Rome does a lot of things well – ancient buildings, ridiculously cool art, general good vibes and, of course, food. And whether you’re after a killer bowl of pasta, pizza, a cone of proper Italian gelato or another enticing local dish, it’s up there with our favourite ever places to eat.
That’s why we take such good care of our list of the city’s best restaurants, and our writer in Rome is constantly on the lookout for brilliant new places to eat. But sometimes only the classics will do. And our top restaurant for 2025? It’s a classic – a bloody good one.
Da Enzo al 29, a snappy, family-run trattoria in Trastevere, is officially our favourite restaurant in Rome. There’s no option to reserve, and unless you turn up before service to queue you’ll be waiting for quite some time – but you can order a drink while you queue, and unlike some other spots in Rome, it’ll certainly be worth the wait.
‘Space is limited, the noise level is high and the service is fast and furious, but for typical cucina romana, it’s an atmospheric and always reliable dinner spot,’ writes Livia Hengel, Time Out’s local expert in Rome, ‘Prices are a little above average but the quality of ingredients is assured, and there’s a great selection of lesser-known Lazio wines.’
So, what should we be ordering? Well, according to Livia, everything on the menu is pretty darn good, but you’d be a fool to overlook the classic Roman dishes: we’re talking the carbonara, the amatriciana pastas, the meatballs with tomato sauce and the oxtail stew.
‘Don’t miss the burrata antipasto served with cherry tomatoes, and be sure to order fried artichokes as a side. The tiramisù is also excellent,’ she writes.
See Time Out’s full expertly curated pick of the best restaurants in Rome 2025 here.
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