Some people ride or die for carbonara, or think cacio e pepe is the pinnacle of Roman cooking. But for us, Trecca shows it’s all about the quinto quarto, or what’s known as offal, the discarded animal parts that are “I can’t believe I’m eating this and actually enjoying it” kind of delicious. Their regaje di pollo e patate is the perfect example—lusciously tender chicken innards sauteed with rosemary and white wine, served in a pan alongside the crispiest potatoes you’ll ever taste.

Capo Boi serves arguably the best seafood in all of Rome, but that’s just one of the reasons you should have dinner here. On paper, it seems like it might be stuffy: the upscale restaurant is located in Parioli, one of Rome’s most elegant districts. But the atmosphere is more relaxed, like attending a dinner party hosted by your fun uncle who owns a megayacht (but doesn’t tell anyone).

You should have your last meal in Rome at Trattoria da Enzo. It’s a simple, lively restaurant with checkered tablecloths and daily specials scrawled on a chalkboard, and it’s exactly the type of place you’ll be dreaming about once you’re back home and nothing in your fridge looks good. Although it’s located on the quieter side of Trastevere, this trattoria is always buzzing, with a perpetual line snaking out the door.

Everything in Rome comes with a history lesson, including a meal at Piatto Romano. It’s located in Testaccio, a neighborhood where cucina Romana was basically invented. Order the offal, amatriciana, and the great daily specials like crispy artichokes. They also offer a fantastically-fresh salad with local mixed greens dressed in a zesty, light vinaigrette (yes, Italians do eat salads). Dessert is equally old-school: go with the tiramisu or the ricotta e visciole.

Giggetto is in the heart of Rome’s Jewish Ghetto. Once a place of poverty and oppression, this vibrant and historic neighborhood is home to the city’s main synagogue, shops, an ancient archaeological site, and fantastic restaurants where you can try Roman Jewish cuisine. You’ll find traditional Roman Jewish appetizers like filetto di baccalà and deep-fried whole artichokes whose leaves become thin and crispy like potato chips.

Everybody and their mom might've told you to go to Roscioli while you're in Rome. Beyond being extremely difficult to get into, lately we've found the quality has slipped—maybe that's just what happens when you expand and open a restaurant in NYC. Head to its sibling bakery instead. Antico Forno Roscioli is ideal for quick slices of pizza, supplì, and panini, especially the pizza con patate stuffed with freshly-sliced porchetta, which tastes even better if you order a side of chicory greens.

Osteria Der Belli is the type of restaurant where you might run into an Italian actor you’ve seen on TV. Grab a seat outside on their shaded patio, and go to town on a bowl of spaghetti alle vongole while discreetly Googling that famous-looking person at the table over. Then, order their thin slices of melt-in-your-mouth tuna on top of a bed of crispy potato rounds, or whatever the fish of the day is. End the meal with their refreshing crema gelato crowned with strawberries.

You may finish your lunch at La Tavernaccia Da Bruno and walk out wondering “What year is it?” Or more importantly, “When can I move in?” You’ll be at this Trastevere spot for a long time, not only because their hefty wine list reads like a novel, but because they serve comfort food so good, you simply won’t want to leave. It’s one of the best places to try some of Italy’s greatest hits, like cheesy eggplant parmigiana, hearty coda alla vaccinara, and thick slices of oven-roasted maialino.

Even though there are white tablecloths on every table, the atmosphere is anything but pretentious at Pecorino. A Sunday lunch here has the vibe of your long-lost cousin’s home who has old family pictures hanging on the wall of relatives you’ve never met or even heard of before. Yes, the waiters are dressed in fancy white button-downs, but you can tell they’ve been working here since they were teenagers, particularly because of how sarcastic and decisive they are.

If any restaurant could make you feel like you’re living in a Federico Fellini film, it’d be Roma Sparita. Especially when you’re having lunch outside, beneath umbrellas and checkered tablecloths in a vast, tranquil piazza, snacking on zucchini squash blossoms and artichokes, both fried to perfection. Everyone around you will likely order the cacio e pepe made with handmade tagliolini noodles and served in a shell of pecorino, but the star of the show is their gnocchi alle vongole.

Pasticceria Boccione is the sole kosher bakery left in Rome’s historic Jewish Ghetto. This is not a coincidence: their baked tart brimming with a mound of ricotta cheese and thin layer of wild cherry jam is the best in the city. Their second greatest item is their pizza ebraica—a sweet bread filled with candied fruit and toasted nuts. Cram into the bakery (which is smaller than a walk-in closet) and place your order with one of the kind sisters who run the place behind the counter.

Armando al Pantheon has been serving straightforward classics throughout its six decades of family ownership. Come here for simple and excellent Roman food, including fantastic amatriciana made with rigatoni and a sublime spaghetti alla carbonara. You can get a half-portion of pasta if you want to save some room for a second course, like the saltimbocca alla romana or the tripe cooked in tomato with pecorino cheese. Just make sure to book your visit in advance.

