Rome's street food scene offers some of the most authentic, delicious, and affordable culinary experiences in the city.
From crispy supplì (fried rice balls oozing with mozzarella) to innovative trapizzino (pizza pockets filled with traditional Roman stews), the streets, markets, and neighborhood bakeries of Rome provide an edible education in Roman cuisine that rivals any sit-down restaurant—often at a fraction of the price. Whether you're grabbing a quick slice of pizza al taglio between monuments, savoring a porchetta sandwich in Testaccio market, or discovering a hidden bakery serving warm maritozzo buns, Rome's street food reveals the city's culinary soul in its most accessible, democratic form.
From crispy supplì (fried rice balls oozing with mozzarella) to innovative trapizzino (pizza pockets filled with traditional Roman stews), the streets, markets, and neighborhood bakeries of Rome provide an edible education in Roman cuisine that rivals any sit-down restaurant—often at a fraction of the price. Whether you're grabbing a quick slice of pizza al taglio between monuments, savoring a porchetta sandwich in Testaccio market, or discovering a hidden bakery serving warm maritozzo buns, Rome's street food reveals the city's culinary soul in its most accessible, democratic form.
Rome's street food offers authentic flavors at affordable prices
Supplì: Rome's Iconic Fried Rice Balls
If there's one street food that defines Rome, it's supplì—crispy, golden-fried rice balls that reveal a molten mozzarella center when you bite into them. The name supposedly comes from the French "surprise," referring to the delightful discovery of melted cheese inside, though Romans have claimed this treat as distinctly their own since the 19th century.
Traditional supplì (also called supplì al telefono, because the stretching mozzarella resembles old telephone cords) consists of risotto cooked with tomato sauce and mixed with ground meat, formed into an oval shape, stuffed with a cube of mozzarella, coated in breadcrumbs, and deep-fried until the exterior becomes crackling crispy while the interior stays creamy and warm. The contrast of textures—crunchy coating, tender rice, and gooey cheese—makes each bite immensely satisfying.
While the classic version remains most popular, modern variations include supplì cacio e pepe (with pecorino cheese and black pepper), carbonara supplì (with guanciale and egg), and even amatriciana supplì (with tomato, guanciale, and pecorino). Vegetarian versions might feature spinach and cheese or mushrooms.
The best supplì are made fresh throughout the day, never sitting under heat lamps. Look for places where you can see them being fried to order. They should be served hot enough that you need to let them cool for a moment (resist the temptation to bite immediately or risk burning your mouth on molten cheese). A good supplì costs €2-3 and makes an excellent snack between meals or a light lunch paired with a cold Roman beer.
Traditional supplì (also called supplì al telefono, because the stretching mozzarella resembles old telephone cords) consists of risotto cooked with tomato sauce and mixed with ground meat, formed into an oval shape, stuffed with a cube of mozzarella, coated in breadcrumbs, and deep-fried until the exterior becomes crackling crispy while the interior stays creamy and warm. The contrast of textures—crunchy coating, tender rice, and gooey cheese—makes each bite immensely satisfying.
While the classic version remains most popular, modern variations include supplì cacio e pepe (with pecorino cheese and black pepper), carbonara supplì (with guanciale and egg), and even amatriciana supplì (with tomato, guanciale, and pecorino). Vegetarian versions might feature spinach and cheese or mushrooms.
The best supplì are made fresh throughout the day, never sitting under heat lamps. Look for places where you can see them being fried to order. They should be served hot enough that you need to let them cool for a moment (resist the temptation to bite immediately or risk burning your mouth on molten cheese). A good supplì costs €2-3 and makes an excellent snack between meals or a light lunch paired with a cold Roman beer.
- Where to find exceptional supplì: Supplizio in Trastevere specializes exclusively in supplì with creative variations; Il Supplì near the Vatican offers classic versions that locals swear by; Trapizzino locations serve excellent supplì alongside their namesake creation; and virtually any good pizzeria al taglio will have supplì warming in their display case.
