Bistros, trattorias and the everyday rooms where Rome actually eats.
Bistros, trattorias, taverns and neighbourhood rooms: the mid-tier places where Rome actually eats.
Gabriele Bonci's Pizzarium near the Vatican in Rome is the pizza al taglio counter that re-wrote how the city does slices, with toppings that rotate.
Signature: Pizza bianca, Pizza al taglio with mortadella, Suppli
Order: Pizza bianca with mortadella, the potato slice with rosemary, a suppli on the side.
Tip: Open from 11:00 daily; line moves fast. Slices are sold by weight. Eat standing or take to nearby park.
Pizzeria Da Remo in Rome's Testaccio is the classic Roman pizza room with paper-thin crusts, the city's busiest suppli counter and a queue that wraps.
Signature: Roman pizza, Suppli, Bruschetta
Order: Roman pizza margherita, suppli al telefono, and the bruschetta with anchovies.
Tip: Cash only. No bookings; arrive 19:00 or after 22:00 to skip the queue. Closed Sunday.
Li Rioni in Rome's Celio district near the Colosseum runs the canonical wood-fire Roman pizza with paper-thin crusts and the city's best fiori di zucca.
Signature: Roman pizza, Suppli, Fiori di zucca
Order: Pizza alla romana, fiori di zucca and a suppli al telefono.
Tip: Closed Tuesday all day. The terrace tables on Via dei Santi Quattro book a week ahead.
Stefano Callegari's Trapizzino in Rome's Trastevere invented the namesake triangle of pizza bianca stuffed with Roman braises since 2008. Priced at €.
Signature: Trapizzino, Suppli, Pollo alla cacciatora
Order: Trapizzino with pollo alla cacciatora and another with melanzane alla parmigiana.
Tip: Open 12:00-24:00 daily; the Piazza Trilussa location is the original of the brand.
Arcangelo Dandini's Supplizio in Rome's Centro Storico is the suppli specialist counter, with 12 daily versions including cacio e pepe and mortadella.
Signature: Suppli, Suppli cacio e pepe, Mortadella ball
Order: The classic suppli al telefono, the cacio e pepe version and the mortadella ball.
Tip: Cash and card. Open 12:00-22:00 Tue to Sun; closed Monday. Small standing counter only.
Pizzeria Ai Marmi in Rome's Trastevere is the Sunday-evening institution with marble-table tops, paper-thin Roman pizzas and queues that wrap onto Viale.
Signature: Roman pizza, Suppli, Fritti
Order: Pizza margherita, suppli al telefono, fritti misti including baccala.
Tip: Closed Wednesday. No bookings; queue starts 19:30. Cash and card; the room turns fast.
The Roscioli family's Antico Forno in Rome's Centro Storico is the 200-year-old neighbourhood bakery counter, with pizza bianca, pizza rossa.
Signature: Pizza bianca, Pizza rossa, Maritozzo
Order: Pizza bianca (the classic), pizza rossa with anchovies, and a maritozzo con la panna.
Tip: Open Mon to Sat 07:00-19:30; closed Sunday. The maritozzo sells out by 11:00.
I Suppli in Rome's Trastevere is the no-frills friggitoria counter selling suppli, fiori di zucca and potato croquettes by weight, the standing-up cousin.
Signature: Suppli, Fiori di zucca, Crocchette di patate
Order: Suppli al telefono and fiori di zucca fritti, plus crocchette di patate on the side.
Tip: Cash only. Open 11:00-22:00; standing only. The 19:00 fryer batch is the freshest.
Osteria Da Fortunata in Rome's Centro Storico is the pasta-by-hand trattoria where you watch the pasta makers roll fettuccine in the window from a long.
Signature: Fettuccine, Cacio e pepe, Tagliatelle al ragu
Order: Fettuccine al ragu, cacio e pepe rolled fresh in the window, and a quartino of house white.
Tip: No bookings; queue from 19:00. Three locations across the centre; the Via del Pellegrino is the original.
