Alexander Meddings
Verified Writer4.912527 reviews
Verified Writer
4.96(3203)
15 Guests Max
3 hrs
Flexible TravelOne of our favourite things about Italy is its quality cost-friendly coffee. This blog shares our tried-and-trusted top picks for the best coffee in Rome and spills the beans on Italy's main coffee varieties.
We'll also share a few cultural rules about how to order coffee in Italy, which kind of coffee Italians drink throughout the day, and some important advice to ensure you don't overpay at the bar.
Situated right around the corner from the Pantheon, Sant Eustachio Il Caffe is perhaps the most famous coffee shop in Rome. The lines might be long (and getting a table outside near impossible during high season), but believe us when we say that its creamy coffee and brioches are well, well worth it.
La Casa Del Caffe Tazza D’Oro may be on the doorstep of the Pantheon, but don't let its proximity to a touristy (albeit stunning) ancient monument deceive you into thinking it's for tourists. Locals simply love the La Tazza D'Oro (the "Golden Coffee Cup" as its name translates).
Try a sweet maritozzo cream bun with your cappuccino for something extra special.
Founded in 1760, and situated near the Spanish Steps, Antico Caffè Greco is one of Rome's most historic coffee shops and counts John Keats and Lord Byron among its illustrious former clientele. As well as serving some of the best coffee in Rome, Antico Caffè Greco is also the world's largest private art gallery that is open to the public, with more than 300 works on display.
The elegant Gran Caffe La Caffettiera specialises in Neapolitan Coffee and pastries, the most famous of which are the rum-soaked babà and the flaky ricotta-filled sfogliatelle. It featured most recently in the Netflix series Ripley as Tom Ripley's coffee shop of choice during his time in Rome.
Tom Ripley reads the paper while drinking coffee outside the Temple of Hadrian. Image credit: Netflix
While back home we have our lattes, flat whites, and coffee mochaccinos, only one kind of coffee truly reigns supreme in Italy. The Italian caffè is a very short, strong coffee. Many of us would call it an espresso (be careful with your pronunciation here as an eXpresso is a fast train) and most Italian coffee varieties are minor adaptations of the caffè, with the addition of varying amounts of water, milk or foam.
Traditionally, caffè was made on the stove in a moka pot or poured through a proper barista coffee machine at the local bar. These days most Italians have a posh espresso machine at home that makes coffee from pods. There are as many ways to take your coffee as you like (sometimes I think they are as fussy with their coffee as Englishmen are about their cups of tea).
-1.webp&w=1920&q=75)
Many Italians start the day with a long milky coffee. Breakfast is a milky coffee and a pastry. There are many options and within those you can get super complicated with chiaro - light (more milk than coffee) or scuro – dark (more coffee than milk) no foam, extra foam, extra hot or served in a glass…….
Breakfast is the only time in the day most Italians drink milky coffee – it’s a breakfast drink so after 11.00 in the morning it is a little bit odd - It would be like having a warm malty bedtime drink with lunch. Hence why when tourists order a cappuccino with their pizza or pasta, Italians are confused, slightly alarmed and possibly offended.
After the initial long milky coffee people switch to an ordinary thimble-full of coffee - caffè or perhaps a baby white coffee a caffè macchiato (stained with milk froth or foam).
A pick-me-up that can be had at any time of day, although often the choice of wizened old men at 7 am is the corrected coffee (caffe corretto). What would you correct it with? Grappa, sambuca, any hard liquor. This is the coffee that puts hairs on your chest for when you need that extra kick, or you could have a sweet version corrected with Baileys.
Wherever you go for your coffee you should beware of the dual pricing system. Most Romans stand at the bar where an espresso is between 80 cents and €1, a cappuccino between €1.20 and €1.50. You should look for the cash register and pay FIRST and then take your receipt or scontrino to the bar where you actually order your drink.
We know you are on holiday but be aware that a €1.50 cappuccino can become a €5 cappuccino if you sit at a table, especially if it is at a table on a piazza with a nice view. Sitting down always costs more as they have to come and serve you. Think of it as renting space with a view, although once you have paid that higher price you can relax as long as you want with your coffee.
