Rome is one of my favourite cities. Bursting with life. Love, laughter, family and food. All the things I hold dearest. We’ve been to this wonderful city a handful of times now and have very much fallen in love with it. Particularly with the food. So much so that in November we travelled back once again purely because we wanted to indulge in more glorious bowls of pasta. Once you’ve tried the food in Rome, you’ll agree, it’s worth catching a flight for.
If food is as important to you as it is to me and you are thinking of visiting Rome any time soon then please make sure not to miss these places, your belly will thank me. These are restaurants nestled away down side streets, full of locals tucking into their favourite dishes. These are some of the best places to eat pasta in Rome. As part of my slow travelling ethos, I always try and hunt down the places where the locals like to eat. Places that practice traditional cooking methods, use locally sourced produce and cook traditional recipes ingrained in the culture. Here are a couple of places recommended to me by locals and I can safely vouch for them.
The Best Places To Eat Pasta In Rome
Trattoria Dal Cavalier Gino
Situated in the centre of Rome, near the government building of Piazza di Montecitorio, tucked away down a narrow alley you could easily walk straight past and miss, this old style trattoria is our favourite place to eat in Rome and yet to be beaten.
Yes there are restaurants that offer fine dining and have their Michelin Stars but to me the appeal of Roman food, is simple traditional cuisine. I want rustic and homely food.
If you agree and small, family made, homely food is what you seek then Gino’s is a must. They offer traditional, authentic Roman cuisine which is all home prepared from local ingredients. It is nothing fancy, just honest, delicious plates of food. No pizza though, this place offers antipasti, pasta, meat, and pudding – all of which is excellent value.
Gino’s consists of only two rooms and all tables get filled very quickly. If you plan on eating here then you must make sure to book or you will be left disappointed. Whilst you’re sat indulging in a bowl of pasta cooked to perfection, you can guarantee you will see numerous people getting turned away at the door having not made a reservation. Gino’s is cozy, warm and inviting and you can be sure that you will be surrounded by a loyal clientèle of locals as has been the way since they opened their doors in 1963. Locals are always a good sign when seeking out somewhere to eat!
Try the cacio e pepe.
Da Enzo
This traditional Roman trattoria is located in eastern Trastevere, just across the river Tiber and is cherished by locals. The decor is very simple and relaxed and the service is incredibly friendly and helpful. The focus at Da Enzo is on the quality of the ingredients they use. Everything is sourced as locally and organically as possible.
The wine is produced with organic grapes harvested in the Appia Antica Park by Riserva della Cascina winery. The olive oil is organically produced by Olio Papa Farm. The meat comes from local farms in Amatrice. The cheese from Agro Romano. The organic eggs from San Bartholomeo and Paolo Parisi Farm. The pasta made from organic Mulino Marino Flour.
These fantastic ingredients result in outstanding dishes. Carbonara, pasta alla Gricia, pasta with oxtail sauce, cacio e pepe, fried courgette flowers, fried artichoke. Try and sample as much as you possibly can. Trust me, you’ll want to go back for more.
The deep fried courgette flowers and artichoke are a must.
Da Tonino
Out of the three, this little place is the most simple. When we first visited this trattoria, there wasn’t even a sign above the door. They have since added a name to it’s facade so you shouldn’t have as much trouble as we did locating it the first time. Da Tonino’s is located right in the heart of Rome, a stones throw from the Piazza Navona.
Make sure to get here early as it fills up almost instantly and there will be a queue of locals waiting to get a table. Da Tonino is nothing fancy, not by a long shot. Extremely rustic, paper sheets on the table, cheap carafes of wine, but it is inviting and homely. And most importantly the food is excellent value for money. Meat stews and hearty portions of pasta are the way forward in this trattoria.
Address: Via del Governo Vecchio, 18, 00186 Roma, Italy
Click here for reviews on Da Tonino.
Take A Cooking Class
If there is one way of getting an even more authentic foodie experience whilst in Rome, it is taking a cooking class! What could be better than making your own amazing food, taught to you by a local? For many people, this is the highlight of their trip. You can learn from a local themselves and take home the skills with you! Or why not take a food tour of the city?
Cooking Class Recommendations:
Authentic Roman Pasta Making Class
Food Tour Recommendations:
The perfect way to end a trip to Rome. And you get to take home the knowledge on how to replicate your favourite dishes to share with your friends and family. As a big Italian food lover I can think of nothing better!
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Da Enzo is amazing! I will be sure to check out the others on my next trip to Rome 🙂
The food is delish! I would happily be back there right now!! Another really good places is La Carbonara dal 1906. For this one you really do need to get there early – we arrived 20 minutes before opening and there was already a dozen people queuing. Well worth making a reservation for later on in the evening if you know you will be visiting. Absolutely gorgeous traditional Roman food x
Thanks for the tip!! I’ll have to plan another trip soon in order to give that a try… x
I want another trip to Rome too! Mmmmm food x
That’s a great list. Trastevere is such a great spot for eating. Da Enzo is fabulous!
It really is isn’t it! So many great little places tucked away in those beautiful streets.
Beautiful photos! I love these kinds of rustic, authentic spots, but unfortunately my visit to Rome years ago was a bit of a mad rush with a tourist group 🙂 I’m hoping to return soon and do it right next time..
Thank you so much Dee! I adore local cuisine and hunting down where it is that locals frequent 🙂 My first couple trips to Rome were spent like that, dashing from one site to the next..the last two times though I thoroughly enjoyed it! You’ll love another visit back there!
Wonderful post Stacy,
I like Rome and I like pasta. But it is better to eat pizza there 🙂
Thank you ☺ Oh yes, there are plenty of fabulous pizza spots too! I think my favourite from my last visit to Rome was Da Remo’s 😍
I’m definitely using this post during my trip to Rome! Thank you!
Really good home style food, these places are all brilliant! Have a wonderful time in Rome – so jealous!!
Hahaha, thank you!!! 🙏🏽❤️💋