What to eat in Rome? Our selection of 14 Roman specialties

Italian gastronomy has what it takes to haunt your dreams. Creamy pasta, abundant pizzas, tender meats and more indulgent desserts than ever... Rome has more than one trick up its sleeve to keep you in suspense throughout your stay, there's no shortage of good addresses. The numerous culinary specialties highlight ancestral know-how and the best of the national terroir. They are also proof that the best things in life and on the plate are the simplest.

1. Supplì

Start the tasting in a casual way, with this finger food snack. Supplì are a kind of round-shaped appetizer. They are made from rice cooked in tomato sauce and sausage pieces. After being stuffed with mozzarella and shaped into balls, the supplì are breaded and fried. This cooking gives them a crispy texture on the outside and melting cheese on the inside. Even though the traditional recipe is always hugely successful, today's Roman chefs don't hesitate to revisit supplì with other cheeses, chili or anchovies for example.

2. Antipasti

Antipasti are absolutely essential at the beginning of a meal or as simple savory snacks. Traditionally, the different variants are an invitation to eat a pasta dish. Most often, antipasti are marinated vegetables, various cheeses like burrata, mozzarella or parmesan and of course, charcuterie. The meticulous and varied aging of Italian charcuterie has shaped its international reputation. You'll find the famous pancetta, coppa or Parma ham as an introduction to your meal.

3. Saltimbocca alla romana

For all lovers of beautiful cuts of meat, this is where it happens! The term "Saltimbocca" literally means "jump in the mouth". It's mainly a recipe based on veal and prosciutto delicately flavored with sage and white wine accompanied by potatoes that awakens the senses. Used in Ancient Rome as a medicinal plant, sage was considered a promise of longevity by the inhabitants. Who knows, this ancient main dish might have unexpected positive effects!

4. Porchetta

Here's a dish that Romans couldn't do without! Porchetta is, as its name suggests, a pork roast of extreme tenderness. This texture is obtained thanks to wood fire cooking for 8 hours. The roast is initially filled with a stuffing of liver, garlic, rosemary, fennel and other aromatics. You'll appreciate this piece that's both crispy and juicy as a typical Sunday dish in Italy.

5. Coda alla vaccinara

Here's the traditional Roman oxtail stew. Admittedly, said like that, you might be tempted to turn around and instead opt for a Saltimbocca alla romana with veal and prosciutto. Just know that this popular dish was meant to accommodate less noble cuts of meat, like tail or offal. In the kitchen, the pieces will simmer quietly in wine, with celery, carrots, tomato puree and many herbs to enhance the taste of the sauce. Finally, the stew will be accompanied by a good portion of polenta.

6. Cacio e pepe

This unpretentious pasta dish is a classic among classics. "Cacio e Pepe" means "Cheese and Pepper". Behind this simplest name, you'll discover on your plate a specialty of great generosity. The tonnarelli pasta are turned again and again in the cooking water, right on the pecorino wheel. This technique envelops them in a thick layer of creamy cheese slightly enhanced by ground pepper. It's a delight of Roman cuisine that you'll remember for a long time.

7. Gnocchi alla romana

This generous dish definitely has everything to please. At first glance, the flat and circular shape of these gnocchi will surprise you. In Rome, these are prepared with semolina, butter sauce and a generous amount of parmesan. It's therefore a hearty dish, with a good buttery taste that will delight insatiable gourmands. They will appreciate even more their regressive texture, both melting and crispy.

8. Pizza alla romana

A stay in Rome inevitably involves gorging yourself on the best pizzas in the capital. Among them, you'll find the city's "signature" pizza. Roman pizza is appreciated for the great fineness of its dough. Its topping, meanwhile, is simply delicious: tomato sauce, mozzarella, anchovies, extra virgin olive oil and oregano. Hard to resist, the best thing to do is to taste it.

9. Pasta carbonara

May anyone who dares to ask for cream in their spaghetti carbonara be struck down instantly! This iconic dish is cooked with only four ingredients: spaghetti, fresh egg yolks, guanciale bacon and pecorino romano cheese. Simple and effective.

10. All'amatriciana

Roll up your sleeves before attacking this hearty, reddish pasta dish. These are characterized by their slightly spicy tomato sauce enhanced with guanciale. To avoid if spicy specialties are not your cup of tea. The thick sauce will then envelop bucatini. These are a kind of thicker spaghetti perforated with a hole in their center.

11. Tiramisu

Hard to make more cult when it comes to dessert. Tiramisu will delight even non-coffee drinkers, that's saying something. You'll see it throne on all tables at the end of meals. Don't worry, even if the portions are generous, they won't weigh you down. Composition-wise, nothing simpler: mascarpone, ladyfingers, eggs, marsala and coffee. Nothing like a tiramisu to finish the meal on a sweet and voluptuous note.

12. Gelato

In Rome, under a blazing sun, gelato breaks are more than essential in this place. In 1565, Italians signed the official birth certificate of gelato at the Court of Cosimo de Medici. It's also at this place that the first machine capable of making ice cream was invented. Since then, the artisanal elaboration of gelato has changed a lot and has become part of Italians' daily life. The texture of this preparation is creamy and generously served with a spatula. Gelato is an ice cream that you enjoy while strolling through Roman streets. Try it, you'll soon can't do without it.

13. Maritozzo

To take a nice bite into a regressive specialty, taste the maritozzo without delay. This is certainly the most indulgent and oldest Roman dessert you'll find in restaurants. First concocted in the era of Ancient Rome, this brioche filled with whipped cream continues to delight locals since their earliest childhood. For the little story, the maritozzo was offered by the future husband to his fiancée. The lucky man would hide the long-awaited ring directly in the whipped cream. This gives you an idea of the astronomical amount of cream present in this large brioche.

14. Spritz

To accompany countless Roman tastings or refresh yourself for a moment, nothing like a large glass of spritz. The craze for this orange drink has largely exceeded Italian borders. Born in the 19th century, from a mixture of Italian-Austrian taste, spritz is now loved for its hint of bitterness and refreshing virtues. Know that there are almost as many Spritz as Italian regions. For this reason, don't wait any longer before tasting these products.