Whether you’re looking for Italian classics like pizza and pasta, international cuisine, or a unique experience such as checking out the local street food scene – Rome has it all! If you’re travelling with kids, finding the best family restaurants can be a challenge. We’ve put together this guide to help you find the perfect dining spot for your family in Rome’s historic center.
We are always updating our recommendations for the best family-friendly restaurants in Rome and surrounding areas. Please send us yours!
Prioritize Depending on Your Needs and Wants
Before you start your search for the best family restaurants in Rome, it’s important to think about what are your needs and wants. Are you looking for delicious Italian food, something specific such as gluten options, a fast and casual dining spot, outdoor seating, brunch, more upscale restaurant? Prioritizing your needs and wants will help you find the perfect dining option for your family.
Pizzerias in Rome
Briciole Favole & Co. – pizzeria with children’s entertainment in the suburbs of Rome
Via di Selva Candida 377 (Zona Casalotti Boccea)
00166 Rome
tel. 06 61565018
Da Augusto
Piazza de’ Renzi (Trastevere)
tel. 06 5803798
Closed Sunday
Da Ivo – pizzeria in Trastevere; closed Tuesdays
Via San Francesco a Ripa 158
Rome
tel. 06 5817082
Da Michele – the owners of the historic L’Antica Pizzeria Da Michele in Naples, considered among the best pizzerias in Naples, have now opened up shop in Rome, near Piazza del Popolo, conveniently inside the Explora Children’s Museum at Via Flaminio 82. Reservations are not available, so be prepared for a line.
Via Flaminia 80/82
Rome
Dar Poeta – pizzeria in Trastevere; open daily
Vicolo del Bologna 45
Rome
tel. 06 58 80516
email
Mercato Centrale – the same brilliant concept behind Mercato Centrale in Florence has now arrived in Rome in the most convenient location at the Termini train station. Stalls of local food producers and chefs offer a chance to sample the best of Roman cuisine all day long, with continuous hours (another convenience, especially for families), including fried artichokes, the best butcher of Rome (go for the steak), seafood pizza, gelato, and trapizzini (a type of streetfood–the perfect snack).
Via Giolitti 36, inside the Termini Train station
Open daily from 7am-12am
Montecarlo – pizzeria off of Corso Vittorio Emanuele II near Piazza Navona; closed Mondays
Vicolo Savelli 13
Rome
tel. 06 6861877
Pizzeria da Baffetto
Via del Governo Vecchio 114
tel. 06 6861617
Pizzeria Er Panonto – in Garbatella; large outdoor seating area, nice antipasto buffet
Via Enrico Cravero 10
Rome
tel. 06 5135 022
Pizza Zaza – our favorite pizza taglio (by the slice) in Rome, with patio seating on a quiet piazza near the Pantheon. A fantastic budget choice for family dining in Rome center with all organic ingredients
Piazza Sant’Eustachio, 49
Trattorias and Restaurants in Rome
Alfredo e Ada – typical Roman trattoria without a menu, but plenty of choices for kids
Open evenings; closed Sundays
Via dei Banchi Nuovi 14 (across the river from Castel Sant’Angelo)
tel. 06 6878842
Ai Balestri – this trattoria off of Campo de’Fiori offers reasonable, fresh typical Roman fare and delicious pizza for the kids (with
paper tablecloths they can doodle on and plenty of street entertainment nearby
Via dei Balestrari, 41
tel. 06 6865377
email
CAFÉ CAFÉ – convenient option for lunch after a visit to the Coliseum that is not very touristy. Offers reasonably priced sandwiches, salads, first courses and pizza, with a nice wine list and excellent desserts.
Via dei Santi Quattro 44
tel. 06 7008743
Felice a Testaccio – a historic Roman trattoria in the local neighborhood of Testaccio. Try the caccio and pepe, kids will love it! Open daily.
Via Mastro Giorgio, 29
Rome
tel. 06 5746800
La Taverna degli Amici – nice out of the way spot for lunch after visiting the Campidoglio area with a terrace in a quiet piazza. A good choice for seafood.
Piazza Margana 36-37
Rome
tel. 06 69920637
La Volte – reasonable prices and accommodating of children for a full menu of typical Roman dishes just beyond the Pantheon
Piazza Rondinini 47 (behind Piazza Rotonda)
tel. 06 6877 408
Limonaia di Villa Torlonia – Caffetteria, Focacceria e relax (Café, Focaccieria, and a place to hang out while the kids are playing at the science center of the Villa Torlonia)
Tuesday through Saturday hours 10:00-11:00, Sundays 10:00-7:00, Mondays 5:00-11:00
Via Spallanzani,1
tel. 064404021
Maccheroni
Piazza delle Coppelle 44
tel. 06 68307895
email
Osteria da Fortunata – very typical Roman menu, with a woman sitting among the diners making fresh Roman pasta shapes like strozza preti.
Via del Pellegrino, 11 (just off of Campo de’ Fiori)
tel. 06 60667391
Trattoria Monti – neighborhood trattoria popular with locals
Via San Vito 13a
Rome
tel. 06 4466573
Trattoria Sora Margherita – eating at this family run hidden gem in the Jewish Ghetto is a cultural experience to remember; there is no sign, so look for the red curtain in this tucked away, tiny piazza; you have to join a “club” to dine, but it’s simple and worthwhile. My grandmother talked about our 2-hour lunch here for years! Reservations required.
Piazza del 5 Sole 30
00182 Rome
tel. 06 6874216
Read Next: Unique Things to Do with Kids in Rome
Cafes in Rome
Piazza Sant’Eustachio, 82 (Pantheon)
tel. 06 6880 2048
– perhaps the most famous coffee in Rome, and rightly so. I’ve heard the coffee tastes so good both because of the roasting process of the beans, and of course the preparation. I like to buy a tin of coffee as a nice souvenir or gift to bring home.
Chiostro del Bramante Cafe
Via Arco della Pace, 5 (Piazza Navona)
tel. 06 6880 9035
Open from 10:00 am-9:00 pm.
– the cafe inside this beautiful cloister is a fun stop for tea, hot chocolate or aperitivo with the kids as you can sit in ancient seats among the porticoes of the ancient courtyard on the second level, then browse the fun kids section of the museum gift shop across the corridor.
Museo Atelier Canova Tandolino
Via del Babuino 150 (between Piazza di Spagna and Piazza del Popolo)
tel. 06 32110702
– in the former studio of the neo-Classical sculptor Antonio Canova, in existence since the 19th century, it is possible to sit among a wide variety of statuary for a coffee break or afternoon snack. Kids and grown ups alike will love this imaginative and historic atmosphere. It’s nice and cool inside, too!
Gelato in Rome
Parent Tip: Consider a Gelato-Making Class in Rome!
Gelateria Fatamorgana – our favorite spot for unique, seasonal artisanal gelato in the city. In a quiet piazza minutes from the Colosseum in Monti, a great area for dining off the beaten path in general. Most flavors are named after fairy tale characters. On my last visit I paired “The Prince’s Kiss” (a type of bacio) with “Thumbelina” (white chocolate with rose)!
Piazza degli Zingari, 5 (Monti)
Il Gelato di San Crispino
Via della Panetteria 42 (near Trevi Fountain)
tel. 06 6793924
Hours: 12:00-midnight, closed Tuesday.
Gelateria della Palma
Via della Maddalena 20-23 (near the Pantheon)
Gelateria Tre Scalini
Piazza Navona 28
Il Palazzo del Freddo di Giovanni Fassi
Via Principe Eugenio 65-67 (near Termini)
tel. 06 6793924
Hours: 12:00-midnight, closed Monday.
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