Top 8 Trattorias in
Rome City Centre

Tucked into a quiet cobblestone street in the heart of Trastevere, Da Enzo al 29 is the kind of place that reminds you why you came to Rome in the first place. The room is small, the tables are covered in white paper, and the cooking is absolutely impeccable. This is a family restaurant in the truest sense — run with pride and an instinctive understanding of what Roman food should taste like.

The carbonara here is legendary: made with guanciale, not pancetta, with a silky egg-and-pecorino sauce that clings to the rigatoni without a drop of cream in sight. The cacio e pepe is equally flawless — deceptively simple, technically demanding, and deeply satisfying. Arrive hungry, arrive with time, and let the menu do the talking.

Located just steps from the Colosseum in the ancient Celio neighbourhood, Li Rioni is a beloved institution that has been serving Romans for decades. The name itself refers to the historic rioni — the 22 districts of Rome — and the restaurant wears its Roman identity with enormous pride.

Li Rioni is particularly celebrated for its thin-crust Roman-style pizza, with a perfectly charred, crackling base and simple, high-quality toppings. But it's much more than a pizza joint: the pasta dishes are exemplary, the bruschette are outstanding, and the tiramisu is made in-house every single day. For guests staying near the Colosseum, this is the local dinner table.

For those who want something a little more refined without losing the Roman spirit, Osteria dell'Ingegno strikes a near-perfect balance. Located on Piazza di Pietra — one of Rome's most beautiful hidden squares, dominated by the columns of a Roman temple — it offers a menu that respects tradition while bringing genuine creativity to the table.

The wine list is exceptional, with a carefully curated selection of Italian natural wines. The outdoor terrace in spring, with views of the ancient colonnade, is one of the most romantic spots in central Rome.

Felice a Testaccio has been in the same family since 1936. It sits in the heart of Testaccio — Rome's most authentic working-class neighbourhood and the original home of Roman cuisine. If you want to understand where Roman food actually comes from, Testaccio is the answer, and Felice is its cathedral.

The tonnarelli cacio e pepe at Felice is widely regarded as the single best version in Rome. The waiter finishes it tableside, tossing the pasta in a cloud of pecorino and black pepper with the confidence of someone who has done it ten thousand times. It's theatre and it's lunch, and you won't forget it.

If Da Enzo is Trastevere's most famous trattoria, Da Teo is its best-kept secret. Tucked into the quieter, less-touristed part of the neighbourhood on Piazza dei Ponziani, it draws a deeply loyal local crowd who come week after week for the no-nonsense Roman cooking and the genuinely warm welcome.

The rigatoni all'amatriciana is one of the best in the city: the guanciale is crisped to perfection, the tomato sauce has depth and acidity, and the pecorino finishes it with a sharp, savoury bite. The outdoor tables on the quiet piazza in spring are as good as Rome dining gets.

Set in the charming, bohemian neighbourhood of Monti — Rome's most atmospheric rione — Trattoria Monti is a deeply personal restaurant run by the Camerucci family from the Marche region. This gives the menu a slightly different character from the standard Roman trattoria: alongside the city classics, you'll find dishes from central Italy's inland mountain cuisine.

The vincisgrassi — a layered pasta bake from Le Marche — is a revelation. The egg-based pastas are hand-rolled and exceptional. And the tortino di ricotta is one of the best desserts in Rome: a warm, pillowy ricotta tart that has been on the menu for thirty years.

There are few restaurants in the world with a setting as extraordinary as Armando al Pantheon. It sits directly opposite one of the great monuments of antiquity. And yet, despite the spectacular location, it has never lost itself to tourism. The cooking here is as honest and precise as it has been since Armando Gargioli opened the restaurant in 1961.

Now run by his son and grandchildren, Armando al Pantheon remains one of the most sought-after tables in central Rome — not because of the address, but because of what's on the plate. Every dish is cooked with the kind of confidence that only comes from decades of doing the same thing, better and better each year.

Cesare al Casaletto is the kind of restaurant that separates the true Rome obsessives from everyone else. It sits in the quiet Gianicolense neighbourhood, a short tram ride from the centre — far enough that only people who really care about eating make the journey. Those who do are rewarded with some of the most genuinely delicious food in the city.

Chef Leonardo Vignoli runs the kitchen with fierce dedication to seasonal ingredients and Roman tradition, but brings a precision and polish that lifts every dish just beyond what you'd expect from a neighbourhood trattoria. This is where Roman chefs eat on their days off — and that tells you everything you need to know.