As one of the world's most coveted cultural and gastronomic destinations, Rome is known for its fairly affordable, yet truly tantalizing culinary offering. From Parioli to Garbatella, and from Trastevere to Pigneto, its 496 square miles are thoroughly dotted in old-style osterias and pizza al taglio ("pizza-by-the-slice") street food bars, each brimming with crowds of tourists, expats, and locals all ready to take a bite of the Eternal City's simply unbeatable culinary tradition.
While in the Italian capital there's no shortage of places to eat, particularly for unpretentious travelers willing to get their hands dirty to enjoy its most delicious supplì (the local answer to Sicilian arancini) and maritozzi (breakfast cream buns), this doesn't mean that the best Rome restaurants are any easier to spot. And when I say "best", I don't just refer to those Roman eateries that live up to the city's celebrated food heritage — whether sticking to the classics or innovating them through contemporary flair — but also to those whose interior game is just as impressive as the plates served.
These eateries are the ones you might not find in conventional Rome restaurant guides, and are often hidden away in less traveled neighborhoods than the viral Trastevere. Selected for both experiential and décor merit, just like in the case of the best Rome hotels (it isn't a coincidence that they host many of them), the dining spots mentioned below talk to the past, present, and future of the Eternal City.
1. Giano Restaurant at W Rome
Via Liguria, 28, 00187 Roma RM, Italy.
Part of 5-star hotel W Rome, Giano Restaurant is one of those eateries you couldn't find anywhere else if not in the Eternal City. Housed within a terracotta-shaded, 19th-century palazzo, this Meyer Davis-conceived, whimsical dining destination is every modern interior design obsessed's dreamland. A sublime exercise in wood-drenching, its Art Deco-style frame, with textural, stucco-ed walls, atmospheric stained-glass windows, vintage sconces, and arched room passages, looks to the past. Inside, though, the plush, velvety seats, including lip-shaped candy floss pink love seats, sculptural artworks, and contemporary gold and ceramic accents are the real showstoppers — besides Head Chef Ciccio Sultano's soulful Sicilian delicacies, that is. These offer a Mediterranean take on comfort food.
Combining the lavishness of a high-end restaurant with a quintessentially Italian, lighthearted atmosphere, Giano Restaurant grants everyone, from groups of friends and couples to traveling professionals, the joy of a luxurious night, surrounded by the hottest design collectibles, lush gardens, and views of the Spanish Steps.
Book your table at Giano Restaurant.
2. INEO at Anantara Palazzo Naiadi Rome Hotel
P.za della Repubblica, 46, 00184 Roma RM, Italy.
When it comes to the best Rome restaurants, few other eateries can compete with the grandeur of Anantara Palazzo Naiadi Rome Hotel's INEO. Here, the dramatic neo-classical architecture of the historical stay, revamped by Maurizio Papiri and Adam D. Tihany, is made even more theatrical by modern additions like choreographically textural walls and ceilings, mushroom-shaped brass table lamps, Art Nouveau-style sconces, and hypnotic mirrored walls.
Finding its home in an expansive, palatial 19th-century building overlooking Piazza della Repubblica, INEO is the experimenting playground of Roman-born, Abruzzese-Eritrean Master Chef Heros De Agostinis. His worldly-inspired approach to cuisine, blending tradition and innovation, serves as the protagonist of this one-of-a-kind location. From terrazzo-style, checkered marble floors and flowing curtains to striking bust sculptures and sleek reflective surfaces, this eatery is yours to get lost into.
3. Clementino at U-Visionary Roma Hotel
Largo del Tritone, 161, 00187 Roma RM, Italy.
Even from outside, U-Visionary Roma Hotel's Clementino doesn't go unnoticed; or at least, that's how I came to discover it. I was walking along Barberini's Largo del Tritone in early December when its flower-shaped Art Deco chandeliers caught my eye. From there, I couldn't help but be drawn to the vibrancy of this retro-inspired traditional eatery. Elevated by Cesca chairs, sumptuous red velvet accents, and wall-wide bookcases stacked with a collection of covetable objects, including coffee table books, silver homeware, and more, it isn't your usual Roman restaurant.
