24 Foods of Rome, Italy: Must-Try Famous Roman Dishes
Want to try the best foods of Rome, Italy, during your visit to the Eternal City? Let’s make it happen!
This article does not only list the best foods in Rome, it also provides some of the best places to eat them!
Believe me, with over 20,000 choices for osterias, trattorias, and other eateries, you’ll want to avoid the tourist traps! And maybe even more importantly, if you’re like me, you’ll want to eat Rome like a local.
In Italy, each region has its own traditional dishes that are influenced by their local ingredients, geography, history, and neighboring countries.
The food of Rome in the Lazio region differs from that of Bologna in Emilia Romagna, Lucca in Tuscany, Venice in Veneto, and Milan in Lombardy.
Gnocchi alla Romana, one of the foods of Rome you won’t find outside of the capital.
La cucina Romana, or Roman cuisine, is therefore a subcategory of Italian cuisine. In other words, Roman food is Italian food, but not all Italian foods are Roman foods. So, for me, the best Italian food in Rome is always going to be the traditional Roman dishes.
What food is Rome known for? The famous foods in Rome span all categories! Rome food specialties include pastas, pizzas, meats, vegetables, street foods, and desserts!
You’ll find the not-to-miss famous Roman dishes below, and you’ll have all the information you need to enjoy authentic delicious food!
The popular food from Rome, bruschetta, dates back to ancient times.
Foods of Rome: Traditional Roman Pastas
You should try all four of the main pasta dishes in Rome cuisine: Cacio e Pepe, alla Gricia, Amatriciana, and Carbonara. The pasta that accompanies these dishes may vary, but it it will always be one from the region: bucatini, tonnarelli, spaghetti, or rigatoni.
Surprisigly, between the four Roman pastas dishes, only a handful of ingredients are used. Black pepper and the hard sheep’s milk cheese Pecorino Romano are in all four! (Pecorino cheese is an Italian cheese similar in taste to Parmesan cheese.)
If it’s your first time in Italy, it may also surprise you that pastas are usually served as first courses or “primi piatti.” However, that never stops me from ordering any pasta I want for any part of the meal. Sometimes I’ll have one as an appetizer, sometimes I’ll have one as an entrée; at other times I’ll choose one as an app and have another as the main course! It’s not the traditional Italian way, but waiters never care, and I get to enjoy whatever pastas I’ve travelled all the way to Italy for.
1. Cacio e Pepe
In recent years, this Roman specialty made its way to the United Sates and exploded in popularity with the force of a trendy new dish. However, this traditional dish dates back to the Roman Empire and has been a Roman staple ever since.
The name means “cheese and pepper,” and that’s just about all there is to it. The three simple ingredients, Pecorino Romano cheese (cacio), black pepper (pepe), and the dried pasta (bucatini or tonnarelli) travelled well with the sheepherders of the bygone era. When meal time arrived, a delicious, simple dish could be whipped up in minutes.
Centuries later, an authentic cacio e pepe recipe will still only use these three ingredients from the original recipe. Some deviant recipes will make a sauce first, but the traditional method of preparation does not.
The saucy consistency comes from cooking the pasta al dente, keeping it in a small amount of retained pasta water, and adding finely grated Pecorino Romano. The cheese melts, creating a creamy deliciousness as the pasta is tossed in the cheese and water mixture.
You’ll want to make sure you try an authentic version of this traditional food of Rome, like the one at Osteria Bonelli, across from the Alessandrino Aqueduct.
Osteria Bonelli: Viale dell'Acquedotto Alessandrino, 172/174, 00176 Roma, Italy
If you’re not going to Rome anytime soon, or you’ve come back and want to recreate this classic Roman pasta, try my Foolproof Cacio e Pepe recipe!
One of the most traditional foods of Rome, cacio e pepe
2. Pasta alla Gricia
Pasta alla gricia, one of the most beloved foods in Rome, takes all three main ingredients for cacio e pepe and adds guanciale.
What is guanciale? Guanciale is an Italian cured meat that dates back to ancient Rome. It is made from cured pork cheek or pork jowl and imparts a smoky, salty, fatty goodness similar to that of pancetta (cured pork belly).
The pasta used for pasta alla gricia is traditionally rigatoni or bucatini, whose holes are perfect for holding pasta sauces.
The preparation of the dish is similar to that of cacio e pepe, but the guanciale is cooked first and then removed, with the fat being left in the pan. The same steps are then used to mix the cheese and pepper in with the pasta, with the guanciale being added back in at the end. Yum!
