Ad Hoc

Ad Hoc occupies a 15th‑century building in central Rome (just a short walk from Piazza del Popolo), with a wine cellar that feels like a cosy hideaway rather than a formal dining hall. Dinner here tends toward thoughtful menus: old‑school Roman and Mediterranean dishes, or tasting menus built around land, sea or truffle. For a special meal or quiet evening after sightseeing, Ad Hoc hits the right note.

• Web:

  www.ristoranteadhoc.com

• E-mail:

  info@ristoranteadhoc.com

• Address:

  Via di Ripetta 43, Rome

• Phone:

  +39 06 323 3040

• Opening hours:

  Daily 6:30pm–10:30pm

BaGhetto Ristorante Kosher

BaGhetto offers the best of Roman-Jewish cuisine, with the capital’s best "carciofi alla giudìa" (Jewish-style deep-fried artichokes). But they also offer authentic cuisine that brings you back to ancient Rome with dishes like carbonara and amatriciana, and much more. And if you're a pizza lover, visit BaGhetto Milky on Via del Portico d'Ottavia, 2/A.

• Web:

  www.baghetto.com

• E-mail:

  info@baghetto.com

• Address:

  Via del Portico d'Ottavia, 57, Rome

• Phone:

  +39 06 6889 2868

• Opening hours:

  Sun–Thu noon–11pm, Fri noon–3pm, Sat 7pm–11pm

Camponeschi

Piazza Farnese, one of Rome's most sophisticated and splendid squares, provides the setting for the restaurant Camponeschi. The secret of the restaurant's success lies in its cuisine, which is varied, creative, imaginative, and suited to all tastes: fish, meat, game, as well as national and international specialities in season.

• Web:

  www.ristorantecamponeschi.it

• Address:

  Piazza Farnese 50/50a, Rome

• Phone:

  +39 06 687 4927

• Opening hours:

  Mon–Sat 7pm–midnight, Sun closed

Felice a Testaccio

Felice a Testaccio is an esteemed trattoria that has been serving original Roman cuisine since 1936. The unpretentious, exposed brick interior is filled with locals, a good sign of its reputation. All the pasta and meat dishes are worth trying, but most people come for the cacio e pepe. Finish with the tiramisu, topped with melted chocolate, for a sweet note to the meal.

• Web:

  www.feliceatestaccio.com

• E-mail:

  dafeliceatestaccio@gmail.com

• Address:

  Via Mastro Giorgio, 29, Rome

• Phone:

  +39 06 574 6800

• Opening hours:

  Daily noon–4pm / 7pm–11:30pm

Ginger

Ginger is a modern Italian–Mediterranean bistro near the Pantheon with a focus on lighter, health-minded cooking. The menu runs from breakfast through dinner, covering salads, bowls, pizzas, smoothies and cocktails, with a strong emphasis on organic ingredients and seasonal produce. It’s popular from early morning onward, especially with travellers looking for a fresher counterpoint to heavy Roman classics.

• Web:

  www.gingersaporiesalute.com

• Address:

  Via Borgognona, 43-46, Rome

• Phone:

  +39 06 6994 0836

• Opening hours:

  Daily 9:30am–11:30pm

Harry’s Bar

Harry’s Bar is celebrated for its Bellini cocktails and has a reputation that harks back to the golden era of Via Vittorio Veneto. The plush, antique-filled interior sets the scene for Mediterranean-inspired dishes, with live piano most evenings and a sense of the Dolce Vita that still lingers.

• Web:

  www.harrysbar.it/en

• E-mail:

  info@harrysbar.it

• Address:

  Via Vittorio Veneto 150, Rome

• Phone:

  +39 06 484643

• Opening hours:

  Mon–Sat 10am–2am, Sun 10am–5:30pm

• More info:

  Reservations recommended

Bar San Calisto

Bar San Calisto is a long-running neighbourhood bar in Trastevere, known for budget-friendly drinks, old interiors and an easy mix of locals, students and regulars who’ve been stopping by for decades. Order a bottled beer, a spritz, or a coffee granita topped with cream, then take a seat outside to watch the square tick along from morning into late night. The tiles, the worn bar counter and the no-frills menu haven’t changed much since the 1960s, and that’s part of the appeal. Prices stay low, tables fill fast, and the place still feels like everyday Trastevere rather than a produced version of it.

• Web:

  https://barsancalisto.it

• Address:

  Piazza di San Calisto, 3, Rome

• Phone:

  +39 06 583 5869

• Opening hours:

  Daily 6am–2am

• More info:

  Near the Basilica of Our Lady in Trastevere

Chorus Café

Chorus Café is a restaurant and cocktail bar inside the Auditorium della Conciliazione, just a short walk from the Vatican. The space is large and dimly lit, with high ceilings, marble floors, and a calm, adult feel that suits a pre- or post-concert stop. Enjoy their elevated Mediterranean food menu or focus on cocktails, especially the Martinis, and expect prices to reflect both the setting and the location.

• Web:

  https://choruscafe.it

• Address:

  Via della Conciliazione, 4, Rome

• Phone:

  +39 335 144 9655

• Opening hours:

  Tue–Sat 7pm–2am, Sun & Mon closed

• More info:

  Near Castel Sant'Angelo

Gregory's Jazz Club

Gregory’s Jazz Club is an intimate long-running venue known for live jazz played close to the audience and a serious whisky list. Head upstairs above the restaurant to find a snug, wood-panelled room with brick walls, where Italian and international musicians take the stage most nights and the focus stays firmly on the music rather than spectacle.

