Rome's Top Restaurants for an Unforgettable Culinary Journey

Situated in the working-class area of the Prati district, Almato is a fine dining establishment that was started by three friends who share a passion for rugby and food. The name of this culinary hotspot is actually an acronym, cleverly crafted from the first letters of the names of the dynamic trio who make it all possible: Alberto Martelli, the charismatic maître d'; Manfredi Custureri, the master sommelier; and Tommaso Venuti, the brilliant head chef and manager. The decor of the eatery is minimalistic and sharp, with a linear design of pale wood, blue steel, and clear lines, with soft lighting and neutral color tones of gray and black highlights. This 28-seater restaurant quickly rose to fame among the locals thanks to its boundary-pushing multi-course land-to-sea delicacies.

The kitchen run by Chef Venuti presents a 5, 7, and 9-course tasting menu along with an elegantly balanced à la carte selection. Food lovers will be delighted by modern dishes, such as scampi with radicchio, risotto with orange zest, tagliolini pasta with daikon, lavender duck with purple potatoes, and infused rum lobster with artichoke. The restaurant also boasts a wine list made up of 80 Italian and international labels of small and prominent producers.

Acquasanta is a modern restaurant located in the historic district of Testaccio. Opened in a bustling region of Rome, it is an establishment that tries to give its customers moments of tranquility along with good flavorful food. This restaurant saves the locals a long journey to the outskirts of the city for fish cuisine by making the sea and its products the protagonists of their menu. The decor of the eatery is minimalistic and industrial in style, consisting of large windows, an open kitchen, soft lighting, bare solid wood tables, and craftsmanship in every element.

The kitchen team is led by Chef Enrico Camponeschi, who features a menu that focuses on the quality of fresh raw materials incorporated into well-conceived dishes. Diners can enjoy specialty items, such as scampi in green sauce, purple prawns with marjoram salt and lemon, red prawns with zucchini in almond cream, octopus seasoned in bran pepper served along with pumpkin, sea bass tortellini with puttanesca sauce, squid ceviche with peach gazpacho, and scampi with cream of yellow date tomatoes. The ambiance at Acquasanta is perfect both for intimate dinners and cheerful gatherings with friends.

Opened in 1996, Antico Arco is a fashionable fine dining establishment nestled on top of the Janiculum Hill. Sprawled across five floors, the restaurant offers a charming and intimate setting made up of a plush dining room, hanging contemporary art, whitewashed brick walls, dark wooden floors, and black velvety chairs. The modern and stylish place has won many local hearts and became one of the city’s most popular places to eat.

The eatery offers a seven-course tasting menu for inquisitive diners which features inventive traditional Roman delicacies, such as pasta carbonara with black truffles instead of guanciale, sea bass ravioli with shrimps and mushrooms, wild game stuffed tortellini with blueberries, and duck breast with root vegetables. If you are an Italian traditionalist, you can opt for their à la carte menu and savor classic dishes like eggplant Parmigiana, pistachio crumb crusted pigeon breast, seared tuna with browned artichokes in a tarragon mayonnaise, beef tartare with capers, and veal tenderloin with mushrooms and foie gras. The restaurant also houses an underground wine cellar that is well stocked with an array of labels ready to be paired with your meal.

Il San Lorenzo is one of Rome’s finest seafood restaurants, hidden in an unassuming narrow street just off Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, in the heart of the city. It is an atmospheric place that serves locally caught fresh seafood sourced from the fishermen of Ponza or the markets at Anzio and Civitavecchia. The dining space of Il San Lorenzo reflects Roman elegance with its chandeliers, original brickwork ceilings, soft leather chairs, and mosaic patterns on the marble counter area.

The kitchen is managed by Neapolitan chef – Enrico Pierri, and it features an 8-course seasonal menu along with a changing à la carte offer. Some of the unique seafood specialties to try at Il San Lorenzo are the daily catch baked simply in a crust of salt, raw seafood antipasto, spaghetti with sea urchins, cuttlefish-ink tagliatelle with artichokes, and shrimp in rosemary with porcini mushrooms. For an exquisite dining experience coupled with friendly and professional service, do visit Il San Lorenzo restaurant in Rome.

Located just a few steps from Campo dei Fiori in the historical center of Rome, Roscioli Salumeria con Cucina is a family-run deli and restaurant that perfectly executes classical Sicilian dishes. The moment you enter the delicatessen, you are welcomed by a sight of over 3000 wine bottles stacked up on a wall, hanging cured ham from Spain and Italy, and a wooden counter with goodies like creamy Italian cheeses, hand-cut cured ham, cold cuts, and homemade preserves in oil. Moving forward, you reach the dining space that has a few tables, which are closely placed in a compact manner.

The menu features typical deli-style food where you start your meal with an apéritif or wine with appetizers like antipasti, cold cuts of meat, olives, and slices of Italian cheese. The main course consists of freshly cooked delicate plates consisting of swordfish carpaccio, king prawns made with burrata cheese, Cantabrian anchovies with buffalo mozzarella, and cooked sea bass with spring vegetables. Roscioli also offers some exceptional cocktails like martinis and toe-tingling negronis along with an obvious wide array of wine labels to choose from.

Rome is a huge sprawling beast of a city full of massive open squares, exotic plazas, and beautiful churches. Owing to its cultural landmarks and historic significance, it is the third most visited destination in Europe. Rome’s heritage, friendly people, and food make it a vibrant bustling city that deserves to be added to your checklist.

Is there a specific hidden gem in Rome that you would recommend other foodie travelers to visit? Share your thoughts in the comment section below. And don’t forget to check out our latest articles and recipes.