Alongside archaeological sites and Baroque fountains, one of the first things you will notice when you land in the city is the diverse array of street food places in Rome.
Among the reasons travelers visit Rome, food is certainly king. Whether you are a staunch foodie in the quest for innovative bites or a cultural traveler looking for a quick bite that won’t disappoint, you will definitely want to give street food in Rome a try. Stemming from a century-old tradition, local street food, or cibo di strada, has always been a popular choice in the city, with makeshift stalls springing around every corner. In recent years, award-winning chefs and young toques imprinted their fresh take on a long-standing tradition and the result has been an exciting, ever-evolving scene of portable, hearty, affordable meals.
Being Italy’s capital, you can expect there is no lack of great restaurants, but if you are short on time and have a long list of things to see and do in 3 days in Rome, a lengthy meal might not be your best choice. Please, do not fall for the occasional food truck you might still see around tourist landmarks selling easy snacks of chips and flavorless sandwiches. Stick with us as we provide you with a yummy selection of fantastic street food places in Rome, cheap eats, and casual, on-the-go meals that will leave you as fulfilled and satisfied as if you were or sitting at a fancy restaurant stable.
Table of Contents
Great places for street food and quick meals in Rome
Bonci’s Pizzarium
If you ask me, I would go to Bonci’s Pizzarium every day. I love pizza and I find this the best pizza al taglio in Rome. There are many delicious places (see below for more), but their product is scrumptious, hearty, fulfilling, and yet light on your stomach. We were guilty of ordering too much more than once but that’s OK, we saved it for later.
Each slice has such as rich topping that one or two slices will really make your lunch. If you want to order more, you can ask them and they will pack it for you to have for dinner. Even though more affordable than eating at a fancy restaurant, Pizzarium is not exactly a cheap eat. Due to its position next to the Vatican walls, I also recommend you reach earlier than common Italian lunchtime otherwise the line will be very long and you won’t save much time.
- Where: Via della Meloria 43.
- When: Every day 10 am-11 pm, Sunday 11 am-3 pm and 5 pm-10 pm. Sunday closed.
- Site.
Supplizio
Close to Campo de’ Fiori, Supplizio was founded by award-winning chef Arcangelo Dandini, also the founder and owner of L’Arcangelo in the Prati neighborhood, one of the top-rated restaurants in Rome. At Supplizio, you will find all the recipes of Roman street food, from different types of supplì al telefono (rice ball with a stretched mozzarella heart) for 3€ each to patties to salads for a range of prices from 3 to 8€.
Supplizio, too, is conveniently located in the city center so a perfect lunch stop even if you are exploring Rome for a day only. Lines are not too long at the entrance but spaces are very limited, so if you want to sit back and relax, booking is recommended. If, on the other hand, all you need is a quick bite, have your tasty morsels ready to take away and enjoy them on the go.
- Where: Via dei Banchi Vecchi 143.
- When: Mon-Fri 11.30 am-4 pm and 5-9.30 pm. Saturday 11.30 am-4 pm and 5-10 pm. Sunday closed.
- Site.
Trapizzino
After Rome, the successful invention by Stefano Callegari landed in many other Italian cities and even reached New York. Trapizzino is a pizza sandwich stuffed with the Roman classics, from lingua in salsa verde (tongue on a green sauce) to trippa alla romana, Roman-style tripes, to the chicken stew dear to the Roman tradition and known as pollo alla cacciatora.
You can eat Trapizzino in several places in Rome so whether you are visiting the most famous highlights or unearthing some lesser-known landmark, look out for this triangular, stuffed pizza around the corner: it might be there. Along with the five fixed items, the menu includes also three toppings that change with the season, and the price for each Trapizzino is always 4€.
- Where: Via Giovanni Branca 88 (Testaccio), Piazzale di Ponte Milvio 13 (Ponte Milvio), Piazza Trilussa 46 (Trastevere), Piazzale delle Provincie 9 (Nomentano).
- When: Sun-Thur 12 pm-12 am and Fri-Sat 12 pm-1 am. Testaccio’s shop closed on Monday, Trastevere’s shop closed on Sunday and Monday.
- Site.
Antico Forno Roscioli
Famed bakery Romans love, Roscioli has been proudly dishing out fragrant bread and pizza for at least two centuries. Located between Largo Argentina and Campo de’ Fiori, you will probably reach Roscioli attracted by the intoxicating scent of freshly baked bread and focaccia made with their famous sourdough.
Their baked goods are perfect to accompany any meal coming out from their kitchen directly to their “gastronomia” section, the Italian style fast food that likes to match healthy ingredients with casual bites. Of course if you feel like a sweet treat after your light meal, Roscioli offers also a mouthwatering choice of cakes, pastries, and all types of sweets.
- Where: Via dei Chiavari 34.
- When: Mon-Sat 7 am-7.30 pm and Sunday 8 am-6 pm.