Pizza al Taglio: Rome's Answer to Fast Food
- Pizza al taglio (pizza by the slice, literally "pizza by the cut") represents Rome's unique contribution to pizza culture—quite different from the round Neapolitan pizzas served in pizzerias. This street food features pizza baked in large rectangular trays, displayed in shop windows, and sold by weight. You point to the section you want, indicate how much (piccolo, medio, grande), and the pizzaiolo cuts it with scissors, weighs it, and often folds it in half for easy eating while walking.
- Pizza rossa: Just tomato sauce, olive oil, and sometimes oregano—simple perfection that showcases the quality of ingredients and dough.
- Pizza bianca: No sauce, just olive oil, salt, and sometimes rosemary. Often eaten on its own as a snack or split and filled with mortadella or prosciutto for a sandwich.
- Pizza margherita: Tomato sauce, mozzarella, basil—the classic combination.
- Pizza con patate: Thin-sliced potatoes, rosemary, and olive oil. Sounds unusual but is absolutely delicious.
- Pizza mortadella e pistacchio: A modern classic combining creamy pistachio spread with sliced mortadella.
- Pizza zucchine e fiori di zucca: Zucchini and zucchini flowers, often with mozzarella and sometimes anchovies.
Roman-style pizza al taglio has a distinctive texture: the crust is crispy and light with a characteristic open crumb structure created by long fermentation and high hydration dough. Unlike thicker Sicilian-style or thin Neapolitan pizza, Roman pizza al taglio strikes a balance—substantial enough to be satisfying but light enough that you don't feel overstuffed.
Classic toppings include:
The beauty of pizza al taglio shops (called pizzerie al taglio or pizzerie al trancio) is the variety on display. You can try multiple types, mixing and matching flavors. Prices are very reasonable—€2-4 per slice depending on size and toppings, making it one of the most budget-friendly meals in Rome.
Top pizzerie al taglio include: Pizzarium near the Vatican (famous chef Gabriele Bonci's creation, often called the best pizza al taglio in Rome); Antico Forno Roscioli near Campo de' Fiori (the pizza matches their legendary bakery's standards); Forno Campo de' Fiori (always crowded with locals and tourists alike); and 180g Pizzeria Romana which emphasizes organic ingredients and creative seasonal toppings.
Trapizzino: Rome's Modern Street Food Innovation
While most Roman street food traces back centuries, the trapizzino is a 21st-century invention that has already become a modern classic. Created in 2008 by pizzaiolo Stefano Callegari in the Testaccio neighborhood, the trapizzino ingeniously combines pizza dough with traditional Roman cuisine in a completely new format.
Classic trapizzino fillings include:
The trapizzino has been so successful that multiple locations now operate throughout Rome, and the concept has expanded to other Italian cities and even internationally. What makes it work is the perfect marriage of the crispy-chewy pizza dough with the rich, saucy Roman dishes. The bread soaks up the flavors while maintaining enough structure to be eaten by hand (though napkins are essential).
Prices range from €3.50-5 per trapizzino, with most people finding one filling enough for a light meal or two making a substantial lunch. The original Testaccio location offers the most authentic experience, though all locations maintain high quality. Pair your trapizzino with a Roman craft beer or a glass of house wine for the full experience.
- The concept is simple but brilliant: bake triangular pockets of crispy pizza bianca dough, slice them open while warm, and fill them with classic Roman dishes that would typically be served as main courses in trattorias. The result is a handheld meal that's messy, delicious, and distinctly Roman in spirit despite its recent invention.
Classic trapizzino fillings include:
- Pollo alla cacciatora: Hunter-style chicken with tomatoes, bell peppers, and olives
- Polpette al sugo: Meatballs in rich tomato sauce
- Parmigiana: Layered eggplant, tomato sauce, and cheese
- Trippa alla romana: Roman-style tripe in tomato sauce (for adventurous eaters)
- Coda alla vaccinara: Oxtail stew with tomato and celery (traditional Roman comfort food)
- Lingua in salsa verde: Beef tongue in green sauce (another traditional Roman dish)
The trapizzino has been so successful that multiple locations now operate throughout Rome, and the concept has expanded to other Italian cities and even internationally. What makes it work is the perfect marriage of the crispy-chewy pizza dough with the rich, saucy Roman dishes. The bread soaks up the flavors while maintaining enough structure to be eaten by hand (though napkins are essential).
