It is hard to imagine that a month ago we were landing in Italy and our first order of business was to find food - and find it we did! We had an overall amazing trip to Rome but food was definitely a highlight and it is the topic most people want to hear about. I am not a travel expert but I will give you a few tips that really helped us:
Plan some meals ahead - we knew we wanted to eat at a couple of specific restaurants so I booked those reservations well in advance - I advise you do the same.
Also allow time to wander into a place - absolutely book meals but also leave room to wander into places like an Irish Pub for breakfast in Italy or a small restaurant where everything is homemade and you are treated like royalty.
Definitely take a food tour - Our Street Food tour was a highlight of the whole trip, the food and history were just remarkable and we ended up going back to a couple of the places on the tour!
Take a cooking class - We made pasta, we made spritzes, we made friends! Our Tipsy Cooking class was absolutely a blast.
Keep an eye on prices - The TikToks are true, be careful dining in locations that are super close to big tourist spots. We had breakfast one morning near the Trevi Fountain and we were shocked when we got the bill, definitely look at the menu in advance to sitting!
I spent so much time researching where I wanted to eat and drink in Rome and I'm happy to report I wasn't disappointed with any of our choices. The restaurants I booked in advance were La Fata Ignorante, Dilla (which was Giada has featured on her site and show) and Aroma which is a Michelin Star restaurant with a view that can't be beat! These were absolutely some of our favorite meals! And the prices are pretty fantastic for the fresh, amazing food you are getting.
La Fata Ignorante also included a rooftop bar where we had apertivo and then moved to our table for dinner, the cocktails were amazing and the food was out of control delicious! It was our first night and I picked this restaurant based on reviews and the proximity to our hotel and it was absolutely perfect! We talked about going back but we just ran out of time! I got the rabbit ragu that was so highly recommended online and Tamy got steak with mushrooms, it was a special and she devoured it!
At Dilla we obviously got the Mortadella meatballs because that is what they are famous for - these were so heavenly! For my entree I got Cacio e Pepe (when in Rome!) and Tamy got Truffle Fettaccine which she said was the best dish she had the whole trip! This was a lovely spot, down a beautiful street and the food was outstanding!
Aroma was a multi-course meal where our table overlooked the Coliseum! My goodness this place was beautiful and the food delicious and the service - AMAZING! We started with drinks at The Court Bar, we had Cacio e Pepe martinis and a beautiful champagne cocktail that included smoke and a whole presentation! Our tasting menus included a pumpkin and blue cheese pasta, a pork dish that Tamy is still talking about, beef cheek and the dessert included black garlic gelato - who would have thought that would be outstanding? It totally was! This was definitely a meal of a lifetime and I had to book this MONTHS in advance! There are very few tables, every table has a stunning view and this lived up to the hype and price tag.
This post has become very lengthy and who wants to read an hour long blog post about food? Stayed tuned for part 2 of the Roman Food Adventure where we will dive deep into the food tour and cooking class and maybe a visit to McDonalds! In the meantime if you have a question about Rome feel free to ask!