- Site.
Pinsere
Another of my favorite pizza in Rome is Pinsere, located in the elegant Trieste/Sallustiano neighborhood very close to the Horti Sallustiani, one of the most important villas in the republican age that is now private and only partially visible. There is no table up for grab at Pinsere, this is an authentic street food eatery in Rome.
Choose your favorite toppings and enjoy the view of the open kitchen where a team of pizzaioli energetically kneads different flours, swirls thin dough, and stuffs the oval-shaped Roman-style pinsa goodness with all sorts of seasonal combinations.
Make your order and take your place on one of the benches outside the pizzeria al taglio, when it’s ready, they will call you and you can enjoy it right there standing or choose to have it on the go while you keep your sightseeing this residential neighborhood that counts worth-visiting yet less obvious landmarks, including a small part of the ruins of Julius Caesar’s Horti Sallustiani villa.
- Where: Via Flavia 98.
- When: Weekdays 11 am-4 pm, Saturday and Sunday closed.
- Site.
La Norcineria Iacozzilli
This delicious deli is in the quaint Trastevere neighborhood, a favorite among locals and tourists for its traditional vibe and cobbled alleys. One of the most popular street food places in Rome’s Trastevere, Norcineria Iacozzilli displays a tempting selection of regional and Italian cold cuts, many made in-house, types of cheese, and pizza bianca, the Roman-style focaccia so dear to the locals.
Famous for their porchetta, slow-roasted spiced pork, they can make you a sandwich with whatever product you choose after a few trials on the spot. Unmissable for anyone wishing for a good and fulfilling lunch in Trastevere and also if you are looking for yummy gifts and souvenirs from Rome.
- Where: Via Natale del Grande 15.
- When: Every day 9 am-1 pm and 4.30-8.30 pm. Monday until 5 pm, Sunday closed.
Norcineria Iacozzilli is also part of Twilight Trastevere food tour!
Volpetti
The family-run and homey vibe is what travelers like about Volpetti’s gourmet food shop in the working-class Testaccio neighborhood. Apart from a hearty sandwich filled with anything from local sausage to a Roman pecorino cheese, here you can also do some fantastic gift shopping for your foodie friends and family back home or for yourself for when you miss Italian food too much.
Just like Norcineria Iacozzilli mentioned above, Volpetti is a deli so it follows the shops’ opening hours. If you feel like sitting, 60 meters away (Via Alessandro Volta 8) there is their own restaurant, Volpetti Taverna.
- Where: Via Marmorata 47.
- When: Every day 10 am-2 pm and 4 pm-8 pm. Monday only morning, Sunday closed.
- Site.
La Sandwicheria
Handy and easy on-the-go eatery for the cultural travelers visiting one of Rome’s crowdest sites, Fontana di Trevi. Hungry tourists will be spoilt for choice with a long and diverse list of sandwich fillings for every taste and diet, making it one of the favorite options for busy travelers looking for where to eat near Trevi Fountain.
The number of ingredients for the filling is fixed at five and you can remove and replace keeping the same price or adding one more for an extra charge. Either way, one of those sandwiches will have you carry on for the rest of the day, especially if afterward you treat yourself with a delicious gelato from nearby San Crispino gelateria.
- Where: Via del Nazareno 16/17.
- When: Every day 11 am-3 pm. Closed on Sunday.
Mordi e Vai
Mordi e Vai is a popular shop in Mercato Testaccio, one of the top food markets in Rome. Make sure you arrive hungry because their panini are not the average bar-style sandwiches. A large bread stuffed with traditional Roman recipes including picchiapò meat stew, sausages and meatballs will make for a quick yet hearty and fulfilling lunch.
Running a successful street food stall since 2012, Mordi e Vai shows no sign of cooling, with locals and tourists enthusiastically stopping here for their lunch break.
- Where: Box 15 at Nuovo Mercato Testaccio, Via Beniamino Franklin 12E.
- When: Mon-Sat 8 am-3 pm. Sunday closed.
100% Bio
This is not a street food place strictly speaking, but a lovely and affordable vegan restaurant offering a rich buffet of dishes entirely made with organic ingredients. You will find a nice selection of rice, pasta, veggies, and beans.
The buffet is set up only for lunch, while for dinner the menu will be à la carte. In the area, there are some small pizza al taglio and bars, but if you need to sit and have a warmer lunch, 100% Bio near Rome’s Pyramid of Caestius and the Protestant Cemetery is an affordable option and the buffet format makes it pretty quick.
- Where: Piazza di Porta San Paolo 6/a.
- When: Every day 8 am-9 pm, Thur-Sat until 10 pm, Sunday until 4 pm.
- Site.
Maido Okonomiyaki Japanese street food in Rome
Here is one of the one-of-a-kind street food places in Rome. Inspired by the culinary tradition of Osaka, second biggest city in Japan, in Italy Maido first opened in Milan and seeing the great success, it doubled in Rome’s Monti neighborhood.
