Top 6 Must Eat Foods in Rome, Italy

6 Must Eat Foods in Rome and Where to Find Them

#1 Must Eat Foods in Rome – The Best Pasta Carbonara in Rome

Osteria Allegro Pachino is a hidden gem right near the Trevi Fountain. The staff is welcoming, and the restaurant is cozy with Italian charm. Their Pasta Carbonara is authentic, rich, and indulgent, everything this dish should be. Order the Prosciutto and Melon for a starter. Ripe cantaloupe and smoky Italian prosciutto may sound like an odd combination, but it is an Italian staple. One pizza for the whole table, to munch on, is the way to go. You will notice Italy places their toppings in groups rather than spreading them equally onto the pizza.

#2 Must Eat Foods in Rome – The Best Gelato in Rome

Gelateria Della Palma has been established for over 40 years and offers 150 gelato flavors. During our four-day trip to Rome, we visited this gelato parlor twice. You will feel like a kid in a candy store, with all the different flavors and combinations. To help make your decision easier, they offer free samples. My favorites were the coffee mouse, dark chocolate orange, and fig gelato.

#3 Must Eat Foods in Rome – The Best Tiramisu in Rome

Ristorante Colosseo “Luzzi” is a down-to-earth, mom and pop, Italian restaurant, dishing out the classics like lasagna and wood-oven fired pizzas. Their homemade tiramisu is a total knockout. It is artistically layered with rich mascarpone cheese, coffee-soaked ladyfingers, and a light dusting of cocoa powder. This was the perfect finish to an already amazing dinner.

#4 Must Eat Foods in Rome – The Best Pizza in Rome

A must-visit in Rome is Forno Pizza. Forno meaning oven in Italian. We stumbled upon this family-run pizza joint after touring Vatican City. There is a buffet bar filled with homemade oven-baked pizzas with different topping combinations. You tell the chef how much you want, they slice it, heat it, and weigh it. I ordered a few different types, my favorite slice was with mushrooms, prosciutto, and a baked egg on top. There are many pizza places similar to this one, you must stop into at least one during your Eataly adventure.

#5 Must Eat Foods in Rome – The Best Authentic Neapolitan Food in Rome

Ristorante da Barbara is a charming restaurant serving classic Neapolitan and Roman dishes. Walking up you will find red and white checkered table clothes with lights dancing around the room. Fresh flowers add some simple décor to the tables. One thing I noticed was that there wasn’t a gentleman standing by the menu bartering you in. The food and décor speak for themselves. Ristorante da Barbara focuses on true traditional Neapolitan dishes and cooking techniques.

We had the pleasure of speaking with Barbara and she explained that they are true to the traditional cuisines. You will not get the “Italian” spaghetti and meatballs most Americans are used to. The Neapolitan and Roman chefs will not make those cliché dishes because that is not true to the traditional dishes they grew up on. If you are looking for genuine Neapolitan and Roman cuisine with high-quality ingredients, Ristorante da Barbara is the place to visit!

#6 Must Eat Foods in Rome – The Best Zocoletta in Rome

Right before our flight from Campino, Rome to the Netherlands, we came across Pizzeria ”La Stazione”. We headed here for dinner, and I ended up eating dessert for dinner. While their pizza looked amazing with loads of toppings, I got suckered into the free samples at the top of the buffet case. (I am a big free sample girl) Here you would find their addicting dessert, Zocoletta.

Just imagine warm fried pizza dough with a blanket of sweet Italian cream, all topped with crunchy, salty pistachios. This was my favorite dessert during my whole study abroad experience. Sorry, Paris, Italy won over my sweet tooth! This dish only costs 4 euros for one person. Confession: I went back for more and ordered another serving. With our hostel two doors down it was a no-brainer! To this day, I still dream about it.