Short answer
Start with Rome’s four pastas: carbonara (egg, pecorino, guanciale), cacio e pepe, amatriciana and gricia. Between sights grab supplì (fried rice balls) and pizza al taglio (by the slice); in season try carciofi alla giudia in the Jewish Ghetto; for breakfast a maritozzo with cream. Classic addresses: Armando al Pantheon and Roscioli for carbonara, Felice a Testaccio for cacio e pepe, Flavio and Da Enzo for amatriciana and gricia, Supplizio for supplì, Pizzarium for slices. In Rome (Lazio) restaurants can’t charge coperto.
Checked 2026-09-24 · Rome · Food
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| The four pastas | Carbonara · cacio e pepe · amatriciana · gricia |
| Street food | Supplì · pizza al taglio · pizza bianca · trapizzino |
| Seasonal | Carciofi alla giudia / alla romana (autumn–spring) |
| Sweet | Maritozzo con panna · gelato |
| Food areas | Centro Storico · Campo de’ Fiori & Ghetto · Trastevere · Testaccio · Prati |
| On the bill | No coperto in Lazio · tipping optional · tap and fountain water free |
The four Roman pastas
Food & drink
Armando al Pantheon
Checked 2026-09-24 · with notes
Classic family trattoria by the Pantheon — carbonara, gricia, saltimbocca. Book ahead.
- Area
- Centro Storico
- Order
- Carbonara, gricia or saltimbocca; choose one Roman pasta and one seasonal starter.
- Price
- €€€ (+ typical bill: menu prices publish
Food & drink
Roscioli Salumeria con Cucina
Checked 2026-09-24 · with notes
Deli-restaurant near Campo de’ Fiori: carbonara, cacio e pepe and cured meats.
- Area
- Campo de' Fiori & Jewish Ghetto
- Order
- Carbonara, cacio e pepe, and a cheese/cured-meat selection.
- Price
- €€€
Food & drink
Felice a Testaccio
Checked 2026-09-24 · with notes
The Testaccio address for cacio e pepe, tossed at the table.
- Area
- Testaccio
- Order
- Cacio e pepe, amatriciana, and a Roman second course.
- Price
- €€€ (+ typical bill: menu online; total
Food & drink
Flavio al Velavevodetto
Checked 2026-09-24 · with notes
Testaccio trattoria for gricia, carbonara and oxtail (coda alla vaccinara).
- Area
- Testaccio
- Order
- Gricia, carbonara or coda alla vaccinara; add a seasonal vegetable.
- Price
- €€
Food & drink
Da Enzo al 29
Checked 2026-09-24 · with notes
Tiny Trastevere trattoria for amatriciana and carbonara — expect a queue.
- Area
- Trastevere
- Order
- Amatriciana, carbonara, and a seasonal vegetable starter.
- Price
- €€
Traveller tip
Queue early at Da Enzo
Candidate · not verified · 2026-09-24
A 2026 traveller joined the queue about an hour before dinner for the first seating.
Street food between sights
Food & drink
Supplizio
Checked 2026-09-24 · with notes
Supplì — classic and cacio e pepe — near Via Giulia.
- Area
- Centro Storico
- Order
- Classic supplì, cacio e pepe supplì, and the cod croquette.
- Price
- € (official menu lists supplì at €3 and
Food & drink
Pizzarium Bonci
Checked 2026-09-24 · with notes
Pizza al taglio by the Vatican: two or three small slices, one seasonal.
- Area
- Prati / Vatican
- Order
- Two or three small slices, including one seasonal vegetable topping.
- Price
- €€
Food & drink
Antico Forno Roscioli
Checked 2026-09-24 · with notes
Bakery pizza rossa and pizza bianca near Campo de’ Fiori.
- Area
- Campo de' Fiori & Jewish Ghetto
- Order
- Pizza rossa, pizza bianca and a filled bakery item.
- Price
- €
Food & drink
Trapizzino — Testaccio
Checked 2026-09-24 · with notes
Pizza pockets filled with Roman stews at Testaccio.
- Area
- Testaccio
- Order
- Trapizzino with chicken cacciatore or polpette al sugo; add a supplì.
- Price
- €
Food & drink
Mercato di Testaccio
Checked 2026-09-24 · with notes
The market lunch travellers recommend most — Mordi e Vai sandwiches and more.
- Area
- Testaccio
- Order
- Mordi e Vai sandwich, a fried snack, and seasonal produce from the food stalls.
- Price
- €–€€ (stall-dependent)
Jewish-Roman classics, coffee and dessert
Food & drink
Piperno
Checked 2026-09-24 · with notes
Carciofi alla giudia in season and fried courgette flowers.
- Area
- Campo de' Fiori & Jewish Ghetto
- Order
- Carciofi alla giudia in season, fried courgette flowers, and a Roman pasta.
- Price
- €€€
Food & drink
Pasticceria Regoli
Checked 2026-09-24 · with notes
Maritozzo with whipped cream and a coffee.
- Area
- Termini / Esquilino
- Order
- Maritozzo con panna and a coffee.
- Price
- €–€€
Food & drink
Sant'Eustachio Il Caffè
Checked 2026-09-24 · with notes
Espresso and granita di caffè near the Pantheon — cheaper standing at the bar.
- Area
- Centro Storico
- Order
- Caffè with crema and granita di caffè in warm weather.
- Price
- €
Food & drink
Giolitti
Checked 2026-09-24 · with notes
Historic gelato near Parliament; pick a cream and a fruit flavour.
- Area
- Centro Storico
- Order
- A classic cream-based flavour and a seasonal fruit flavour.
- Price
- €€
Eating like a local
Good to know
No coperto in Rome
Verified 2026-09-24
A cover charge is banned by Lazio regional law. A service line must be declared on the menu.
Good to know
Eat later
Candidate · not verified · 2026-09-24
Lunch around 13:00, dinner from 19:30–20:00 — very early dinners tend to push you toward tourist-oriented places.
Good to know
Free water
Verified 2026-09-24
The ‘nasoni’ fountains carry the same drinking water as household taps.
Watch out
Tourist-trap signs
Checked 2026-09-24 · with notes
Menus in many languages with photos, touts at the door, carbonara next to ‘fettuccine Alfredo’ — walk one street further.
Quick answers
What food is Rome famous for?
Carbonara, cacio e pepe, amatriciana and gricia; supplì, pizza al taglio, carciofi alla giudia and the maritozzo.
Where is the best carbonara in Rome?
Travellers and guides point to Armando al Pantheon and Roscioli; Flavio and Da Enzo are strong in Testaccio and Trastevere.
Do restaurants in Rome charge coperto?
No — coperto is banned in Lazio. Any service charge must be stated on the menu.
What is supplì?
A fried rice croquette, usually with tomato and mozzarella — Rome’s classic street snack.
Go deeper in our guides
Related answers
Sources: Regione Lazio · LR 22/2019 (no coperto) ↗ · Acea · Rome drinking fountains ↗ · Roma Capitale · city tax ↗