The Ultimate Roman Food Bucket List: What to Eat & Where
Rome is THE city of food and actually has quite a few delicious Italian dishes that originated here, or its own version of other famous eats. Here is the ultimate Rome food bucket list and where to find some of my favourites.
I have been to Rome about 5 times this year already, and I take pride in honing my food recommendation spots every time. I work as a tour guide and Rome makes it on almost every tour that I get sent on, so I am getting to know every corner.
From Pizza to Suppli to the Roman Pastas, this is your full list of Roman foods you can’t miss!
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How to get to Rome?
Rome actually has two airports, Fiumicino Airport (often called Leonardo da Vinci Airport and the largest in Italy) and Ciampino Airport which has mostly budget airlines.
Alternatively, you can reach Rome by train (Trenitalia) or bus (Flixbus or Itabus) from either within Italy or many surrounding countries.
Where to stay in Rome?
Rome is pretty big, and knowing where to book your hotel can be tricky. Check out my full guide on the best areas here.
$ The RomeHello
$$ Saint Peter Loft
$$$ Maalot Roma
Must-do activities
Your Roman Food Bucket List
Supplì
You may have hear of Arancini, the fried rice balls stuffed full of savoury goodness. Now, let me introduce you to the Roman version: Supplì .
When I discovered supplì earlier this year, I was honestly upset that it had taken this many years of my life to do so. The word supplì comes from surprise after the incredible cheesy surprise you get when biting into one.
Different to Arancini, a supplì is an elongated meatball shape and filled with risotto rice with a crispy outer shell. One of the most classic has a sort of Ragu sauce inside, though my favourites are the Suppli filled with the typical Roman pasta flavours ( cacio e pepe, spaghetti alla Carbonara, bucatini all’Amatriciana and pasta alla Gricia).
Where to eat it: My absolute favourite spot is I Supplì dei Coronari
The Roman Pastas: Cacio e Pepe, Gricia, Carbonara, and Amatriciana.
Rome has four traditional pasta dishes that kind of build up on one another.
The foundational one is Cacio e Pepe with Pecorino cheese. Then if you add cured pork cheek (guanciale), you get Gricia. Add egg to get Carbonara or tomatoes to get Amatriciana.
Pecorino Romano is the star of all four and what they were built around. It dates back to ancient Rome and its main ingredient is sheep’s milk.
Where to eat it: There are countless of good pasta restaurants in Rome. One tip is that if you see cream in the ingredients list for Carbonara, run! It’s a tourist trap. Some of my favourites are Tonnarello PoP, Hostaria Da Corrado, Ristorante Pasta Imperiale (budget-friendly) and Felice a Testaccio.
Pizza al taglio
While you have to go to Rome and taste the typical Italian thin Pizza with a crispy crust, the Roman streetfood version is something unique to, well, Rome. It’s called pizza al taglio, and looks very different to the round, thin ones served in a restaurant.
Pizza al taglio is meant to be eaten on the go. The name itself means Pizza by the slice, and that is really what it is. Its origin is debated, but many say it dates back to the Roman Empire, but gained popularity as a worker’s easy and cheap snack post WW2.
This Pizza is usually prepared in large trays with a thicker, focaccia like dough. It’s cut in-store according to your preference (not triangular but in a square), you can tell them a rough price or how much you’d like. It’s then weighed and usually a slice is around 4-5€.
Traditional Roman toppings are potato pizza, zucchini pizza, marinara pizza, eggplant pizza.
Where to eat it: La focaccina di Serafina, Pezzo Pizzerie – Castro Pretorio
Maritozzo
Maritozzo is a soft, round brioche bun, split in the middle and filled to the top with cream. It is a sweet treat that started as a breakfast for workers, then a sweet treat for Lent and is now a bakery classic in Rome.
Personally, I would recommend splitting one as they are A LOT of cream, but it’s a must-try when in Rome.
Where to eat it: Il Maritozzaro, Pasticceria Leonardo Roma
Fiore di zucca
This is another classic Roman dish made of fried courgette flowers stuffed with Mozarella and anchovies. They are a street food, though often served as starters in restaurants and absolutely delicious.
Where to eat it: La forchetta romana, Taverna Boccaccio
Carciofi alla giudia & carciofi alla romana
Carciofi is artichoke and Rome has some of the best artichoke dishes I have ever tasted.
The first one is Carciofi all giudia, seasoned and double-deep-fried artichokes. They are thought to originate in Rome’s Jewish ghetto, which is still one of the best places to try them in Rome.
The other version is Carciofi all romana, where the artichokes are steamed with parsley, garli and most importantly, mentuccia.
Where to eat it: Renato al Ghetto, Su e Giù
Grattachecca
There is nothing on a hot summer’s days like a Grattachecca out of an old-school street-side cart in Rome. It’s basically made of shaved ice, fresh fruit, and syrup. Perfect to cool down and rehydrate in style.
Where to drink it: Alla Fonte d’Oro
Porchetta and Cheese
If you take any food tour in Rome, they will include a stop at a butcher or sandwich shop for porchetta and Roman cheese (Pecorino Romano).
Porchetta dates back all the way to ancient Rome and is made of specifically female pig. It’s stuffed with spices and herbs and roasted.
Pecorino Romano we’ve already talked about as it is the base of all Roman pasta dishes, though also delicious on its own.
Where to eat it: La Norcineria di Iacozzilli
More on Italy:
Hi, I'm Bell
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