Rome Food & Drink

Rome is not only the capital of Italy but also of the region of Lazio, which is renowned for its food. Robust flavours and rich sauces abound in many typical dishes of the area, and pasta and gnocchi in all their many forms – especially fettucine - are served in restaurants across the city.

Lazio is notable for dishes featuring milk-fed lamb (abbacchio), veal (vitello), parma ham (saltimbocca), thin-cut steak and offal, all of which are served with delicious herbs and seasonings. Best fish choices in Rome include sea bass (spigola), fried cod (baccalà), bream (orata) and turbot (rombo). Artichokes (carciofi) are scattered all over menus through the winter, before spring heralds the vignarola - a tasty blend of peas, fava beans, and artichokes served with cured pork cheek. Fried sweetbreads are also a Roman speciality.

Rome is rich in markets and this is often reflected in the wonderful variety of superb vegetables served in the city's restaurants. Beans are used a good deal in the cuisine and appear in many dishes, hot and cold. On a cool winter's day the visitor seeking a warming lunch could do no better than to choose a flavoursome minestrone soup, which is another of the area's specialities.

Standard ‘tourist menus’ generally offer good value, beginning with bread and olive oil with soup or pasta; a simple meat or fish dish with vegetables (contorni) for secondi; and cheese or fresh fruit to finish; accompanied by a carafe of locally produced frascati white or red wine from Tuscany. As a rule, main dishes do not come with vegetables, which are ordered separately.

Whether you are dining in a no-frills trattorie or a more formal ristorante, proprietors and chefs invariably take pride in sourcing the best seasonal produce. The growth of the Slow Food movement – a global drive amongst food and drink producers to preserve the country’s best culinary traditions - has been particularly well supported in Italy. Vegetarians can expect most first (primi) pasta courses to be meat-free; other choices include a seasonal vegetable 'fritto misto' ('mixed fried') or side dish combo, the verdure miste ('mixed green'). Kosher choices are limited because of the prevalence of meat and cheese, particularly pork.

As elsewhere in Italy, pizza remains a popular staple food for the restaurant and the street, and the Roman version is a hybrid between the thick crust, rustic Neopolitan variety and the thinner, more fancy Northern version. Away from the main tourist areas, most restaurants only serve pizza at dinner time.

The neighbourhoods of Trastavere, San Lorenzo and Testaccio are known for offering reasonably priced, authentic Roman cuisine; whilst restaurants around Campo de'Fiori and Piazza Navona are pleasurable places to dine, with musicians on hand to entertain.

Virtually every bar and dining establishment in Rome will offer first-rate filter coffee; Italians regard frothy cappuccinos as a morning drink and rarely a post-prandial treat, when the pick-me-up expresso or macchiato is preferred. Ice creams are sensational - creamy gelato and refreshing granita (sorbets) come in a host of enticing flavours, such as coffee, coconut, liquorice or sour cherry, that are lovingly prepared for an incomparable all-day dessert.

La Piazzetta De La Ville
InterContinental De La Ville Roma, Via Sistina 67 / 69, 00187 Rome
Tel: +39 06 67331 | Fax: +39 06 678 4213

Restaurant Doney
The Westin Excelsior Rome, Via Vittorio Veneto 125, 00187 Rome
Tel: +39 06 47081 | Fax: +39 06 482 6205

La Terrazza dell'Eden
Hotel Eden, Via Ludovisi 49, 00187 Rome
Tel: +39 06 478 121 | Fax: +39 06 482 1584

La Rosetta
Via della Rosetta 8, 00186 Rome
Tel: +39 06 686 1002 | Fax: +39 06 6821 5116

Antico Arco
Piazzale Aurelio 7, 00152 Rome
Tel: +39 06 581 5274 | Fax: +39 06 581 5274

Checchino dal 1887
Via di Monte Testaccio 30, 00153 Rome
Tel: +39 06 574 6318

Sapori del Lord Byron
Hotel Lord Byron, Via Giuseppe de Notaris 5, 00197 Rome
Tel: +39 06 322 0404 | Fax: +39 06 322 0405

Al Grappolo d'Oro
Via Palestro 4 / 10, 00185 Rome
Tel: +39 06 494 1441 | Fax: +39 06 445 2350

Ristorante dal Toscano
Via Germanico 58 / 60, 00192 Rome
Tel: +39 06 3972 5717

Myosotis
Vicolo della Vaccarella 3 / 5, 00186 Rome
Tel: +39 06 686 5554 | Fax: +39 06 686 5554

Dal Bolognese
Piazza del Popolo 1, 00187 Rome
Tel: +39 06 361 1473