Ai Tre Scalini in Rome's Monti district is the wine-bar trattoria with a 200-bottle list, the polpette al sugo lunch carte and the small front pavement seats.
Signature: Tonnarelli cacio e pepe, Polpette al sugo, Caprese
Order: Polpette al sugo, tonnarelli cacio e pepe and a glass of Lazio Cesanese.
Tip: Cash and card. Open 12:30-23:00; reservations only after 19:00 for tables of four or more.
Trattoria Da Teo in Rome's Trastevere is the family-run pasta-and-pizza room with a piazza-side terrace, classic Roman primi and a quiet wine list of Lazio.
Signature: Cacio e pepe, Saltimbocca, Tonnarelli
Order: Cacio e pepe, saltimbocca alla romana and a half-litre of house wine.
Tip: Book a fortnight ahead for the piazza terrace. Closed Sunday all day.
Jacopo Mercuro's 180g Pizzeria Romana in Rome's Centocelle quarter has put the modern Roman pizza on the city's must-eat list, weighing each crust.
Signature: Pizza romana 180g, Suppli, Mortadella focaccia
Order: The signature 180g margherita and the mortadella-stracciatella focaccia, plus a suppli to share.
Tip: Closed Monday. Book a week ahead; the room holds 40 covers. Metro C to Pigneto then 10 min walk.
Spirito Divino in Rome's Trastevere is the cellared-bistro with a 700-bottle wine list, the maialino al miele (honey-glazed pork) and the cellar tour.
Signature: Maialino al miele, Spaghettoni cacio e pepe, Carciofi
Order: The maialino al miele, spaghettoni cacio e pepe, and a glass from the historic Lazio cellar.
Tip: Closed Sunday all day. The €60 four-course set with paired wine is the value entry.
Matricianella in Rome's Centro Storico runs the canonical Roman trattoria carte: amatriciana the dish that named the house, saltimbocca alla romana.
Signature: Bucatini all'amatriciana, Saltimbocca, Concia di zucchine
Order: Bucatini all'amatriciana and saltimbocca alla romana, with a quartino of house Frascati.
Tip: Closed Sunday all day. Book a week ahead for the courtyard terrace; the indoor room is calmer.
Volpetti in Rome's Testaccio is the 1973-founded salumeria counter with 300 Italian cheeses, a salumi case stocked from every region and a takeaway pasta.
Signature: Cheese flight, Salumi platter, Pasta lunch
Order: The cheese flight tasting at the counter and a salumi board with prosciutto di Parma.
Tip: Open Mon to Sat 08:00-14:00 and 16:30-20:15. Closed Sunday. Cheese tour by request.
Doppio Zeroo in Rome's Ostiense district is the all-day pizza-and-aperitivo room with a long deli counter, the city's most generous aperitivo bar at 19:00.
Signature: Pizza al taglio, Aperitivo, Tasting plates
Order: The aperitivo buffet from 19:00 with a glass of Lazio white, plus slices of pizza al taglio.
Tip: Open daily 07:00-02:00. The 19:00 aperitivo is the value entry; book the rooftop in summer.
Trattoria Dal Cavalier Gino in Rome's Centro Storico is the politicians' lunch room near the Parliament, with frescoed walls and the coniglio alla cacciatora.
Signature: Tonnarelli cacio e pepe, Coniglio alla cacciatora, Saltimbocca
Order: The tonnarelli cacio e pepe, coniglio alla cacciatora, and a half-litre of house Frascati.
Tip: Closed Sunday. Book a week ahead; the back-room frescoed alcoves are the ask.
Antica Pesa in Rome's Trastevere is the 1922-founded trattoria with a hidden walled garden, the celebrity-spot lunch room and the cacio e pepe that critics.
Signature: Cacio e pepe, Tagliata di manzo, Carciofi alla giudia
Order: Cacio e pepe, tagliata di manzo, and the carciofi alla giudia in season.
Tip: Book the walled garden three weeks ahead for May to September. Closed Sunday all day.