KEY2 Pick
Roman • $$$
Armando al Pantheon
A family trattoria that has run beside the Pantheon since 1961 and still refuses to become a tourist trap.
Best for: Date Night / Family
Best restaurants in Rome
Counters, dining rooms and neighbourhood favourites, chosen for the way they actually eat — not for how loudly they market.
KEY2 Pick
Roman • $$
Felice a Testaccio
The cacio e pepe tossed at the table in Testaccio; book, because walk-ins do not happen.
Best for: Groups / Family
KEY2 Pick
Fine Dining • $$$$
La Pergola
Heinz Beck's three stars on the Rome Cavalieri roof, with the whole city and St Peter's below.
Best for: Special Occasion
KEY2 Pick
Roman • $$$
Salumeria Roscioli
Part deli, part dining room near Campo de' Fiori — burrata, cured pork and the city's best carbonara argument.
Best for: Date Night / Groups
Roman • $$
Da Enzo al 29
Nine tables in Trastevere doing the four Roman pastas properly — queue or come at opening.
Best for: Lunch / Date Night
Roman Pizzeria • $$
Da Francesco
A busy Piazza Navona-area pizzeria and trattoria popular with locals for wood-fired pizza and Roman starters.
Best for: Casual Dinner
Contemporary Italian • $$$$
Il Pagliaccio
A two-Michelin-star restaurant near Campo de' Fiori from chef Anthony Genovese, blending Italian, French and Asian technique.
Best for: Special Occasion
Pizza al Taglio • $
Pizzarium Bonci
Gabriele Bonci's standing-room slice counter near the Vatican museums — sourdough, wild toppings.
Best for: Lunch / Solo Dining
Seafood • $$$$
Ristorante Sanlorenzo
Raw fish and crustacean pasta in a Renaissance palazzo room above Pompey's old theatre.
Best for: Date Night / Special Occasion
Coffee • $
Sant'Eustachio Il Caffè
The gran caffè that defines Roman espresso — pre-sugared unless you say otherwise.
Best for: Breakfast / Solo Dining
Trattoria • $
Tonnarello
Big, loud Trastevere courtyard trattoria — cheap Roman staples and a mandolin player who means it.
Best for: Groups / Family
Roman • $$
Trattoria Da Danilo
A neighbourhood Monti trattoria known among locals for oxtail and other traditional Roman offal dishes.
Best for: Casual Dinner
Questions, answered
What are the best restaurants in Rome?+
The KEY2 editors' top picks for restaurants in Rome are Armando al Pantheon, Felice a Testaccio, La Pergola, Salumeria Roscioli. Every listing in this guide is individually vetted, with hours, prices and booking links.
Where can I find good-value restaurants in Rome?+
For $$-level restaurants in Rome, consider Felice a Testaccio, Da Enzo al 29, Da Francesco, Giolitti.
What are the best restaurants in Rome for a special occasion?+
For a splurge, the KEY2 guide recommends Armando al Pantheon, La Pergola, Salumeria Roscioli, Il Pagliaccio. Reserve ahead — the booking link is on each listing.
Do I need to book restaurants in Rome in advance?+
The most popular restaurants in Rome fill up days or weeks ahead. Every KEY2 listing includes a direct reservation or booking link where one is available.
More Rome guides