Where are the best places to eat in Rome?
Part of my job running a boutique hotel that specializes in personalized customer service is to be able to give really good, on the ground advice about Rome restaurants.
I have been giving restaurant advice to people for years (friends, family, friends of friends and of course our hotel guests.)
I also do a lot of taste-testing and quality control (quality control is key here), and am constantly looking for new places to recommend.
After years of tasting and testing so many places to eat in Rome, here are my lists.
But in fact, it IS an on-going process, so check back for updates!
Where are the best places to eat in Rome? Opinions and choices abound.
Cook traditional Roman food yourself - join this pasta-making class with a local chef
So many websites and Rome blogs urge you to avoid eating near all the Rome tourist sites.
Sure, you will find plenty of tourist traps, and icky fast-food options.
But that does not mean there are not good places to eat near the sites!
You just have to know where to go.
And I do.
Here are my picks for great places to eat near the Rome tourist attractions:
Want to know more about Italian wine before coming to Rome?
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Want to know about places to eat in Rome during holidays, when many Rome restaurants close or have limited hours?
Planning to travel between cities in Italy and other parts of Europe?
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One way to avoid eating with other tourists is to not go out to eat in a restaurant in the historic center of Rome.
Yes, there are some very local restaurants in the center, some of my favorites in fact.
But, being the center of Rome, there are tourists, and they will find these restaurants too.
That is a little facetious, I know, and I don’t actually suggest you avoid eating in the center.
I am just saying, Rome is not all that big so you will run into other tourists.
The second factor is, what time do you want to eat?
Most Romans go out to dinner around 8:45, 9pm or later.
Restaurants do open at 7 or 7:30 (and some are starting to open even earlier), but you won’t find any locals eating at that hour.
Some of my favorite restaurants in Rome, and some of the most Roman trattorias, include restaurants in the historic center.
Just keep in mind, they will seem more local if you go out to eat at a later hour.
But, I also will recommend some wonderful restaurants that are in other, less touristy neighborhoods, so if you are staying in one of those, or, feel like getting a cab there, then you can really see more of a local scene as well!
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The perfect 3-day itinerary in Rome
Trying to figure out how to organize your visit to Rome? I've got the perfect 3-day itinerary for first-time visitors (or those who have not been here in a while.) It works for a 2.5 day visit as well.
In my 3-day itinerary, you'll see all the major must-see Rome attractions like the Vatican, Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Spanish Steps, Castel Sant'Angelo, and much more.
And if you have more time, or want suggestions for extra/other things to do, you'll find that there too.
Visit my page with the best 3-day itinerary in Rome for first-timers.
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