All the roads lead to Rome, right? When you get there, let’s be honest, the first thing that will pop your mind will be food. And trust us, enjoy your vacation to eat all the Italian food that you can! In order to make your experience in the eternal city even greater, you need to try all the amazing Roman cuisine.

We already cover a little bit of the Roman dishes in where and what to eat in Rome, Venice & Milan, but to give you a full tour through the fantastic cuisine of the Italian capital here are the top dishes that are a must when in Rome.

Source: Flickr/barbidule44

Suppli

Usually eaten as an appetizer, the Suppli is fried rice seasoned with meat sauce and mozzarella and served with breadcrumbs. Don’t let the simplicity of this dish full you! This is probably one of the best appetizers you will ever eat.

Source: Flickr/dbgg1979

La Carbonara

You probably heard before this name. This Roman pasta dish dates back to the 20th century, and like many other typical dishes of the Italian capital, this plate is the proof that you don’t need many ingredients to make a dish unforgettable and tasty.

La Carbonara is spaghetti in a raw egg sauce (raw eggs, cheese, pepper and guanciale(pork)).

The restaurant La Piccola di Casa Bleve, at via Sicilia 47 is the perfect place for eating this dish.

You can also visit Ristorante Peppone, this traditional and one of the oldest restaurants in the city also serves traditional dishes of the Italian cuisine.  

Source: Flickr/erin & camer

Cacio e Pepe

This is definitely one of the best pasta that Roman cuisine has to offer, and it has only 3 ingredients: local pecorino cheese (cacio), black pepper and pasta. The “pepe” comes from “Pecora” or sheep in Italian, keep in mind that the hard cheese is made from sheep’s milk.

The Roman dish is simple, and the ingredients are really basic, but the technique of stirring the pasta still hot with a bit of cooking water to melt the cheese makes it a simple yet perfect, quick and very practical sauce.

Sample Cacio e Pepe at Roma Sparita Restaurant, located in Piazza di Santa Cecilia, in the Trastevere district is a very charming place to enjoy a good dinner.

You can also try the Da Enzo at Via dei Vascellari, 29.

Source: Flickr/Edsel L

Roman artichokes

If you’re visiting Rome during spring and fall, brace yourself to see a lot of artichokes! This delicious vegetable is part of traditional Italian dishes, and you’ll love it.

You can enjoy artichoke (carciofi in Italian) in the city in different ways; along with pasta, sandwiches, and pizza. There’s the carciofi alla Romana which is artichokes braised with olive oil, garlic, and white wine and there’s carciofi alla Giudia where the artichokes are deep fried, and you can eat each lead like a chip.

Go to the restaurant Nonna Betta, via del portico d’ottavia, 16 in the Jewish quarter to taste the wonderful carciofi alla Giudia.

And if you’re the type “travel and eat like the locals” you need to try the Cynar. This Italian digestif has artichokes as a base and has a bitter flavor, but hey, when in Rome.

Abbacchio alla scottadito

You have probably heard before that you need to try lamb when in Italy. Well, this is the perfect dish to eat the famous Italian lamb.

The grilled lamb chops seasoned with salt, pepper, herbs (thyme, tarragon, and rosemary), and olive oil are served with lemon wedge.

The place where you can eat this incredible recipe is at Sora Margherita, at Piazza delle Cinque Scole, 30.

Maritozzo, a staple in Rome

If you have a sweet tooth, this is your dish! The best part of this dessert is that typically is eaten for breakfast. The perfect way to start your day full of energy.

Maritozzo is a very soft sweet bread, made of flour, eggs, honey, butter, and salt, cut into two equal parts and stuffed with fresh whipped cream. Sometimes you can find it even with the addition of chocolate or ice cream.

To eat this incredible food go to Er Maritozzaro at via Ettore Rolli, 50 just a 2 mins walk from Trastevere station.

Getting to know the city

Now that you know what to eat and where to eat in Rome, how about a nice food & wine walking tour? And to enjoy all those beautiful monuments, Veditalia has legally licensed English speaking Tour Guides who will show you the best of the city with facts and information that you’ll find truly interesting, besides giving you more tips and suggestions for you to enjoy the eternal city in the best way.