Hi — I’m looking for suggestions for our first (jet lagged) lunch and dinner in Rome. Good food (simple pasta dishes?) at less trendy/less expensive places because we’re going to be tired and probably not hungry enough to eat 3+ courses. Restaurant quality changes so quickly that I’d rather not put all my faith in guidebooks.if you’ve been to Rome in the past 12 months and have suggestions, I’d love to hear from you. Bonus points for favorite bakeries, places for cappuccino, gelato in these neighborhoods, too. Grazie!
Posted by
11184 posts
Armando al Pantheon has always been our favorite casual place in Rome.
Posted by
Massachusetts
860 posts
Forno Campo de Fiori
https://www.yelp.com/biz/forno-campo-de-fiori-roma
Antico Forno Roscioli
https://www.yelp.com/biz/antico-forno-roscioli-roma-2
Posted by
Rhode Island
106 posts
https://www.osterialaquercia.com/
We ate here last October and loved it! It's situated in a cute little Piazza just steps from Campo De Fiori and Campo Farnesse.
Posted by
148 posts
For our first (jet lagged) day in Rome we usually make a meal of street food. The paninis at All'Antico Vinaio (one block north of Piazza della Rotonda and the Pantheon) on focaccia bread are unique, huge, and delicious.
https://www.allanticovinaio.com/
We also like to grab a couple of trapizzinis at the Trapizzino location in Trastevere, just across Ponte Sisto, less than a 10 minute walk from Campo de' Fiori.
https://www.trapizzino.it/
Posted by
Bay Area, California
1441 posts
Be sure to make reservations well in advance. All good places in Centro Storico are constantly fully booked.
Posted by
Usa
42 posts
I have seen suggestions on grabbing quick sandwiches at places like Forno, All'Antico Vinaio, Co-Op etc. But where do you eat them? Any places to do picnic lunch?
Posted by
Los Angeles by way of Providence and Rome
560 posts
Cul De Sac is a nice bistro-type restaurant located between Campo dei Fiori and Piazza Navona. Even though it is in a tourist area, locals eat there. You should be able to get a table at lunch without a reservation (dinner is a different story). Typical Roman dishes at reasonable prices.
Posted by
Redwood City & Uppsala Sweden
664 posts
Hi, my suggestions are all closer to Campo di Fiore than to P. Navona & 'taste tested' Dec 2023.
Ditirambo- near Campo di Fiori, you can make reservations on line and it opens early for dinner, which was a plus for us. REALLY fun waitress, blue hair, fluent English. Great Roman classic menu. www.ditiramboristorante.it/
Piccolo Vicolo next to Hotel Smeraldo turned out to be a gem. Easy, NO need to book ahead. The best pasta of the trip, & they had amazing salads as a main course.
We had a few gelato but nothing compared to the white chocolate cannoli at “Il Gelato de Mastrofiocco” - one block from Lago di Argentina, well worth the detour! (Funny I thought I loved Italian gelato, but once I tasted the cannoli, that’s where my spare sugar calories went.)
Near Hotel Smeraldo, ‘Pizza Time’ was the best pizza by the slice in the area (we tried several!). This would be an easy stop with jet lag, usually plenty of seating looking out at crowds walking by.
You can Q for the Forno Bakery in Campo df, I didn't think it was exceptional. Both the Roscioli bakery & tiny deli/ restaurant around the corner can get packed, but if you go early you might score a seat in the latter, a standing Q in the former which you eat standing up outside.