Foods To Try in Rome, Italy: An International Food Guide

Discover the ultimate international food guide in Rome, Italy – must-try dishes, restaurants, flavors and neighborhoods where you can taste the world.

Eating in the great restaurants of Rome continue to be my favorite experiences in Italy. You are able to eat outside year-round and there is a wide range of styles of restaurants available. Especially around the historical center (centro storico). I have been a little surprised by one aspect of restaurant culture here in Rome and I’m still working through what it means.

Where Are The Best International Foods To Try In Rome, Italy?

Before moving here, I had expected that there would be restaurants from other nearby countries available around every corner of the city, much like how Mexican, Chinese or Thai restaurants are ubiquitous in the US. This isn’t the case, or at least my expectations were a little different than reality.

In particular, given the geographic proximity, I thought there would be French, German, Greek and Spanish restaurants all over the place. The reality is that while they do exist, you need to search them out and plan the meal with a little forethought.

I have been able to find a few restaurants that made me very happy and I wanted to share them with you in this first installment of Great Foreign Restaurants In Rome.

La Renardière

We unexpectedly stumbled upon this intimate French restaurant while we were walking down Viale Aventino near FAO on our way to visit a friend and we are SO happy we stopped in. On our first visit to the restaurant, because it wasn’t planned, we didn’t make reservations but got lucky as there was only one table available for us. I would recommend making a reservation because it will fill up quickly.

We enjoyed our first visit so much, we decided to return a week later, bring a camera and make sure that it was as good as we remembered, and it was. We started with some Bordeaux, but we corrected the error of only getting a glass on our first visit and getting a bottle this time. This was a 2017 that was not too expensive and was delightful.

Our starters were a Quiche Lorraine and while I ordered a Cheese Soufflé, because it takes 20 minutes to prepare they asked if I would prefer my main first, and the soufflé second and I said “yes”. It turned out to be the wrong choice because I wasn’t in a rush and in retrospect I would’ve preferred to nurse my wine while I waited. Next time I’ll make a different choice. The quiche and the soufflés were light, cheesy and delicious. I’ve had quiche that was a little oily from the cheese and meat, but this wasn’t at all.

Our mains were a Steak au poivre (Filetto al Pepe) that came with a side of fried potatoes (Patate Fritte), and a Tuna and Avocado tartare with shrimp. The steak was cooked perfectly, although on our second visit, I don’t think I was asked how I wanted it cooked as I was on our first visit. The tuna mousse reminded me of Cod Mantecato, which was nice, and the avocado and shrimp were delicate and tasty.

We didn’t get a dessert this time because we had other plans, but on our first visit, the apple tart topped with gelato was a great finish to the meal and it seemed popular with the other patrons, so don’t hesitate if you still have space to eat more!

Ristorante Phở 1

Before moving to Italy there were a few Vietnamese restaurants that I used to enjoy going to regularly, so I was very excited to unexpectedly find a Phở restaurant so close to our home.

This small restaurant on Via Merulana will catch your attention not only because of the bright lights but also because of its crowd. This place is the home of Phở, a popular dish in Vietnamese cuisine, served in a variety of ways. It’s mostly a broth made with long noodles, vegetables, and meat.

Customers can choose to sit at one of the tables inside or outside and enjoy one of the many pho dishes on the menu and a few other Vietnamese dishes. The menu here is not overly complex, but it does focus on their namesake, Phở. There are a dozen varieties, as well as sides that pair with your meal. There’s Phở with chicken and Phở with beef (grilled, sliced, or minced). There are also a few vegetarian options.

The service was friendly and efficient and popular with locals and tourists alike. They do a good job of bridging the language gap, so there is no reason to be intimidated if you aren’t fluent in Italian or Vietnamese. I look forward to my next meal, both in and from this restaurant very soon.

Billy Tacos Urban Tortillas

This restaurant probably deserves a bit of an explanation because while I wouldn’t say that it is great, authentic Mexican food, I enjoyed my experience greatly, and that is really the point, isn’t it? Billy Tacos Urban Tortillas is brought to you by the same company that operates the Roadhouse Restaurants all around Italy and mostly in the North. If you’ve eaten there and experienced their version of an American style steak restaurant, you probably have a good idea of their authenticity.