In pasta alla gricia, the guanciale takes center stage, so there’s no better place to try it than at a salumeria known for their meats, like Roscioli Salumeria con Cucina.
Roscioli Salumeria con Cucina: Via dei Giubbonari, 21/22, 00186 Roma, Italy
3. Pasta alla Amatriciana
This classic Roman dish is my husband’s favorite Roman pasta. Luckily, its a pretty typical food in Rome and appears on most restaurant menus.
Just as alla gricia evolved from cacio e pepe, Amatriciana starts with the ingredients for alla gricia and adds canned or fresh tomatoes. Roman cooking is starting to sound pretty simple, right?
Although the dish is most certainly considered a Roman food, the town in the Lazio region known for the addition of tomatoes was Amatrice, hence “alla Amatriciana.”
In its hometown, spaghetti is most often used, but Rome seems to prefer Bucatini Amatriciana. If you want to order it like a local, pronounce it “ma-tree-CHAH-na,” leaving off the first “A.”
Trattoria Vecchia Roma is known for finishing their Amatriciana in a wheel of Pecorino Romano cheese! It doesn’t get better than that!
Trattoria Vecchia Roma: Via Ferruccio, 12b/c, 00185 Roma, Italy
4. Pasta alla Carbonara
Most often the pasta used for alla carbonara is spaghetti, and spaghetti alla carbonara is my personal favorite among the Roman pastas. On my first trip to Rome, my sister and I ordered it every day. Don’t worry, I diversified extensively on my next Roman holiday and every one after that.
Spaghetti carbonara also has alla gricia as the base, but instead of adding tomatoes like Amatriciana, it adds eggs! The eggs add an extra level of creaminess, and sometimes an additional egg yolk will top this famous Roman food.
The and origins of carbonara are hotly contested. But no one can deny it’s one of the most popular menu items at Italian restaurants around the world.
On the slopes of Rome’s Monte di Testaccio, Chef Flavio De Maio is renowned for the most velvety carbonara in the city, at Flavio al Velavevodetto.
Flavio al Velavevodetto: Via di Monte Testaccio, 97, 00153 Roma, Italy
Spaghetti alla Carbonara, one of my favorite typical Roman dishes
5. Gnocchi alla Romana
Although not one of the Big 4 pastas, gnocchi alla Romana is still an integral part of the cuisine in Rome.
In Rome, Italy, foods that are prepared in the traditional Roman style, like gnocchi alla Romana, often include “alla Romana” in their name.
This traditional Roman food doesn’t look or taste like the potato gnocchi you may be familiar with.
First, you will not find potatoes in these gnocchi! Instead, they are made from a heavenly combination of semolina flour, parmesan cheese, and butter. Second, they are not oval-shaped with fork marks, but round, flat discs.
The presentation of gnocchi alla Romana is also quite unique. The discs are arranged in a pan so they slightly overlap, more cheese and butter is added, and then the gnocchi are baked in the oven.
Enjoy gnocchi alla Romana and other “tipica cucina Romana,” that is, “typical Roman cuisine,” at the old-world trattoria La Matricianella.
La Matricianella: Via del Leone, 4, 00186 Roma, Italy
Foods of Rome: Pizza & Supplì
Naples, Italy, boasts of creating the original pizza and even has the recognition of UNESCO for its claim. But just like the U.S. has different styles of pizzas from Chicago, New York, Colorado, and California, Italy has different styles too.
6. Pizza alla Romana
Pizza alla Romana uses the same ingredients as Neapolitan pizza, the most famous food from Campania, but it adds olive oil. The dough can therefore be rolled out thinner, resulting in a crisper crust. The crust of a pizza from Naples, on the other hand, will puff up, and the inside will have a distinct chewiness to it.
While the toppings for a Naples-style pizza usually concentrate in the middle, Roman-style pizza toppings cover the entire pizza.
The Neapolitan toppings also tend to be simple, like those in the Margherita pizza (cheese, tomato, and fresh basil), and often play second fiddle to the crust. Pizza alla Romana, on the other hand, is adorned with more creative choices, such as those of the Capricciosa pizza (ham, olives, mushrooms, artichokes, and mozzarella.)
Pizza alla Romana does share the same round shape as the Naples classic and can be found at sit-down restaurants in Rome, such as Pizzeria Ostiense.
Pizzeria Ostiense: Via Ostiense, 56A-B-C, 00154 Roma, Italy
7. Pizza al Taglio
While pizza alla Romana can be enjoyed at a sit-down restaurant, you’ll eat pizza al taglio on the streets. It’s one of the best cheap eats in Rome!
