Italy · DINING EXPERIENCES IN ROME
This is the shortlist you would send a friend who lands on Friday: 5 dining experiences in Rome that repay the money, each with its cost and the one thing to know before you commit.
Take a 30-minute train from Roma Termini to Frascati, where a family host meets you at the station. Walk through town, taste two family wines with local meats and cheese, make fresh pasta, choose a Roman sauce, and visit an old wine cave. Hosts may include Rosie, Rosa, Nico, or Aurora.
“Awesome! We ate the best homemade pasta and heard the story about Frascati.”
Walk through Trastevere with an English-speaking guide such as Anna, Sunny, or Karina, stopping for cured meats, cheese, supplì, Roman pizza, pasta, wine, a main course, and gelato. This three-hour evening tour uses family-run food shops and trattorias, with vegetarian choices available but no vegan, gluten-free, or allergy-friendly menu.
“Smit was AMAZING!! He made this entire tour worth the money !! He was so good in engaging with the group and was overall excellent! I would do another tour of SMIT himself was hosting”
Spend an evening with Opera da Camera di Roma in the intimate Waldensian Church near Piazza Venezia. A tenor, soprano, and pianist perform arias by Verdi, Puccini, Vivaldi, and others, plus Neapolitan songs. After the roughly 70-minute concert, walk about 500 meters to Enoteca Corsi for a Roman dinner with pasta, a second course, dessert, water, and bread.
“It was a nice experience and local restaurant made it worthwhile”
At Alfredo alla Scrofa, five minutes from Piazza Navona, choose a seasonal tasting menu or a pasta-making class followed by lunch or dinner. Learn to prepare fresh noodles and the restaurant’s famous Fettuccine Alfredo, then sit down for Roman specialties, wine pairings, and a 10% shop discount.
“So glad we chose to book this deal . Food was superb and ambiance authentic Italian in this bustling try. Staff were friendly and attentive despite being busy. Well worth a visit”
Ride 12 km through Rome with a guide such as Zac, Ali, Arina, or Youp, stopping at the Colosseum, Jewish Ghetto, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, and lesser-known corners. Choose the 2.5-hour sightseeing ride or the 4-hour version with trattoria appetizers, pizza or pasta, and a drink.
“Our guide was amazing and had so much knowledge on the history of Rome and despite the fact that we had already seen all the stops, we learned things we didn’t yet know. The meal was fabulous! We stopped at a trattoria that was established in 1960 and felt we got a truly Roman meal. The appies (3) were great and the pizza and pasta option were both delicious! Highly recommend this tour, but you should be comfortable riding in heavy traffic and navigating narrow alleyways with both foot and vehicle traffic.”
Pick a ruin, a gallery, a cellar or a boat.
