Top 10 Dishes to Try in Rome: A Food Lover's Guide

Roman cuisine is simple, seasonal and absolutely delicious. From carbonara to cacio e pepe, here are the 10 essential dishes you must try in Rome — with the story behind each one and where to find the best versions.

• 1. CACIO E PEPE
• The simplest and most demanding of Rome's four great pastas. Spaghetti or tonnarelli with Pecorino Romano cheese and black pepper — nothing else. The technique is everything: the cheese must be emulsified into a creamy sauce without clumping, using only the starchy pasta water. When it is done perfectly, it is one of the greatest pasta dishes in the world. Where to try it: any traditional trattoria in Testaccio or Trastevere.

• 2. CARBONARA
• Rigatoni or spaghetti with guanciale (cured pork cheek), egg yolk, Pecorino Romano and black pepper. No cream — ever. The creaminess comes entirely from the emulsification of egg and cheese with the pasta water. A good carbonara is rich, silky and deeply satisfying. Where to try it: look for restaurants that use rigatoni rather than spaghetti — a sign they take the dish seriously.

• 3. AMATRICIANA
• Bucatini with guanciale, San Marzano tomatoes, Pecorino Romano and a touch of chilli. Originally from the mountain town of Amatrice, now one of Rome's most beloved pasta dishes. The combination of sweet tomato, salty guanciale and sharp Pecorino is perfectly balanced. Where to try it: the Jewish Ghetto and Testaccio have some of the best versions.

• 4. GRICIA
• The oldest of Rome's four great pastas — sometimes called white amatriciana because it predates the arrival of tomatoes in Italy. Rigatoni with guanciale, Pecorino Romano and black pepper. Simpler than it sounds and deeply satisfying. Where to try it: less common than the other three, but any good Roman trattoria should have it.

• 5. SUPPLI
• Fried rice balls with a molten mozzarella centre, sometimes with ragu mixed into the rice. The Roman answer to arancini and arguably better — the rice is softer, the coating crispier, the mozzarella more generous. Found at pizza al taglio shops across the city. Where to try it: Supplì Roma in Trastevere is the most famous, but any good pizza al taglio shop will have them.

• 6. CARCIOFI ALLA GIUDIA
• Deep-fried artichokes from the Jewish Ghetto — one of Rome's most distinctive dishes. The artichoke is flattened and fried twice until the outer leaves are crispy and the heart is tender. Available from late winter through spring when Roman artichokes are in season. Where to try it: the restaurants of the Jewish Ghetto, particularly around Via del Portico d'Ottavia.

• 7. PORCHETTA
• Slow-roasted whole pig seasoned with rosemary, garlic and fennel, served in a crusty bread roll. The best comes from the towns of Ariccia and Marino in the Castelli Romani hills south of Rome. Found at market stalls and dedicated porchetta shops across the city. Where to try it: the Testaccio Market has an excellent porchetta stall.

• 8. CODA ALLA VACCINARA
• Oxtail braised for hours with tomatoes, celery, pine nuts and raisins in a rich, complex sauce. A classic of Roman cucina povera — the cooking of the poor — that uses the cheaper cuts of meat that the wealthy did not want. Takes patience to make and rewards patience to eat. Where to try it: Testaccio and Trastevere trattorias that have been open for decades.

• 9. SALTIMBOCCA ALLA ROMANA
• Thin veal escalopes topped with prosciutto and fresh sage, pan-fried in butter and white wine. The name means jump in the mouth — a reference to how good it tastes. One of Rome's most elegant second courses. Where to try it: any traditional Roman restaurant that serves secondi — it should be on the menu.

• 10. TIRAMISU
• Rome's most famous dessert — layers of espresso-soaked savoiardi biscuits, mascarpone cream and cocoa powder. The name means pick me up — a reference to the coffee and the effect it has. A good tiramisu should be made fresh daily. Where to try it: order it if it is made in-house; avoid it if it comes pre-packaged or arrives in an individual plastic cup.

WHERE TO FIND THE BEST ROMAN FOOD All ten dishes are available across Rome, but the best versions are found in traditional trattorias in Testaccio, Trastevere and the Jewish Ghetto — away from the main tourist areas. Look for restaurants with handwritten menus, no photographs of food and a clientele that includes locals as well as tourists.