The term “pizza al taglio” means “pizza by the cut or slice,” making it a perfect option for a grab-and-go meal. Note, Naples’s street food pizza is still round, but they fold it so that it fits in your hand.
This rectangular-shaped pizza originated in Italy’s capital city and is one of the most popular street foods in Rome.
You’ll find so many different types of this Roman pizza. From pizza bianca, with just olive oil and salt, to vegetarian options like zucchini flowers and ricotta, to more traditional flavors like tomato sauce, truffles, and mozzarella, you’re sure to find one just right for you.
Pizzas can be sold at bakeries in Rome as well as at pizzerias. Whether you’re visiting the Colosseum, Piazza Navona, or the Fontana di Trevi, you’re never far from a mouthwatering slice of pizza.
But if you want the most famous pizza al taglio in Rome, visit the landmark pizzeria, Pizzarium.
Pizzarium: Via della Meloria, 43, 00136 Roma, Italy
Read Next: Best Pizza in Rome, Italy
The famous Roman food, pizza al taglio
8. Supplì al Telefono
The famous Rome food supplì al telefono was born on the streets of Rome as a way to use up leftover rice.
Originally, street vendors mixed the rice with chicken giblets to create a rice meatball. Over time, the fillings changed to tomato sauce and mozzarella, sometimes adding ground beef. Brilliant—I’ll take gooey cheese over giblets any day!
Supplì al telefono gets its name from telephone wires. The name stems from the way the mozzarella cheese stretches or "strings" when the suppli is pulled apart or bitten into, with the cheese then resembling telephone wires.
These fried rice balls are one of the most popular snacks in Rome and can be found at stalls in the food markets and at pizzerias throughout the city. Dine in at L’Arcangelo, or takeout from I Supplì.
L’Arcangelo: Via Giuseppe Gioachino Belli, 59, 00193 Roma, Italy
I Supplì: Via di San Francesco a Ripa, 137, 00153 Roma, Italy
Want to try pizza al taglio, supplì, and more street food? Take a Rome street food tour and skip the lines!
Foods of Rome: Roman Vegetable Dishes
Want to know what to eat in Rome besides pasta and pizza? Let’s start that answer with vegetables!
Foodies in Rome will want to pay special attention to this section: Some of these must-try foods are scarce outside of Rome!
9. Carciofi alla Romana
California may be the artichoke capital of the world, but Rome eats their fair share!
January through May, market stalls teem with the round, purple “mammole,” aka “carciofo Romanesco” variety of artichokes.
During this season, Roman chefs prepare “carciofi,” the Italian word for artichokes, in many different ways—none more popular than carciofi alla Romana, or Roman-style artichokes.
To make this popular Roman food, the tough outer leaves of the artichoke are discarded. Next, the carciofi are marinated in a blend of olive oil, garlic, mint, parsley, and white wine, then stuffed with herbs and carefully pan braised.
The best part about this dish—you can eat the entire artichoke with a knife and fork. And your taste buds will love it too!
In fact, your taste buds will be happy with anything from the iconic Rome trattoria, Da Enzo al 29, and their Roman artichokes are superb!
Da Enzo al 29: Via dei Vascellari, 29, 00153 Roma, Italy
One of the most popular Roman dishes, carciofi alla Romana
10. Carciofi alla Giudia
No Roman food guide would be complete without carciofi alla Giudia, or Jewish-style artichokes.
These deep-fried artichokes will be one of the most unique things you’ll eat in Rome. The garlic-seasoned leaves crisp up like a potato chip while the inside of the heart stays tender.
The history of carciofi alla Giudia can be traced back to the Jewish Ghetto in Rome during the Middle Ages. During that time, Jews were required to live in a run-down area of Rome and were forced to get creative with their allowed ingredients.
Today, the Jewish Quarter, the area between the Tiber River, the Pantheon, and the Campo de' Fiori, is still the best place to taste this special food from Rome’s dark past.
Try to find the somewhat hidden Piperno Ristorante, one of the oldest restaurants in the hood. They’ve been dishing out carciofi alla Giudia and other Jewish fare since 1860!
Ristorante Piperno: Via Monte dè Cenci, 9, 00186 Roma, Italy
11. Fiori di Zucca Fritti
You may have eaten fried zucchini flowers before. They’re commonly eaten in other Italian cities and also other countries. They’re a popular food in Greece and Mediterranean cuisines, and are also found in French cuisines, particularly Provençal cuisine, and cuisine Nissarde.
