My company is one of those who believes that their staff will work better if they offer rewards of some kind and this year I was the lucky winner of two airline tickets to Rome, as well as three nights’ accommodation. Because I have always had a love for Italy I can actually speak the language and was delighted by the destination! Not everybody might have as much luck, but it doesn’t mean you can’t go to Rome, too – just remember to check Discountrue.com from time to time for Priceline coupons that might just make your trip there possible!
Of course, there are plenty of excellent restaurants in Rome, but it’s not always easy to choose which ones to visit, and the time we have is usually limited. The Michelin stars ones are great, but it doesn’t mean that’s where the world ends! Sometimes you will find places that will surprise you with their experience, even if haven’t been widely recognized yet. In any case, here is MY list of the best customer friendly restaurants in Rome!
Take Your Time
Although they do serve other dishes, Take Your Time focuses on antipasto or cold cut platters. Thinly sliced cured and aged cold meats, different cheeses and other ‘nibbly’ food from every corner of Europe, the kind of thing you’d find at a luxury Mediterranean deli and don’t need a knife and fork for. And the staff know everything about every item on the menu so be prepared to be educated!
When you walk in you’re welcomed by the manager who fortunately speaks English quite well. He chats with you for a while and based on what he learns recommends a wine or one of their impressive range of craft beers. I would suggest going with his recommendation because the drink we chose for ourselves was okay, while the drink he chose for us was incredible!
If you’re in a hurry then DON’T come here! The atmosphere is very relaxed, the furniture is an eclectic mix that shouldn’t work together but somehow does, and the prices are fair considering what you’re eating. At Take Your Time, you enter a stranger and leave feeling like part of the family, full to the gills and definitely on the tipsy side!
Il nido del Pettirosso
When you go to Rome you absolutely HAVE to have at least one fine dining experience, but that doesn’t necessarily mean Michelin stars, celebrity chefs or fancy tablecloths! At Il nido del Pettirosso you get the finest dining in the most intimate of settings, and when I say intimate I mean it! The restaurant holds about twenty people and you can lean over for a chat with your neighbours!
Every item is freshly made with local produce and you can order a set menu which is paired with different wines, or choose your own individual dishes from a MASSIVE selection. This is NOT a dine and dash experience, we spent more than three hours enjoying our meal and were kept entertained by the very passionate owner, the music and our neighbours (slightly rowdy but hysterical!).
I suggest making a booking because this restaurant is full every night, with both tourists and locals frequenting it (always a good sign). The prices are fair, and the portions are more French (average) than Italian (gigantic!) and the food will melt in your mouth delicious. The food, the wine, the atmosphere – I would never forget it, even if my bill hadn’t come with a beautiful keepsake!
Club Machiavelli’s
For our next meal we decided that we wanted authentic Italian cuisine and Club Machiavelli’s fits that bill to a tee! You absolutely have to book well in advance because the place is always packed to capacity and we watched several people being turned away or not being able to make a reservation for before they returned home.
This is another restaurant who believes in fresh local produce, so fresh in fact that the menu changes every week (or is it every day?)! This may be why they have only three dishes per course and only three courses (9 dishes total), but it means that they can focus on quality and spend time creating their mouth-watering masterpieces that embody Italy in every bite!
The entrance is hidden away down an alley, and unfortunately only accepts cash but we were informed when we made our booking so that was alright. The chef owner is absolutely passionate about every dish and will spend ages explaining every one (in English!), the house wine is DIVINE and the prices are amazing. If you’re going to have one meal in Rome, then this is the place to get it!
Pizza Florida
If you are in Italy and you don’t have pizza then you need to have your head checked, and if you want the best pizza in Rome then Pizza Florida is the place to go! Their bases are crunchy on the bottom with a perfect soft slightly chewy centre and there are at least fifty to sixty different toppings to choose from (maybe more?)!
The best part is you pay by weight, order by slice and decide on the perfect size for you – so you can easily try all the flavour combinations that you’d like to! And the prices are so great that you can walk in with €50, eat until you burst and walk out with change! There is always a queue of mostly locals but the service is quick and the staff are extremely friendly.
You can find a seat if you’re willing to wait a bit for space, but I would suggest grabbing a couple of slices at a time, then heading across the road and using the concrete step and barriers around the Largo di Torre Argentina ruins and cat sanctuary as a makeshift bench. Then you can enjoy the most delicious pizza you’ll ever eat, while looking out for a furry feline playing in the ruins below!
