Like every extra touristy area, finding good and authentic places to eat near the Colosseum in Rome is not easy. Of course, being one of the most popular landmarks in Rome, there are countless restaurants near the Colosseum, but how do you know if one is actually good?
Oftentimes in Rome, when I’m hanging in the city center and around famous attractions, I, myself, find it hard to decide where to eat. Not because there is a lack of options but because the existing ones are not so appealing. When I see the words “antica” (ancient), “hostaria”, “gladiatori”, or “volare”, I smell tourist quality from afar.
This is why I really felt compelled to write this guide to what I consider the best restaurants near the Colosseum in Rome. I have included options for all budgets and preferences. To make things easier, I’m also attaching a map.
Table of Contents
Map of the best restaurants near the Colosseum
Where to eat in Rome near the Colosseum
Aroma
This is the fine-dining restaurant of Rome’s luxury 5-star hotel Palazzo Manfredi, arguably also one of the best hotels near the Colosseum. Booking your lunch or dinner here is a real treat for many reasons. First of all the quality of the ingredients and dishes is top-notch. But probably what attracts most guests is the fantastic view. In fact, the hotel and its in-house restaurant are famous for their wonderful view of the Colosseum.
The fares are an enticing combination of tradition and innovation where the original touch of the chef is key. This is not a cheap eat so come prepared and enjoy one of the most panoramic terraces of Rome.
- Address: Via Labicana 125
Cuoco & Camicia
This is the perfect restaurant to round off a long but rewarding day. Open only for dinner, Cuoco & Camicia is around 7 minutes away from the Colosseum on foot. Here, your taste buds will be tickled with creative cuisine with a menu that frequently changes following seasonality.
Their dishes are a tempting combination of Italian tradition and foreign influences through the use of ingredients and cooking styles from all over the world. If you are visiting the Colosseum in the afternoon, this is the perfect place to end your day in style.
- Address: Via Monte Polacco 2/4.
Aromaticus Monti
This is the first Aromaticus that opened in Rome, while the second one was open in Trastevere and has been one of my favorite eateries ever since. Aromaticus is where vegans and lovers of healthy food and lifestyle go for a light and satisfying filling before carrying on with the local sightseeing.
Open every day except Sunday for both lunch and dinner, at Aromaticus you can order any dish without worrying about feeling heavy or guilty. Fermented foods, dips, and drinks are a staple alongside fares and bowls inspired by different cultures and cuisines. This is definitely one of the restaurants near the Colosseum for virtuous eaters.
- Address: Via Urbana 134.
Il Tempio di Iside
One of the best seafood restaurants in Rome, Il Tempio di Iside is located some 10 minutes on foot from the Colosseum. This is a big treat that you can give yourself for dinner if you are taking your Colosseum tour in the afternoon.
On the menu is a wide selection of raw and cooked starters from tartare to carpaccio, first courses such as clams spaghetti, and mains such as the catch of the day baked with potatoes. The menu changes frequently because it follows the seasonality of the ingredients and everything is cooked and prepared to enhance the natural flavors.
If you are a fan of seafood, this is hands-down one of the best restaurants near the Colosseum for you.
- Address: Via Pietro Verri 1.
Contrario Bistrot
Contrario Bistrot is an easy 5-minute stroll from the Colosseum and was a pleasant recent discovery of mine. In my perpetual quest for good food, I was happy to see that even in the shade of the Colosseum it’s still possible to eat tasty dishes without breaking your bank.
At Contrario Bistrot, you can order simple and traditional recipes prepared in a contemporary style and enriched with original ingredient combinations. I ended my meal with one of their desserts and it was a very happy choice.
- Address: Via Celimontana 21.
Lelé Natural Food
Lelé Natural Food is a bistro that I recently discovered one day when I found myself around the Colosseum at lunchtime. Basic and rustic, at Lelé you are going to find ready meals just dished out from the in-house kitchen. All around the tables are also foods and ingredients you can buy including pickles, chocolate, and biscuits.