However, unless you’ve tried the Roman style fiori di zucca fritti, your zucchini flowers probably didn’t include anchovies in the stuffing. The combination of melty mozzarella and anchovies is actually quite tasty!
They’re one of the best things to order in Rome for an appetizer instead of pasta. If you’re not an adventurous foodie, you can skip them—but you’ll be missing out!
If you speak Italian, you may be thinking I’m talking about pumpkin blossoms. Nope—in the culinary world, this dish can be made with either pumpkin blossoms or squash blossoms, and Italians call it the same thing.
If you want to try this Roman delicacy but aren’t sure about the anchovies, at the restaurant Emma you can order fried zucchini blossoms with or without the little fish.
Emma Pizzeria: Via del Monte della Farina, 28-29, 00186 Roma, Italy
In Rome cuisine, fried zucchini flowers are first stuffed with cheese and anchovies.
12. Bruschetta
Italian food fact: The word bruschetta, pronounced “broo-SKET-tuh,” has nothing to do with tomatoes and everything to do with the bread.
It comes from the Italian word "bruscare," which means to roast over a fire. The dish is made of grilled bread slices rubbed with garlic, drizzled with olive oil, and sprinkled with salt—nothing more. So simple, but so absolutely perfect.
The history of bruschetta dates back to ancient Roman times. It began as a way for olive farmers to test the quality of their fresh-pressed olive oil.
Eventually, in the 15th century, trattorias in Rome started serving bruschetta. Variations started popping up using local produce and other ingredients, including toppings like the tomatoes, basil, and garlic many of us associate with the dish. However, bruschetta can be topped with other ingredients, like mushrooms, anchovies, prosciutto, and artichokes.
At Osteria Barberini, they add black truffles. If you think truffles are one of the most amazing foods on earth, that’s where you should order bruschetta!
Osteria Barberini: Via della Purificazione, 21, 00187 Roma, Italy
Foods of Rome: Meat and Fish
The famous Rome foods in this section range from specialty secondi piatti, or second courses, to elevated street-food snacks.
13. Saltimbocca alla Romana
There is no question that saltimbocca alla Romana is a popular dish that has been a staple main course of Roman cuisine for centuries. What is in question are its exact origins. Some food historians trace it to the Renaissance period in Rome, others say Brescia was the birthplace in the 1800s.
The name “saltimbocca alla Romana” literally means "jump in the mouth" in English, which perfectly describes the taste explosion that comes with every bite.
Saltimbocca alla Romana involves taking veal cutlets topped with slices of prosciutto and fresh sage leaves and panfrying them in butter and white wine. Yup, that definitely leads to a flavor explosion jumping around in your mouth!
One of the best restaurants in Rome known for their saltimbocca alla Romana is La Campana. Located near the Piazza Navona, this eatery claims to be the oldest restaurant in Rome—over 500 years old!
La Campana: Vicolo della Campana, 18, 00186 Roma, Italy
14. Abbacchio alla Scottadito
Rome’s most famous lamb dish is a springtime specialty.
The name “abbacchio alla scottadito” can be roughly translated to mean "grilled lamb that burns your fingers." The Italians sure have a way with words, don’t they?
It makes sense once you know that the lamb chops are traditionally only eaten with one’s hands! The lamb is cooked over an open flame with olive oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary and served so hot that a somewhat messy experience is usually the result!
The history of this dish traces all the way back to ancient Rome. The shepherds of the city and surrounding countryside would roast lamb over open fires, and eat pieces right off of the hot coals. Now the name makes even more sense, right?
You can certainly burn your fingers and torch your budget at some of the pricey Michellin-starred restaurants in Rome. Or, for a more casual culinary experience, I recommend Mastrociccia Osteria Bistrot.
Mastrociccia Osteria Bistrot: Via del Governo Vecchio, 76, 00186 Roma, Italy
Abbacchio alla scottadito, the Rome food you are supposed to eat with your hands
15. Filetti di Baccalà
The history of filetti di baccalà, or salt cod filets, dates back to the Roman Empire. In fact, it is said that the dish was first created by ancient Roman soldiers, who would cure and preserve small cod fish in order to have a source of protein during their long military campaigns.
When you see dried fish hanging or lying about in markets, most likely it’s baccalà. It might not look that appetizing, but when cooked with care, it can taste absolutely fabulous.