A foreign coffee invented during WWII is the Americano, the caffè topped with hot water. As its name suggests it was adapted for the American GIs based in Italy who wanted a longer coffee. The French press or cafetière or percolator does not exist here so it is literally diluted espresso. If you want it with milk…. con latte
Fun fact: Italians are pretty disgusted with this version and call it ‘dirty water’.
Visiting Rome but not sure where to eat?
Sure, you could trust TripAdvisor reviews or ask your hotel for recommendations. But how do you know you’ll be getting the real deal and not just following the crowd?
Join us for our Trastevere Food tour and we’ll take you to the places the locals keep to themselves.
Our tours support small family businesses that source their produce locally and ethically. They are sustainable, meaning the proceeds go towards reforestation through our partnership with Ecologi, and they are led by fun, local guides who don’t just love Italian food — they live Italian food; are fluent in the language of Italian food; and are experts in sharing the secrets and stories behind your best-loved Italian dishes.
But don’t just take our word for it; come and taste for yourself!
Verified Writer
No headings found in content.
Feed your curiosity while pleasing your palate on this indulgent Rome Food Tour! This fun (and filling) food tour gives you and a small group of others insider access to Rome’s best delicatessens, pizzerias and restaurants as well as Rome’s tastiest traditional food the locals keep to themselves.
Our Rome food tour takes place in Trastevere, Rome’s most traditional medieval neighbourhood. The area is renowned for its buzzing nightlife and fantastic eateries with delightful aromas spilling out of them. However, it’s also known to have its fair share of tourists traps! Our team of expert foodies invite you, and your tastebuds, to try some of the finest flavours in the city! Vacations are too short to eat bad food, right?
During the experience, we will try at least 10 different tastings together with a selection of local wines. However, this experience is more than just simply trying different local foods while sipping on red wine. This is a journey inside the Roman kitchen—discovering the delicacies, the diet and the cultural dos and don’ts.
Not only will you experience the mouthwatering flavours of Rome, but you’ll also discover the process, meet the makers, and truly understand why Italian cuisine is considered the best in the world. So book your spot on our Rome Food Tour today and get ready for a true taste of the capital!
Please note: the places that we visit and the food that we try depends on the season.
This is a sustainable tour, meaning part of its profits goes towards reforestation and other sustainable projects. We also ask all of our guests to bring a reusable water bottle to refill at one of the water fountains along our route to stay hydrated and help us reduce waste.
**Unfortunately, we can’t accommodate a gluten-free or vegan diet but we hope to be able to in the future. While we can cater to vegetarians, we ask that you let us know about dietary requirements in advance so we can best suit your needs.**
4.96(3203)
Master the art of authentic Italian cooking through this private cooking class! The generational tradition of extended mealtimes will be stretched across three-and-a-half fun-filled hours, culminating in a well-deserved dinner in which you feast on your recipes.
Your private class will give you the true sense of an Italian nonna’s loving kitchen. Led by an enthusiastic and knowledgeable English-speaking chef, our centrally situated cooking masterclass is perfect for kids and adults; beginners and experts!
Savoiardi (ladyfingers) are gently dipped in rich coffee before being layered with dollops of delicately mixed eggs and panna (cream). Finished off with a sprinkle of cocoa, these delicious desserts are set aside to rest in time for an after-dinner energy boost. In fact, the espresso within a tiramisù is what gives it a name that translates literally as “pick me up”!
Roll up your sleeves and get ready to knead, roll, and shape your fresh pasta from scratch. After running your pasta dough through a traditional pasta machine, you’ll get to combine your carefully crafted creations with the flavors of the season and locality; be it twangy cacio e pepe, creamy carbonara, or saucy amatriciana.
How else to conclude your cooking class than by indulging yourself in your culinary creations! Celebrate your accomplishment with family-friendly company, a gorgeous setting, and a selection of red or white wines and soft drinks.
Whether returning a culinary maestro or a self-proclaimed novice, you’ll be sure to take the memories home with you and ruling your dinner parties back home!
