Following complete refurbishment, the new Pergola pays tribute to the colours and materials of Rome, from the Travertine marble to the red colour scheme. The terrace has also had a face-lift, but fortunately the view hasn’t changed – however many times you come here, you find that your memory never quite does justice to the magnificent and expansive views of the capital. Heinz Beck’s enthusiasm remains undiminished, as he continues to update his dishes.

This modern, softly lit restaurant decorated in shades of blue is in The First Roma hotel near Piazza del Popolo. The young, professional staff offer attentive yet discreet service, so all the attention is on chef Daniele Lippi’s cuisine. He creates two tasting menus – a shorter fish-focused option (the cuttlefish recipe with Turkish flavours is superb), and a longer one with some meat. Both offer creative, hearty, generous dishes with perfect wine pairings.

From its location in the heart of Rome, this restaurant takes guests on a culinary journey across the globe, with a focus on Asia and Japan in particular. Anthony Genovese blends influences from his experiences and travels to astonishing effect on two tasting menus – one with signature dishes, the other with new creations. A shorter lunch menu is available on Saturdays, while the Parallelsmenu offers a private experience for up to six guests.

Villa Laetitia is an elegant residence with a harmonious blend of Renaissance and Baroque architecture that results in a fascinating building that perfectly demonstrates the beautiful Art Nouveau style that became fashionable in Rome at the beginning of the 20C. To the rear of the building, La Torre occupies a magnificent dining room adorned with stucco and columns, with splendid windows overlooking the exclusive garden.

Situated just a stone’s throw from the Parliament building, this elegant restaurant’s origins as a wine bar are visible in the many wine bottles that line the walls of the dining room. Various tasting menus feature creative dishes with the occasional influence from Campania in top-quality cuisine that is rooted in traditional flavours. There’s a huge choice of wines by the glass, while bottles can be chosen directly from the wine boutique.

Housed in the basement of The H'All Tailor Suite, this restaurant boasts two contemporary-style dining rooms, with tables outside in fine weather. Here, Riccardo Di Giacinto serves regional and Italian specialities which he reinterprets with skill and flair, playing with traditional recipes and transforming them with surprising results. Dishes include a “summary” of carbonara, cappelletti in “dry broth”, Roman-style lamb, and tiramisù in savory and sweet versions.

In the heart of popular Trastevere with its many restaurants, Glass comes as a surprise, housed in what was once a coach-house (as the high ceilings still demonstrate) and now an elegant restaurant (if you want more privacy, there are a few tables set up on the mezzanine). Cristina Bowerman offers a choice of tasting menus (one of which is vegetarian) and a limited selection of à la carte dishes. Her cuisine is creative, with the occasional nod to the culinary traditions of Lazio.

Part of the Pantheon Iconic Hotel, Idylio by Apreda has a stylish dining room with a separate entrance. Chef Francesco Apreda offers Neapolitan cuisine with spices and Asian touches. The restaurant now focuses on three tasting menus: Firma Iconica, Speziale, and Idylio’s Butterfly (which lets guests choose four courses from the other two menus). The young, friendly staff is happy to assist in choosing from Apreda’s personalised menus.

A long-established restaurant opened in the early 1990s by three brothers from the Marche: Angelo in the kitchen, and Giuseppe and Massimo front of house. It has become one of Rome’s leading restaurants thanks to its personalised cuisine with Lazio and Italian influences, with traditional dishes alongside others reinterpreted with flair. The wine list boasts around 3,600 labels, including fine vintages and a good selection by the glass.

The location of this rooftop restaurant could hardly be more glamorous. Head up the world’s most famous steps to the Hassler hotel, then take a lift to one of Rome’s top restaurants. Dine with superb views of the city’s iconic monuments through floor-to-ceiling windows. Chef Andrea Antonini offers two tasting menus with classic dishes and new creations, blending traditional recipes with inventive ideas, unusual combinations, and playful reinterpretations.

Situated on the first floor of a beautiful period palazzo, this restaurant recalls the style of a winter garden, where natural daylight, greenery and pretty floor tiles all contribute to the attractive setting. Marco Martini creates imaginative cuisine (with occasionally surprising combinations) influenced by Rome’s gastronomic traditions, not so much in the recipes used but in his love for intense flavours that leave the palate fully satisfied.

At lunchtime, enjoy informal dishes on the ground floor of this restaurant, while more creative gourmet cuisine is served by attentive and professional staff in the dining room on the first floor. Talented Roman chef Andrea Pasqualucci is at the helm in the kitchen, where he prepares creative and imaginative dishes. There are just a few typical Roman dishes on the menu here, and so the experience at Moma will appeal more to those keen on trying new ingredients and combinations.

Orma serves some of the most elegant, complex and bold dishes in Rome, and is renowned for its fusion cuisine, with exotic ingredients and gastronomic traditions from around the world (especially South America and Asia) coming together in remarkable recipes with a significant focus on vegetables, some of which are sourced from the restaurant’s own kitchen garden. It comes as no surprise that the chef here has Colombian origins – Roy Caceres is the skilled culinary magician.

Situated in an alleyway in the historic centre of Rome (a side street off the famous Via Giulia), this restaurant boasts the added attraction of an original and imaginative chef who demonstrates his culinary skills in preparing meat and fish with fine technique and creativity. Sustainability is key here, with a focus on top-quality, carefully chosen ingredients sourced from small-scale local producers, as well as a “zero-waste” approach.

Situated opposite the church of Santa Maria in Vallicella (known to locals as Chiesa Nuova or new church), this restaurant is named after its owner and maître-d’ Alessandro Pipero. Young chef Ciro Scamardella from Campania is at the helm in the kitchen, where he prepares modern dishes with a focus on the seasons, including a few specialities from his native region. His cuisine demonstrates a continuous search for balance and colour, especially in his mussel soup.

The elegant residential Prati district is home to this equally elegant restaurant, where guests dine in a romantic, subtly lit dining room served by discreet yet ever-present and professional staff. The varied cuisine demonstrates influences not only from Lazio, but also from other places where the chef has worked in the past, with well-constructed dishes prepared from top-quality ingredients.

A young chef of undoubted talent is at the helm of this restaurant situated behind the busier, more tourist-frequented streets of Trastevere. The chef in question is Antonio Ziantoni (hence the name of the restaurant), who creates imaginative cuisine that is nonetheless based on solid classic foundations – this gives his dishes structure, solidity and real appeal, as well as full and rounded flavours. One of the most interesting Michelin-starred restaurants in Rome.