Rome is home to some of the finest restaurants in Italy. I suspect it’s also home to some of the worst. It can sometimes feel as though for every local-favorite trattoria and excitingly creative tasting menu, there’s a tourist trap swaddled in red-and-white-checked tablecloths and an overrated hot spot serving food that’s satisfying only on Instagram. That ratio likely won’t improve anytime soon. In 2015, Rome saw approximately 13.9 million traveler arrivals. By 2024, that number reached 22.2 million, and in the Jubilee year of 2025, numbers soared to 38 million. It’s become important to employ a little strategy.

There is an art to eating well in Rome, where dining is shaped by tradition, ritual and seasonality. If you follow a few simple guidelines, you just might find one of the best meals of your life here.

DON’T: Go it on your own

In the past decade or so, countless articles have been published on “how to live like a local,” with one of the main pieces of advice being to avoid hotels in favor of rentals. But hotel concierges can be founts of local knowledge and can secure hard-to-get reservations for the best restaurants in town. I use the Travel Office for advance planning, but I rely on concierges to fulfill last-minute whims. This insider access is one of the main reasons I choose hotels over AirBnBs.

DON’T: Show up without a reservation

While some travelers prefer to arrive without any plans, I don’t recommend unfettered spontaneity in Rome. Many museums and restaurants require advance booking. Certain restaurants, like two-star Il Pagliaccio, should be reserved at least a month or more in advance, but some can be arranged for the same day. My favorite strategy in Rome is to make a few key reservations as soon as I have my flights and hotels, and then leave the rest of my time open to inspiration. Keep in mind that dinner is late in Rome. If you prefer eating early, you’ll have an easier time getting a table. For a livelier experience, reserve space at 8 p.m. or later.

DON’T: Underestimate your bartender

I have an Italian friend who has lived in the United States for the past 20 years. Whenever she’s back in Rome and wants to find a great new restaurant, she heads straight for her favorite hotel bar, where she’ll strike up a conversation with the bartender and ask for a restaurant recommendation. This method has also never failed me. And if I have a fantastic meal somewhere, I’ll often ask my waiter for restaurant suggestions.

DON’T: Confine yourself to the center

Most of our recommended hotels are clustered in Rome’s historic heart. But some of our favorite restaurants are farther out, in more residential neighborhoods. Venture to Prati for flavorful rustic cooking at Sorpasso, Monti for traditional cuisine at family-run Trattoria Monti or Trastevere to sample the gastronomic tasting menu at Glass Hostaria. The farther you go from the city center, the easier it is to find fresh, local food at a reasonable price. Rome rewards those willing to wander.

DON’T: Wait in line

Social media has upended the dining world. A single TikTok video can skyrocket a restaurant to fame, creating a demand far beyond capacity. In Rome, you’ll often see lines extending around the block for certain popular restaurants; Da Enzo al 29, Pizzeria Da Baffetto and Salumeria Roscioli come immediately to mind. These local favorites have turned into global phenomena. But frankly, they’re no better than any number of yet-to-be-discovered neighborhood trattorias or salumerias all across the city.

DON’T: Forget to break the rules

Of course, there are exceptions to every rule. Clemente alla Maddalena is as central as it gets, in distressingly close proximity to the tourists crowding the Pantheon, but it’s a delightful restaurant. Sometimes waiting in line for food is justified — especially gelato. You don’t need to pack your schedule with reservations at the city’s most famous restaurants to have a good meal. Some of my most memorable meals have come from wandering down a cobblestone street and finding an ivy-covered trattoria with candles flickering in the window.

What rules of thumb do you follow? We’d love to hear about your own tips and tricks. Email us at [email protected].

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