5(849)
Most of history’s great artists enjoyed a drink or two; just look at Van Gogh’s Starry Night and tell us that’s how the sky looks. Now you can unleash your inner Leonardo with unlimited wine in our Tipsy Art Class. Join a small group of fellow budding artists to recreate iconic Roman monuments and landscapes that will rival the works of Michelangelo. If he was blind drunk, and not even trying.
Our local arts instructor will guide you through the techniques that made the Great Masters great while you fill yourself with the spirit that inspired them. During the course of 3 fun-filled hours, you and your fellow artists will indulge in unlimited wine and savour platters of snacks while making your masterpiece. The best part? You get to take your canvas home with you–unless you overdo it on the vino, in which case we have plenty of space in the bins)!
Ready to get merry with Michelangelo? Create a one-of-a-kind souvenir and bring a piece of Rome back home.
4.94(1345)
Learn to cook like an Italian in this small group pasta & tiramisù cooking class that gives you mastery over the country’s best-loved classics. Over the course of three-and-a-half-hour fun-filled hours, you’ll enjoy the expert guidance of our fluent professional chef and get hands on recreating real Roman recipes, culminating in a well-deserved dinner in which you feast on what you’ve made.
Situated in our centrally situated air-conditioned cooking school, your interactive class will give you the true sense of an Italian nonna’s loving kitchen. Led by an enthusiastic and knowledgeable English-speaking chef, our cooking masterclass is perfect for kids and adults, beginners and experts.
Savoiardi (ladyfingers) are gently dipped in rich coffee before being layered with dollops of delicately mixed eggs and panna (cream). Finished off with a sprinkle of cocoa, these delicious desserts are set aside to rest in time for an after-dinner energy boost. In fact, the espresso within a tiramisù is what gives it a name that translates literally as “pick me up”!
Rolling up our sleeves, here is where we channel our inner nonna. Mixing, kneading, rolling, and shaping our fresh pasta from scratch will work up a sweat but result in elegant end products. We will then combine these carefully crafted creations with the flavors of the season and locality; be it twangy cacio e pepe or creamy carbonara.
How else to conclude your cooking class than by fully indulging in your culinary creations! Celebrate your accomplishment with family-friendly company, a gorgeous setting, and a selection of red or white wines and soft drinks.
Whether returning a culinary maestro or a self-proclaimed novice, you’ll be sure to take the memories home with you and ruling your dinner parties back home!
5(1852)
Relax the right way after a long day of sightseeing with our Spritz and Spaghetti Class. This fun-filled class teaches you all the know-how you need to mix traditional Italian cocktails and perfect the art of making fresh pasta. It’s the only experience of its kind in Rome – a perfect blend of food, friends, and tipsy fun.
So come join us and see what all the fuss is about!
We’ll welcome your private party with a mixology demo of how to make Italy’s best-loved drink: Aperol Spritz. You’ll then get started on your hands-on pasta-making lesson led by a fun-loving, fluent professional chef. But that’s not all! We’ll also be making Hugo Spritz and satisfying your sweet tooth with a glass of Limoncello.
Your professional chef will guide you every step of the way – from kneading the dough to running it through a traditional pasta machine. You’ll also be making a creamy carbonara sauce to coat your fresh pasta (vegetarians can try out another Roman classic of cacio e pepe). At the end of the class, you’ll dine on what you’ve made with a selection of wine or soft drinks!
5(347)
Did someone say Spritz? Discover the flavours of Rome on our Spritz and Spaghetti Class. Our centrally located kitchen is where you’ll learn everything you need to mix traditional Italian cocktails, and perfect the art of making fresh pasta. This is the only cooking class of its kind in Rome – a perfect blend of food, friends, and tipsy fun. So come join us and see what all the fuss is about!
Our team will welcome you and your small, intimate group with a mixology demo making Italy’s best-loved drink: Aperol Spritz. You’ll then get started on your hands-on pasta-making lesson led by a fun-loving, fluent professional chef, during which we’ll also be making two other drink.
