Restaurants Rome Guide Best Restaurants in Rome

Italian food is world renowned and Rome is no exception. In Rome you will find no lack of delicious fare for all budgets. Attempts at re-producing Italian cuisine are being made around the world, in differing levels of success. Eating is the Italian's favorite pastime, and restaurants most commonly serve first and second courses, wine, desert and coffee. Eating is a real ordeal in Rome and meals are meant to last for several hours. For a real slice of this sumptuous, garlicky, buttery, savory rich culinary ecstasy you need to go directly to the source.

Though Naples is the official home of pizza, Rome is pizza's second city. Italian style pizza is not the same bastardized cheesy slab of fat served in the rest of the world; but a think, crispy fresh delight. Naples style pizza is thin-crusted and often served with fresh mozzarella, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and topped with fresh basil leaves. You will realize that you have never actually tasted pizza in its true form when you savor your first delectable slice. Try Bella Napoli Pizzeria, Via Alessandria 13, 00198 Roma, Tel 06 854 2966 for authentic pizza served up by authentic Italians!

Sample some real rustic, classic Italian cuisine at one of Rome's oldest and most famous restaurants; Antica Pesa. Begun as a "snack bar" in the seventeenth century, Antica Pesa originally served bread and wine to peasants who came to the city to pay their grain taxes. The restaurant also includes a bowling-alley-cum-garden where outdoor dining is offered in the warmer months. Try some maccharoni with ham and cheese, a heady but homey dish that is sure to satisfy. Via Garibaldi, 18, Roma.

Ristorante Les Etoiles (the Stars) sits atop the roof of the hotel Atlante Star, just two blocks from the Vatican City. The beautiful view of the dome of St. Peter's Basilica and the Roman skyline are reason enough to visit this top restaurant, excellent food aside. Les Etoiles serves dishes from around the world; though Mediterranean is their specialty. Try the artichokes stuffed with ricotta and pecorino cheeses, risotto with squid ink, or roast suckling lamb with mint. Hotel Atlante Star Via dei Bastioni 1, Roma, 00193, Tel 39066873233.

Equipped with its own wine cellar, containing a staggering 600 varieties of hand-selected wines, Ristorante Vivendo is a Rome classic. Selected by Zagat's as the best restaurant in Rome; Vivendo offers a comfortable atmosphere and some of the most sought-after meals in the world. Located on the ground floor of the St. Regis Grand hotel, Via Vittorio E. Orlando, 3, Roma 00185, Tel390647091, this fine dining experience offers seasonal cuisine in a surprisingly casual atmosphere. Try the suckling pig with pumpkin or the asparagus risotto for some creative twists on traditional Roman cuisine.

There are thousands of eateries in Rome, each with its own charm and flavor. Endless coffee and gelato shops, pizzerias and outdoor cafés litter the streets of this food-happy city. Good food is everywhere you turn in Rome; follow your nose and enjoy the world's best food straight from the birthplace of fine cuisine.