Tips for eating in Rome

Italians are very particular when it comes to food; it’s the most important thing after the family. So we’ve compiled some tips to help you make your gastronomic experience in Rome a real pleasure.

1. We think the most important thing to know is that you’ll enjoy your meal in peace; the waiter won’t constantly ask if everything is okay because it will be. Something’s not quite right, you want more, or you want to pay the bill? Just signal your waiter and they’ll be with you. You’ll probably have to ask for the bill as it’s considered rude just to dump it on the table, but don’t worry if it doesn’t come at once, it could be 10 - 15 minutes before you’re asked to pay.

2. Restaurants are always open - Well, that’s not strictly true. Yes, the tourist restaurants will always be open but the ones that serve the best food open at traditional times. Generally good Italian restaurants open from midday to 3pm for lunch and from 8pm until whenever for dinner. You should be prepared for this and adapt your eating habits around those times. You’re not going to get a wood fired pizza at 5:30pm just because it’s when you always eat dinner at home; it will be at least 8pm before you can get one of those.

3. Most restaurants will have a printed menu that is always available, but there will also be seasonal dishes that may be displayed on a board, or the waiter may just tell you about them. These are the ones to try as they'll be made from very fresh, seasonal ingredients. This particularly applies to vegetables, fish and desserts.

4. If you’re travelling with children this shouldn’t stop you from eating at real Italian restaurants as they serve kids too! If the restaurant doesn’t have a children’s menu you can always ask what they can do; plain pasta or even fries are always an option.

5. You don’t need to tip - If you have super excellent service then you may want to show your appreciation by leaving a couple of euros, but there’s really no need. Take a look at the bill you may find the word ‘Coperto’, this is a kind of cover charge and may include bread. Perhaps we should add that the bread will be eaten dry, you may get a little oil, but you certainly won’t get butter.

6. Want to look cool? Don’t use your phone to work out your share of the bill, it just isn't done. In Italy if you dine in a group the bill is split equally, regardless of who had what. If you’re really worried, get one person to pay and then sort it out back at the hotel.

7. The menu may feature five or six courses but you don’t need to have them all. Not feeling hungry? Just have an antipasti and a sweet, or just a pasta dish. You can always order another course if you change your mind.

8. You’re not going to find Spaghetti Bolognese or Spaghetti and Meatballs on the menu, and if you order a pepperoni pizza it’s not going to be covered in salami, just peppers. Why? Because pepperoni are peppers not meat, and the spaghetti dishes aren’t real Italian dishes, they’re adapted. Try a local dish, we’ve suggested in point 10 below.

9. Talking of pizza, there are two kinds - Wood fired pizza and ‘pizza al taglio’. Pizza al taglio is the ‘snack’ pizza, the kind you see under bright lights being kept warm during the day. These are pieces of pizza cut from a large one, usually with a thick base. Sometimes you can ask for a specific weight, other times you get a slice. This is pizza ‘on the go’. But pizza is pizza isn’t it?… You may have thought so, until you try a wood fired pizza, then you’ll understand the difference.

10. Italian dishes aren’t really Italian. Now that might sound stupid, of course they’re Italian, but most dishes are in fact regional. Dishes found in Rome are very different to those found in Sardinia or in Sicily. So what is Roman cuisine? Here are a few dishes you might like to try from the Lazio region, Roman specialties:

Pasta Carbonara– Please note we say PASTA not spaghetti (although it may be). This is pasta cooked ‘al dente’ with eggs, cheese, guanciale (pork cheek) and pepper. It isn’t quite as creamy as the carbonara you might be familiar with, but it is zesty and delicious.

Pasta Amatriciana - A beautiful tomatoey sauce with guanciale (which tastes like bacon or pancetta). This really is gorgeous.

Spaghetti alla gricia - Another dish with guanciale (it really is good so you should try it.) This is similar to Amatriciana but without the tomatoes and served with grated pecorino and black pepper

Pasta Cacio e Pepe - A very simple recipe of pasta, usually spaghetti, with pecorino cheese and olive oil. It may sound a bit uninteresting but simplicity can be amazing.

Carciofi (Artichokes) – Fabulous when in season, either filled with garlic and cooked in olive oil or fried “Jewish style.”

Bruschetta – Bruschetta means “toast,” but it’s the best kind of toast, rubbed with garlic then topped with fresh tomatoes and olive oil. Delicious.

Abbacchio a Scottadito - Tender and tasty lamb chops, cooked with Rosemary and lemon over an open fire, they are delicious too.

11. Ice-cream, gelato, is another famous Italian product. But when is a gelato not a gelato? When it comes from one of those sellers near the tourist sites who sell “fake gelato.” Please don’t buy this; you’ll be so disappointed. How can you tell it’s a fake, easy, by the colour. If it's brightly coloured it’s fake, think bright pink for strawberry or lurid green for pistachio. You need an artigiano gelato instead, the colours are natural and the taste will be amazing.

12. Okay, the last tip - Don’t sit down for a coffee. Well, you can if you’d like but it will cost you. Act like a local and have your coffee standing at the bar. You’ll pay a fixed price, the cost is capped in Rome, but sit down and you can expect to pay a LOT more. Take a look behind the counter there are prices for ‘banco’ the counter and ‘tavolo’ the table before you decide, and don’t be fooled if someone says 'sit down, I’ll bring it over'!

Well, that’s the end of our tips but we have another suggestion. If you’re interested in food you might like to try something a little different. Have you ever thought it would be nice to experience what it’s like to cook in an Italian kitchen, to learn the recipes that you’ve been enjoying on your trip? Well now you can because we also offer tours that include cooking classes and eating with the locals as well as wine tasting and even cooking from a boat. Why not check out our offers.