Are you looking for places to eat in Rome? Because when you’re in Rome, you should do as the Romans do. That is to say, you should eat delicious food.

10 Delicious Places to Eat in Rome

Of course, most of the time you can’t go wrong: there are so many places with amazing food delights.  But we have just a few favorites that are definitely places worth hitting. That’s why we put together this list of Ten Delicious Places to Eat in Rome.

1. Ristorante il Fungo

Cacio e pepe at Ristorante il Fungo

Ristorante il Fungo: This restaurant is named “il Fungo” or “the Mushroom” because it’s in a giant tower that looks like, well, a mushroom. The 50-meter-high tower was built for the 1960 Olympics.

Today, the expansive 14th floor (Quattordicesimo Piano) is a restaurant with panoramic views all around the city, and the ground floor is a bar. The tower is  on the southern outskirts of the city, so if it’s the beginning of your trip, it’s a great way to look around and get acquainted with the city.

Once you’re inside, ask for the classic cacio e pepe pasta (literally, cheese and pepper), tossed fresh inside a giant wheel of Parmesan cheese.

2. Taverna Lucifero

Truffle pasta at Taverna Lucifero in Roma.

Taverna Lucifero: This delightful little restaurant is an easy walk to many tourist draws such as the Pantheon and Piazza Navona. Tucked away in a little side street (via del monte della farina 43, Roma), it makes you feel like you’ve made a secret discovery.

Chef Francesco is a genius in the kitchen, but he’s also an extremely affable type who’s equally likely to be out talking with diners. Order anything you can with truffles. Even if you’re not a fan, you’ll be converted. The truffle pasta is worth a special trip alone.

P.S. A few other bites not to miss: the homemade mozzarella, handmade ravioli, and any fondue – sweet or savory.

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3. Baccanale

Savory vegetable custard at Baccanale in Rome.

Baccanale: As long as you’re in the neighborhood, don’t miss Baccanale, a delightful restaurant with a large outdoor seating area in the Campo de Fiori. As you enjoy your food, especially at lunchtime, you can people-watch as the market-goers bustle around you.

For starters, we loved the smoked beef carpaccio with rocket (arugula) salad and parmesan. Another favorite starter was a special vegetable custard served over a cream sauce. And for our main course, we enjoyed the baked veal and potatoes.

But don’t think it is over after the main course. Even if you don’t think you have room for dessert, you should still try the strawberries with fresh cream. And when you finish with the food, stick around for the limoncello (Italian lemon vodka drink).

4. La Rosetta

Dessert medley at La Rosetta in Rome.

La Rosetta: Closer to Piazza Navona is La Rosetta, an old-school seafood restaurant/oyster bar. Chef Massimo Riccioli oversees a smoothly run operation with crisp white linen and attentive service.

Of course, you want to go to La Rosetta for the outstanding seafood. Our favorites on a recent visit included the red mullet fillets with sweet and sour salad; as well as snapper with capers, olives and yellow tomatoes.

But for a seafood restaurant, we found the dessert course especially impressive. Here we had a chance to try a little sampler platter of three specialty desserts: a Napoleon pastry, cheesecake, and a Sicilian cannolini (mini cannoli).

Which one was the best? Impossible to choose.

5. Sant’Eustachio Il Caffe

A gran cappuccino at Sant’Eustachio Il Caffe in Rome

Sant’Eustachio Il Caffe: This amazing coffee shop/cafe will always be known in the Jolly Tomato family as the place where Jeanne actually enjoyed coffee (a true first!). Of course it’s an adorable cafe, and it’s perfectly situated between the Pantheon and Piazza Navona. But the primary reason you must go is to try coffee like you’ve never had it before.

If it’s a cold day, go for a gran cappuccino. If it’s a hot day, go for the caffe freddo con panna (iced coffee with whipped cream) or the “Shakerato” (shaken coffee with ice).

Last but not least, don’t forget to grab a delicious pastry to go with it. (Look for the “cornetto” – a croissant-like pastry with buttery, flaky layers.)

6. Roscioli

The Roscioli Salumeria in Rome.

Roscioli is a true food destination (or more accurately, destinations plural). It is made up of a cluster of four locations that include a nearly 200-year-old bakery, a deli/restaurant, a pastry shop/cafe, and a rimessa (hosting wine-and-dine tasting experiences).

There’s so much to see and eat here that it would be hard to select any one thing. But one of our favorite classics (in fact, the main thing that drove us to seek out Roscioli in the first place)  is the pizza rossa – authentic Roman-style pizza topped with only a rustic tomato sauce, no cheese.

