Oro Bistrot @ NH Collection Roma Fori Imperiali

These are a collection of hotels but this specific one has a rooftop bar with unreal views overlooking the Victor Emmanuelle Monument. Drinks are expensive, (like £20 per cocktail expensive), but you are definitely paying for the location.  I can imagine in summer, this would be the best place to watch sunset on a balmy evening. They bring a collection of snacks with your drinks and there are more than enough heaters and blankets to stay comfy. The service is really great with attentive staff who will go the extra mile, (including getting the lighting just perfect for a lil rooftop pic). You can book a drinks table here.

BIVIUM @ Six Senses

I would say that this was my favourite bar out of all of them. It’s the perfect spot for a date night or a catch-up with friends. There’s a dj playing that classic Euro chill music that’s loud enough for a vibe but quiet enough to actually be able to hold a conversation. The literal bar is really pretty and the whole place feels quite cozy, whilst still being cool. Their cocktail menu has well curated cocktails that tell a story about some element of ancient Rome. It didn’t break the bank either coming in at £35 for two cocktails. They have a rooftop aswell that opens for summer which I think would be stunning! Find them here where you can book for dinner, drinks or the rooftop once it opens.

The Sanctuary

If Gen Z were a place, it would be this. An eco retreat style restaurant with a pool, (which I assumes opens in summer), a beautiful nature inspired aesthetic dining area with a dj pumping out Euro chill. We came here for brunch on the Sunday morning. It’s bottomless in the sense that it’s basically all you can eat! It’s a flat price of €35, (just shy of £30), with filter coffee included, if you want a barista coffee that’s extra. They had a wideeeee spread: eggs, meats, sushi, lasagne, an entire sweet table with mini macaroons, donuts and fruit salad. Whilst it’s not the greatest sit down brunch I’ve ever had in my life, it was decent for all you can eat and the vibe of the place was pretty good too.

Coromandel

This was a random brunch place we stumbled upon, tucked down a narrow street with vespa’s zipping past. Turns out, it’s quite a big deal and features on many a ‘best restaurant in Rome’ lists. It’s very boho and quirky in feel with a fair sized menu. The food was pretty good and, although it was busy, we didn’t feel pressured to leave. Our brunch came to about £17 each for a main and hot drink each. Although we were in a walk-in, for peace of mind, I’d say just book.

Mercato Centrale

Technically, this is a train station, but really and truly Manchester Piccadilly and London Euston could never. The classic European food market with a little bit of everything can be found at the opposite end of Rome’s central train station. They had traditional pizza, pasta, sweet treats, meats, cheese, croquettas, think of a food – they had it. There’s a big bar in the middle for hydration and more than enough seating with space upstairs. It’s an ideal place for a quick lunch or if you’re doing a day trip from Rome, the best spot to grab a bite before your journey.

Emma Pizzeria

Another tiktok find which comes out top for pizza. They have an outside seating area with heaters and the restaurant itself is actually WAY bigger than it looks. The wood fire oven takes centre stage with everything else being pleasantly simple. It was the only pizza we had in Rome, so I can’t compare it to anything other than a Dominoes, which obviously means it was incredible, but I don’t know how it compares to wider Rome/Italy standards. We ordered a pizza to share, a side of veg, (of course), and a starter which came to £20 each. Find them here. 

Pompi – a literal tiramisu shop with flavoured tiramisus like pistachio and salted caramel.

Venchi – we spent 4 days in Rome and we came here twice. There are multiple across the city so I’d recommend avoiding the viral one, (the one with the big melting chocolate fountain), because it’s the busiest. The others are smaller with much less of a queue.

L’Arena del Gelato – a gelato place that was highly recommended to me. Sadly, they were shut for the Christmas holidays when I went but they were super friendly over insta, which makes me think this family run gelato place lives up to the hype.

The only disappointing thing I experienced in a restaurant in Rome was not having anyone bust out singing Bella Ciao – I cannot fault any where we went, solid 10 10 10s across the board.