Dinners in Rome

Italian food has become one of the world’s best-loved cuisines. What better way to end a busy day taking in Rome’s sights than over a sumptuous meal?

Although a dinner in Rome is centered around a meal filled with local specialties, most dinner packages provide more than an eating experience. Taste recipes perfected over centuries with a dinner in Rome.

Here's all you need to know about dinners, one of the most captivating gastronomic experiences in Rome.

What are the best dinners in Rome?

Restaurant dinners

Conclude a busy day of sightseeing with a traditional Roman meal. Tour companies create dining packages at top restaurants to save you the trouble of seeking out the best meals in town.

Indulge in a traditional multi-course Italian meal, Jewish twists on Italian classics or even American-style recipes.

Home dinners

Italy has a growing network of “Cesarine,” licensed chefs who invite paying visitors into their home kitchens. One of the ultimate cultural encounters is partaking in a meal at a local’s home.

Witness a cooking demonstration, hear about recipes passed from generation to generation, and sample the freshest ingredients in a warm and hospitable environment.

Cooking classes plus dinner

Join a professional chef in a restaurant or a Cesarine in their home to learn the ins and outs of crafting the perfect pasta, chewy yet crispy pizza crusts and decadent tiramisu.

Some cooking classes in Rome begin with a trip to local shops and markets for fresh ingredients. Sip mineral water, wines, liqueurs and espresso while you savor your creations.

Food tours plus dinner

Nibble your way through the best foodie districts of Rome on a food tour. Discover Roman specialties and eateries not mentioned in guidebooks with a knowledgeable guide.

Tour your way through the courses of a meal, or let samples whet your appetite for a full sit-down dinner.

Sightseeing tours plus dinner

Follow a guide on a walking tour of Rome followed by an authentic Italian meal. Stroll through historic neighborhoods and to top destinations like the Vatican before heading to a restaurant for a multi-course meal.

Dinner and music

A dinner cruise with live music or a meal accompanied by opera arias is a sublime end to a day of touring the city. Enjoy music while you dine, or attend a concert before or after your dinner.

What will you do?

Taste classic Roman dishes, from antipasti to dolce, pasta to osso buco, paired with regional wines at a restaurant or local’s home. Start your meal with an aperitivo, often a glass of prosecco and charcuterie or bruschetta followed by a pasta course.

If you choose a 3-course meal, end your dinner with a dessert such as tiramisu or cherry-ricotta tart.

Meals with four or more courses will serve a main dish, usually meat-based, plus "contorni,” a vegetable side dish. Next comes the salad course, dessert and sometimes a digestif liqueur or coffee.

Common recipes to try are pasta all’amatriciana, saltimbocca and maritozzo, a pastry that dates back to ancient Rome. Try fried vegetables, chickpea soup and marinated zucchini. End on a sweet note with chocolate shortbread, tartufo or gelato.

Most dining experiences in Rome include a supplementary feature or two. A meal in the home of a Cesarina provides a cooking demonstration, lesson and/or a market visit.

Food tours and sightseeing tours plus dinner orient you to parts of Rome, fill you with history and cap the evening off with a delicious dinner.

Dinners with music offer live performances before, during or after your meal. Cruise the Tiber as you eat, or make your way to a restaurant before or after an opera concert at the ornate St. Peter Basilica.

How much do dinners in Rome cost?

Restaurant dinners cost from €25 per person to €110 per person, depending on the amount of courses and beverages included and the caliber of the restaurant.

Home dinners cost around €85 per person and from €105 per person to €190 per person for a private home dinner. Higher-cost private home dinners include a visit to a local market and a cooking lesson.

Cooking classes plus dinner offer the chance to prepare several dishes and cost from €45 per person to €150 per person, depending on the duration and the group size.  Private home cooking lessons with a meal cost from €190 per person to €225 per person, depending on group size.

Food tours with dinner cost from €55 per person to €100 per person, depending on the duration of the tour. Tours provide multiple tastings at up to four stops. Higher-cost tours end with a sit-down meal at a restaurant.

Sightseeing tours plus dinner cost from €120 per person to €560 per person. Higher-end tours are private, include transportation to sites by car and entrance tickets to attractions.

Dinner and music packages cost from €60 per person to €230 per person, depending on the venue.

What is included?

Dinners in Rome include a meal of three to seven courses with beverages. Most dinner packages provide another activity with your meal such as guided sightseeing or a cooking lesson.

Where does it start?

Dinners in Rome start at centrally-located meeting places, usually well-known piazzas for a guided walk to where you will dine.

Restaurant dining experiences and dinners plus cooking classes meet at the restaurants or at nearby landmarks where a guide will walk you to the eatery.

Home dining experiences are held in local homes with addresses provided after you book.  Private sightseeing and dinner tours provide pickup and drop-off from hotels in the city.

How long does it last?

Dinners in Rome last from 2 hours to a full day, depending on which additional activities are included. Dinners without an additional activity last around 2 to 3 hours.

Meals with a cooking class or demonstrations, a music experience or city tour last 3 to 4 hours. Six-hour tours combine Rome sightseeing, tasting tours and or musical experiences with your meal.

When is the best time for a dinner in Rome?

Any time during your visit to Rome can be perfect for a dinner. Choosing a package that includes a walking tour or food tour is ideal at the beginning of your stay. Guides can orient you to the city and give advice for the rest of your time in Rome.

Travel tips

• Notify tour providers of any dietary restrictions at the time of booking. Not all diets can be accommodated.
• Wear comfortable shoes and clothing for dinners that include walking tours and/or cooking classes.
• For dinners that include Vatican tours, wear modest clothing that covers your knees and shoulders.
• Dinners with opera tickets suggest smart casual dress.