If you are a fan of Japanese food, you should definitely try Maido, even though it’s not the typical sushi place. At Maido in Monti the star of the show is the “okonomiyaki”, a sort of savory pancake typical of Osaka. Made with flour, eggs, and cabbage, it’s very versatile and can be topped with a variety of condiments from meat to fish like the popular bonito (dried fish flakes), green seaweed, veggies, and spicy sauces.
If you don’t fancy the okonomiyaki don’t worry, Maido serves also other Japanese specialties such as the famous rice-based nigiri, dorayaki sweet red bean pancakes, katsu sandwiches made of pork loin stuffed panko bread, and the always popular bowls for a more complete meal. A staple of any respectable Japanese menu, traditional miso soup, an elixir of life to start your meal with, is available every day and so are the delicious buckwheat yaki soba and think yaki udon noodles.
- Where: Via Urbana 122.
- When: Every day 12-3 pm and 7-11 pm, Friday and Saturday until 12 am.
- Site.
Poldo Panino League, a soccer-inspired street food place in the heart of Rome
Poldo Panino League was founded in 2009 in Tivoli and after 14 golden years, the owner decided it was time to double the endeavor. So where did they decide to expand their adventure? In Rome’s city center, next to Campo de’ Fiori, nonetheless.
Seamlessly combining soccer and good food, the two brothers Mauro and Francesco Teodori chose to make Italianness Poldo’s appeal and status symbol. Lovers of hearty meals on the go will be spoilt for choice and will likely make a comeback to what’s about to become one of the busiest street food places in Rome.
With a glorious assortment of up to 40 different types of sandwiches, the fillings include anything from gorgonzola to salmon, bresaola northern Italian cured meat, shrimp, parmesan, pesto sauce, and even wild boar sausage and scamorza cheese.
The place is small but whimsical to say the least with its football pitch-style floor, balls coming down from the ceiling, and all around t-shirts signed by the world champions (Messi, Pelè, Ronaldo, Totti, Cantona).
Poldo is a small Little Italy where you can pick up and take away so you can eat its delicious sandwiches while walking through the streets of Rome. Fret not, you can also eat on the spot thanks to the 25 indoor seats for those who want to eat inside this little temple of football.
Fair enough, your sandwich can only be accompanied by a good craft beer (German, English, Italian with an eye on those from Trentino-Alto Adige and Rome). The drink list also offers white and red wines and soft drinks.
- Where: Via del Pellegrino 107.
- When: Tuesday to Sunday 11 am-12 am. Closed on Monday.
- Website.
O Rei do Marisco, Cape Verdean street food place in Rome
A tropical street food eatery near Piazza Bologna, at O Rei do Marisco you can sample specialties from Africa, Latin and South America, and Asia keeping close to the Italian style. Strongly influenced by their life and work in Cape Verde, two Italian friends came back to Italy to launch one of the most exotic street food places in Rome.
Raw fish, roots, tropical fruits, salted codfish, seafood poké and sandwiches with squid, prawns, soy-marinated raw tuna, ginger and more of these delicious foreign flavors are popular dishes in this fusion exotic eatery in Rome. The Italian touch can be found in the staples of pasta and bread used instead of rice, more popular in tropical countries.
O Rei do Marisco restaurant offers take away options but if you prefer you can also eat there. You can order one of their complete menus paired with a quality wine or beer from their selected list, or opt for a platter of a selection of raw fish tartare, tempting bruschette, and artisan fried chips.
- Where: Via Eleonora d’Arborea 22.
- When: Every day 11.30 am-11 pm.
- Site.
Porcobrado, pork-filled sandwiches in Monti
Coming from generations of farmers that for a hundred years has bred and worked with several select pork breeds, the founder and chef of Porcobrado, Angelo Polezzi, landed in Rome from his hometown in the countryside of Cortona in Tuscany.
This is one of those street food places in Rome that meat eaters will go back over and over again. The idea behind Porcobrado is very simple: Polezzi wanted to serve a sandwich just like he likes it. The meat he uses is only high-quality and not from intensive farming, and when it stuffs his sandwiches, it needs to be tender and juicy, with a smoky aftertaste and perfectly blending with the accompanying sauces.
From the ancient Verna grain and sordough used to make the bread to the long process of cooking the filling, when you buy a sandwich from Porcobrado you are sure to be eating premium street food. Only the process to cook the meat, from the smoking on apple and cherry trees to the slow marinade of a couple of days on a mix of spices before being cooked on their BBQ only using Cortona wood.
Dressed with delicious sauces of red onion, jalapeno or the Roman cacio e pepe, together with the sandwiches you can order also cold cuts and Porcilla artisan beer.
- Where: Via Urbana 31.
- When: Open every day except Monday.
- Site.
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