There are thousands of restaurants in the huge Italian capital, a city which happens to be known for its culinary prowess and gastronomic traditions. With so many restaurants to choose from, it’s hard to know where to go. We’ve compiled this list of a few highly recommended restaurants so that you don’t have to rack your brain trying to create an itinerary. It doesn’t matter where you pick your hotel in Rome, there is something great to eat round the corner. Some hotels might even have their own restaurants but here is a list of place to eat out while you’re in one of the most beautiful cities in the world

Giggetto

Giggetto, Image source: Giggetto Fb

This restaurant takes the traditional cuisine of the Jewish-Roman brand and presents it in a deliciously affordable and memorable way. The restaurant itself enjoys a prime view over the Porticus Octaviae ruins. Now that your sight is covered, you’re presented with the smells of artichokes frying, and courgettes pluming. Your senses will be so happy with you that you’ll experience the tastes and smells again and again in your dreams.

Marzapane

In a city that is visibly older than all of its age-old traditions, one might worry about a lack of boldness in the restaurant business. That is not the case. Welcome to Marzapane, an experimental establishment that places its cooks in the open and its ingredients with other ingredients in an unconventionally tasty way. Go for the really zany oysters, because you’ll never find them elsewhere.

Trattoria Monti

In case you don’t know, the word Trattoria means an eating joint that’s not quite a ristorante, but it’s better than an osteria (which is like a trattoria with a stunted menu and simpler decorations). Trattoria Monti is great because it takes the classiness of a ristorante and combines it with the straightforwardness of an osteria. The house wine is superb, and the atmospheric effect makes you feel like a regular patron.

Da Enzo

Da Enzo Image source: yukino

This trattoria, located in Trastevere, has a very loyal local following. The environment of this special place is simple and neat, while the food is anything but. Much of their ingredients are organic, and their chef truly knows how to pull it all together and create a memorable dish.

Arancia Blu

For all the vegans out there, do not be afraid that in traditional meat-eating Italy your regime cannot be catered to. This new establishment creates magnificent dishes out of simple ingredients. There’s no egg in the mayonnaise, to be sure. Their pastas are not only vegan, but they’re bold—these guys know how to experiment to make a lasting impression.

Baby

Image source: laissezfare

Some travelers like to save up and splurge on something that will be memorable not only for them but for the people they recount their experience to. Baby is the gourmet restaurant of famed chef Don Alfonso, left in the capable hands of his relations. The cheese-filled ravioli is to die for, and if you order a duck breast you might go comatose from joy.

La Gensola

The last restaurant on our list has been around the scene since the 1800s came to a close. From its humble beginnings as an osteria, La Gensola has been swapped back and forth between owners and has climbed the ladder of prestige. It exists today as a high-end restaurant that is known for its totally fresh seafood, which they turn into such dishes as ceviche and golden-fried calamari.

Of course there are a million things to say about a thousand different restaurants, trattorias and osterias; this list skips a lot of the fluff and gets you to the flavorful truth of the matter. So, enjoy Rome.