The 19 Best Trastevere Restaurants (2022)

One of the questions I get asked most often about Rome is about Trastevere restaurants and where to eat in the area. Perhaps it is because more and more people are drawn to stay in Trastevere, or maybe you simply want to spend a day wandering and soaking up the atmosphere in the charming Roman neighborhood.

Regardless of your tastes, here are 18 Trastevere restaurants (and gelato shops) where you will eat extremely well. I have divided them by style and you can find something to suit any appetite and budget.

Just remember: Trastevere is a very popular neighborhood and thus a busy area to eat out. With the exception of breakfast and street food, I really suggest making a reservation to eat out in Rome.

Breakfast in Trastevere

My favorite place to start the day in Trastevere is at Le Levain. The French bakery has amazing pastries ranging from perfect croissants to elaborate citron tarts. It may not be Italian style but it is truly delicious.

If you are looking for heartier fare, Baylon Café (Via di S. Francesco a Ripa, 151) has an American-style breakfast as well as a buzzing coffee bar with outdoor seating. It might not be a traditional Italian morning meal but the ingredients are top-notch and brought in from the owner’s family farm in Calabria.

Traditional Trastevere Restaurants

Trastevere is quite frankly full of tourist traps, but there are also some wonderful traditional restaurants in the area.

Da Enzo (Via dei Vascellari, 29) is a lovely family-run trattoria on the charming backstreets of Trastevere, which has become extremely well-known. People will wait for hours to get a table at the adorable restaurant (no reservations available for lunch). Do yourself a favor and try the carbonara, or anything really. It is a wonderful place to eat in Trastevere if you can stomach the waiting time.

Poor Trattorio Da Teo (Piazza dei Ponziani, 7A) is sometimes the second choice when Da Enzo is full but it is another good traditional Trastevere restaurant and has the bonus option of being able to book a table online. Don’t let them talk you into the shrimp and lime pasta – just stick to the amatriciana, gricia or traditional cacio e pepe.

Trastevere restaurant in Rome

I was introduced to Osteria der Belli by Maria and now I am sharing that good luck forward because it is hard to know just how delicious it is until you try it for yourself. Instead of Roman, the family that runs this restaurant in central Trastevere is from Sardinia. The menu is very seafood focused and that is what I would recommend sticking to. The pasta alle vongole (with clams) is first class, as are the fish specials of the day. If they have their calamari and artichoke appetizer on the menu- get it.

fish plate with tomatoes at osteria der belli trastevere restaurant

New to Trastevere (opened in late 2021) is Ercoli. Ercoli is a wonderful combination of high end gastronomia (deli), restaurant, and bar. The food menu is contemporary Italian but you can also go for aperitivo and order one of the best tagliere in town (e.g. salami and cheese platter). The address is Via Giggi Zanazzo, 4 and it is open from morning to night in case you are trying to dine in those odd afternoon hours when traditional eateries close.

Close to Stazione Trastevere (so not in the old part of the neighbor), La Tavernaccia da Bruno (Via Giovanni da Castel Bolognese, 63) is really one of the best restaurants in the area. It is away from the crowds but very popular so make sure you book ahead to get a table. The arched stone interior is rustic and the menu is full of traditional Roman recipes that are perfectly executed. I LOVE the pasta alla gricia here.

Finally, it has become a bit full of itself, but if you do want to eat the cacio e pepe that Anthony Bourdain ate in No Reservations which is served in an edible bowl made of cheese – you’ll find it at Roma Sparita.

Modern Trastevere Restaurants

My top pick for a contemporary meal in Trastevere (and honestly in most of Rome) is Zia. Headed by young Roman Chef Antonio Ziantoni. Zia is modern and airy with an innovative menu that changes with the seasons. I highly recommend you do a tasting menu (which is very reasonably priced, especially at lunch) and let the chef select his favorites for you. The presentation is really unforgettable – like this tiny Chef’s welcome of tomato gelato in a parmigiano cone. It is still under the radar so go and go now.

trastevere restaurant zia with small gelato served in a cheese cone

Newcomer Jacopa is also really promising additional for a special dinner out in Trastevere. Located inside Hotel San Francisco, their cocktail list is fantastic and perfect for enjoying on their rooftop terrace. The modern menu plays with Roman traditions but there is always a fresh infusion of international inspiration. The seared scallop is the thing dreams of made of and the squid ink pasta is one of the best I’ve had in Rome.

If you want to try classic dishes in a newer setting, Eggs (Via Natale del Grande, 52) specializes in carbonara. You can find it topped with truffles or with raw red shrimp, or simply dig into a bowl of a very good version of the regular old egg-guanciale-pecorino dish. The staff all speak English and are very welcoming in case you have been put off by typically brusque Roman service elsewhere.

I can’t give a personal review because I haven’t been, but Glass Hostaria (Vicolo de’ Cinque, 58) is currently the only Michelin-starred restaurant in Trastevere. Under the helm of Chef Cristina Bowerman, the restaurant offers a contemporary dining experience in the heart of one of the oldest neighborhoods in Rome.

Pizza in Trastevere

If you are hoping for a traditional pizza dinner (good pizzerie in Rome only serve pizza at night because of how long it takes to heat the wood fire oven), Ai Marmi is right on Viale Trastevere and has lots of outdoor seating in summer. It’s best to go when they open around 7 pm to beat the crowds, but if you can’t beat them – join them. You’ll see the line stretch down the street for this popular pizza place, but it tends to move quickly.

