Bolbon’s Ultimate Rome Food Guide

Before coming to Rome, we did what any food-obsessed person would do: we spent two months researching the best eats in the Eternal City, read countless articles, talked to people who actually live in Rome, and binge watched every episode of Stanley Tucci’s Searching for Italy (again). There was NO WAY we were going to fly all the way to Italy just to spend our entire trip standing in line at every TikTok-viral tourist trap.

The Colosseum in Rome stands under a clear blue sky, surrounded by crowds of tourists and nearby historic ruins, with distant mountains visible in the background.

This guide is not meant to be a “” list of every restaurant in Rome. It’s an honest recap of the places our dad and we loved, the bites we'd go back for in a heartbeat, the spots we'd skip, and one unforgettable experience that made the whole trip feel like a movie.

Our Rome Hit List

If you only have time to visit a few spots, add these Top 5 your can’t miss list!

Best carbonara: Pommidoro dal 1890 (San Lorenzo) Best hidden gem: La Vecchia Locanda (Pantheon) Best gelato: Giolitti (Pantheon) Best snack: Cacio e Pepe supplì at Supplì Roma (Trastevere) Best meat and cheese board: Pizza in Trevi or Le Tamerici (Near Trevi)

Where to Eat by Area

A hand holds a cup of gelato with a large swirl of whipped cream on top; blurred pedestrians and yellow buildings are visible in the background, suggesting a lively street scene in Rome.

A close-up of a plate of spaghetti being twirled around a fork. The pasta is lightly coated in a creamy sauce with grated cheese sprinkled around the edge of a white plate. Another plate of pasta is visible in the background.

Near the Pantheon

Giolitti

Order: Pistachio

Located near the Pantheon, Giolitti was hands down our favorite gelato of the trip. The pistachio was: creamy, nutty, and exactly what we wanted from gelato in Rome.

Venchi was nice as well, but think of it as the Starbucks of gelato in Italy – there’s one on every corner.

5 Signs Your Gelato Is the Real Deal

1. Natural, muted colors and soft-serve texture. Pistachio should be olive green, not neon green. If you see canary yellow banana, keep walking.

2. Gelato sitting level with the pan or only slightly rounded. Never piled high.

3. Covered metal containers (called pozzetti) are a great sign of authenticity. These ensure the gelato is kept at the right temperature.

4. Seasonal flavors and a short ingredient list.

5. Nut and fruit flavors that taste like the actual nuts and fruit – not artificial flavoring.

Ginger

Order: Eggs, omelettes, freshly squeezed juices

Ginger is a decent option if you’re near the Pantheon and want something straightforward, fresh, and a little more familiar for breakfast. The restaurant overlooks a beautiful square and is a great way to start the day before you binge on pasta.

La Vecchia Locanda

Order: Tonnarelli truffle pasta, Amatriciana

This is the kind of place that feels rustic, warm, and local, like you accidentally walked into someone’s the family's house for dinner.

Close-up of a plate of pasta with creamy white sauce and truffle slices on a red plate. In the background, another plate of pasta with red sauce and a partially visible person sitting at a wooden table.

The pasta was perfection: homemade, authentic, and perfectly al dente. We loved the tonnarelli truffle pasta, and our dad loved the Amatriciana. It was his favorite pasta of the whole trip, which says a lot because our dad and we ate well in Rome.

It’s tucked into a cozy corner near the Pantheon, so it didn’t feel like one of those touristy spots that’s just surviving off location. The atmosphere was charming, the food was beautiful, and we would come back here in a heartbeat.

Trevi / Spanish Steps

Pizza in Trevi

Order: Antipasto board with ricotta, mortadella, burrata, cheeses, and cured meats

This meat and cheese board was unbelievable, piled high with fresh ricotta mortadella, burrata, plus a mix of other cheeses and meats. Order it and thank us later.

Street view of "Pizza in Trevi" restaurant with an arched entrance, open doors, visible dining tables, chandeliers, and people sitting inside. A menu stand and a plant display are at the entrance.

The pizza is a labor of love, made with a 24-hour sourdough crust. There are three locations, but our favorite was Via della Mercede 32 which is between the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps, close to the large Zara on Via del Corso.

