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Best Pizza in Rome

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April 11, 2022

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Best Pizza in Rome

In Rome, you don’t only get to taste pizza, you experience it.

When you see #foodgasm hashtags, flashes of sticky cheese and salty fingers may come to mind. Sure, there are burgers, fries, and perhaps even some of the most expensive foods may nestle comfortably somewhere in front of your mind’s eye. However, there’s another food that’s loved by people around the word. Beautifully rounded (and sometimes squared) pies, topped with yellows and greens and all the goodies in between! Yes, you’ve probably already guessed correctly — it’s pizza! So for all you Holiday Nomads out there visiting the capital of Italy, I want you to enjoy yourself and I want you to experience and enjoy the absolute best pizza in Rome!

It was around A.D. 997 when the term “pizza“ was first coined. However, even before it was named as such, ancient cultures have already used the techniques in pizza-making when they flourished basic flatbreads with various toppings. Originally, these ‘thin wheaten cakes’ were supposedly made to be only ‘platters’ for the meals of Aeneas (Trojan hero of Greco-Roman mythology) and his crew, as said in Virgil’s Aeneid. They took herbs and mushrooms, topped the cakes with these, and realized that they have also been eating their platters! It was only after the 1900’s when the pizza that we came to know travelled the world, and made love with our stomachs. Pizza is a very popular fast food across all country, especially in the USA, where it became an institution, a regular resident of Friday night house parties, and a name in the menu that will be hard to miss.

In this read, we are going home! As we savor that slice from tip to the crust (or the other way around? your choice!), it’s not unlikely for our minds to go to the place where it all started. And when I say place, of course I mean Italy. There are two distinct places in Italy where pizza was said to have started- Rome and Naples. These two places give out two distinct pizzas: the thick-crusted Neapolitan pizza with its soft dough and cornicione, and the scrocchiarella Roman pizza with the crunchy crust. We will be travelling the stone-paved roads of Rome to look at its pizzerias. As we know, this city holds a number of places offering pizzas that comes in all shapes and sizes and a huge selection of topping combinations. You have your Margherita and Cappriciosa, your olives and meat toppings or vegetarian pizza! Whatever you want, Rome has the best pizza for you! 

With that said, the next section lists some hot picks to find the best pizza in Rome.

I. Best Pizza in Rome

1. Bonci/ Pizzarium

Location: Via della Meloria

Hours:   Mon-Sat: 11:00 AM – 10: 00 PM, Sun: 11:59 AM- 4:00PM, 6:00 PM- 10:00 PM

Phone:  +39 06 3974 5416

This pizzeria’s strategic location, being near the Vatican museums, makes it a popular destination for anyone seeking the taste of authentic pizza. Tourists and locals both love the mouth-watering pizza toppings served on slices or pizza al taglio. As for the drinks, don’t miss out on the wide range of tropical drinks they have. Pizzarium is owned by Gabrielle Bonci who was dubbed as the “Michelangelo of pizza making”, famous for his homemade pizza dough. This creativity is reflected in the menu where pizzas are unique from each other. Original Italian pizza as we know it is given fresh new reputation by Pizzarium. This may be why Pizzarium Bonci is easily labeled by many to offer the best pizza in Italy. If you’re looking for the best pizza in Rome, Pizzarium Bonci will not disappoint!

Must Try

• Seasonal flavors:

Persimmon, Romanesco, pumpkin,

• Classics:

Tomato with oregano, potato with mozarella

• Golden ale

Ratings and Reviews

– Rated 4.7 out 5.

– Friendly staff.

– Cozy atmosphere.

– Entertains large crowds.

– Sells by weight at affordable prices.

2. Seu Pizza Illuminati

Location: Via Angelo Bargoni 10 – 18 (Porta Portese)

Hours: Wed-Mon: 7:00 PM- 12:00 MN

Phone: +39 06 588 3384

Like Gabriele Bonci, Pier Daniele Seu, founder of Seu Pizza Illuminati, also studied about dough. He plays with the traditional, experimenting with cuts and corners, while keeping the authentic Italian pizza recipe. You will not miss the original pizza taste while feasting with Neo-Neapolitan flavorings. Inside is a lovely atmosphere with a wide array of ingredients mixed to create bizarre products that are a sure feast for your taste buds. The place, undeniably authentic and aesthetic. Although the place is fairly new, you will hear locals and tourists both recommending this place. You’d find review on the internet testifying that this is the best pizza in Rome if not the best Italian pizza they had.

Must Try

• Fritti
• Suppli stuffed with a silky carbonara filling
• Cappricciosa
• Tiramisu and cheesecake
• Craft beers

Ratings and Reviews

• Seu Pizza lluminati is rated 4.5 out of 5.
• Helpful staff, good atmosphere.
• Almost always full, reservation helps to get a seat.
• Limited hours granted for customers because of many reservations.

3. Emma

Location: Via del Monte della Farina 28 (Campo de’ Fiori)

Hours: Mon-Sun: 12:30pm-3pm, 7-9:30 pm

Phone: +39 06 6476 0475

This pizzeria is prominent for their traditional Italian pizza with the classic Roman style having that thin and crispy crust or scrocchiarella. The authenticity of their pizzas is further proven by the locally-sourced flours and toppings such as Sicilian oregano and anchovies or the buffalo mozzarella from Paestum. These regional products ensure quality for its customers. They offer a wide variety of selections from beer, both craft and draft, and cheeses, French and Italian among others. This place is easily spotted being at the heart of Rome offering dishes at a reasonable price. Dining here is not only #foodgasm, but is #eyegasm as well. As you wait for your food to come, can also watch the pizza guys actually make it.