Prices range from €3.50-5 per trapizzino, with most people finding one filling enough for a light meal or two making a substantial lunch. The original Testaccio location offers the most authentic experience, though all locations maintain high quality. Pair your trapizzino with a Roman craft beer or a glass of house wine for the full experience.
Porchetta: Ancient Roman Street Food
- Porchetta represents street food in its most elemental form: slow-roasted whole pig, seasoned with garlic, rosemary, fennel, and other herbs, with crackling crispy skin and impossibly tender meat. While porchetta is popular throughout central Italy, Romans have a particular passion for this street food that dates back over 3,000 years to when ancient Romans prepared similar preparations as offerings to their gods.
- Where to find great porchetta: Er Buchetto near Trevi Fountain (a tiny hole-in-the-wall that's been serving porchetta since the 1950s); Testaccio Market has multiple porchetta vendors (try Mordi e Vai for porchetta with extraordinary crunchy skin); Ponte Milvio market on Sundays; and look for the "Antica Norcineria" trucks that appear at various locations around Rome.
Authentic porchetta is a marvel of preparation and patience.
A whole deboned pig is stuffed with its own organs (or just herbs in simpler versions), seasoned generously with wild fennel, garlic, black pepper, and sometimes chili, rolled and tied, and slowly roasted for hours until the skin crackles and the interior becomes fork-tender. The result is intensely flavored, rich meat that's sliced thick and served simply on bread—usually a crusty white roll (rosetta or pagnotta) with no other condiments needed.
In Rome, you'll find porchetta at markets, food trucks stationed at busy piazzas, and specialized shops. The best vendors display the whole roasted pig and carve your sandwich to order, offering you a choice of lean meat, fatty meat, or a mix (always go for the mix). The crackling skin (cotenna) is highly prized—ask for extra if you want a truly decadent sandwich.
A porchetta sandwich typically costs €5-6, though you can sometimes find smaller portions for less. The meat is rich enough that even a modest sandwich is satisfying. It's particularly popular as a hangover cure on Sunday mornings at markets, though it's delicious any time.
Other Essential Roman Street Foods
- Beyond the big three (supplì, pizza al taglio, and porchetta), Rome's street food scene includes numerous other treats worth seeking out:
- Filetti di Baccalà: Battered and fried salt cod, served in paper cones. Dar Filettaro a Santa Barbara near Campo de' Fiori has been frying baccalà since 1938 and serves virtually nothing else. Crispy outside, flaky inside, best eaten immediately with a squeeze of lemon.
- Maritozzo: Sweet breakfast bun loaded with fresh whipped cream. While technically a breakfast pastry, you'll find Romans enjoying maritozzo throughout the day. Pasticceria Regoli and Roscioli Caffè serve excellent versions. The ratio of cream to bun should be at least 1:1.
- Pizza e Mortadella: The simplest sandwich imaginable—pizza bianca (the flatbread, not pizza with cheese) split and filled with thick slices of mortadella (Italian bologna, but infinitely better). Antico Forno Roscioli makes this perfectly.
- Fricò: A crispy disk of fried cheese, similar to a cheese crisp but richer. Often served as an appetizer in restaurants but available at some street food vendors and markets.
- Olive Ascolane: Large green olives stuffed with meat, breaded, and fried. These originated in the Marche region but are now popular Roman street food, especially in Testaccio.
- Carciofi alla Giudia: Jewish-style artichokes, deep-fried until the leaves become crispy like potato chips while the heart stays tender. Found primarily in the Jewish Ghetto neighborhood. Not cheap (€8-12 per artichoke) but an extraordinary experience.