At the deli (salumeria)/restaurant, try a little bit of everything by ordering the selection of house-made Italian salumi and/or the selection of cheeses refined in Tuscan cellars.

7. Frigidarium Gelateria

A cone from Frigidarium Gelato in Rome

Frigidarium Gelateria: We’re sure you want to know why it took us SO LONG to get to gelato. OK – we’re on it! Frigidarium, located near Piazza Navona, is often mentioned among the best gelato stops in Rome. So of course we had to do some hands-on research to learn more about that. Our conclusion: Yes, please, and we’d like more if possible.

We took a photo of our hands-down favorite combination with two kinds of gelato and a cookie. The first flavor is a house flavor called Frigidarium with caramel and Gianduia (a chocolate-hazelnut spread like Nutella). The second flavor is called Crema Fiorentina with Gianduia and white chocolate. Then they top it all off with a cocoa and hazelnut star cookie (pan di stelle). The whole combination is so good, you’ll want to keep coming back. (And we did, two days in a row.)

8. Mercato Trionfale

A stand at Mercato Trionfale in Rome

Mercato Triofale: Heading over to the other side of town now, in the neighborhood of the Vatican, you should definitely make a stop at Mercato Trionfale. This indoor market is the biggest in Rome, with more than 200 stalls. You are literally going to find everything here, from fresh fruits and vegetables, to cheeses, meats, pasta, baked goods, and household items.

We can’t tell you what to eat here because there are so many different kinds of choices. However, we do suggest that you give yourself plenty of time to stroll through the market and see all there is to see.

Hint: If you want to bring specialty food items home to the U.S. (i.e. a wedge of Parmesan cheese), many vendors will vacuum seal it for you so you can bring it on the plane.

9. Pizzarium Bonci

Slices from Pizzarium Bonci in Rome

Pizzarium Bonci: This pizza spot near the Vatican is incredible – as well as a cult favorite. Don’t be surprised to see long lines of people who have made a pilgrimage to taste Chef Gabriele Bonci’s creations. (He was once called the “Michaelangelo of Pizza.”)

This Roman-style pizza is “al taglio,” which is a large rectangular pizza, cut with scissors, and sold by weight. The dough, made from heritage stone-ground flour, rises for up to 72 hours. And each day, they serve up a dizzying variety of fresh and creative toppings (with potato – yes, potato – being among the most popular). At right we have pictured the tomato pizza (a Jolly Tomato favorite) and the potato and sausage pizza.

Also on the menu are suppli, which are fried rice balls stuffed with cheese and sometimes meat. Be prepared to wait in line, and order more pizza and suppli than you think you will need, because whatever it is you order, you’ll want more of it.

10. Street Food Vendors

A chestnut vendor in Rome.

Street Food Vendors: How much more Roman can you get than buying food from a street vendor, a tradition that’s been going on for nearly 2000 years? In Rome, you can buy all manners of street food (pizza, suppli (mentioned above), panini, gelato, etc.). But if you’re going to go for the real authentic deal, look for roasted chestnut vendors. We spotted this one near the Trevi Fountain; there are plenty of others near top tourist spots.

You’ll likely see a few different names: caldarroste (referring to roasted chestnuts), castagne (smaller, wild-grown chestnuts), or marroni (larger chestnuts grown from cultivated trees). The vendor will serve them up in a large paper cone, ready to eat (but watch out – they’ll be hot!).

Where To Stay In Rome

So that’s our top suggestions of things to eat in Rome. One last question that we often get is where to stay in Rome. We’ve had great experiences at two boutique hotels – both within walking distance to lots of famous attractions.

The rooftop deck at Hotel Glam in Rome.

The first is is Hotel Glam, which is very centrally located. It’s an easy cab ride (or even walk) to the Colosseum, the Forum, the Trevi Fountain, and more. The rooms are luxe and modern. Plus, there’s an incredible rooftop balcony (pictured at left) where you can enjoy a continental breakfast (or nighttime cocktail) and see the lights of Rome all around you.

Bio Hotel Raphael in Rome.

Another favorite is Bio Hotel Raphael, a beautiful vine-covered hotel just off the Piazza Navona. It is right in the heart of everything, but on a quiet street that’s away from most of the noise. The perfect compromise, right? There’s also an delicious organic vegetarian restaurant (Mater Terrae) onsite.

If you have other favorites, let us know!

Blogger disclosure: I did not receive compensation for this post. I paid for my own meal at all of the locations except for two of the restaurants – Ristorante Al Fungi and La Rosetta – where I ate at as a guest of the Greatest Tomatoes from Europe campaign. All opinions expressed are my own.