Le Tamerici

Order: Salami and cheese platter, gnocchetti, and pinsa

Le Tamerici was a 500/10 moment for us. No notes. If you’re near Trevi, go here and get the salami and cheese platter. It was fresh, beautiful, and exactly the kind of thing you want with a glass of wine after walking around Rome all day.

The gnocchetti were: soft, delicate, and served in a sweet, creamy coconut sauce that we're still thinking about. We would go back for that dish in a heartbeat.

A close-up of a bowl of gnocchi in a creamy yellow sauce, garnished with herbs and an edible red flower, served on a green and white checkered tablecloth.

Don’t skip the PINSA with gorgonzola, pear, and honey – it’s sweet, salty, creamy, and in all the right ways.

Our honest note: Skip the Alla Gricia if you’re sensitive to salt. It was WAY too salty!

Campo de’ Fiori

Forno

A bakery with glass display cases filled with various pastries and breads. A worker wearing a white cap stands behind the counter. Yellow price tags are visible, and shelves with more baked goods and vintage photos are on the wall.

Order: Potato focaccia and a mortadella sandwich with provolone, toasted

This historic bakery has two sides, and you need to know the move.

First, go to the door on the right and order the potato focaccia. It’s light, crispy, and perfectly salted in all the right places. (we've also heard the pomodoro focaccia is.)

Then go to the other side and order the mortadella sandwich with provolone. Ask them to toast it on the panini press. When they ask “caldo?” — which means hot in Italian— say “sì.”

It felt like locals only (all speaking Italian-no English!), which honestly made it even better. This is the kind of quick snack that makes you feel like you’re doing Rome correctly. There’s no seating, so get it to-go and enjoy at the nearby fountain.

Roscioli Salumeria

Order: Fresh ricotta, tiramisu, homemade mortadella, spinach ravioli

Roscioli is a Roman rite of passage for a reason. Featured in the Michelin Guide, this renowned spot is known for pasta, an insane amount of cured meats and cheeses, and a massive wine cellar featuring over 2,800 labels.

We had fresh ricotta, the butteriest mortadella, ravioli with spinach, and Alla Gricia. We would go back for the tiramisu alone. We also enjoyed the zucchini flowers but personally we prefer them without meat and filled with ricotta.

The pasta was the miss for us because it was undercooked for our personal taste. We love al dente pasta, but this was a little tooooo crunchy. If you prefer your pasta cooked longer, ask for that when you order. Overall, we gave it an 8/10, and our dad loved it – giving it a 10/10.

Trastevere

Supplì Roma

Order: Cacio e Pepe supplì

This was our best bite in Trastevere. Crispy, cheesy, peppery, and exactly the kind of quick bite you want while wandering through the cobblestone streets of Rome.

A hand holds a half-eaten, golden-brown fried rice ball with a creamy rice filling, wrapped in a white napkin. The rice ball is resting on a branded paper with red and black text.

Trattoria Da Teo

Order: Pasta, make a reservation

Da Teo is a good one to have on your list for Trastevere. The pasta is, but it’s definitely a spot we'd book ahead instead of leaving dinner to chance in a busy neighbourhood.

IVO

Order: Thin crust pizza

A street view of a building in Rome with a sign reading "IVO A TRASTEVERE" above an arched entrance, illuminated by wall lanterns, and an adjacent "PIZZERIA" sign visible to the left.

IVO felt local, authentic, casual, and straightforward, which is exactly what you sometimes need in Rome. Not every meal has to be a major production with a reservation and a full review. Sometimes you just want thin crust pizza, good vibes, and a relaxed dinner.

Worth the Taxi Ride

Pommidoro dal 1890 (San LORENZO)

A framed photo of four smiling adults standing close together indoors, with their arms around each other, displayed on a table next to a decorative vase and in front of background newspaper clippings.

Order: Their legendary carbonara

Make a reservation immediately. We are so serious.

This is the best carbonara We have ever had in our entire life. It’s also the family-run trattoria Stanley Tucci featured on Searching for Italy. It’s about 20 minutes outside the city center, so you’ll probably need a taxi, but it is worth the trip for the carbonara alone.

This is not a neighborhood we'd go walk around in or plan a whole afternoon around. Go for the restaurant, eat the carbonara, and head back.

