I get lots of emails from readers about dining in Rome. I have spent the last seven years eating way too much here and I’ve learned a lot in the process, often the hard way, so you don’t have to! Please feel free to add your own questions to the comments section and I will respond to them in an upcoming post.
Q: What are the rules for tipping in Rome?
A: I get this one a lot. This post outlines how to tip in Rome and Italy in general.
Q: Where should we eat in Rome?
A: Well, that depends. If you are looking for fine dining, check out Agata e Romeo, Convivio Troiani, and Il Pagliaccio. For upscale traditional Roman cuisine, there’s Piperno and Checchino dal 1887. For upscale modern Roman fare, Antico Arco is an excellent choice. If you prefer traditional cucina romana at a moderate price, La Campana, Agustarello, Roma Sparita, and Lo Scopettaro are some of my favorites. For thin crust Roman style pizza, Da Remo, Li Rioni, and Da Ivo are great.
Q: I’m travelling to Rome on a budget. Can I eat well and save money, too?
A: Absolutely. Check out this post on Rome’s budget dining trend and this post for general advice for eating on a budget.
Q: Are restaurants open on Sunday night?
A: Most pizzerias are open Sunday night and tend to be very busy. If you prefer a restaurant meal for dinner, Antico Arco and Taverna dei Fori Imperiali are open.
Q: I’ve made reservations at two restaurants – Camponeschi and Da Giggetto. What do you think?
A: I think both of those restaurants are terribly overrated and should be stricken from every culinary tourist’s list for eternity. For more overrated places to avoid, see this post.
Q: What are your favorite gelaterie?
A: Funny you should ask! I just wrote this piece for Budget Travel on the topic.
Q: What are the best places for pizza?
A: For a list of my favorite places, check out this post.
Q: Where can we find a great fish meal in Rome.
A: My absolute favorite places for fish (raw and cooked) are Tempio di Iside and Tuna.
Q: I’d like a few suggestions for Sunday lunch in Trastevere. Are the pizzerias you recommend there open?
A: The pizzerias I recommend are open at dinnertime only. For lunch, I suggest Roman Sparita for traditional Roman food and outdoor dining. La Gensola is a nice place for Sicilian and Roman food.
Q: I am looking for a nice (but not too formal) restaurant for a party of 15. We love great food and are willing to be a little luxurious on that important day. Our budget is €100 a person, excluding wine. Where should we eat?
A: Antico Arco is the spot. They have a room that can be booked for private parties and the food is very good modern Roman, but the atmosphere is casual and warm. You should come in under €100. Another nice place for special occasion dinners is Casa Bleve.
Q: Where should I go to drink wine in Rome?
A: There is the very posh Casa Bleve, a personal favorite. I also love the very casual Al Vino Al Vino. For a wide selection of wines by the glass, Il Goccetto is the place. La Vecchia Bottega del Vino, owned by the Bleve family, is also delightful. For an amazing selection of local wines from Lazio and the Provincia di Roma, you can’t beat Palatium and Enoteca Provincia Romana, respectively.
Q: What are some new places I should check out?
A: I like the new-ish Tuna, Cantina Lucifero, Filippo La Mantia, L’Asino d’Oro, and Rosticceri’.
Q: Can I bring a baby to a restaurant?
A: Yes. Babies are welcome and appreciated at restaurants. The fatter the better. Expect your child to get more service and attention than any paying patron in the restaurant.
Categories: Culture, Fish, Food & Wine, Gastronomic Traditions, Pizza, Restaurants, Rome & Lazio, Sweets & Dessert, Wine & Spirits
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Hey Katie, are there two Ivos in Rome?We went to the one on San Francesco Ripa on Friday, and normally I might be a little hesitant about it (as it looks a little touristy), but I knew it was mentioned a couple of times on your site. The pizza was pretty rough. Probably the worst pizza I’ve eaten in Rome since I got here in 2008.
The crust was so perfectly shaped it seemed machine-cut, and it was chewy, dry, and bland all at the same time. Approaching frozen quality.
Did they take a huge dive just recently, maybe since you last went? Maybe their pizzaiolo was sick that night.
Anyway, they gave us someone else’s bill at the end of the night, and we happily paid the 15€ less and left, something I’d feel bad about doing if it was even just mediocre.
Probably eaten at at least 15-20 places based on your suggestions, and it’s the first time I’ve ever had anything I didn’t like.
May 24th, 2010 at 3:45 pmthat’s the da ivo. jordan, im so sorry it sucked. im going back in the next couple of weeks and i hope for the sake of pizza yours was a 1-off experience and things havent gone to pot there.
May 24th, 2010 at 5:30 pmawesome!!! but I had already read all of the referenced links, I have done my research and I am hopping on a plane in 29 days!! Thank you Katie, I am so confident in all of your advice!
May 24th, 2010 at 8:24 pma great round up , Katie. if i may, i would like to share with your readers know that the most excellent Da Francesco is open on many public holidays- (unless it’s changed now). i have had many a lunch with my fam there. and Roma Sparita- one of the best cacio e pepe in town!).
May 26th, 2010 at 2:07 pmYou are a godsend! I am going to Rome and the Amalfi Coast end of Aug/early Sept and I’m lookingforward to all of the eating but am overwhelmed with the choices and info. Thank you for breaking it down.
June 11th, 2010 at 7:51 pm