4 Spots in Rome That Locals Love
The Colosseum at night … when all the crowds are gone ;)
You may have heard the saying,
“When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”
Well, you’re in luck because we’ve scoured the Eternal City and found four of her locally loved spots just for you. You won’t find long lines or selfie sticks, in fact, I witnessed an old man chase a group of girls away from a coffee spot with a rolled up newspaper mid-filming TikTok dances. You bet your ass I wasn’t going to take my phone out and record it, not with my broken Italian and Zara outfit, nope. Nothing against Zara, but this is Italy.
The people of Rome have mastered the art of living and will die trying to protect it. “When in Rome,” is all about following the customs of the place you are visiting, and Rome’s got some amazing customs: desserts for breakfast, a laid back bottle of wine for lunch, a pre-dinner cocktail time called aperitivo and - our favorite, PASTA. Pasta is acceptable any time, anywhere, no shame or questions asked. You actually get funny looks if you don’t order pasta.
We’ll start the list like we start our day, with a cappuccino and a pastry…
Bar San Calisto
Enjoying our daily fix of Bar San Calisto among locals in Trastevere, Rome.
San Calisto is a traditional Italian "bar,” meaning it serves coffee drinks, pastries, beer, hard alcohol and soda. It’s in the trendy spot of Rome called Trastevere and is open early enough to service all of your first-cup-of-the-day needs. In Italy, it is FORBIDDEN to order a cappuccino after 11am, so if you’re a cappuccino lover, get one early and get one here. I could write a whole blog post about caffeine etiquette but here are some quick tips for ordering a cup of coffee in Italy without embarrassing yourself.
It’s ES-presso, not EX-presso
Typically, you go inside the cafe, pay for your beverage at a cashier, and then give your receipt to the person working behind the counter. These receipts are vague and you will need to verbalize in Italian what you want to the barista. For example, a receipt may read 2 x beve (2 drinks). You will need to say, “un cappuccino e un espresso per favore,” to the person who looks very busy and underwhelmed with your existence.
Never, never, never order a cappuccino after 11am. They will roll their eyes at you because DUH who drinks milk after eating? Not Italians. Italians take digestion seriously, and they believe you do not consume milk post lunch or dinner. So if you’re going to indulge in a dairy-filled drink, do it early.
Nothing is to-go. Whatever you order, you consume there.
You can move the tables and chairs around. I know this sounds silly, but this was my first international trip since Covid and I was playing it more safely than usual. If a table or chair was somewhere, I left it. My partner Mike and I stood back waiting for a table to open up when one of the local’s literally dragged a table and two unclaimed chairs together to make us a table and gestured for us to sit.
Aside from the morning coffee, Bar Calisto has the best aperitivo prices ~ and vibe ~ in Trastevere. This is the place where a group of girls got shooed away by locals - with a rolled up newspaper nonetheless - while doing a TikTok dance in front of the cafe. They weren’t even inside the cafe, which was the best part, they were just in the line of sight of a group of local men who were not having it. This spot is an all around win: locals who will pull up a table for you, cheap drinks, prime spot to people watch and an unpretentious attitude. They even have killer gelato, SANS TikTok.
Don’t even think about using their stomping grounds for your TikTok videos.
Tonnarello
A Negroni, a Barolo and the first bite of pasta. Note the guests waiting for a table in the background. Don’t worry, the line moves quick.
It’s where I took my partner to have his first bite of pasta in Italy. That’s how good this place is. And I would take EVERY SINGLE READER THERE TOO, if I could. Is your passport valid though? Double check..
Tonnarello is unique in the fact that their menu is very large. Most restaurants in Rome have a few items and what you see is what you get. Tonnarello has many of Rome’s staple dishes all in one place, like our favorite: Cacio e Pepe, a cheesy pasta with a bite of black pepper and nutty, buttery undertones. If you see a long line, don’t fret. Put your name in with the hostess and grab a carafe of wine from the bar inside near the bathroom. Pro tip: pay cash, everyone is busy af and has no time for you to stumble around for your credit card let alone get a signature from you. Once you’ve secured the vino, head to the street to enjoy a glass al fresco while you wait for them to YELL your name. What? all the locals are doing it. Finish your meal with a tiramisu and thank us later.
Proloco Trastevere
Proloco Trastevere spotlights local farms with its weekly Farmer’s Brunch on Sundays.
Okay, I know what you’re thinking, does this list extend anywhere outside of Trastevere, and the answer is yes … BUT we couldn’t move on without telling you about Proloco Trastevere - a haven for foodies who are passionate about provenance and sustainability with a menu heavily that reflects it.
Proloco has a Farmer’s Brunch that happens each Sunday. Yes, you read that right, BRUNCH! While typical restaurants throughout the city close for Siesta, Proloco opens its doors each Sunday at noon to highlight a nearby farm or territory. It’s a culinary storytime, using food to transcribe the process, artistry and traditions of a region. Think cold cuts, fresh cheeses, seasonal vegetables and recipes passed down from Nonna e Nonno in each thoughtful bite.
The emphasis of cherishing all things local is what makes this one of our favorite spots in Rome. This restaurant has all of our favorite things: woodfired, crispy pizzas, upscale cocktails (at blue collar prices!) and consistently good food. Start with an order of roasted artichokes before biting into a perfectly al-dente plate of amatriciana rigatoni with tender guanciale or slow-cooked meatballs in a bright tomato sauce.
Taverna Lucifero
Taverna Lucifero, where host Franceso-Marie is just as earthy and grounded as the truffles he shaves over each dish.
We were put onto Taverna Lucifero from a family friend and it was the most memorable meal we had in Rome. We got the filet mignon with truffle and split the pasta with truffle. This is THE PLACE to go if you like truffles because the owner, Francesco-Marie, walks around with one in hand and freshly shaves it over your meal. He even keeps going that extra second after you say, “stop.”
From the moment we approached the Taverna Lucifero we felt taken care of, held. There’s something so genuine about Franceso-Marie, so trusting. Maybe he’s just like the truffles he serves up, earthy and grounded. It’s rare to be served by a master of their craft anymore, and we felt lucky; he made thoughtful wine recommendations, steered our menu choices in a great direction and even slipped us some complimentary biscotti before we left. The hospitality was felt in a genuine way and was far from overbearing.
We were both so satisfied with our meals, but also, American, so when we saw the table next to us get the fondue, we got the fondue. It was a stream of melted truffle cheese that we dipped crusty bread into. I keep that moment stored in a memory bank for ::things I want to flash before my eyes when I die::
The meal was so relaxing and transported us to a time pre-pandemic when you could sit and have a conversation after a meal without feeling rushed. Franceso-Marie sent over some dessert wine and chatted with us before moving along to make another table feel like his lifelong friend.
Fully living the When in Rome lifestyle.
The When in Rome attitude teaches us to adopt the ways of a local people, to broaden our narrowing tastes, ideals, habits and open up a bit, even if temporarily. The first time I visited Rome, and every time thereafter, I feel at ease.
The pace of the city is relaxed, but not slow. There are all the luxuries of a modern world, wrapped around the cobblestone streets. There’s churches made so beautiful an atheist could cry, and pasta dishes that stoke even more emotions than the churches. There’s Offerta boxes hungry for coins from all countries, and people from all countries hungry for the local lifestyle that is Rome.
CIAO
Until next time, Rome.