Part of the Tridente Collection hotel group, this Massimo D'Innocenti-helmed bistrot is the place to indulge in Venetian-style bites, or cicchetti, as well as Rome's traditional staples, from burrata, puntarelle, and anchovies and artichokes all the way to the ever-moreish polpette. Brought to life by a golden glow, Clementino borrows from France's sharing plates culture, inviting diners to revel in conversation, good company, and even better tasteful explorations.
Book your table at Clementino.
4. Marco Martini Roma
Viale Aventino, 121, 00153 Roma RM, Italy.
Had there been an award for the most imaginative, colorful terrace of Rome, Michelin-starred restaurant Marco Martini Roma would have easily brought it home. Led by Italian gourmet cuisine trailblazer Marco Martini and situated in the beating heart of the city, the namesake eatery is a masterclass in both interior and gastronomic eclecticism. Chic and quirky, and graced with one of the most beautiful outdoor dining areas in town, this bohemienne culinary hotspot comes wrapped in vibrantly decorated tiled floors, retro-fueled furniture, including an eye-catching, earth toned selection of velvet and leathery seats, and its very own stained glass and wrought iron pavilion.
Head to its Viale Aventino location right before sunset, and you'll get to experience Rome at its best, right from the top of one of the best Rome restaurants. Lined in lights and filled with sprawling plants, it is a feast for the eyes as much as it is a joy for the palate, with meticulously crafted dishes turning Roman gastronomy into sculptural masterpieces.
Book your table at Marco Martini Roma.
5. Anima at the Rome EDITION
Salita di S. Nicola da Tolentino, 14, 00187 Roma RM, Italy.
Hospitality mogul Ian Schrager, the mind behind the glamorous Rome EDITION, knew exactly what he was doing when he surrounded the modern rustic décor of the hotel's on-site restaurant, Anima, and its adjacent terrace in an oasis of greenery. Led by native Roman Chef Paola Colucci, Anima rises minutes away from the hustle and bustle of the Trevi Fountain, and yet its sun-filled, sprezzatura-style interiors, as well as its patio, couldn't feel more peaceful.
Expanding on the play of contrasts at the heart of the establishment, Colucci's menu takes old-style signature Italian dishes like vitello tonnato ("veal with tuna sauce") and turns them on their heads. The result is an edible extravaganza that, coupled with a refined wine selection and chartreuse and blue upholstered furniture, strives to deliver an emotional, edible retelling of the Roman experience.
6. Il Pagliaccio
Via dei Banchi Vecchi, 129/a, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Standing out for its dimly lit, intimate ambiance and for a sophisticated take on the evergreen staples of Mediterranean cuisine, Il Pagliaccio caters to food lovers looking to taste the best of Italian fine dining undisturbed by the city's chaos. It does so through a warm, exclusive modern industrial interior design setting crafted to foster connection and conviviality.
The first Roman establishment to hold two Michelin Stars, only recently joined by Acquolina and Enoteca La Torre, the restaurant, which opened in 2003, is the reign of Italian-French chef Anthony Genovese, who has since been steering it towards global recognition. Offering a range of 'giftable' food experiences, it was praised by prestigious eating and drinking guides including Les Grandes Tables du Monde, Wine Spectator, and 50 Best Discovery, a database shortlisting the 50 best restaurants across the world, and dubbed the "best Rome restaurant" by Pecora Nera Editore 2024's Guida Roma.
Book your table at Il Pagliaccio.
7. Tramae at Palazzo Talìa
Via del Nazareno, 25, 00187 Roma RM, Italy.
Palazzo Talìa's nostalgic Tramae restaurant, under the leadership of Executive Chef Marco Coppola, infuses the Italian capital with the flavors and freshness of the Amalfi Coast in an ode to his hometown, Sorrento.
Designed by the Milanese architectural studio of Oscar-winning director Luca Guadagnino, Tramae was certainly one of the highlights of my stay at 5-star luxury hotel Palazzo Talìa. Among the green, cream, and cherry plum watercolors of its delicate palette, interspersed 1970s mirrored surfaces, trailing plants, gold-leaf-encrusted stucco frills, and mid-century modern furniture give way to a poetic dining experience. Softly flickering table lamps immerse guests in a suffused atmosphere, as Coppola's fish-led menu transports them to the sun-baked coasts of Italy. Stick to his basil-packed Spaghettone alla Nerano and carpaccio di pescato del giorno ("catch of the day carpaccio") and you won't go wrong.
