salads, gourmet sandwiches, fruit platters and smoothies. The mains are filled with unique protein-forward dishes, serving grilled red prawns or fillet steak with pumpkin and pistachios. And yes vegans, there are alternatives for you too!

Address: Via Borgognona 43-46 / Piazza Sant’Eustachio, 54-55
Neighbourhood: Centro / Trevi
Phone: +39-06-9603-6390
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Flavour-frenzied gelato: Fatamorgana

 

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Fatamorgana creates mouth-watering gelato in unique flavours like wasabi, black forest gateau and chocolate infused with lapsang souchong. Free of additives or artificial colouring agents, these are flavours you gotta try! Owner Maria Agnese Spagnuolo makes a gluten-free treat in the land of carbs, with flavours changing seasonally. There are locations all over Rome, but the central spots are in Piazza dei Zingari in Monti and on Via Laurina (off Via del Corso).

Various locations
Phone: +39-06-580-3615
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Sweetest breakfast: Pasticceria Regoli

 

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Serving some of the best baked goods in Rome for over 100 years, Pasticceria Regoli is filled with sweet treats that pair perfectly with an espresso. For your morning meal, instead of eggs and bacon try something a little more Italian like a maritozzi (sweet bun) with a coffee up at the bar.

Address: Via dello Statuto 60
Neighbourhood: Esquilino
Phone: +39-06-4872812

Great value gourmet: Antico Arco

 

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One of the best areas for dinner in Rome is the charming neighbourhood of Trastevere. For a romantic ambiance and gourmet meal at an affordable price, Antico Arco serves slow food created with raw ingredients. The food pays homage to the shepherding and foraging history of Italy, with one of their standout dishes being the lamb in hazelnut crust. You will fall in love with the ambiance and food.

Address: Piazzale Aurelio 7
Neighbourhood: Trastevere
Phone: +39-06-581-5274
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Classic Roman throwback: La Campana

 

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La Campana is the oldest restaurant in Rome, with more than 500 years of history serving food in this city. This spot is a throwback to another era, with timeless trattoria décor and reliable, old-fashioned service complete with a bell. And still, people still flock back to eat classic Roman dishes like coda alla vacinara (braised oxtail), carciofi alla giudia (crispy, deep-fried artichokes) and of course, the tiramisu.

Address: Vicolo della Campana 18
Neighbourhood:
Phone: +39-06-686-7820
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Michelin-starred: Glass Hostaria

 

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Trastevere is known for having more classic trattorias and intimate patios than you can count. But to find a high-end spot in the neighbourhood is a rare gem. Cristina Bowerman’s Michelin-starred Glass Hostaria serves delectable Mediterranean fusion. We recommend ordering the tasting menu for your first time to get the full experience – it’s worth it. 

Address: Vicolo del Cinque 58
Neighbourhood: Trastevere
Phone: +39-06-5833-5903
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Old school spot: Da Felice

 

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In the residential neighbourhood of Testaccio, Da Felice is a buzzing trattoria serving classic Roman comfort food. Warm up with their spaghetti all’amatrician, involtini di manzo al sugo (rolled beef in tomato sauce) or the cacio e pepe for vegetarians. These dishes are all better served with wine, as Da Felice has an extensive wine list that is worth ordering a bottle… or two.

Address: Via Firenze 47
Neighbourhood: Testaccio
Phone: +39-06-574-680
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Top-notch takeout: La Gatta Mangio

 

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If there is one thing that we will travel for, it is pizza. La Gatta Mangio in Monteverde is well worth the hike to this suburban neighbourhood at the end of the metro line. The key is that they use special flours and longer fermentation times than most pizzerias. This trick makes the pizza crunchy on the outside and light on the inside, creating an unforgettable experience in each bite.

Address: Via Federico Ozanam 30
Neighbourhood: Monteverde
Phone: +39-06-534-6702
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Want to contribute to Mapped and share your favourite spots to eat in a different city? Email us at [email protected].

Caleigh AlleyneCaleigh Alleyne

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