Our honest note: Worth the taxi. Worth the reservation. Worth the hype.

Not headed to Rome this summer? You can make this carbonara at home!

Honest Skips That we Wouldn’t Rush Back To

Tonnarello – trastevere

We were curious to try one of the viral tourist traps so we could give an honest review. For us, Tonnarello was a 4/10. It’s in Rome city center, and it was underwhelming and too salty.

Otaleg – Trastevere

We know people love this gelato spot, but for us, it was a little underwhelming. Gelato is personal, and maybe we just didn’t order the right flavors, but it wasn’t a favorite from the trip.

Da Enzo – trastevere

Da Enzo is one of those places everyone talks about. The pasta was decent, and for only 10 euros we understand the appeal. But the crowd and the chaos? Personally, we would not wait in that line again. The vibe felt a little too touristy and hectic for us.

The Pink Fiat Tour That Made Our Trip

We did a private tour in a vintage hot pink Fiat 500 through FACILE TOURS with a driver and guide, and it was pure magic. It felt personal, special, and so different from a typical walking tour. Rome is gorgeous, but in the summer heat, walking all day can be a lot. This let us see so much of the city without exhausting ourselves.

Our driver was. She knew the history, knew the city, and made the whole experience feel thoughtful and personal. The tour was customizable so we got to stop at beautiful places, take photos, and see Rome from a completely different perspective.

Some of our stops included the Colosseum, Villa Borghese, the Orange Garden, Gianicolo Hill, churches, and gorgeous photo ops all over the city.

Get ready for your paparazzi moment, because people will stare. You are in a hot pink vintage Fiat in Rome. You become part of the scenery.

Good to know: The tour is great for photos, it’s customizable, and especially helpful if you’re visiting when it’s hot or traveling with someone who is unable to walk all day. Our dad is 6’1″ and fit comfortably, so don’t worry if you’re tall.

Our Travel Tips

Make reservations well in advance. Rome is busy, and the places worth eating at often fill up quickly.

Don’t overpack your schedule. You need time to wander, sit, listen to music, and eat gelato by the fountain at midnight.

Wear comfortable shoes. The cobblestones are no joke.

A woman wearing sunglasses, a white blouse, and striped pants takes a selfie while walking down a city street. She is smiling and carrying a brown shoulder bag. Shops and people are visible in the background.

If you’re traveling in summer, plan for heat. Do your walking earlier or later in the day, take breaks, and don’t underestimate the power of an afternoon nap before dinner.

Try not to judge Rome only by the viral spots. Some of the best moments are the quieter ones: a little local restaurant, a warm sandwich from a bakery, a street musician, a glass of wine, and your dad making you laugh in the middle of a piazza.

Our Travel Must Haves

This is by NO means an exhaustive packing list. Just a few staples that made walking around Rome a little more comfortable. You can find more of our travel and packing essentials here: TMNs Travel and Packing Must Haves.

Teva Flatform Sandals We wanted to pack light, so these are the only sandals we brought on the trip – and the only ones we needed! They’re comfy, go with everything, and suited to walking around in warm weather. (Seriously, our feet were never hot.) we did 20k steps a day in these for 10 days straight ON COBBLESTONE! No blisters, no cutting in, no pain!

Lacoste Sneakers Classic, clean, and ready for anything. These are suited to when you need something comfy with a more elevated vibe than a trainer.

Makeup Protector Hood We used this net to change out our shirts and dresses with without getting any makeup on our collars. Once you try it, you’ll never leave home without it!

Anti-theft Crossbody Bag A MUST in busy city centers. There are people in Rome who earn an entire living pickpocketing tourists. This bag protects your credit cards from readers, and locks to keep your money and passport secure.

You can find two styles and more of our travel essentials here: TMNs European Travel Essentials.

Are You Packed Yet?

If Italy was the only country we ever saw in our life, we'd die happy.

We had the most time exploring, laughing, dancing, and eating our way through Rome with our dad. Of course, the food was and the city was beautiful, but what we'll remember most are the little moments with him.

So if you’re going to Rome this summer, we hope this guide helps you eat well skip a few disappointments, and make room for the moments you’ll remember forever with the people you love.