Your professional chef will guide you every step of the way – from kneading the dough to cutting the pasta. You’ll also be making a creamy carbonara sauce to coat your fresh pasta (vegetarians can try out another Roman classic of cacio e pepe). Travelling is all about meeting new people. At the end of this cooking class, you’ll dine on what you’ve made in the fun, tipsy company of your new foodie friends.
Book now and start making memories.
5(3841)
One of the best ways to meet people in a new city is to grab a drink together, and few city serve up more iconic drinks than Rome. Whether you’re travelling solo or with a group, for a long vacation or a short city break – our Rome Tipsy Tour is for you!
This unique nightlife experience combines all our favourite elements of travel: discovering new places, being immersed in different cultures, meeting fun people, and trying out a range of delicious drinks! It’s not a run-of-the-mill bar crawl. It’s a sociable tour that gives you a real taste of with Rome’s sights, stories, and signature drinks in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere with fun, local hosts. We also welcome sober travellers who want to join for a social experience but who want to forgo a hangover, so we’ll have non-alcoholic options available as well!
You’ll meet your guide and group at Piazza Madonna dei Monti, where we’ll break the ice with a warm Italian welcome – aka, a refreshing glass of local wine. After saying cheers—salute—we’ll head into Monti, an uber-trendy district filled with quirky bars and cobblestoned streets, and plenty to unpack. In ancient Rome, Monti was known as a suburra – the red-light district of Rome where prostitutes plied their trade and gangsters once roamed. As we wander through the cobblestone streets your guide will tell you scandalous stories of sex and bloodshed that you won’t hear on your typical walking tour.
After so much scandal, you’ll surely need a drink. So at our first stop on the Rome Tipsy Tour you’ll get an extra stiff one. The spotlight will be on Carpano Classico a venerable vermouth with a curious story! Unravel the history of the man who made it – Antonio Benedetto Carpano – back in 1786 whilst sharing some sips with your newfound friends.
We’ll keep the night going with some more saucy stories before trying a classic Italian Spritz. Indulge in the bitter flavours of Aperol or Campari Spritz while enjoying dolce far niente, the sweetness of doing nothing—apart from getting tipsy of course!
Our final stop is Rome’s most iconic road, the Via dei Fori Imperiali, leading down to the Colosseum. The views of the ancient city are best enjoyed after dark with an ice-cold Limoncello – trust us. Sip away as your guide tells shocking stories of the power-hungry Roman emperors who once ruled the known world.
At 11 p.m., the Tipsy Tour officially ends, but the night out begins! We will continue drinking with our new friends at some of Rome’s most popular bars!
Don’t miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime experience. We promise to make your night in Rome one you’ll never forget! Skip a boring walking tour, and come get tipsy with us.
Book your spot now!
4.94(2344)
Our Trastevere Food Tour just got even better with a semi-private small group option. With only 6 people per group, you’ll enjoy personalised attention from your guide and a more intimate experience with fellow food lovers. Ask more questions, get custom recommendations, and savour Trastevere’s culinary delights at a relaxed pace, designed specifically to suit the needs of your group.
You’ll enjoy at least 11 different Roman dishes on your private food tour and some of the finest local wines. However, this experience is more than just simply trying different local foods. It’s a delicious journey into the world of Roman food: discovering the delicacies, the diet, the dos and don’ts that make Italy’s culinary culture so globally renowned.
Not only will you experience the mouthwatering flavours of Rome, but you’ll also discover the process, meet the makers, and truly understand why Roman Cuisine is considered one of the best in the world.
Please note that the places we visit and the food we try depends on the season.
This is a sustainable tour, meaning part of the profit goes towards reforestation
Summer’s coming! We ask our guests to bring a reusable water bottle to refill along our route to stay hydrated and also help us reduce waste.
Ready for a delectable experience in Rome? Prepare for an unforgettable adventure through one of city’s trendiest (and tastiest!) neighbourhoods, at a perfect pace for everyone in your group.