Organic-certified, the use of high-quality ingredients certainly gives a boost in flavor. Their dishes are simple and are inspired by Italian traditional cuisine as well as foreign recipes. So you can find the Italian Parmigiana with eggplants sitting beside chicken curry in coconut milk. There are several options for vegans and vegetarians.
- Address: Via di San Giovanni in Laterano 56.
Pizzeria Li Rioni
If you are craving pizza, the best pizza place near the Colosseum is Li Rioni. This is somewhat a historical pizzeria in Rome that has been welcoming hungry guests non-stop since 1986 in their rustic décor and family-run environment.
While the star of the show is their delicious and long-risen pizza served with a diverse array of toppings, the menu offers also a rich list of starters and appetizers including deep-fried goods. It’s open only for dinner and the weekly closing is Tuesday.
- Address: Via dei SS. Quattro 24.
Trattoria Pizzeria Luzzi
Trattoria Luzzi is a traditional local restaurant serving typical Roman recipes since the end of WWII in 1945. The Roman tradition is loyally followed in both the main courses and the pizza, prepared thin and crunchy just like it’s supposed to be Roman style.
Located less than 10 minutes on foot from the Colosseum, Trattoria Luzzi is open every day for lunch and dinner.
- Address: Via di San Giovanni in Laterano 88/Via Celimontana 1.
Bar La Licata
La Licata is a bar and coffee shop where you can enjoy the best breakfast near the Colosseum. Open from early morning every day, it takes 5 minutes on foot to reach the famous monument, so a perfect place to fill up for the beginning of the day.
Since it’s open until 9 pm (on Sunday only until 3 pm), you can keep La Licata in mind also for a light meal made of the most famous classics such as the typical Roman pasta, caprese salad, meatballs, and a long list of rich salads, including several options for vegans. In the late afternoon, you can opt for a simple aperitif with co*cktail and finger foods.
- Address: Via dei Serpenti 165
Royal Art Cafè Roma
This is the panoramic restaurant of the Colosseo Hotel that guarantees a view of the iconic monument any time of the year. In the good season, you can enjoy your meal on their roof garden terrace, while if you are visiting Rome during the cold season, in their ground-floor hall from where you can still take in the great view.
The ground floor of Royal Art Cafè is open all day from morning through evening so you can plan any meal you want starting from a scrumptious breakfast to a fancy dinner in a romantic ambiance.
- Address: Piazza del Colosseo 1.
Crab Fish Restaurant
On a more expensive side is Crab, one of the fish and seafood restaurants near the Colosseum that has become one of the most popular eateries. To start in style, head to the in-house oyster bar for oysters from Brittany, Normandy, Poitou-Charentes, and the Mediterranean paired with a flute of sparkling wine.
With specialties like lobster, sea urchins, crabs, and oysters, Crab Fish Restaurant won’t fail to please the most demanding palates every day except Monday from lunch through dinner with the “Ostricheria” oyster bar open also for aperitif.
- Address: Via Capo d’Africa 2.
Fuorinorma
Are you looking for a fast meal you can enjoy on the go? Are you a fan of meat and cold cuts? Then the hearty sandwiches of Fuorinorma are just what you need. Filled with Roman classics such as amatriciana sauce and Italian typical cured meat such as porchetta, they prepare your sandwich right there in front of you.
If you don’t feel like having a sandwich, you can grab a seat and enjoy a rich platter of cheese and cold cuts paired with a nice glass of wine. Open from morning through the evening at only 5 minutes on foot from the Colosseum, this might just be your go-to place for a casual meal or a break from hectic Roman sightseeing.
- Address: Via dei Serpenti 178.
Fatamorgana Monti for top gelato near the Colosseum
Are you visiting Rome in August and the heat won’t give you a break? Luckily, in 10 minutes on foot, you will reach one of the top gelaterias in Rome, Fatamorgana, and can refresh with their huge list of flavors.
Whether you are craving fresh fruit flavors, hearty chocolate and nuts options, or creams, at Fatamorgana you are in for a treat.
- Address: Piazza degli Zingari 5.
