Eating Like a Local on a Rome Food Tour
Recently voted the world’s best food destination by TasteAtlas, Rome boasts a culinary culture unmatched anywhere else on Earth. Many of us will be familiar with typical Roman fare. Crunchy Roman-style pizza with a thin charred crust, creamy fettuccine alla carbonara with a glossy golden sauce, layers of indulgent tiramisù with a subtle boozy kick. But these just scratch the surface of Rome’s best-known culinary staples, beloved (and all too often botched) in kitchens all around the world.
To dive deeper into authentic Roman cuisine, and discover where the locals go to treat their taste buds, we embarked on Carpe Diem Tours’ multi award-winning Rome Food Tour through Trastevere, a medieval district of winding streets, buzzing squares, and an authentically Roman atmosphere. Trastevere’s growing popularity means it has its fair share of tourist traps. But thanks to our expert guide, we instead visited the hidden spots beloved by locals. Here’s what made this Rome Food Tour unforgettable.
What to Expect on a Food Tour through Trastevere
The three-hour tour included around a dozen dishes or tastings, carefully curated to highlight Rome’s rich culinary heritage. Our first stop was a family-run delicatessen where we indulged in an array of regional cheeses and cured meats, perfectly paired with local honey and preserves, and a mouthwatering cut of Rome’s renowned roast pork porchetta.
The food (and wine) was nothing short of exceptional. But what really made this experience unique was our guide, who introduced us to the owners and made us feel like family and shared insights about what we were eating that transformed this tour into something more.
Deep-fried delights
Next up was a beloved street food spot, just around the corner from Trastevere’s main drag. Despite a long line of regular patrons, our guide’s local connections allowed us to bypass the queue for fresh, sizzling supplì—crispy rice balls with a molten core of mozzarella and tomato sauce. They were, without a doubt, the best supplì we sampled during our trip.
Pizza perfection
After a short stroll past Bar San Calisto, where locals were sitting around sharing beers and playing cards, and the picturesque Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere, with the steps of its Baroque-era fountain serving as as meeting point for Rome’s young and beautiful, we enjoyed Roman-style pizza al taglio (pizza served by the slice). Airy, crisp, and delicately topped, this pizza stood apart thanks to its 24-hour leavening process, which made each bite impossibly light.
A dish from the days of Caesar
Our group then stepped inside an extraordinary ivy-covered building, which has served as a synagogue, a convent, a foundry, a private residence, and now a restaurant. Its atmospheric basement dates back to the Roman Republic, and the time of Julius Caesar, and is now a captivating wine cellar. Here, we tasted a rich, meaty stew deeply rooted in Roman tradition and learned from the passionate owner about their commitment to the Slow Food movement, sourcing local and sustainable ingredients.
Pasta, as you’ve never tasted before
The next stop was a bustling trattoria where we sampled Rome’s iconic pasta dishes: rigatoni alla carbonara and rigatoni all’amatriciana. As our guide told us, Roman pasta dishes are really simple; the secret to their success is in the ingredients and how they’re prepared. Both were cooked perfectly al dente and combined simple yet powerful flavors, making them unforgettable highlights of the tour.
Sweet treats to finish
Our final stop was at an acclaimed gelateria nestled along a charming Trastevere street. This family-run establishment served incredibly creamy, artisanal gelato free from artificial additives. Our guide also offered valuable tips on how to recognise quality gelato, ensuring we avoided tourist traps during the remainder of our visit.
What Made This Tour so Special
One of the tour’s standout features was its intimate group setting. With a small group limited to around ten people (though private and semi-private options are also available), we enjoyed the personalised attention of our guide, lively conversation, and insightful cultural exchanges.
By the end, it felt less like a formulaic food tour and more like an evening spent among friends.
Something else that made it so memorable was meeting the dedicated people behind the food. From passionate deli owners to skilled pizzaioli, each local shared their stories and made us feel welcome, deepening our appreciation for Rome’s deep-rooted food culture.
Finally, the eateries we visited on this tour used only fresh, seasonal ingredients, free from pesticides and bursting with taste.
An Food Tour Worth Every Bite
This award-winning Rome Food Tour was about more than tasting exceptional cuisine—it was an authentic immersion into Roman life. We left feeling satisfied, educated, and inspired, equipped with the knowledge to spot genuine Roman eateries and confidently avoid tourist traps.
Whether it’s your first or fifth visit to Rome, booking this tour should be at the top of your itinerary. Life, especially while traveling, is far too short for anything but extraordinary food.
