Discover the 10 must eat dishes of Rome, a city renowned for its culinary delights. From alfresco dining to hidden gems, the Italian capital offers countless foodie experiences that will leave you craving more. Explore Rome’s rich food culture and indulge in the best dishes, the city has to offer.

Rome the streets with a beer in hand, slowly sip wine during aperitivio the Hail Mary of happy hours, devour a pizza or slurp some pasta. Late-night gelato stops, rooftop cocktails, piazza parties and espresso shots! Rome truly has it all, the vibes are high and the walking shoes are out. Why settle for the ordinary when you can indulge in the extraordinary, get strutting hunnie because Roma is calling.

Choosing what to eat in Rome is as overwhelming as browsing through Netflix’s never-ending library, but don’t fret suga, sit back relax and let the algorithm do the work for you. We got you covered, with these must eat dishes of Rome.

1. Cacio e Pepe

Cacio e Pepe, a pasta dish so good, that you’ll be slurping bowl after bowl. This simple yet incredibly flavorful pasta dish consists of spaghetti tossed with Pecorino Romano cheese and freshly ground black pepper. Velvety, cheesy goodness, it’s my favourite pasta dish from Italy and one I would happily bathe in if someone would offer to cook the amount of pasta needed to fill a bathtub. I’m a low-effort gal and that screams high effort but I tell what it isn’t high effort admiring the beautiful buildings of Roma while you demolish a big ole plate of cacio e pepe.

This would be my number one must eat dish of Rome, how can a dish, that has 3 ingredients taste so good! Food magic at its finest.

You can find cacio e pepe at many trattorias and osterias across the city, and of course, you can’t have pasta without a good glass of wine.

2. Carbonara

This wouldn’t be a must eat dishes of Rome list, without the mention of the O.G Roman classic, more Roman, than the Colosseum itself, Carbonara. Hot spaghetti pasta tossed with crispy pieces of guanciale and coated in a velvety sauce of egg yolks, pecorino Romano and black pepper. The sauce is emulsified to perfection using the heat from the cooked pasta, creating this incredibly silky explosion in you’re mouth.

The Romans know how to throw a pasta party and carbonara is always twirling on the dance floor. Hands down the best carbonara you will have the pleasure of eating.

Have you even been to Rome if you haven’t carbonaraed?

Check out our recipe for the beloved carbonara here!

3. Pasta Amatriciana

The Romans sure know how to make pasta, and the list wouldn’t be a must-eat dishes of Rome list without the mention of, another classic, Pasta Amatriciana.

This iconic dish combines al dente pasta with a rich, tangy tomato sauce, caramelized onions, and smoky guanciale. The only Roman Pasta dish you’ll find with a tomato-based sauce. Topped with Pecorino Romano cheese, it’s a symphony of flavours that embodies Italian comfort food.

Relax at a Roman trattoria, savour each bite as it transports you through centuries of culinary tradition. Order a bottle of Chianti Classico for my red wine lovers or Vermentino for my white wine hunnies.

4. Trapizzino

The most loved street food of Roma, the perfect combination of sandwich and pizza, a pizza pocket filled with your favourite fillings with the ease of eating on the go.

Made with the same pizza dough we know, we love and, packed full of the Roman classic dishes we know, we love, there’s no doubt you will love these! The Parmigiana di Melanzane and the Polpetta al Sugo are devilishly good, a must-try in Rome.

Located in Trastevere one of my favourite neighbourhoods in Rome, on your next visit take a trip over the bridge, and pick up a trapizzino. The perfect pick-up-and-go snack for bar hopping around some of the, best bars, Rome has to offer.

5. Maritozzi

Rome’s most iconic pastry and one I dream about daily, oh, how I wish I could smother my face with one of these beautiful pastries every morning.

A brioche bun split in the middle filled with a criminal amount of cream, pure heaven in your mouth, the perfect symphony of sweet and fat. These are so much better than creamed stuffed doughnuts, I’m not a doughnut fan but by golly am I a Maritozzi fan.

Start your day right with an espresso in one hand and a maritozzi in the other, if you’re after a top-notch coffee and the best Lemon Maritozzi in all of Rome, Faro Rome has you covered. It’s a little spenny but worth every penny.

6. Fiori di Zucca

Fiori di Zucca, Zucchini or Courgette for my British foodies, blossoms stuffed with anchovies and mozzarella, lightly battered and fried. These are oh-so delicious and if you’re in Rome for the summer season, a must try!

The perfect appetizer that pairs delightfully with a Vermentino di Sardegna Ribotta or Chardonnay La Fuga.

7. Tiramisu

Arguably the best dessert Italia has to offer. It may even be one of the best desserts ever. Tiramisu translates to ‘pick me up’ and that’s exactly what it does. A dessert to lift you’re spirits, and your taste buds.

Layers of ladyfingers soaked in coffee liquor, and mascarpone cream, dusted with cocoa powder. The classic Tiramisu can be transcendent, light, creamy mind-blowing, deliciousness.

There are many Tiramisu speciality shops around Rome but the best ones are from an unassuming Osteria, hands down the most incredible Tiramisu I have ever eaten was from a small Osteria in Trastevere.

8. Pizza al Taglio

Roman-style pizza by the slice-thin, crispy crust, topped with all our favourite toppings. Roam the streets of Rome with Birra Moretti Limone in one hand and a slice of pizza in the other, absolute perfection.

Better yet, grab a few slices of Pizza in a takeaway box, pick up a few beers and find a spot at one of the piazza’s around the Colosseum to watch the sunset. One of the best things to do in Rome, the sunset will be like no other.

9. Gelato

No food tour in Rome would be complete without indulging in some gelato. This Italian version of ice cream is known for its rich and creamy texture, as well as, its intense flavours. From classic choices like pistachio and chocolate to more, unique options like stracciatella (chocolate chip) and zabaglione (a sweet wine-flavoured custard), there’s a gelato flavour for everyone.

There is one gelato shop that reigns supreme in Rome. We stumbled across this gem walking back to our hotel late one night. It was 11:30 pm, and this place had queues around the block – Come Il Latte found at Via Silvio Spaventa is the holy grail of Gelato Shops.

If you do one thing in Rome make sure it’s devour a gelato from Come il Latte!

10. Supplì

If you’re in the mood for a snack while you’re busy galivanting around the city looking at all the incredible sites, look no further than supplì. These deep-fried rice balls, are the 3rd best street food, in Rome (sorry suppli but the Trapizzino and Pizza al Taglio take the biscuit here).

Traditional supplì is filled with risotto rice, tomato sauce, and mozzarella cheese, but the caico e pepe filling will have your taste buds dancing, a delightful burst of flavour in your mouth.

These pair so well with a crisp cool Birra. You’ll find these fried balls of goodness at many food stalls throughout the city.

Buon Appetito!

If it’s a culinary adventure you’re after, Rome stands in a league of its own, boasting an array of foodie experiences that leave you craving more. Whether you’re strolling through the streets, with a beer in hand, savouring a leisurely aperitivo, or indulging in the city’s iconic dishes, Rome’s food scene is a feast for the senses. From late-night gelato stops to rooftop cocktails, the city pulses with energy, inviting you to embrace the extraordinary at every turn.

So, why settle for the ordinary when Rome beckons with its irresistible charm? Grab your walking shoes and get ready to strut through the culinary wonders of the Eternal City—it’s an adventure you won’t soon forget. Roma is calling, and it’s time to answer with a hearty “Buon appetito!”