Recommended Restaurants in Rome?

We particularly like La Trattoria Francescana near the Piazza Cavour inn the Prato District.

Armando al Pantheon is a wonderful trattoria. They have an online reservation form. Make your reservation well in advance for this small place.
Trattoria La Rosetta is an excellent seafood restaurant near the Pantheon.

Non-touristy is sort of a false notion...if you wind up going there...you are a tourist...it was recommended...by tourists...so I guess they by definition are now touristy.

I would focus on what type of food you like, or think you should try. I like to look through any number of food blogs, ones that focus on classic Rome cuisine, and maybe what is new or "the talk" in Rome.

Katie Parla for example regularly updates a nice list of places. Elizabeth Minchilli is an author that regularly lists restaurants, as well as recipes and other food experiences. Gillians Lists is another collection of food, culture, places to stay type venues. You can also find dozens of others.

The thing about blogs, is that you get a sense of the person writing the blog; and you can determine if your tastes match. For me, if they focus on places with Michelin Stars...I'm not interested, focus on good local trattorias and osterias...then I pay attention, show a passion for simple food, I'm in.

I also look at curated lists, like Timeout and Culture Trip, sometimes Eater, I avoid Tripadvisor, Yelp and other user generated sites as you have no clue what the reviewer believes to be "good food".

We just ate lunch at the trattoria Antico Falcone (Via Trionfale, 60) on Monday and greatly enjoyed the food, service, and atmosphere. It is a couple blocks from the apartment we were renting and the person who rented us the apartment recommended it. It's a very old and traditional Roman restaurant, but friendly and welcoming (unlike some others we've eaten at). You will probably need a reservation.

In the same neighborhood, near the Cipro metro station, is Pizzarium, a now-famous, hole-in-the-wall, eat-your-pizza-out-on-the-sidewalk place we have always gone to when in Rome. It does get busy so go early or late.

We ate often at Siciliainbocca in Prati when we lived there. Never once met another American nor English speaker. That was 5 years ago but I suspect that area has not changed much. Excellent food. Reservations essential. Bring your Italian courtesy phrases if you're not conversant. Looks like you can reserve on line these days (link is "Prenota" in the nav bar) and also preview the menu there now. COVID has brought some welcome changes to websites.

Where are you staying, BTW? I know some great pizzerias but depends on where you will be staying.

It is hard to find a bad meal in Rome, but it is possible (in 16 years I had one bad meal . . . very bad). My general rule is to avoid places that are empty (well, that should be obvious!), have menus in way too many languages, have people dragging you in (or at least getting you in their waiting line), and places that are too quiet (I like dinner to be a celebration). So, where do I prefer to eat? I'll roam around off the tourist paths and look for small places that seem to be filled mostly with locals (that's always easy to figure out). The search is part of the fun. I broke that part of my rule a few years ago in Trastevere. I decided to find out why Carlo Menta was so crowded inside and out all the time. There was always a line for maybe 12 tables. Seating outside is at long communal tables. Inside the tables are close enough to enjoy your neighbor's choices (don't knock it, that's how you learn!). My Italian got me through the meal with the help of two wonderful staff members. The food is not gourmet, it is local, it is family, it is honest. I enjoyed my meal (ok, I ordered from every course) and got approvals from nearby diners. One server actually stopped me and told me to order something else. Her struggled English said that both were good but this one was special. I know, I'm going on and on but telling the story is bringing back so many wonderful memories of my time in Italy and the wonderful people I've come to cherish. Lily and Salvatore, at Carlo Menta, are at the top of my list. BTW, I got used to spending $50-60 dollars for a good meal. At Carlo Menta I paid much less for a wonderful meal and many wonderful evenings surrounded by mostly locals who were out celebrating life! Ask for their book - Carlo Menta is actually much more than a restaurant, it is a community center.

Your technique is exactly how we look for new restaurants in Rome Robert. It rarely fails us.

Mike - it's also fun! I've found neighborhoods and narrow streets that have led to marvelous discoveries! Rome is amazing. Another benefit is I lose weight on the way to dinner and then on the way back to my apartment. That's because I probably get lost in my meandering! Anybody know a doctor that would write me a prescription saying I have to move to Rome?

Good tips, I've taken down all the suggestions. I hope the restaurants are able to weather the 2022 storm. I'm looking forward to my exploration in Rome.

Katie Parla was mentioned up above, and she has some very solid recommendations. We have stayed twice in the Campo de' Fiori area, and Katie had said that nearby Ristorante Emma had top-notch spaghetti carbonara--check on that. Also their puntarelle salad was wonderful. We also stumbled into Forno Bakery for their daily pizza slices for lunch--for about 2 Euro--and the salsiccia & escarole slice was incredible. Both places are owned by the Roscioli family of charcuterie fame.

Another place found while walking around, again near Campo, was Elle Effe, for Sicilian fare. Their Sicilian pizza was so good, with no cheese and hot red pepper oil, black olives & anchovies, was so good we had to go back a few nights later just to makes sure it wasn't a fluke. And nobody I know that's been to Rome has ever heard of the place. That's what's so cool about it!