Eternal flame - Rome

Rome’s unique mix of the classic and modern is always captivating, as is its wonderful food. But if you want to avoid the tourist traps serving soggy pizza, you need a bit of insider knowledge.

From the bustling Campo de’ Fiori and Ghetto areas to the restaurant hotspot of Trastevere, hidden dining gems await discovery in back alleyways, while historic Testaccio and leafy Garbatella also throw up local favourites. Cuisine deputy food editor Fiona shares a few of her discoveries while Rome resident, Italo/Australian chef-journalist Giulia, reveals her regular haunts.



CENTRAL ROME
Thronged by tourists every day, Rome’s iconic Colosseum dominates the skyline of the Eternal City. If you’d like to enjoy a more serene view of the ruins, the secret is to dine just a stone’s throw away at Aroma, the rooftop restaurant of the 16th-century Palazzo Manfredi hotel. Better yet, stay the night – the view of the lit-up, day-tripper-free ruins is stunning at night, but possibly even more jaw-dropping at dawn, and chef Giuseppe Di Iorio serves up delectable food at any time of day.
Via Labicana, 125, ph: 06-775 91380, hotelpalazzomanfredi.it;
Aroma, ph: 06-976 15109

The Ghetto is home to great Roman-Jewish cuisine and Sora Margherita is one of the highlights. This hole in the wall, curtained with bordello-esque red fringing, opens to a buzzing trattoria, packed with locals and a few adventurous tourists. Handwritten menus are in Italian, but the friendly staff will guide you to the house specialities such as whole fried artichokes, baccalà (salt cod) and huge meatballs in thick tomato sauce. Expect paper tablecloths, brisk and casual but fun-fuelled service, and to have anything you don’t finish hand-fed to you by your waiter.
Piazza delle Cinque Scole, 30, ph: 06-687 4216

Stop in for a vino at local wine bar-enoteca L’Angolo Divino. It’s just a couple of streets off the main thoroughfare, but it feels like a different world. Walls lined with wooden shelves filled to bursting with wine bottles, soothing music and an extensive list of wines by the glass make it a haven from the crowds.
Via dei Balestrari, 12/14, ph: 06-686 4413

With more than 450 cheeses and 100 different cured meats to sample, plus a team of sommeliers to advise on 2000 wine labels, Campo de’ Fiori’s Roscioli is a food-lover’s paradise in central Rome. The Roscioli family, bakers for three generations, expanded their culinary empire nearly 10 years ago by opening a restaurant/bar stocked with Italy’s finest produce. Tables are squeezed in among shelves of wine and a metre-long food counter. You’ll eat what’s arguably Rome’s best carbonara here, made with eggs that hail from an organic farm in Tuscany.
Via dei Giubbonari, 21, ph: 06-687 5287, salumeriaroscioli.com

The Pantheon is always a must-visit when in Rome; after marvelling at Marcus Agrippa’s genius, gelato-lovers should head to the nearby Giolitti. This family-run shop has been in business since 1900, with its original recipes still fiercely guarded. Expect to queue for the 50 flavours.
Via Uffici del Vicario, 40, ph: 06-699 1243, giolitti.it