Assuming that food is one of the main attractions in a city like Rome, it can still be quite hard to find the best you can get on an unfamiliar territory. Deciding how to fill your tummy can be especially difficult after you’ve spent your entire day on long tours of Rome, so here are some location tips that will hopefully clear up some mental fog.
If it’s your first time in Rome – or your hundredth, for all that matters – you will not want to miss a visit to the Colosseum. Whether you decide to take a rpivate or group tour in Rome (Through Eternity, for example, takes you around the underground Colosseum and the exclusive third tier), you will inevitably find yourself hungry and a little lost by the end of your visit.
Do not panic – take a stroll down Via dei Fori Imperiali and turn right until you reach Via dei Capocci. In this narrow vicolo you’ll find the pizza pie you were dreaming of. Right across from the Cavour stop of the metro B, and in walking distance from the Colosseum, the restaurant “Grazie a Dio è Venerdì” is better known as the set of the film “La Banda degli Onesti,” starring immortal Neapolitan comedian Totò. The thin crust of their marvelous bread creation will leave you trapped into the taste and smell of the old Rome.
Another gem of Rione Monti is hidden a couple of streets down from the pizzeria – “Urbana 47,” named after the street it finds itself on. The restaurant is famous for a cuisine that uses only local ingredients and fresh products and vegetables. You can choose among their great variety of vegetarian, seafood and meat dishes, including some really creative tapas.
If you are still hungry after these food excursions, “Fata Morgana” has one of the best gelatos in the area – and, possibly, in the entire city. It’s hard to find artisanal gelato these days, but the shop offers you a wide variety of flavors made from all natural ingredients to top the crunchy homemade cone.
Not headed to the Colosseum? I’m assuming you’ve chosen St. Peter’s Basilica instead. Of course, the basilica and its surroundings are a must see when in town, and what better way to experience them than on an all-inclusive Vatican group tour. Companies like Through Eternity let you skip the line and even enjoy an exclusive peak into the Sistine Chapel before the Vatican Museums open to the general public!
But group tours and private tours of Rome can last as long as 5 hours, so a reward is clearly needed once you’re done exploring everything that this incredible part of the Eternal City has to offer. Luckily, though, “Duecentogradi” is right around the corner from the Vatican Museums, in Piazza del Risorgimento. The small restaurant is known for its creative and original Italian panini, filled with the craziest of ingredients, only for the unbelievably low price of 4-6 euros. “Duecentogradi” is perfect to regain your strength with a quick but satisfying lunch.
If you’re looking to get a longer break before getting back on your feet and touring some more, then you should check out the great “Arlù,” a cute and homey restaurant just outside the borders of the Vatican. The staff will walk you through the menu and surprise you with revisited versions of the traditional Roman dishes.
A few streets behind Castel Sant’Angelo (for a visit of Castel Sant’Angelo take the original Secrets of Rome tour by Through Eternity), then, you will find the perfect dessert – a scoop of your favorite flavor from “Gelateria dei Gracchi.” If you feel adventurous, try the rare almond and orange, pear and caramel or apple and mint – you won’t regret it.
After a day spent immersed in the history and art of the city, don’t miss out on the opportunity of pampering your taste buds in some of the best restaurants in these great locations. You deserve it!