Baguetteria del Fico
Baguetteria del Fico is basically a licensed deli sandwich bar, and if you’re looking for a great place to have lunch or dinner then you can’t go wrong here. The menu is extensive and it will take you at least 20 minutes to read through it then decide what you actually want to eat, and they have a huge range of craft beers and several wines to satisfy just about every taste.
You can order a variety of sandwiches (bruschetta, Panini, baguettes, etc.) or what I would call an antipasto platter (essentially the same thing without the bread!) while seated at the counter watching the youngish owner and his team prepare every element right in front of you – or you can have your order to go if you prefer.
If you’re unsure what to choose, let the owner or your waiter decide for you – but be honest about how much you can eat because the platter for one was easily enough for two! Your budget will adore the bill, even if you drink and eat more than you should. And if you’re lucky you might just get a little something extra on the house (we got a slice of homemade chocolate cake – sin on a plate!)!!
As you can see I didn’t go to a single Michelin starred restaurant and yet I still ate like a queen, I didn’t go over my food budget at all and by the time I got back I was a few pounds heavier – not that I minded or regretted a single bite! I absolutely adored my trip but I honestly think the entire experience was a thousand times better thanks to amazing food and wonderful venues. If you’re headed to Rome then these restaurants are perfect for you!
Last note: You are in Italy and things work differently so don’t expect speedy service (at least 90 minutes per meal) and be prepared to shout for your waiter when you want your bill!!
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Amer
May 20, 2016 at 4:17 pmThis is awesome and a perfect timing. I’m going back to Rome in November. Definitely will check out these restaurants.
Carmen Edelson
May 22, 2016 at 4:56 pmThat’s wonderful! I hope you get a chance to try some of these out.
Toni | 2 Aussie Travellers
May 21, 2016 at 4:16 amOh yes I’m sure I would have been an even more productive employee with the incentive of a trip to Rome! With such fabulous options to eat and drink it could be hard to find the time to see the other famous local attractions.
Carmen Edelson
May 22, 2016 at 4:58 pmI’m a foodie and although I enjoy great food and wine. You can’t pass up the opportunity to see the sites in Rome.
Anda
May 21, 2016 at 4:55 amLucky you, Carmen! Not a bad deal to get free airfare and three nights in Rome. As for the food, there are so many fabulous places where you can ruin your waist line in Rome, that I can’t even recount them. Italian food is irresistible.
Carmen Edelson
May 22, 2016 at 4:59 pmThat’s probably why I gained 10 pounds on my trip, all the great food in Italy.
Carly
May 21, 2016 at 7:14 amOmg I’d die in Pizza Florida. 60+ toppings? I’d be all over that. Italy is so high on my travel list I’ve almost booked a trip there like 3 times just this month. You’re lucky to have gotten the trip as a reward!
Carmen Edelson
May 22, 2016 at 5:01 pmAs much as I love pizza, I’m not a big fan of putting tons of toppings on it. I’m happy with just a plain cheese pizza as long as it’s good. 🙂 Don’t hesitate any longer, and book your trip to Rome.
RaW | Ramble and Wander
May 21, 2016 at 7:18 amOoh! How I wish my old company rewards its staff with air tickets & hotels! Anyways, for food, I usually just ask the hotel staff where they usually have their meals, not where they would usually recommend to hotel guests/tourists. Haven’t gone wrong with that, yet, haha, even when I was in Rome. Having said that, fine dining is fine every now and then, and Club Machiavelli sounds like a place I’d really love to try!
Carmen Edelson
May 22, 2016 at 5:04 pmI’ve done that too, ask the hotel staff for recommendations instead of the hotel concierge. I rather eat in a restaurant that the locals go too, instead of a tourist trap.
Michele Peterson
May 21, 2016 at 7:40 amSome great choices here! I’ve pinned to save for my next trip to Rome. It’s abosolutely one of my favourite cities for food
Carmen Edelson
May 22, 2016 at 5:06 pmWe found so many great places to eat in Rome. My husband loved one restaurant that was at the bottom of the Spanish steps, but I can’t remember the name now. It had the best pasta dishes.
Marta
May 21, 2016 at 10:10 amGlad to see you found so many great places! I am from Rome (although I now live abroad) and while there is a lot of good food there, it’s also quite easy to stumble upon tourist joints that do nothing to showcase real Roman food. I don’t know any of these places but will sure try Piza Florida, I am tempted!
Carmen Edelson
May 22, 2016 at 5:08 pmWe like to venture off on side streets and wonder around until we find a restaurants that the locals are eating in. Those are the best finds in my book.