Today, there are many eateries throughout Rome that serve filetti di baccalà, each with its own unique twist on the classic recipe.
To prepare the dish, cod fillets are first soaked in water for about 24 hours to rehydrate the fish and remove any excess salt. The cod are then lightly coated in flour and fried in hot oil until they are crispy and golden brown on the outside and flaky and tender inside.
One reliably delicious place for filetti di baccalà is Dar Filettaro a Santa Barbara—a cozy little restaurant in the heart of the Roman Jewish community.
Dar Filettaro a Santa Barbara: Largo dei Librari, 88, 00186 Roma, Italy
16. Porchetta
Porchetta means "little pig,” which is aptly descriptive of its main ingredient. A favorite of Italian foodies, this dish is a succulent, fatty, and savory pork roast full of local herbs and spices.
Porchetta’s original recipe comes from Ariccia, a town just outside of Rome, around 2,000 years ago. Even today, this town is regarded as the epicenter of the dish, where the local eateries called “fraschettes” continue to practice the ancient roasting tradition.
The pork is typically seasoned with a number of herbs and spices, including rosemary, fennel, bay leaves, garlic, salt, and pepper. The pork is then rolled up and roasted in an open wood-fired oven for several hours until cooked.
The meat is tender, moist, and flavorful, with crispy skin on the outside. It is the perfect dish to have as a sandwich or on a platter with some roasted potatoes on the side. The flavorful juices can be mopped up with crusty Italian bread.
One of the best-known places to try porchetta in Rome is at La Norcineria di Iacozzilli, a small shop located in the Trastevere neighborhood.
La Norcineria di Iacozzilli: Via Natale del Grande, 15, 00153 Roma, Italy
The traditional Roman food porchetta can be served as a main course or as part of a panino.
17. Allesso di Bollito
This is one of the Rome, Italy, foods with a straightforward name: It translates to “simmered or boiled beef.” If that doesn’t have you going “yummmm,” keep reading.
Allesso di bollito is one of the stars of Roman cucina provera, or “poor cooking,” and has withstood the test of time. It goes back many centuries, to a time when beef was considered a luxury item reserved solely for the wealthy.
In those days, the less wealthy could sometimes afford tougher cuts of beef. To make the beef more tender, it would be simmered low and slow, in a rich flavorful broth. Today, this tender beef is served next to potatoes as a main course or on a roll as a sandwich.
Head to Al Mordi E Vai in the Testaccio Market to enjoy a scrumptious allesso di bollito sandwich.
Al Mordi E Vai: Nuovo Mercato Comunale di Testaccio, Via Beniamino Franklin, 12/E, 00153 Roma, Italy
Foods of Rome: Quinto Quarto
If you’re a food lover like me, you won’t want to miss the traditional food in Rome, even if there are some foods you’re not used to eating.
For the most part, Rome’s food is not fancy, and many of the dishes Rome is famous for fall into the category of cucina povera.
The category of Roman favorites covered here takes cucina povera to the next level, with “quinto quarto,” or the fifth quarter.
During the Middle Ages in Rome, butchered animals were divided into quarters and dispersed according to class and status. The choicest cuts went to nobility, the second-best to clergy, the third-best to the bourgeoise, and the fourth-best to soldiers. What was left—offal, the least desirable parts of all—was for the poor.
18. La Pajata
La pajata is a typical food in Rome at traditional taverns and trattorias.
It traces back to the impoverished people of Ancient Rome, and the recipe has been passed down through generations.
The main ingredient of the dish is the intestines of young calves. The calves must be unweaned so that the intestines still contain mother’s milk. The intestines are simmered in tomato sauce for hours to tenderize the offal.
La Pajata is usually served over rigatoni pasta and is topped with the region’s most prized cheese, Pecorino Romano. You may see this dish referred to on the menu as Rigatoni La Pajata.
For five generations, the family-run Armando al Pantheon has been serving hearty portions of la pajata and other traditional foods of Roma.
Armando al Pantheon: Salita de’ Crescenzi 31, 00186 Roma, Italy
A very traditional food of Rome, la pajata with rigatoni
19. Trippa alla Romana
Another offal dish of the local cuisine, trippa alla Romana, or Roman-style tripe, was also originally prepared by ancient Romans. Tripe, the lining of a cow’s stomachs, is eaten by many cultures, but this preparation is considered a classic Roman dish.
The Roman recipe for tripe boils, then slow-cooks, the offal with tomatoes, garlic, marjoram, and mint.
