I fancy myself somewhat of a pizza expert. I live in Rome and spend lots of time in Naples, so I eat an insane number of pies and spend a lot of time thinking, writing, and talking about pizza. Some days l eat it at breakfast, lunch, and dinner and it is not a subject that I take lightly. It is in that spirit that I present to you this list of what I consider to be the best places in Rome to indulge in the city’s light, thin crust version of the Neapolitan invention:
Li Rioni on Via Dei Ss. Quattro Coronati, 24 in the Celio
Da Remo on Piazza Santa Maria Liberatrice, 44 in Testaccio
Da Ivo on Via di San Francesco a Ripa, 158 in Trastevere
Ai Marmi on Viale di Trastevere, 53 in Trastevere
Honorable mention, open at lunchtime:
La Montecarlo on Vicolo Savelli, 13 near Piazza Navona
L’Archetto on Via Germanico, 105 in Prati
For the best pizza al taglio, check out 00100 in Testaccio, Roscioli (both locations), Panificio Monti in Monti, Passi in Testaccio, Panificio Mosca in Prati, and Forno Campo de’ Fiori in Campo.
Please avoid Rome’s most overrated pizzerie, both in Trastevere: Dar Poeta and Bir e Fud, serving inedible and wonky pizzas, respectively.
Categories: Carbs, Culture, Food & Wine, Gastronomic Traditions, Pizza, Restaurants, Rome & Lazio
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Daccordo with almost everything. And Dar Poeta and Bir e Fud do not serve Roman pizza, so I’ll except that, too. But my very very favorite is one that rarely gets mentioned (maybe it is ok that way), always full with a long line in front and till now me and the people with me were the only foreigners who ever got there: Giacomelli. Though I will admit I haven’t been to your first 4 for a while now bcs we are always so happy with Giacomelli, and I think I should get out of the rut and check them out again. May re-order my preferences!
February 26th, 2010 at 2:45 pmI’ve never been to Giacomelli. Are they open at lunch? That’s when I’m over in Prati most, but I have been known to travel great distances for amazing pizza!
February 26th, 2010 at 2:50 pmIf I come in Italy I always eat pizza!
February 26th, 2010 at 2:56 pmThey are open for lunch though I am not sure if they have pizza then, never been for lunch!
February 26th, 2010 at 3:09 pmI agree 100%, including the negatives. Bir & Fud should not serve pizza, by law. Since I commented on your previous Dar Poeta post I decided to go back there just to see if what you said was true, and alas it was. Dar Poeta has in the last 6 years gone terribly bad.
Curious about Hande’s Giacomelli…
Ciao
February 26th, 2010 at 4:40 pmWe went to L’Archetto on an earlier recommendation from Katie when we were in Rome in December. The pizza was very good. Nice staff too. One of the owners spoke to us for about 15 minutes about Rome, NYC, food, etc.
February 26th, 2010 at 5:38 pm@Eleonora we should draft legislation against Bir & Fud’s right to serve pizza!
@Tom so glad you made it. It is a great place for pizza before or after a visit to the Vatican Museums, though if Giacomelli serves pizza at lunch, it is certainly closer
February 28th, 2010 at 4:08 pmKatie- have you ever tried Pizzarium near Cipro, via della Meloria?Roberto, who like you is a pizza lover, thinks it’s the best pizza al taglio in Rome and although I haven’t tried them all, I must say it’s amazing (their bread is also delicious). It’s not the cheapest place but it’s sooo good. I’ll try the others I haven’t tried from your list.
March 18th, 2010 at 10:43 pmYes I like Pizzarium a lot, though I am usually so spent after a visit to the Museums that I can’t drag myself over there!
March 18th, 2010 at 11:41 pmI think it’s interesting that you went out of your way not to mention Da Baffetto — the Roman institution that all other pizzerie aspire to be (at least when it comes to packed tables and a very long line out the door). And the pizza is great, too — I particularly like mine topped with beans. But I believe you knew it would paint you as a guidebook hack to mention it. So good work avoiding that.
Yes, Bir e Fud doesn’t have very good pizza — but considering it exists solely to serve Italian microbrews (from the tap, no less) they’re exonerated.
Finally, the pizza at Dar Poeta is good. It’s just unfortunate that their cramped seating and toddler-sized chairs lead to back spasms within minutes. Fortunately their Nutella stuffed calzone takes most of the pain away.
Thanks for the tips.
March 28th, 2010 at 11:01 amNo the reason I left out Baffetto is because I think it belongs in my Rome’s Most Overrated Restaurants post. You’re right about the Nutella calzone but wrong about Bir e Fud existing solely to serve Italian microbrews. That is Ma Che Siete Venuti a Fa’ across the street. Bir e Fud was opened by a pizzaiolo (Gabriele Bonci) and they serve microbrews so it is both an overrated pizzeria and a decent birreria.
March 29th, 2010 at 7:07 pmKatie, can you elaborate on your thoughts on Baffetto? After a lot of research, I decided to just go for it and see what the fuss was about. I also liked that its open on Sunday evenings when almost no restaurants on my list are open. I think Remo appealed most, but it was closed that night. I must have spend 8 hours on the net researching pizza in Rome! Going in circles! But I love your blog
April 20th, 2010 at 11:19 pmOops I should mention I haven’t gone to any yet, trip is is July
April 20th, 2010 at 11:20 pmRemo is where it’s at. Just came from dinner there, where after baccala, fiore di zucca and a pizza I seriously considered eating a second pizza.
May 7th, 2010 at 9:06 pmI’d like to know if these pizzerias open on Sunday. I know that many restaurants are not open on Sundays…so kinda worried.
May 7th, 2010 at 11:13 pmSunday is a BIG pizza night in Rome so dont worry! you’ll find plenty of them open (most are closed lunch and either Mon or Tues)
May 9th, 2010 at 5:30 pmThanks so much for the reply! Your restaurant reviews are always great help.
May 11th, 2010 at 3:02 amand what about pino arletto? he’s situated nearby vatican, my personal experience is very good, but has anyone else tried the spot?
June 4th, 2010 at 12:39 pm