Ai marmi pizza trastevere rome

If you want to reserve a table, the pizzeria I suggest is Pizzeria Ivo a Trastevere. I love the sausage pizza here. It is loud and jam-packed but that is all part of the fun. There is also a full menu of pasta and secondi but I would personally stick to the pizza. You can book a table online.

outdoor tables at trastevere restaurant ivo pizzeria

If you are willing to travel a few tram stops down Viale Trastevere, you can and should eat at Seu Pizza Illuminati. The modern pizzeria is one of my favorite in Rome. The pillowy crust is a nice change from crispy thin Roman-style pizza and the toppings are mind-blowing. I love how creative pizzamaker Pier Daniele Seu really gets with his seasonal pizzas, but the classic flavors are winners, too. Just be sure to go hungry so you can dig into an assortment of fritti (fried starters including supplì) before you get to the main pizza event. The beer and wine selection are also fantastic.

Margherita Gialla

If instead, you want just a slice of pizza, then I Supplì (Via di S. Francesco a Ripa, 137) is the place for you from 10 am – 10 pm every day except Sunday. The tiny pizza al taglio shop has my favorite pizza marinara in the city. They also do excellent fried street food like their namesake supplì and filetti di baccala. At lunch, there is also a daily pasta option. They only have two small standing tables, but you can find benches to eat and people watch in nearby Piazza San Cosimato

Gelato

Trastevere has three fantastic gelaterie so you are spoiled for choice. All are within about a 3-minute walk of Santa Maria in Trastevere.

My favorite is Otaleg! (gelato spelled backwards). The flavors are made fresh every day and use seasonal ingredients from the market, as well as international ingredients with creative twists. You are going to want at least three scoops.

There is also a Fatamorgana in Trastevere (get the strawberry and white wine if they have it, trust me). Finally, for chocolate flavors, I suggest Fior di Luna.

25 thoughts on “The 19 Best Trastevere Restaurants (2022)

  1. Dana says:

    Hi! We are making an impromptu trip to Rome tomorrow morning. Any tips about getting a table (without reservations) at either Da Enzo or Teo for Sunday lunch?
    Grazie!

      • Natalie says:

        But Sunday lunch is the exception.. I rarely risk dropping in on Sunday. However, as Andrew notes, both of these examples are closed.

      • David Bidwell says:

        Very good list. Other standouts for us are Antics Arco, and Antics Pesa. The latter especially for the interesting people watching. One other we just ate at was Checco right near Piazza Trulissa. It seemed to be an old school Roman restaurant. Seemed like a trip back in time.

        • Natalie says:

          I love Antico Arco! I just consider it a bit outside of Trastevere and more in Gianicolo 🙂 And I have heard mainly good things about Checco er Carettiere but need to try it myself! I am glad you enjoyed the experience!

    • Natalie says:

      Try calling or stopping by Da Carlone on Via della Luce when you arrive Saturday, but showing up without a reservation on the most popular day for lunch is risky.

      • Quinn says:

        I lived across the street from Da Carlone for 3 years and maybe 1 time out of 15 was I able to eat there without a reservation. It is on par with Da Teo, not nearly as good as Da Enzo or Roma Sparita. Also more full of itself than RS.

  2. Constantine Matsos says:

    Have you eaten at Restaurant Scarpone on Gianicolo Hill just outside Porta San Pancrazio? My wife and I discovered it last week while staying in Trastevere. The food is very good and it has a very interesting history that involves Garibaldi.

  3. Laura Lelli says:

    Went to Ai Marmi in October, based on another food blogger’s recommendation and unfortunately my sister and I were very disappointed with the entire meal, including the pizza. Sometimes the less well known eateries, discovered by a stroke of luck, turn out to be the most memorable. Had some great traditional Roman home style pasta and meat dishes at Aristocampo on Via della Lungaretta, and the staff were great. Will definitely try some of your other recommendations when I return.

  4. Katherine says:

    I cannot figure out how to pin your articles and save them for my trip to Rome next week! Can you help me out?

    • Natalie says:

      I’m all for good places getting their deserved recognition and not over-romanticizing undiscovered places that someone’s cousin’s friend ate at once when they were in Rome for three days. I stand by the list 🙂

  5. Emily says:

    Hi Natalie,

    Thanks for writing this article. I am heading to Rome in about a week. Do guests still need to make reservations in August? I’ve heard Rome is pretty empty this time of year. Thanks,
    Emily

    • Natalie says:

      Hi Emily! It is a lot easier to get a table in August IF the places are open. So it is a good idea to get in touch with them simply to know their summer schedules and to plan from there. A lot of businesses close for several weeks in August for annual holidays.

  6. Tom says:

    Enzo is good, but no better than many other places, and certainly no cheaper. Did not feel worth the wait, which unless you start queuing before 6.30 for the 7.30 first service will be well over an hour, possibly nearer 2.
    Great service though.

    • Natalie says:

      I agree that the wait ruins it but also that the staff are wonderful. The food is consistantly really good, however, and a lot of Trastevere restaurants struggle with putting out a great dish every time. Some meals you get lucky but there are plenty of off days other places which is why I still keep da Enzo on the list. (I also LOVED their recipe videos they made during the lockdown when eating out was impossible)

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