Cocktails, wine bars and dives: drinking in Rome for grown-ups.
Cocktail bars, wine bars, dive bars and gastropubs: drinking in Rome for grown-ups.
The Jerry Thomas Project in Rome's Centro Storico is the city's original speakeasy, with a 1930s-era classic cocktail carte and a daily password posted on the website.
Signature drink: Classic cocktails, prohibition-era
Food: Small snacks
Tip: Members or guests; check the daily password on the website. Book a fortnight ahead.
Patrick Pistolesi's Drink Kong in Rome's Monti district is the Tokyo-style cocktail bar with signature highballs, the city's strongest cocktail list since 2018 and a late-night ramen kitchen.
Signature drink: Tokyo-style highballs, signature cocktails
Food: Asian small plates, ramen late
Tip: Open daily 19:00 to 04:00. Book the cocktail bar four days ahead; ramen kitchen runs from 22:00.
Stravinskij Bar in Rome's Hotel de Russie is the courtyard cocktail bar with the city's most pleasing summer garden, the classic-cocktail carte and a signature Stravinskij Negroni.
Signature drink: Stravinskij Negroni, Hugo Spritz
Food: Aperitivo plates, full carte
Tip: Open daily 11:00 to 02:00. Book the garden seats two weeks ahead from May to September.
Court at Palazzo Manfredi in Rome is the rooftop cocktail bar with a direct view of the Colosseum from every seat, the signature classic-cocktail carte and full Aroma kitchen.
Signature drink: Negroni, signature cocktails
Food: Aperitivo plates, full dinner carte
Tip: Open daily 18:00 to 24:00. Book the rooftop terrace four weeks ahead; sunset slots sell out first.
Salotto 42 in Rome's Centro Storico is the long-running cocktail bar opposite the Temple of Hadrian, with a vintage book-and-design library wall and a Roman aperitivo crowd at 19:00.
Signature drink: Negroni, classic cocktails
Food: Aperitivo plates, brunch on Saturday
Tip: Open daily 10:00 to 02:00. The piazza-facing terrace fills first at sunset; book at the front bar.
Freni e Frizioni in Rome's Trastevere is the converted-garage cocktail bar with the city's most generous aperitivo buffet from 19:00, plus a long classic-cocktail and amaro list.
Signature drink: Aperitivo buffet, classic cocktails
Food: Aperitivo buffet, light dinner
Tip: Open daily 18:00 to 02:00. The aperitivo buffet at 10 euros with a cocktail is the value entry; arrive 19:00.
The Hassler Bar in Rome at the Hassler Hotel is the historic cocktail bar opposite the Trinita dei Monti, with classic cocktails, the marble counter and the Roma social-set crowd.
Signature drink: Hassler Spritz, Negroni
Food: Aperitivo plates, light carte
Tip: Open daily 11:00 to 02:00. The piazza-facing window seats are the request for sunset.
Club Derriere in Rome's Centro Storico is the speakeasy behind Etabli, with a 1920s-era cocktail carte and the city's quietest dark-corner bar by the Pantheon.
Signature drink: Signature cocktails, prohibition classics
Food: Small snacks, late-night plates
Tip: Entry via the Etabli restaurant; ask for the back room. Open 22:00 to 03:00; closed Sunday.
Barnum Cafe in Rome's Centro Storico is the all-day cafe with a strong cocktail list after 18:00, a natural-wine selection by the glass and a brunch carte on weekend mornings.
Signature drink: Signature cocktails, natural wine
Food: Brunch, dinner carte
Tip: Open daily 09:00 to 23:00. The Sunday brunch sets cost 22 euros; book a week ahead.
Co.So. in Rome's Pigneto district is Massimo D'Addezio's cocktail bar with the famous Carbonara Sour, a long Italian-spirit-led cocktail carte and a popular weekend crowd to 02:00.
Signature drink: Carbonara Sour, regional Italian cocktails
Food: Italian small plates, aperitivo
Tip: Open Tue-Sun 19:00 to 02:00. The Carbonara Sour is 13 euros; book the back booths a week ahead.
Argot in Rome's Centro Storico is the live-jazz cocktail bar with the city's strongest jazz programme four nights a week, a long classic-cocktail carte and a late-night kitchen.
Signature drink: Classic cocktails, jazz
Food: Small plates, late-night kitchen
Tip: Open Tue-Sun 19:00 to 02:00. The jazz nights run Wed to Sat from 22:00; book the back tables.
Cul de Sac in Rome's Centro Storico is the 1977-founded enoteca with a 1500-label Italian cellar, the long-bench room and the late-night Roman small plates kitchen until 24:00.
Signature drink: Italian regional wines, by the glass
Food: Salumi, cheese, Roman small plates
Tip: Open daily 12:00 to 16:00 and 18:00 to 24:00. No bookings; queue from 19:00 for benches.
The Race Club in Rome's Celio district is the 1920s-themed speakeasy with a 200-cocktail carte from the prohibition era, the city's most playful cocktail menu since 2014.
Signature drink: Prohibition-era classic cocktails
Food: Snacks, small plates
Tip: Member access via website RSVP; open Wed to Sun 22:00 to 03:00. Phone-down policy on the door.
The Yellow Bar in Rome's Castro Pretorio district is the hostel-attached late-night bar with the city's strongest late crowd, a craft-beer list of 30 taps and the kitchen running to 02:00.
Signature drink: Cocktails, craft beer
Food: Snacks, late-night pizza
Tip: Open daily 18:00 to 04:00. The 22:00 happy hour with three-euro draft beers is the budget hour.
Ai Tre Scalini in Rome's Monti district doubles as a wine bar and trattoria, with the front pavement aperitivo seats the spot for a glass of Lazio red and a salumi board at 19:00.
Signature drink: Aperol Spritz, glass of Cesanese
Food: Aperitivo plates, salumi boards
Tip: The aperitivo set at 8 euros with a salumi snack is the budget entry; arrive 18:30 for the pavement.
Peak food season in Rome is year-round.
Local dining hours: lunch around 12:30, dinner from 19:30.
service is typically included; small extra is welcome but not expected.
Ask the next local you meet what they would order. Rome rewards trust.