Eating Rome: 5 spots shaking up the Eternal City

Sure—cacio e pepe, pizza by the slice, saltimbocca, tiramisu. But a city with over 2,500 years of history can never be reduced to just a handful of specialties—especially with a food scene this creative, challenging the rules of a cuisine often seen as rigid and codified. These five spots prove that while Rome wasn’t built in a day, its gastronomy is constantly evolving.

Love: Viennoiserie that breaks the mold
You’ll find French-inspired classics here—croissants, pain au chocolat, even pain suisse (which, ironically, isn’t Swiss at all). But the long lines form for something else entirely: bold, original creations. Among them, an ultra-thin croissant with extreme flakiness, filled with coffee cream both inside and out. Yes, pastries can go up to €7—but that’s the price of meticulous craftsmanship and striking aesthetics, whether sweet or savory. Flavors change regularly, and in a very social-media-savvy move, the team displays sold-out items right on the storefront—a reminder that the early bird gets the pastry.
📍 Via Tunisi 51-53, 00192 Rome // @love.roma_

Bar Sota: Smash burgers in a chic setting
Bar Sota takes familiar staples—pastrami buns, salmon bagels, smash burgers—and places them in a deliberately unexpected setting: sleek, stylish, and upscale. Think dark tones, copper details, and bold accents like bright yellow ceramic plates. Positioned as a modern diner, it serves lunch and continues throughout the day until 10:30pm.
📍 Via della Frezza 55, Rome // @bar.sota

Dolcè: A sweet and social grocery
Dolcè brings together around twenty carefully selected specialties from some of Italy’s finest pastry chefs and confectioners. But what truly sets it apart is its model: run by Arci Solidarietà, the space functions both as a funding tool for ongoing social projects and as a workplace for people facing vulnerable life situations. A place where indulgence meets impact.
📍 Via Merulana 239, Rome // @dolcemerulana

Cocta Risto Social Club: The interactive table
Opened in late 2025, this hybrid venue—part restaurant, part thrift shop—promises a “zero waste” approach. But what really makes it stand out is how it works. Tables for 4 to 8 people must be booked up to 48 hours in advance. Guests choose their preferred cuisine or cooking style—Italian, Japanese or Chinese fondue, raclette—and select ingredients ahead of time: meats, fish, vegetables, cheeses. Everything is then prepared and stored on-site, and diners take over from there. Think of it as a “choose-your-own-adventure” dining experience.
📍 Via del Casale Rocchi 6, 00158 Rome, Italy // @cocta_ristosocialclub

Forno Ritorno: 100% Italian Breakfast & Brunch
The tone is set immediately, in black and white: “Noi lo chiamiamo cornetto. Il croissant è un’altra cosa.” Translation: here, it’s a cornetto, not a croissant. Behind this statement lies a clear philosophy: bringing things back to basics. The sacred ground here is traditional Italian snacking—tarts, pastries, savory bites—made with locally sourced ingredients and a firm rejection of imported food trends.
📍 Via Amerigo Vespucci 20, 00153 Rome // @fornoritorno