After sidestepping waiters luring you in for an overpriced aperitivo, stop for dinner at Dar Filettaro in Campo de' Fiori. It’s our pick for Rome’s iconic baccalà, the massive filet of fried salted cod. Even though the setting is laid back, their fish is anything but casual: so tender yet crispy, you might wake up the Pope with every bite. And you can’t have the baccalà without the puntarelle. The curly chicory shoots tossed in an anchovy vinaigrette bring some much-needed acidity to the party.

Giano, which is located in the W hotel, has a prix-fixe lunch special that’s one of the best deals in Rome. After you’re seated in their swanky dining room with velvet chairs and sofas, you’ll get a complimentary bread basket filled with crispy housemade focaccia, wheat bread from Antico Forno Roscioli, and flavorful breadsticks, alongside whipped ricotta with olive oil and a dusting of ground capers. That alone could be a meal, but you’ll also get to pick an antipasto and pasta.

If you read the intro to this guide (we have faith you did, by the way), you know a trip to Rome isn't complete without a maritozzo for breakfast. And Pasticceria Regoli, a century-old bakery near the Termini train station, is where you should have your first of many. Sweet, yeasty buns get neatly filled with a generous mound of whipped cream, and make for the perfect start to the day. Arrive early: the bakery opens at 7am, so they’ll probably be sold out before noon.

Romanè is the sit-down restaurant owned by the same team behind Trapizzino. Unlike its counterpart, this is the spot for a more formal dinner, as their tables are lined with lace paper placemats and hand-painted ceramic plates hang on the walls. The menu skips pizza pockets entirely, focusing instead on Roman classics like ultra-creamy carbonara topped with expertly crispy strips of guanciale.

Even if you’ve eaten too many pastries for breakfast, you’ll need a snack before your late dinner. A deep-fried rice ball from Supplì Roma is the move. This busy, pint-sized takeout spot in Trastevere changes their flavors daily, but you’ll probably find Roman staples like coda alla vaccinara, a rich and tomatoey oxtail stew, cacio e pepe, or carbonara. Break one in half, and stretch the melty cheese like an accordion before absolutely housing it.

Siciliainbocca in Prati feels like one of Palermo’s bustling markets, without all of the singing about ricotta in a thick Sicilian dialect. There are ceramics like pinecones and teste di moro lining the walls, while colorful platters of fruit, vegetables, and the fresh catch of the day sit on display. Definitely get something fried in addition to the excellent eggplant caponata and softly-smoked ricotta served with orange chili marmalade, before diving into whatever their special pasta is.

Trattoria Pennestri is in Ostiense, a modern residential neighborhood outside of Rome’s historic center where you can find more street art and apartment blocks than fountains and cobblestones. The menu includes classics like carbonara, amatriciana, and cacio e pepe, as well as less traditional dishes, like the decidedly un-Roman seared duck breast with different seasonal sauces. For dessert, try the chocolate mousse that’s served with pane carasau, rosemary, and sea salt.

If you’re looking for a light bite and good natural wine, along with the occasional DJ playing old-school rap and Italian songs you can’t understand but definitely want to dance to, head to Circoletto, a wine bar near Circo Massimo. It’s pretty cheeky and fun here—a sign proudly reads “no spritz” and the bathroom’s decked out in random stickers. The menu has small, mainly traditional plates with a twist, a standout being their pizza bianca filled with pastrami di lingua.

Rocco is a classic Roman trattoria with polished terrazzo and starched tablecloths, but it feels a bit more laid back than some other places in the city. Sure, you might see a former president of the Republic or an Oscar-winning director at the next table, but that’s because this is their neighborhood spot. They have a menu of delicious pastas including cacio e pepe, seafood fresh from Anzio, sides of local bitter greens, and breaded lamb chops.

You know that Italy is famous for its pizza, but in Rome, full pizza pies (as opposed to slices, called pizza al taglio) are typically eaten at dinner, not lunch. But if a single slice just won’t do, head to Emma near Campo de' Fiori. The pizza here is thin-crusted Roman style with toppings like the best buffalo mozzarella from Paestum, tomatoes from the slopes of Vesuvius, prosciutto from Tuscany, and anchovies from Sicily.

Pizza al taglio is the perfect snack, especially if it comes from this bakery behind the flower sellers in the Campo de' Fiori. Long strips of pizza bianca get topped with tomato sauce or thinly sliced potatoes, or come stuffed with mortadella or zucchini flowers. Take it all to go and eat it while leaning against a fountain in view of a palace that Michelangelo designed in the next piazza over.

Whether you’re looking to have a very late lunch or an early light dinner, Fafiuchè is the perfect place for apericena, the Italian word that combines aperitivo and cena and means something more than a snack but not quite a full dinner. They serve wines from Piedmont and Pugliese-inspired snacks, plus a few hot dishes like lasagna and the bagna cauda, a warm garlicky anchovy dip with vegetables. If you stay for dessert, order the bruschetta Fafiuchè.