Must Try

• Buffalo Mozzarella Cheese with prosciutto
• Artichoke salad
• Margherita
• Apple pie
• Gunpowder green tea 

Rating and Reviews

• Emma Pizzeria has an average rating of 4/5.
• Good service despite the long line.
• Better to make a reservation first.

4. Panattoni (Ai Marmi)

Location: Viale di Trastevere 53 (Trastevere)

Hours: Mon-Sun: 7:45 pm- 11:30 pm

Phone: +39 06 580 0919

Founded in 1931, this place is undeniably the oldest and most popular pizzeria in Trastevere. It is often called by locals as l’obitoria meaning the morgue for its vintage marble-slab table tops. Also, “marmi” actually means ‘marble’ so there’s that. The famed long marble tables let you enjoy your food close with other diners. Unlike the other high-end restaurants in Rome, Ai Marmi is your classic neighborhood snack place. Dining here ensures that you will experience the authentic Italian feels and traditional Roman style pizza. Indoor and outdoor dining are equally enticing. They have a nice selection of starters that you can order as you wait for your pizza to come, such as their famous supplì and mozzarella balls.

Must Try

• Fiori di zucca 
• Olive ascolane 
• Pizza Margherita
• Pizza Capricciosa

Ratings and Reviews

• Panattoni (Ai Marmi) has a rating of 3.5/5.
• Almost always packed, come in early for they are not entertaining reservations.
• Quick and efficient crew.

5. La Gatta Mangiona

Location: Via Federico Ozanam 30-32 (Monteverde)

Hours: Mon–Sun: 7:45 PM–11:30 PM

Phone: +39 06 534 6702

La Gatta Mangiona, “the cat with a great appetite”, is one of the first pizzerias to check out. Located in residential Monteverde, this pizzeria will make you feel as if you’re part of the nostalgia. Often you’d see families and friends flocking in to have a taste of that mixture of Roman and Neapolitan styles of pizza they offer. They have a large variety of inventive toppings and drinks to choose from. Giancarlo Casa saw to it that the pizza be ‘renovated’. Traditional Italian pizza recipes was amped up with meticulously researched quality dough. Specials change daily where the mixed and matched topping combinations are showcased.

Must Try

• The fritti
• Fried zucchini flowers, potato croquettes
• Homemade desserts
• Duck meat and spiced lark toppings

Ratings and Reviews

• La Gatta Mangiona is rated 3.5/5.
• Buzzy, often visited by a lot of customers.
• Friendly and attentive staff.

II. Honorable Mentions

Here is the summary of our honorable mentions for those looking for quick references:

1. La Gatta Mangiona

‘Renovated’ traditional Italian recipes, offering bothe Neapolitan and Roman styles.

• Location: Via Federico Ozanam 30-32 (Monteverde)
• Hours: Mon–Sun: 7:45 PM–11:30 PM
• Phone: +39 06 534 6702
• Average rating: 3.5 out of 5
• Open for reservations
• Panattoni (Ai Marmi)

Typical neighborhood snack joint serving authentic and traditional scrocchiarella Roman pizza.

• Location: Viale di Trastevere 53 (Trastevere)
• Hours: Mon-Sun: 7:45 pm- 11:30 pm
• Phone:  +39 06 580 0919
• Average rating: 3.5/5
• Not open for reservations
• Emma

Serving crunchy crusted Roman pizza made more exciting with locally-sourced ingredients.

• Location: Via del Monte della Farina 28 (Campo de’ Fiori)
• Hours: Mon-Sun: 12:30pm-3pm, 7-9:30 pm
• Phone: +39 06 6476 0475
• Average rating: 4/5
• Open for reservations

• Seu Pizza Illuminati

Serves original Italian pizza recipes with Neo-Neapolitan feels.

• Location: Via Angelo Bargoni 10 – 18 (Porta Portese)
• Hours: Wed-Mon: 7:00 PM- 12:00 MN
• Phone: +39 06 588 3384
• Average rating: 4.5/5
• Open for reservations
• Bonci/ Pizzarium

Founded by Gabrielle Bonci, giving mouth-watering combination of toppings served on slices (pizza al taglio).

• Location: Via della Meloria
• Hours:   Mon-Sat: 11:00 AM – 10: 00 PM, Sun: 11:59 AM- 4:00PM, 6:00 PM- 10:00 PM
• Phone: +39 06 3974 5416

The best pizza in Rome is waiting for you and your tastebuds! Don’t miss out on the #foodventure and #foodgasms you’re going to get when checking out any of these fine pizzerias when traveling to Italy’s capital!

III. References

Lee, Alexander. (2018). History of Pizza. Retrived: https://www.historytoday.com/archive/historians-cookbook/history-pizza.

The 10 Best Pizza Restaurant. https://www.localaromas.com/10-best-pizza-restaurants-rome/.

Roman Pizza vs. Neapolitan Pizza: All You Have to Know. https://doeatbetterexperience.com/blog/roman-pizza-vs-neapolitan-pizza/

Pizzarium: The Best Pizza in Rome?. https://anamericaninrome.com/wp/2011/03/pizzarium-the-best-pizza-in-rome/

IV. Appendix

Table 1. List of best pizza in Rome taken from five different sources

Note: Colored names indicate repetition in the table. Colors vary with the number of times it is repeated.