The dish is usually served with a side of roasted potatoes or bread, making it a hearty and filling meal.
If you’d like to dine in an upscale restaurant known for their trippa alla Romana and “cucina tipica romana,” Checchino Dal 1887 is just the ticket.
Checchino Dal 1887: Via di Monte Testaccio, 30, 00153 Roma, Italy
20. Coda alla Vaccinara
Once relegated to peasant food, coda alla vaccinara is now a typical Rome food served as a second course at restaurants.
Truth be told, I’m not a big fan of tripe. But coda alla vaccinara, or oxtail stew, is one of the quinto quarto dishes I can get behind.
The oxtail stew recipe is hundreds of years old and is still used in Rome cooking today. The oxtail is simmered in broth, tomato sauce, and red wine along with aromatic vegetables like celery, onion, and carrots.
The meat of the oxtail is so tender, it falls apart. It has a consistency similar to short ribs and honestly tastes delicious.
If you’re looking for a restaurant specializing in coda alla vaccinara and other peasant dishes, Agustarello a Testaccio will not disappoint.
Agustarello a Testaccio: Via Giovanni Branca, 98, 00153 Roma, Italy
Coda alla vaccinara, or oxtail stew, is a typical food in Rome.
Foods of Rome: Roman Desserts (Dolci)
I am more of a savory food lover than a lover of sweets, but when I’m traveling, I also need to try the traditional desserts. In Rome, I’ve never been disappointed!
21. Crostata Ricotta e Visciole
This Roman dessert is a cross between a sour cherry (visciole) tart (crostata) and a ricotta cheese cake.
The entire tart is wrapped in an irresistible shortbread crust instead of leaving the top uncovered, like most tart tops are. Legend has it that the original purpose was to hide the cheese inside. That’s because, at the time of its creation, Jews were not permitted to buy and sell dairy in Rome.
Pasticceria Boccione in the Jewish Ghetto claims to have invented this decadent dessert, and that’s where you should indulge in a slice!
Pasticceria Boccione: Via Portico d'Ottavia, 1, 00186 Roma, Italy
Crostata ricotta e visciole is a great way to end Roman meals.
22. Maritozzi
Sometimes Roman desserts double as Italian breakfast pastries! Maritozzi is one such dolce.
In Medieval Rome, men presented these pastries to their sweethearts, sometimes with an engagement ring. The name for this cream-filled treat even comes from the Italian word for husband, “marito.”
Today, you can buy maritozzi at the pasticcerie (pastry shops) across Rome. I like to go to Il Maritozzaro, where it’s their specialty. It’s one of my favorite Italian breakfasts!
Il Maritozzaro: Via Ettore Rolli, 50, 00153 Roma, Italy
23. Tiramisu
As much as the denizens of the Eternal City would like to claim it, tiramisu is not a Rome original. Culinary experts site Treviso in Veneto as its birthplace. However, it is so popular at Roman restaurants you’ll come to forget it’s adopted.
Made of layers of coffee-soaked ladyfingers, sweet mascarpone cream, and dusted with cocoa powder on top, tiramisu has become synonymous with Italian dessert.
The word 'tiramisu' translates to “pick me up” or “lift me up” in Italian. This name is said to reflect the coffee and sugar found in the dessert, both of which are known to provide an energy boost.
If you’re looking for a tasty boost in Rome, Bar Pompi near the Spanish Steps will fill the bill.
Bar Pompi: Via Della Croce, 88, 00187 Roma, Italy
Tiramisu, one of the most popular desserts in Rome, was not invented in the Eternal City.
24. Gelato
This list of the best foods of Rome concludes the way so many Italian food tours do (even ones in San Diego, CA), with gelato.
I suspect everyone who has made it to the end of this list has already heard of gelato and has sampled its creamy goodness somewhere in the world.
Rome has so many gelato shops, and I can recommend at least 20, but if you’re near the Pantheon, Giolitti is where you should go.
Giolitti: Via Uffici del Vicario, 40, 00186 Roma, Italy
Interested in making Italian desserts at home? Read Traditional Italian Christmas Recipes
Must-try Famous Roman dishes
Most of the food in Rome is good. The food at the recommended Roman restaurants above is great.
The restaurants may be known for a specific traditional dish, but in general, you can order anything from their menus and be delighted.
What’s important is that you try authentic versions of the traditional and famous Roman dishes. When you order the real deal, it will be delizioso!
If you’d like to enjoy a number of Rome’s most famous dishes in one outing, read my article on the best Rome food tours.
Buon appetito!
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