Gemma
May 21, 2016 at 2:08 pmAw man, I just ate a packet of crisps (chips) for dinner! We have a one night stop over in Milan very soon and I cannot wait to spend the time eating. I like the sound of that laid back antipasto!
Carmen Edelson
May 22, 2016 at 5:13 pmAntipasto salads are great because you get to sample small a little of everything. My favorites are the Italian cured meats, and the cheeses.
Jenny
May 21, 2016 at 3:32 pmOh this all looks so good! With so many places to eat in Rome it’s great to have some recommendations! Thanks!
Carmen Edelson
May 22, 2016 at 5:25 pmNothing like having fresh pasta in Rome. I could of had that everyday.
anna
May 22, 2016 at 1:25 amI swear Italy was the country that broke my backpacker’s budget!! Looks so good. Definitely need to try out some of the places you recommended.
Carmen Edelson
May 22, 2016 at 5:31 pmI understand completely because some of the restaurants aren’t cheap in Rome. It’s money worth spending.
Vicki Louise
May 22, 2016 at 7:45 amThese places look incredible – and I feel hungry just reading about them! If this was the reward on offer I would be working my butt off!
Carmen Edelson
May 24, 2016 at 12:45 pmIt’s nice to be awarded with travel, it makes the trip even more special.
Sara | Belly Rumbles
May 22, 2016 at 8:38 pmWhat an incredible incentive! Lovely round up of delicious places to eat in Rome, book marked for my next culinary adventure there. Thanks for the tips.
Carmen Edelson
May 24, 2016 at 12:50 pmBeing a foodie we love exploring new restaurants that are off the beaten path. It hard to select just a few restaurants in Rome, when they have so many great ones.
Laura
May 23, 2016 at 12:59 pmSuch a lovely foodie post about Rome! I actually just posted about my travels there. I loved the city and I certainly think knowing where to eat is really handy.
This post is very true ‘take your time’ and you’re right, there are so many lovely places on offer and hidden gems everywhere.
Smelling out delicious food is always a great way to get a food feel if a restaurant is good also if you do dine out also and to see if a place is popular with smily faces (you can gage so much from peoples faces).
Great review, Rome is a fantastic place and when I return I’ll have this to hand!
Laura xo
http://www.shehearts.net
Carmen Edelson
May 24, 2016 at 12:54 pmThanks Laura for the compliment. When we look for restaurants we usually walk around, and past a few before we circle back. We look at the people that are eating, and also at their plates to see if it looks good. I agree if the people are smiling and having a great time you know the place it good.
KOcchipinti
May 30, 2016 at 8:46 amThanks for the tips, especially about the pizza. I think most Americans don’t realize that Italian pizzas have ONE topping! If you want another topping, you need to get a slice of a different pizza. But with the smaller slices this is possible and also fun. Will definitely check out your recommendations when I go this summer.
Carmen Edelson
May 31, 2016 at 8:50 amI really love cheese pizza, and prefer it plain than with all the extra toppings. Italian pizza is the best!
Morgan
June 9, 2016 at 5:03 pmThese places look absolutely amazing, and these dishes look ravishing! Rome is an incredible destination to visit with anyone you love. Every spot on every corner is gorgeous, and the city has so much to offer for everyone, especially all the delicious food. These pictures are great and do a great job reflecting the city’s unique dining areas. Very well done! Thanks so much for sharing your adventure!
Carmen Edelson
June 11, 2016 at 9:57 amThanks Morgan! I love being in Rome and like you said you’ll find in almost every corner a great dining experience.
Brian
November 16, 2016 at 9:46 amPizza Florida looks incredible! Really all these restaurants do, but I am a sucker for a good slice of pizza. Thanks for sharing!
Aaron C.
May 31, 2017 at 1:01 pmThat food looks delicious. I really enjoy how you wrote this it feels like I am really there! Thanks for writing.
Carmen Edelson
June 3, 2017 at 7:18 amThank you very much, Aaron!
Heather
June 5, 2017 at 4:01 pmRome is one of my top destinations, and I’ve always wanted to try authentic Italian cuisine, so Club Machiavelli’s will at least have to be one of our stops (if not all of the above!) Thanks for sharing these reviews!
Carmen Edelson
June 6, 2017 at 5:27 amYou’re very welcome, Heather! The food alone is worth a visit to Rome 😉
Alina Jericho
April 13, 2018 at 5:29 amlove to go pizza florida. thanks for sharing this delicious post 🙂
Carmen Edelson
April 17, 2018 at 12:01 pmYou are very welcome, Alina 🙂
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