Italian food is known by everyone around the world for their delicious tastes, smells and flavorsome dishes that people travel across the world to try. As you can expect, their lunches are also packed full of flavor. Traditionally for Italians, lunch is considered the most important and the biggest meal of the day eaten between 1-3PM. A typical Italian lunch consists of having two courses with a side dish; il primo (the first course) is normally a dish of fresh pasta, rice or a similar starchy dish, il secondo (the second course) is a simple meat or fish dish that is normally served with a side of bread & vegetables and then of course this is all washed down with some Italian wine. If you’ve had a busy tour full of walking around the amazing Vatican museum or the ancient city, you may be looking for a nice sit down meal full of flavorsome dishes. Now of course the big question that can make or break a good day, where to have lunch in Rome? If you’re staying in the center of Rome or in the Vatican City, we have a few of our favorite restaurants that we recommend you visit after your tour.

Where to Have Lunch in Rome City Center?

#1 Fresco Coronari
Location: Via Dei Coronari 94/96, Rome
Opening Hours: Mon – Sat 10AM – 10PM, Sun 10AM – 5PM
Nearby Attractions: Piazza Navona, The Pantheon, and Campo de’ Fiori

If you’re looking for some Mediterranean and European dishes then this is the spot for you. No matter what you are craving, there is something to suit everyone’s pallets. This restaurant boasts a range of vegetarian dishes including a delicious lentil soup that we definitely recommend for you on a cold day in Rome. If you’re looking for some more tradiational Italian dishes then there is a range of home made lasagna, Roman artichokes (a must have when you’re visiting Rome), foccacia bread and many other Italian dishes made daily in the restaurant. The atmosphere in this restaurant is extremely cosy with wooden furniture, perfect for a nice relaxing meal after your tour.

#2 Cantina E Cucina
Location: Via del Governo Vecchio 87, Rome.
Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday 11AM – 1AM
Nearby Attractions: Near Piazza Navona, The Trevi Fountain, and the Pantheon

Finding a restaurant to visit in the center of Rome can be difficult, with so many tourist traps selling mediocre dishes it can be easy to fall into their restaurants. But, don’t worry about doing this now. Cantina e Cucina is a traditional pizzeria that sells some delicious fresh pizzas & home made pastas as well. They also serve some great twists on traditional Italian meals, including a plate of meatballs with mashed potatoes – although this may sound like it’s not very Italian, it’s definitely worth a try. The buzzing atmosphere in the restaurant will keep you on your toes and keep you dreaming of living in Italy.

#3 Ristorante Pizzeria Luzzi
Location: Via di S. Giovanni in Laterano, 88, Rome.
Opening Hours: 12PM-12AM; Closed Wednesday
Nearby Attractions: Colosseum, Domus Aurea and Circus Maximus.

If you’re visiting the Colosseum or the surrounding areas and want to get a bite of pizza, this is the spot for you. The traditional Italian pizzeria, founded in 1945, is known for their wood-oven cooked pizzas and homemade pasta.There is a rustic feel about the restaurant with open wood-oven fires used to cook pizzas and a family style tradition so you may see the grandmother and grandson working throughout the restaurant. The home-made flavours of the food will have you talking about it for months after your meal.

#4 Il Bocconcino
Location: Via Ostilia, 23. Rome.
Opening Hours: 12:30PM-3:30PM; 7:30PM-11:30PM; Closed on Wednesday.
Nearby Attractions: Colosseum, Domus Aurea and Circus Maximus.

This restaurant boasts its locally produced raw ingredients that they use to create some delicious dishes. Their whole concept is based on the idea that their produce should not have to transported from around the world before it gets to your plate – a great sustainable incentive that we love! Their menu is based on seasonable food, so you will only find food that is in season in Italy. But although you may think this could cut down the variety of food they offer, don’t worry about that. They always have something up their sleeve including; ravioli stuffed with that season’s vegetables, cheese and cold cuts, pastas & many other dishes.

Where to Have Lunch Near Vatican City?

If you’re near Vatican City, you’ll find other restaurants that should satisfy your lunch cravings. Here are a few:

#1 Il Mozzicone
Location: Borgo Pio, 180, Rome.
Opening Hours: 12PM-3PM;7PM-11PM; Closed Sundays.
Nearby Attractions: St. Peter’s Basilica & The Vatican Museums.

Located just 15 minutes walk away from the Vatican Museums, this restaurant is extremely popular because of their traditional Italian meals. You can choose to try a range of dishes including; pizza, pasts, meat & seafood. This is the place to go to if you really want to sit, relax and watch the city pass by you. We recommend that for a traditional starter you try their suppli, a traditional starter consisting of small balls of rice that are fried.

#2 Pastasciutta
Location: Via delle Grazie, 5, Rome.
Opening Hours: Monday – Saturday 10:30 AM – 6:30 PM, Sunday 10:30 AM – 6:00 PM
Nearby Attractions: St. Peter’s Basilica & The Vatican Museums.

This restaurant’s specialty is fresh pasta that is made every morning. Although the restaurant itself may be small, don’t be hesitant about trying this place. It is in prime location if you’re wanting to grab something after your tour of the Vatican Museums. You can choose to either dine in the restaurant (But beware as we said it is quite small so we recommend you go earlier to get a spot) or you can do what we love to do, ask to take away the pasta in a small box and find somewhere to sit oust die to enjoy your meal. Every day they have a new dish, but you can expect to find dishes like strozzapreti with cream & salmon, spaghetti cacio e pepe and many others.

#3 Arlu
Location: Via Borgo Pio, 135, Rome.
Opening Hours: Monday to Saturday  11:30 AM – 4:00 PM, 6:30 PM – 10:00 PM, Sunday Closed
Nearby Attractions: St. Peter’s Basilica & The Vatican Museums.

If you are looking for fresh seafood and pasta, then this is the place for you! Arlu serves an excellent dish of tuna tartar and a variety of seafood risottos. Although if fish isn’t for you, then they also have sell Roman style pizza which is thin & crispy with lots of delicious toppings on top. If you have a sweet tooth like we do, then you may be looking for some tasty desserts to end your meal, they sell a great traditional tiramisu or a panacotta with caramel sauce on top! If you’re visiting in the spring or early summer time when the weather is great, you may have the opportunity to dine outside and enjoy the beautiful views of Rome.

#4 Fa-Bio
Location: Via Germanico, 43, Rome.
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 10:30 AM – 5:30 PM, Saturday 10:30 AM – 4:00 PM, Sunday Closed
Nearby Attracions: St. Peter’s Basilica & The Vatican Museums.

If you’ve had enough pizza and pasta and want something light in the summer sun, then Fa-Bio has all of the options for you. Their restaurant is all organic and fresh with salads created that day which are bursting with flavour in every bite – take it from us, we have it for lunch every week! Although the restaurant itself has a few tables, it is the perfect place to take away your salad and enjoy sitting in the sun.

No matter whether you want to sit down for never-ending bottles of wine and plates of pasta or want a quick bite after your tour, Italy has it all.