Website: www.babetteristorante.it/home-page_en/

Babette is a new favorite recommended by my Uncle John and Aunt Maureen! It is a perfect place for breakfast or lunch. They serve a larger breakfast than most cafes, featuring a perfectly cooked omelet. The restaurant's decor is lovely and unique when compared to more traditional trattorias.

"Try to imagine an elegant and timeless building, where the light is delicate, and the colors have been mixed by encounters and the passage of time. You’ll find items of beauty and modern art dotted around here and there, and books aplenty. The aroma of bread and thyme hang in the air. The house knows how to nurture its inhabitants and visitors. Undoubtedly, this building is a she, and she is called Babette."

Reservations are encouraged for lunch and dinner. They can be made by phone or email. Staff speaks English.

Via Margutta, 1d, 00187 Roma RM, Italy

Hours: Tu-Sa, 9:00am-10pm, Su 10am - 10pm, Monday Closed


Website: www.hotellocarno.com/en/cocktails-dining

If you're looking for outdoor courtyard dining or are desperate for a more traditional American breakfast, Bar Locarno is perfect! The garden area is beautiful and reminiscent of French Quarter courtyards. Food ingredients are fresh and the cappuccinos are excellent!

Hotel Locarno coined the formula of an "anytime-anywhere" dining experience, giving access to reserve a table from early morning to late night, in every possible scenic spot anywhere on property, on the panoramic Terrazza Locarno, in the secret garden of Bar Locarno or in its indoor dining rooms.

The culinary program, helmed by Chef Domenico Smargiassi, offers a seasonal menu of gourmet delights, mid-Italian classics reimagined as irresistible interpretations, and hyper-local dishes with some reminiscences of orientalisme. He combines his passion for traditional Italian cuisine with daringly modern flair and imagination.

Reservations are encouraged for lunch and dinner. They can be made online or by phone. Staff speaks English.

Via della Penna 22 — 00186 Roma

Hours: Everyday 7am-1am

Website: www.angelinoaifori.com/

Angelino ai Fori is an amazing Roman trattoria that has fresh local ingredients and a wide variety of dishes. While there is indoor seating, the outdoor seating under a vine covered trellis is so beautiful and overlooks the ancient ruins of Trajan's market and the Roman Forum. Reservations, available on their website, are recommended if going during peak weekend hours, but I have successfully gotten a table as a walk-in.

Largo Corrado Ricci, 40, 42, 43, 43a / Via dei Fori Imperiali, 25 – Roma (RM)

Hours: M-Su 9:30am - 11pm



Website: www.latavernetta48.com/restaurant-rome-city-center/ 

If you're in the Pantheon/Piazza Navona area and want to get away from the throngs of tourists for a quiet lunch, la Tavernetta is perfect and just a 5 minute walk from the Pantheon. La Tavernetta is a traditional Roman trattoria and serves a variety of dishes.

Reservations by phone or online contact form are recommended if you aren't arriving right at the opening hour.

Via degli Spagnoli, 48, 00186 Roma RM, Italy

Note: If you are having trouble finding the restaurant, keep walking! Just past a small alley and Piazza delle Coppelle, which feature a number of restaurants, there is a small street to the left where La Tavernetta is located.

Hours: Everyday 12-4pm, 6-11pm


Website: www.armandoalpantheon.it/


Excellent, well-known restaurant near the Pantheon and Piazza Navona. It's open for lunch and dinner. Get the carbonara or the spaghetti al tartufo!

Salita de' Crescenzi, 31, 00186 Roma RM, Italy

Hours: M-Sa 12:30pm – 3 pm, 7–11 PM, Sunday Closed


Website: dbs-restaurants.com/dilla-ristorante-roma/

Dilla Ristorante serves traditional dishes with modern twists in a restaurant with a more modern, foodie restaurant aesthetic. The restaurant is a small, intimate space and service is impeccable. Their cocktails and wine list are top notch! Reservations available on their website.

Via Mario de' Fiori, 41, 00187 Roma RM, Italy

Hours: M - Su 12pm to 11pm

Website: es-la.facebook.com/people/IL-CORALLO/100063739955639/

Il Corallo is a typical Roman restaurant that had a good mix of locals and tourists when I visited. Their local, Lazio wine collection was excellent! Order the filetto pepe verde (media) with a bottle of local red wine!

Via del Corallo, 10-11, 00186 Roma RM, Italy

Hours: M - Su 7am to 12pm, 4pm to 12am

Website: www.mimiecoco.com/en/homepage/


Mimi e Coco is a charming and quirky wine bar (vinoteca) that also serves a full menu of traditional Roman favorites. Reservations are highly recommended, but they also take walk-ins. The wait time for a table of two on weekend evenings, however, can be over an hour long.

Via del Governo Vecchio, 72, 00186 Roma RM, Italy

Hours: M-Th 4pm to 1am, Fri-Su 10am to 1am

Website: tavernagape.it/

Taverna Agape is tucked away in a quiet, small piazza off of Piazza Navona. It has both excellent meat and seafood dishes. The service is equal to a high end restaurant. Reservations absolutely necessary!

Piazzetta di, Vicolo di S. Simeone, 26,27, 00186 Roma RM, Italy

Hours: M - Su 12:30 to 3:30pm, 6:30 to 11pm

Website: www.instagram.com/popipopitrastevere/


Popi Popi is a traditional Roman restaurant in Trastevere. It's a great place for dinner before or a after a stroll through the beautiful neighborhood or along the Tiber River.

Via delle Fratte di Trastevere, 45, 00153 Roma RM, Italy

Hours: 5:30pm to 12am


Website: gelateriaoldbridge.com/


Old Bridge gelato is my favorite in the city! They are a no frills, traditional gelateria located right alongside the Vatican walls, which is perfect for a post-museums stop!

When looking for a gelateria, avoid the places with mounds of brightly colored gelato pillowing out of the freezer. You want to find the places where the gelato is kept fresh and covered. It will be more naturally occurring colors, which may not be as pretty, but your taste buds will be much happier!

Viale dei Bastioni di Michelangelo, 5, 00192 Roma RM, Italy

Hours: M-Sa 10am to 2am, Su 2:30pm to 2am