• Web:

  www.gregorysjazz.com

• Address:

  Via Gregoriana, 54/a, Rome

• Phone:

  +39 351 645 7888

• Opening hours:

  Daily 6pm–2am

La Conventicola Degli Ultramoderni

If you want to escape the usual bar scene, this club could be an alternative for you. La Conventicola offers burlesque and variety shows, vaudeville, and theatre in a 1940s-inspired environment all night long. Many underground artists get their chance to perform here, and the cocktails are hugely popular, too.

• Web:

  www.instagram.com/conventicolaultramoderni

• Address:

  Via di Porta Labicana, 32, Rome

• Phone:

  +39 349 672 6683

Magazzino Scipioni

Magazzino Scipioni is an enoteca (wine bar), bottle shop, and restaurant situated in an old warehouse. Here you can enjoy seasonal Italian dishes and unique wines from all around the world.

• Web:

  www.magazzinoscipioni.it

• E-mail:

  info@magazzinoscipioni.it

• Address:

  Via degli Scipioni, 30, Rome

• Phone:

  +39 329 937 3192

• Opening hours:

  Tue–Sun 5:30pm–1am, Mon closed

Pub Cuccagna

Opened in 1972, Pub Cuccagna is a cute little bar next to Piazza Navona. Besides serving affordable drinks, they also offer burgers, homemade pasta, and pizza. On warm nights, you can sit outside and watch passers-by on the cobbled streets.

• Web:

  www.instagram.com/cuccagna1972/

• Address:

  Via della Cuccagna, 17/18, Rome

• Phone:

  +39 06 687 4848

200 Gradi

Close to the Vatican, 200 Gradi is a popular sandwich shop with a long menu of focaccia-style sandwiches, including vegetarian options and inventive fillings. The bread is baked at 200 degrees, which gives the place its name. Salads, pastries, bottled beers and soft drinks round out the offer, and the late opening hours make it a handy stop after an evening visit to the area.

• Web:

  www.duecentogradi.it

• E-mail:

  info@duecentogradi.it

• Address:

  Piazza del Risorgimento, 3, Rome

• Phone:

  +39 06 3975 4239

• Opening hours:

  Sun–Thu 10am–3am, Fri & Sat 10am–4am

Antico Caffè Greco

Opened in 1760, a stone's throw from the Spanish Steps, Antico Caffè Greco is considered the oldest café in Rome. The interior, with its marble tables, velvet chairs, and more than 300 paintings and memorabilia lining the walls, looks much as it did in the 18th century, a quiet museum of literary and artistic history. Over the centuries, it has drawn writers, artists, and thinkers, including Goethe, Keats, Byron, Gogol, Schopenhauer, and Nietzsche, many of whom spent long hours here talking and writing. A stop here isn’t really about the coffee (although the espresso will get the job done), but more about sitting with a piece of Rome’s cultural history.

• Web:

  https://anticocaffegreco.eu/en

• E-mail:

  info@caffegreco.it

• Address:

  Via dei Condotti 86, Rome

• Phone:

  +39 06 679 1700

• Opening hours:

  Daily 9am–9pm

• More info:

  Near Piazza di Spagna

Barnum

Barnum is a small café-restaurant near Campo de’ Fiori that attracts a steady crowd from breakfast through aperitivo. Coffee is taken seriously here, with pastries baked in-house and a short menu of light, seasonal dishes for lunch. In the evening, cocktails take over, often enjoyed at the window seats or outside on the street.

• Web:

  www.instagram.com/barnumroma

• Address:

  Via del Pellegrino, 87, Rome

• Phone:

  +39 06 6476 0483

• Opening hours:

  Daily 8am–3:30pm

Caffetteria del Chiostro

Despite being located inside an old cloister (now an art museum) and only steps away from the immeasurably beautiful Piazza Navona, this charming café is a genuine spot perfectly fit for a light lunch (try the salads) or coffee and cake. Café guests are welcome to walk through the museum upon notifying the staff.

• Web:

  www.chiostrodelbramante.it/caffetteria-it

• Address:

  Arco della Pace 5, Rome

• Phone:

  +39 06 6880 9035

• Opening hours:

  Mon–Fri 10am–8pm, Sat & Sun 10am–9pm

• More info:

  Located inside the Church of Santa Maria della Pace

Ciampini

Set in close proximity to the iconic Spanish Steps and the imposing Villa Borghese, Ciampini has been a local gathering point since 1941. Whether it's a sandwich, a morning espresso, or the famous Italian gelato, Ciampini will please every palate.

• Web:

  https://ciampini.com

• E-mail:

  ciampinisnc@virgilio.it

• Address:

  Piazza di San Lorenzo in Lucina 29, Rome

• Phone:

  +39 06 687 6606

• Opening hours:

  Mon–Sat 8:30am–10pm, Sun 9am–10pm

Faro

Just a few minutes from Villa Borghese, Faro focuses on artisanal coffee sourced with sustainability in mind. The menu includes well-made sandwiches, wraps and pastries, and the space has a calm, low-key feel that suits a short break between sights.

• Web:

  www.farorome.com

• E-mail:

  hello@farorome.com

• Address:

  Via Piave 55, Rome

• Phone:

  +39 06 4281 5714

• Opening hours:

  Mon–Fri 8am–4pm, Sat & Sun 9am–5pm