The Best Casual Restaurants in Rome

Tear-inducing carbonaraMuch is made of chef Sarah Cicolini's treatment of offal in particular at Santo Palato, but me, I return for the carbonara which is sensational and brings me close to tears such is its rich perfection. A brilliant neo-trattoria reinterpreting Roman food - an essential stop in Rome.

An institution. Excellent purveyors of cured meats, cheeses and fine deli products. Also serves up killer pasta. Not to be confused with the bakery or caffe (both just a few doors down and also excellent!), Roscioli Salumeria is an icon in its own right. You’d be well to stick to the cured meats and cheeses here - some of the finest in the city - and the pastas are generally a delight. Don’t bother with secondi. Seating is also key to a great experience. Book the tables upstairs in the deli (some people hate the hecticness but I found it rather charming and fun) or on the bar. If you’re stuck downstairs it’s a bit of a dud vibe. The burrata is possibly the best I’ve ever had and the mortadella with Parmesan is an absolute must. Book well in advance.

A Roman institution in the heart of TravestreTraditional Roman dishes including the egg yolk carbonara & artichoke in salsa - very casual dining with no reservations. Da Enzo does not mess about, small menu & incredible dishes. Moving away from the tourist traps - authentic home cooking in a busy alleyway.

Fire and research Marzapane is the perfect place to satisfy your deeper culinary cravings! The dishes are created to enhance small farmers, authentic raw materials and the most important thing in a kitchen: Fire.You will have a true food experience, every course is a perfect mix and celebration of simplicity, technique and research.Front of house team is friendly and skilled, they will take care of you during your journey and don’t forget to ask about their wine list to try a nice pairing and enrich every dish, playing with saltiness, spiciness and acidity with the right bottle of wine!

The best Roman pizza in Rome, and probably in the world.A pizzeria famous for Roman pizza, a thin and crusty pizza. This one is the best in Rome and also the best in Italy, and propably the best Roman pizza in the world. Also based on the 50 Top Pizza 2022 list being the first Roman pizzeria on the list, while all the other ones are Napoletan pizzas. So no jokes about it.

Proloco is an authentic restaurant in the heart of Trastevere in Rome. They serve traditional Roman food, but at they same time they are really ”up to date”. Every ingredient they use comes from small producers of the Lazio region. One of these rare ingredients is Conciato di San Vittore, a cheese that is prepared in a prison by incarcerated women. All these local ingredients are available thanks to Vincenzo Mancino, the owner of Proloco Trastevere.

One of the iconic traditional Italian restaurants in Rome. ”Outdated” but never out of style. The art deco institution from 1908 where you simply cannot avoid the classic ”Fettucine all’Alfredo” which is just butter and cream woth pasta but is adorable. Do not expect contemporary culinary innovations.

Breakfast + lunch + dinner + wine = remarkableAn alternative impressive breakfast, one of the most impressive coffee rituals, a casual but high quality lunch and dinner menu, vegetable focused with a few daily proposals, a remarkable wine selection.Nothing more to add I guess.

Taverna-style Italian bistro serving traditional Roman cuisine. Unassuming taverna-style Italian bistro serving traditional Roman cuisine. Especially enjoyable meat dishes such as this rabbit alla cacciatora

Unassuming, no frills local joint serving up super tasty traditional Roman dishes to those in the know. Don’t be put off by the slightly haphazard appearance or rather inconvenient location of this traditional Roman trattoria. It may be out of the way of the main attractions, but the food is more than worth a detour. The fried gnocchi (pictured is only HALF a portion!) is salty, crispy, sticky… so moreish! Great fried fresh anchovies too… you’ll do well to stick to the classics, and steer clear of mains. Fresh spaghettoni alla gricia is possibly the best here, in my opinion. The only secondi exception is the trippa a la Romana. It’s absolutely unmissable! Very decent wine list too, for those fond of the classics (no natural wines here - thank goodness!). Reservations recommended for dinner.

Fresh, fresh fish served in an elegant and hip space. Acquasanta in Testaccio, Rome is an elegant and hip space. The chef is an expert and specialized in fish and all their preparations have one thing In common: fresh, fresh fish presented well in uncommon plates (which for me is a plus!). Had a great time and was happy to see they have reasonable prices as well. Front of house really elegant but not stuffy at all.

One of my favorite pizzerias.

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A bit further away from the center is one of my favorite pizzerias. Beautiful, fine and crunchy pizzas. They also made the 50 Top Pizza 2022 list.

Pizza Romana Caput Mundi If Pizza Romana was a religion then Pizza Chef would be Cathedral.Let yourself get lost on their amazing style of pizza, made with sourdough and really high quality toppings. After the first bite you will be speechless, crunch after crunch your palate will fell in love.Supplì is an absolutely must eat!

Modern Trattoria in RomeExcellent modern trattoria run by a super young team serving offal, pasta and other traditional Roman dishes. Great wine list too. Highly recommend the starter of rabbit offal and the Amatriciana pasta!

Awesome pastries A great place to relax your tired muscles in a hot Roman day or to have a great start of the day.Sandwiches, pastries and more delicacies to be paried with coffee or drinks.

Nice vibe, natural wines, small plates, perfect for aperitivoLittle spot just in front of Circo Massimo, with a beautiful international vibe. Wide selection of natural wines, with a nice outdoor space. Beautifully executed small plates, just perfect for aperitivo. If you are lucky enough, they sometimes have their smash burger on the menu, the best I have ever tried in Rome. Makes you feel like you are in NYC, while you are looking at the Circo Massimo.

Just sit by the bar, sip cesanese, and munch a sandwich with tongue and salsa verde.Something between pizza, tramezzino sandwich, and stuffed pita – pizza pocket called trapizzino. It was born not so long ago in a kitchen of pizza maker Stefano Callegari. Today, it is present in Rome, Florence, Milan and New York. But this is not a chain as you know it. In Trastevere there’s a great wine selection. Just sit by the bar, sip cesanese, and munch a sandwich with tongue and salsa verde.

Timeless Authenticity and mass tourism don’t often go together but over several visits this summer I have fallen in love with this restaurant all over again. Cucina Romana at its very best not tricked or enhanced just executed with a deft assured touch. The pasta dishes scream Rome and the antipasti are other worldly. Saltimbocca of your dreams is a must as is a deep exploration of the wine list guided by the restaurants exceptional wine team. Quite a gushing review yet I feel could be more so we ate the menu over our visits and can genuinely endorse the entire document !! A must visit for me when in the eternal city. Forza Romana.