The Billy Tacos Urban Tortillas is a mall (centro commerciale) food court eatery with electronic menu ordering and shared seating with other food court restaurants. The offerings include Tacos, Burritos and something called a French Taco, which appears to be a Burrito with French Fries inside and is pressed/toasted. They also offer Pokè, but I was here for the Mexican food, so I got the four taco combo, with Fresh Chicken, Spicy Chicken, Veggie and BBQ Pork.

Being a long way from Mexico, it isn’t surprising that the tacos didn’t taste exactly correct. The flour tortillas were a little small, comparable to a slider as compared to a hamburger, so it was pretty easy to put back 4 tacos pretty quickly. The rice seemed strangely more like a Basmati and the spicy chicken reminded me of a curry, but everything tasted good.

I especially liked the BBQ sauce, which is coincidentally offered on the ribs at Roadhouse, but I’m sure that is just a coincidence.
I do plan to go back once I return to the Euroma2 mall because I am desperate to find out what a French Taco really tastes like.

10 Frequently Asked Questions: Foreign Foods To Try In Rome, Italy

• What Foreign Cuisines Are Most Common In Rome Besides Italian? – The further south you travel in Italy, the fewer options for foreign cuisine are available. In Rome, you can find Chinese, Vietnamese, Indian, French and German cuisine, but you may have to hunt around for them. The most popular foreign food in Rome that I have found, besides the American chain restaurants, are the Kebab restaurants.
• Where In Rome Can I Find Authentic Vietnamese Food Or Banh Mi? – I had a favorite Banh Mi restaurant that was only a few steps from the Colosseum. Sadly it closed last year and I haven’t found a replacement. There is a Pho restaurant on via Merulana, Ristorante Phở 1, that is amazing and you need to give it a try.
• Are There Good French Restaurants In Rome? – I have found two that I love. One is La Renardiere on viale Aventino, and the other is Le Carré Français on via Vittoria Colonna. Both are definitely worthy of a visit.
• Is It Expensive To Eat Foreign Food In Rome Compared To Italian Food? – It can be a bit more expensive, especially if there are specialty foods that aren’t part of the Italian diet. Importing these items adds an additional cost, but it usually isn’t too much extra.
• What Mexican Restaurants Are Recommended In Rome? – I have been unhappy with the options for Mexican food in Rome, so I set the bar really low and eat at Billy Tacos when I am at the mall. I’m still hunting for something authentic.

• Can I Find Middle Eastern Or Asian Foreign Food Options In Rome? – Yes, there are many different types of Asian restaurants spread all over Rome. Kebab restaurants are on almost every corner, but a specific cuisine from say, Lebanon, is less common.
• Are The Foreign Restaurants In Rome Mostly Touristy Or Do Locals Go Too? – I would say that there is a good mixture of both. When I go to my favorite Vietnamese restaurant, it is filled with what I guess are non native-born customers, but there are usually a few mixed in.
• What Neighborhoods In Rome Have The Most International/Foreign Food Options? – The area in Esquilino, around Piazza Vittorio Emanuele, has the biggest collection of foreign restaurants, usually Asian, in the city. If you are looking for some hard to find ingredients, the stores in this neighborhood won’t let you down.
• Do I Need Reservations For Foreign Cuisine Restaurants In Rome? – As with any restaurant in Rome, it is a good idea to make a reservation. That said, some restaurants don’t follow the typical hours of operation of an Italian food restaurant, so if you are hungry at 11:30AM, you can probably swing by a French Bistrot or Vietnamese restaurant without a reservation.
• What Food Items Should I Avoid In Foreign Restaurants In Rome (If I’m A Picky Eater)? – Avoid Italian food. I know that sounds odd, but some restaurants try to mix Italian food into their culture’s dishes (think Chinese food with Carbonara) to make it more acceptable to the local palate, but you should avoid those. It will never be as good as in a proper Italian restaurant.

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