Where to eat in Rome: best restaurants, gelato places, street and local food

Food in Rome is delicious, its streets lined with some amazing restaurants. Whether it is street food, a simple snack, a gelato, a sandwich, a full meal in a family run trattoria or in a fancy restaurant, chances are that it will be mouth-watering, tasty and fresh. But, as with any place that attracts lots of tourists, there are places that serve poor quality food, leaving palates completely unsatisfied. These places are actually easily recognizable. Any restaurant that serves food throughout the day is bound to be just for tourists, as Italians have more or less set times for meals, that go from 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm for lunch and 7:30 pm (in the winter months) to 9:30 pm and even 10:00 pm for dinner.
If you see someone having pasta at 5:00 pm, it is a clue that the place is targeting tourists and the food won’t be nearly as good as in other places. Another thing that distinguishes the locals from the tourists is the fact that the Italians never drink coffee or cappuccino during a meal, and don’t have cappuccino as an after meal drink. Espresso is the way to go, whereas cappuccino is meant to be had at breakfast time with a proper cornetto (similar to a croissant).

Here’s your quick list to the best of restaurants in Rome, perfect for everything from full meals, street food, gelato, snacks, desserts or a simple coffee.