5(491)
Rome may well be the world’s most beautiful city, but after dark a more sinister side emerges. The ghosts of popes, emperors, and artists lurk on every corner, their lives claimed by tragedy and conspiracy across more than 2,000 years of history. Our Rome Ghost Tour is not for the faint hearted — you’ll hear the ghastly tales of beheadings and murder that are sure to keep you up late at night.
Your Rome Ghost Tour starts at Campo de’ Fiori, a central square, where you’ll be treated to the tale of Giordano Bruno, one of Rome’s greatest minds who got on the wrong side of the church. After learning about his grisly end, you’ll begin to explore the city. Venture through medieval backstreets; visit an ancient church adorned with skulls; and step inside the home to a mysterious order of monks. Discover the childhood home of one of Rome’s most infamous executioners; see the site of one of Rome’s most infamous prisons; and pass by a poisonous perfumery where cosmetics killed.
Your tour ends at the imposing Castel Sant’Angelo, where your guide will reveal the horror of Rome’s most disturbing executions. If you’re (un)lucky, you might even encounter a ghost or two.
No matter what, you’ll never see Rome the same way again.
5(910)
Take your Roman adventure to the next level with our semi-private tour of the Ancient City! With a small group of just 6 people, you’ll enjoy more personal attention from your guide as you explore the legendary Colosseum, Palatine Hill, and the Roman Forum. This means more chances to ask questions, deeper dives into history, and the opportunity to truly engage with both your guide and your fellow explorers.
What are the holes that pockmark the ancient amphitheatre? Why is one side shorter than the other? And how much do we really know about the gladiators—and even emperors—who battled on the arena sands? (We promise the answers will surprise you!)
After exploring the Colosseum, we’ll climb the Palatine Hill to discover the birthplace of the ancient city. Here, your storyteller guide will recount the mythical foundation of Rome, the legend of Romulus and Remus, and the stories of the emperors who resided on the Palatine, like Augustus, Tiberius, and Caligula. Next, we’ll explore the ruins of some of the most luxurious palaces in Roman history, the emperor’s residences on the Palatine Hill, from which we get our word ‘palace.’
Last but not least, we’ll head into the Roman Forum, the heart of the ancient city. Discover what life was really like for everyday Romans as we explore the social, religious, and political hub of the Roman Empire. Marvel at the remains of towering temples, triumphal arches, sprawling basilicas, and the ancient senate house as you walk on the very same stones that the likes of Caesar and Cicero once did.
Prepare for a unique, unforgettable journey through Rome’s most famous landmarks with a small, friendly group that lets you explore at your own pace.
5(452)
Join our expert guide in an adventure through ancient Rome. No Rome trip would be complete without exploring the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, and Roman Forum — the three most immersive sites of the world’s mightiest ancient empire. So what can you expect from our Colosseum guided tour?
Our most complete three-hour tour of ancient Rome starts at the Colosseum, which you’ll step straight inside with your timed entry tickets. Your expert guide will help you uncover the mysteries and histories of the Colosseum and follow in the footsteps of the ancients. Any question you can think of, they’ve got the answer – so ask away!
What are the holes that pockmark the ancient amphitheatre? Why is one side shorter than the other? And how much do we really know about the gladiators—and even emperors—who battled on the arena sands? (We promise the answers will surprise you!)
After exploring the Colosseum, we’ll climb the Palatine Hill to discover the birthplace of the ancient city. Here, your storyteller guide will recount the mythical foundation of Rome, the legend of Romulus and Remus, and the stories of the emperors who resided on the Palatine, like Augustus, Tiberius, and Caligula. Next, we’ll explore the ruins of some of the most luxurious palaces in Roman history, the emperor’s residences on the Palatine Hill, from which we get our word ‘palace.’
Last but not least, we’ll head into the Roman Forum, the heart of the ancient city. Discover what life was really like for everyday Romans as we explore the social, religious, and political hub of the Roman Empire. Marvel at the remains of towering temples, triumphal arches, sprawling basilicas, and the ancient senate house as you walk on the very same stones that the likes of Caesar and Cicero once did.
This is one of our most popular tours, so be sure to book your slot ASAP!
4.96(2727)