Eat local in Rome

Good to know

The Italian menu is divided into four main parts: antipasto, primo, secondo, and dolce. These correspond respectively to the appetizer, the first course (pasta, rice, gnocchi), the second course (meat, fish), and dessert. However, it is rare to eat all four; a primo alone may be enough if you’re not very hungry or for a light lunch. Usually, the second course is not served with a side, so you also need to order a contorno (vegetables, fries, potatoes, etc.).

This article offers some suggestions of Roman and Italian dishes to enjoy at the table.
As general information, dinner in Rome typically takes place between 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. In tourist areas, it’s often possible to order from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Pizza is sometimes not served at lunch, as it is traditionally served in the evening.

Antipasto: appetizer or starter

Supplì: breaded rice balls with tomato sauce and mozzarella
Filetto di baccalà: fried cod fillet
Filetto di fior di zucca: zucchini flower with cheese, sometimes anchovies, fried
Burrata: creamy, almost liquid mozzarella (originating from Puglia)
Mozzarella di bufala: buffalo mozzarella (specialty from Campania)

Contenu masquer

1 Antipasto: appetizer or starter

2 Primo piatto: first course, often pasta or risotto

3 Secondo piatto (main course)

4 Contorni (vegetables, side dishes)

5 Dolci (desserts)

6 To help digestion: liqueurs and coffee

7 Wine

8 Selection of Roman trattorias

9 Selection of Roman restaurants

10 Other trattorias/restaurants

11 Map with restaurants

Primo piatto: first course, often pasta or risotto

Bucatini all’amatriciana: pasta with pork cheek, pecorino cheese, tomato, and chili
Penne all’arrabbiata: pasta with tomato, pancetta, garlic, and chili
Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe: pasta with pecorino cheese and pepper ! The most Roman of all pasta dishes!
Spaghetti alla Carbonara: pasta with bacon and parmesan, a true classic
Spaghetti alle vongole: spaghetti with clams
Rigatoni con la Pajata: pasta cooked with veal intestine
Gnocchi: made with potatoes and sometimes a bit of wheat flour
Risotto funghi porcini: risotto with porcini mushrooms
Zuppa di farro: soup made from a type of wheat

Secondo piatto (main course)

Note: it is not necessary to order both a primo and a secondo in a restaurant.

Saltimbocca alla romana: veal escalope with Parma ham and sage-based sauce
Abbacchio scottadito: grilled lamb chops
Involtini: rolled and stuffed meat cooked in sauce
Porchetta: stuffed suckling pig cooked on a spit! Typical of the Castelli Romani region, a few kilometers from Rome!
Seppie con piselli: cuttlefish with peas
Calamari farciti: stuffed squid
Coda alla vaccinara: cooked oxtail
Trippa alla romana: Roman-style tripe (with tomato sauce)

Contorni (vegetables, side dishes)

Patate al forno: baked potatoes
Cicoria, spinaci: chicory, spinach
Fave: fava beans
Carciofi alla giudia, or alla romana: Jewish-style (fried) or Roman-style artichokes, classics of traditional Roman cuisine
Puntarelle (in winter): a type of thicker chicory with a taste similar to endives

Dolci (desserts)

Torta della nonna: “grandmother’s tart”
Tiramisù (all over Italy)
Panna cotta (all over Italy)
Cannoli: fried pastry filled with sweetened ricotta, often with chocolate chips
Maritozzo: brioche filled with whipped cream, a typical Roman delight
Gelato: Italian ice cream, a must in Rome, enjoyed plain or in many flavors
Panettone: a Christmas cake from Milan with candied fruit and raisins
Pastiera: a traditional Neapolitan tart made with ricotta, wheat, and orange blossom water
Babà: soft cake soaked in rum, typical of the Naples region

To help digestion: liqueurs and coffee

Liquori: digestives. For example, Amaro (herbal-based like Fernet-Branca), grappa (strong spirit distilled from grapes), mirto (myrtle), ratafia (cherry-based), typical of the region
Il caffè: coffee, of course!
Limoncello: lemon liqueur, especially appreciated after a rich meal

Wine

Beware of the house wine, “vino della casa”, which is cheap but rarely easy to digest

Frascati: a white wine from the Rome region, light and fruity, ideal with local dishes
Cesanese: a red wine from around Rome, rich and tannic, perfect with grilled meats
Chianti: a robust and fruity red wine from Tuscany, well known and appreciated throughout Italy
Barolo: a prestigious red wine from Piedmont, considered one of Italy’s best wines
Prosecco: sparkling wine from northeastern Italy, perfect for aperitifs
Other good wines: Montefalco (Umbria), Montepulciano (Tuscany), Brunello di Montalcino (Tuscany)