The Best Restaurants in Rome – Recommended Michelin Restaurants in Rome
Rome For A Traveler – Rome Blog
Musicians dream of winning a Grammy, actors hope for an Oscar, and for chefs, the ultimate achievement is earning a Michelin star. The famous Michelin Guide, first published in France, is considered one of the most prestigious culinary guides in the world. Its mission is to discover and rank the best restaurants in Rome and around the globe, highlighting restaurants that offer exceptional food, creativity, and outstanding dining experiences.
Restaurants included in the guide already enjoy a strong reputation, but those awarded Michelin stars gain worldwide recognition and prestige. Each restaurant can receive up to three stars, a mark of culinary excellence that attracts food lovers from all over the world.
Rome, known for its rich food culture and incredible gastronomy, is home to several remarkable Michelin restaurant Rome destinations. From innovative fine-dining restaurants to modern interpretations of classic Italian cuisine, the city offers unforgettable culinary experiences. In this guide, we’ve gathered some of the most impressive and recommended restaurants in Rome, including Michelin-starred spots that every food lover should consider visiting.
- Netanela Biton
- April 21, 2023
Recommended Restaurants in Rome
Best Restaurants in Rome
Ristorante 1978 | Via Zara 27/29
As the name suggests, the restaurant was founded in 1978. A young chef is at the head of the creative kitchen (and not Italian in nature), which serves a tasting menu in the evenings. It also has vegetarian options. Special dishes include: rice, escargot and basil; Soba noodles with calamari, caviar and dill.
The special detail – Creative dishes.
Shiroya | Via dei Baullari 147a
A small and cozy Japanese restaurant close to Campo di Fiori. It serves special and classic dishes (such as sushi and sashimi), with an emphasis on home-style dishes that are not particularly well known outside of Japan. Dishes include: fried oysters; Udon noodles with white meat, vegetables and bonito flakes.
The special detail – Japanese Cuisine.
Le Jardin de Russie | Via del Babuino 9
The old restaurant is located in the prestigious Hotel de la Russie and specializes in contemporary Italian food. It offers a rich buffet at noon and brunch on Saturday and Sunday. Dishes include: Watermelon gazpacho; Gnocchi with basil and lemon, eggplant cream and colorful tomatoes.
The special detail – Contemporary Italian cuisine.
Mater Terrae | Largo Febo 2
Mater Terrae means “Mother Earth” in Latin, and indeed the restaurant specializes in vegetarian, vegan and organic cuisine with seasonal ingredients. It is located in the prestigious Hotel Raphael, on a terrace with a view on rooftops and domes in the historic center of the city. Dishes include: focaccia stuffed with stracchino cheese; Risotto with porcini mushrooms and saffron, creamed cauliflower and wild puffed rice.
The special detail – The restaurant doesn’t serve animal-based ingredients.
Domenico dal 1968 | Via Satrico 23
An authentic, family-run Roman trattoria founded in 1968. It won several certificates of appreciation for its fine cuisine. It serves classic dishes such as pasta Carbonara and Amatriciana alongside special ones. Dishes include: Octopus and potato salad; Ravioli stuffed with anglerfish.
The special detail – Authentic Roman cuisine.
Michelin Star Restaurants in Rome
La Terrazza – One star | Via Ludovisi 49
The “Terrace” restaurant is located in the luxury Hotel Eden, close to iconic sites such as the Spanish Steps and Villa Borghese Gardens. This is an institution known for many years in the Italian culinary world, and rightfully so. The restaurant space is just as elegant as the hotel and overlooks the rooftops scattered throughout the city. Let’s proceed to the interesting part – what’s on the menu? We’re talking about contemporary and innovative haute cuisine, which combines a little of the local cuisine and a lot of the chef’s imagination. The menus in the restaurant are made to be shared among the diners (including a tasting menu at 210/180 euros per person, or two courses at 110 euros per person). Dishes include: eel in herbs; pigeon breast and raspberry; octopus and celery; scallops, mango and passionfruit; Calamarata pasta cooked in tomato water, with anchovies in a martini marinade. So, you want to meet on the terrace?
The special detail – Innovative kitchen.
