Rome is a beautiful destination for a holiday in Italy, not only for art and archaeology lovers but also for flavor seekers and food addicts. Strolling and walking through its streets and alleys, it is possible to be surrounded by the smell of crispy, tasty, and delicious flavors of original Roman street food.
Trying the best local cuisine is a must for every traveler spending time visiting the Eternal City. That’s why it is important to know which are the original and authentic street food delicacies in Rome, to experience the ultimate food journey. From the famous fried supplì to the sweet maritozzo, discover with us the 7 best street foods to eat in Rome—an ultimate must-try street food guide to experience at least once in a lifetime.
Traditional roman street food: pizza by the slice – “pizza al taglio”
Rome is a haven for street food lovers, thanks to the many bars, bistros, and rotisseries that serve tasty and delicious local street food every day at any time. At the top of the most popular Roman delicacies is the so-called pizza al taglio, a rectangular slab of crispy, chewy dough, topped with tasty sauces, condiments, and mozzarella cheese. Usually sold in small pizza shops in Rome’s city center, pizza al taglio is the perfect grab-and-go meal—perfectly portioned and a delicious way to explore the flavors of Rome.
Fried Supplì
These small fried balls are made with tomato rice and a piece of mozzarella cheese, which should form a string when pulled apart if cooked properly. Supplì is one of the most famous Roman street food delicacies—a tasty appetizer or something to enjoy while strolling through the city center. Since supplì is a very popular local food, many rotisseries and bakeries serve fresh fried supplì every day at any time, making it the perfect delicious snack for a break during a tour of the majestic monuments of the Eternal City.
Italian gelato
It is not simply ice cream—it is Italian gelato, famous worldwide for its dense, rich, and intensely flavored creamy texture, served at a warmer temperature than regular ice cream. Rome’s city center is full of artisanal gelato shops that serve fresh, homemade gelato with fruit and cream flavors every day. During the summertime, but also on sunny winter days, it is very common to see locals and tourists walking through the streets and alleys while enjoying fresh gelato in cones or small cups.
Trapizzino
When a pizza meets a sandwich, the trapizzino is born—a delicious and flavorful explosion, an authentic Roman culinary masterpiece. The so-called trapizzino is a warm, crispy pocket of pizza bianca filled with traditional Italian dishes like meatballs in tomato sauce or fried eggplant parmesan (melanzane alla parmigiana), a perfect fusion between pizza and the most authentic Italian flavors.
Trapizzino is a recent addition to the Roman street food scene, but it has quickly conquered the palates of locals and tourists alike. It is absolutely something to try during a vacation in Rome.
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Roman Street Food: Maritozzo with cream
The so-called maritozzo is the most famous Roman sweet, traditionally eaten by locals as a breakfast treat at the bar, accompanied by a cappuccino. This pastry is a sweet, fluffy bun, split open and overflowing with a mountain of whipped cream. Its consistency is softer than a cloud, melting on the tongue with every bite. Starting the day with a freshly made maritozzo from a bakery or bar in Rome’s city center is priceless—the best way to stay strong and energetic for a full day of touring and discovering the wonderful heritage of the Eternal City.
Fresh grattachecca
With an original recipe dating back to Ancient Rome, the so-called grattachecca is a summer ritual for locals, a sweet and refreshing cold treat. Made with grated ice and flavored with fruit syrups, grattachecca is a must during the hottest days of summer and is usually topped with fresh fruit pieces. Sold by small street stalls across Rome, grattachecca differs from Sicilian granita because it is made by scraping ice from a large block.
Cod fillets, the Roman version of fish and chips
The Roman version of fish and chips is filetti di baccalà—a classic Roman street food with a recipe passed down for centuries. The so-called filetti di baccalà are tender, flaky cod fillets, deep-fried to a golden crisp, creating a contrast between the salty, crispy exterior and the soft, delicate fish inside. The secret to enjoying cod fillets is to remove the excess salt to enhance the delicate flavor. Filetti di baccalà is a very popular traditional Roman street food, a tasty treat to enjoy after exploring the ancient ruins or modern museums of the Eternal City.