Aroma – One star | Via Labicana 125
Aroma is a gourmet restaurant in the five-star hotel Palazzo Manfredi. It is on the penthouse floor in an intimate and romantic terrace overlooking famous monuments, the Colosseum and St. Peter’s Basilica. The dishes served here combine regional cuisine and a modern twist on Italian classics, by a chef who has worked in the largest kitchens in Italy and the world. The restaurant also offers a tasting menu and a gluten-free menu. Dishes include: homemade agliolini pasta with pumpkin, gorgonzola and caviar pearls; marinated duck fillet with chanterelle mushrooms and blueberries; Wagyu entrecote with hazelnuts and braised onions; Fusilli pasta with four types of cherry tomatoes, almonds and smoked Caciocavallo; pappardelle filled with scorpion fish and barbecue skewers. If you fancy a less sophisticated menu, you can dine in the nearby and less formal bistro, which serves great Roman dishes. There is a dress code, so please dress up!
The special detail – A view of the Colosseum and St. Peter’s Basilica.
All’Oro – One star | Via Giuseppe Pisanelli 25
The restaurant’s name is a pun on gold bay leaves (Oro means “gold”), and they do play a central design role in its dishes. It is built of a New York-style dining hall and an English-style hall, both with a beautiful modern design. The specialty here is Modern and creative Italian cuisine, a combination of traditional food and food from Lazio district. The design of the dishes is unique and artistic and not all of them are served on a plate – one of the dishes is served in a plastic bag! The restaurant has a regular menu and tasting menus of your choice. Dishes include: cappelletti pasta in “dry stock” with lemon and parmesan (served with a spoon specially made for the dish); Ravioli stuffed with mascarpone, duck ragout and reduced red wine; rabbit, eel and carrot with mustard and green sauce; pork ribs with winter chicory salad, anchovies and garlic, pepperoni, curry and anchovies; white chocolate egg with citrus and passion fruit; crispy bread with tomato, mozzarella, strawberries and Baileys liqueur. This restaurant is a delight!
The special detail – Modern Italian cuisine.
Il Pagliaccio – Two stars | Via dei Banchi Vecchi 129/a
The meaning of the restaurant’s name is “the clown”, but don’t let it mislead you – this restaurant takes itself very seriously. It opened in 2003 and is the only one with two stars in Rome! Its location is central near the Tiber River. The service is wonderful, the design is modern and the atmosphere is intimate. Its flavors are creative and original and based on Italian dishes, with Mediterranean flavors and a touch of the East (and less suitable for picky eaters). The menus are not classic – they are tasting menus that can also be called “surprise menus”, because the diner has no control and no idea of what will end up on the plate! One 10-course menu with drinks included costs 200 euros per diner; 8-course second menu – 185 euros; third (vegetarian) 6-course meal –160 euros; Wednesday (at noon) 4-course meal – 110 euros. Did we mention we love surprises?
The special detail – Surprising tasting menus.
La Pergola – Three stars | Via Alberto Cadlolo 101
The last restaurant is the icing on the cake, the only one with three stars in Rome, so please welcome La Pergola! It is in the super luxurious five-star Rome Cavalieri Hotel, on a panoramic roof with a very impressive view of Rome and the Vatican. The restaurant oozes pure class and is considered one of the most beautiful in the world for a reason. Its specialty is modern and creative Mediterranean style food, made with the highest quality ingredients. It also offers a regular menu and tasting menus (10 courses at 320 euros and 7 courses at 270 euros). Dishes include: lobster and cauliflower; foie gras and duck with peach and verbena; eggplant tortellini with sumac sauce and red shrimp; eel fillet on textures of tomatoes and basil; hummus; Ricotta cream with marzipan, soft pistachios and candied orange sorbet. You have to make a reservation a few months in advance, so hurry up!
The special detail – One of the most beautiful restaurants in the world.
Winning a Michelin star is like winning the Noble Prize of restaurants and is every chef’s dream. The star gives the restaurant respect, higher revenues and fame, and many of the chefs in the star-winning restaurants have received the title “Celebrity Chef”. Of course, this is also true for chefs in Rome, a city that has won a large number of exclusive stars, and whose culinary status has always been high. Our recommendation for a perfect day is to reserve one of Romio’s tours and end it with a meal at one of these restaurants, for a dolce vita! Romio team 🧡
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