- Porchetta di Ariccia: A regional variation from the Castelli Romani hills, flavored more heavily with rosemary and black pepper. Slightly different from Roman porchetta, both delicious.
- Grattachecca: Shaved ice dessert (like a snow cone but better) flavored with fruit syrups, pieces of fresh fruit, and sometimes coconut. A summer essential. Sora Mirella on Lungotevere Anguillara is legendary.
Where to Find the Best Street Food: Markets and Neighborhoods
While street food vendors appear throughout Rome, certain markets and neighborhoods concentrate the best options:
Testaccio Market (Mercato di Testaccio): This renovated market in Rome's traditional working-class neighborhood offers the highest concentration of excellent street food vendors under one roof. Multiple stalls serve supplì, porchetta, trapizzino, pizza, and prepared foods. It's where Romans shop and eat, making it authentic and less touristy than Campo de' Fiori. Open Monday-Saturday, mornings through early afternoon.
Mercato Centrale Roma (near Termini Station): A modern food hall housing artisan food vendors, restaurants, and street food specialists. More polished and touristy than Testaccio but convenient and reliable. Open daily until late evening.
Campo de' Fiori: The famous market square has numerous bakeries and shops around its perimeter selling pizza, supplì, and other street food. Quality varies—stick to places with lines of locals. The Forno Campo de' Fiori on the square's corner is always mobbed for good reason.
Trastevere: This charming neighborhood across the Tiber has numerous street food options, especially along Via di San Francesco a Ripa and around Piazza San Cosimato. Supplizio and Trapizzino both have Trastevere locations. Good for combining street food with evening wandering through atmospheric streets.
Jewish Ghetto: Specifically for fried artichokes (carciofi alla giudia) and Jewish-Roman pastries. The area around Via del Portico d'Ottavia has multiple restaurants and take-away spots. Prices are higher than other neighborhoods but the specialties are worth trying.
Pigneto: Rome's hipster neighborhood east of Termini offers modern interpretations of street food alongside traditional options. Good for evening street food paired with the area's bars and alternative vibe.
Ponte Milvio Market: Sunday morning market north of the city center draws crowds for porchetta, pizza, and market produce. Less touristy, more local in character.
Generally, the best street food isn't found near major monuments (those areas skew touristy with inflated prices and lower quality). Walk a few blocks into residential neighborhoods and you'll find better quality, lower prices, and more authentic experiences.
Testaccio Market (Mercato di Testaccio): This renovated market in Rome's traditional working-class neighborhood offers the highest concentration of excellent street food vendors under one roof. Multiple stalls serve supplì, porchetta, trapizzino, pizza, and prepared foods. It's where Romans shop and eat, making it authentic and less touristy than Campo de' Fiori. Open Monday-Saturday, mornings through early afternoon.
Mercato Centrale Roma (near Termini Station): A modern food hall housing artisan food vendors, restaurants, and street food specialists. More polished and touristy than Testaccio but convenient and reliable. Open daily until late evening.
Campo de' Fiori: The famous market square has numerous bakeries and shops around its perimeter selling pizza, supplì, and other street food. Quality varies—stick to places with lines of locals. The Forno Campo de' Fiori on the square's corner is always mobbed for good reason.
Trastevere: This charming neighborhood across the Tiber has numerous street food options, especially along Via di San Francesco a Ripa and around Piazza San Cosimato. Supplizio and Trapizzino both have Trastevere locations. Good for combining street food with evening wandering through atmospheric streets.
Jewish Ghetto: Specifically for fried artichokes (carciofi alla giudia) and Jewish-Roman pastries. The area around Via del Portico d'Ottavia has multiple restaurants and take-away spots. Prices are higher than other neighborhoods but the specialties are worth trying.
Pigneto: Rome's hipster neighborhood east of Termini offers modern interpretations of street food alongside traditional options. Good for evening street food paired with the area's bars and alternative vibe.
Ponte Milvio Market: Sunday morning market north of the city center draws crowds for porchetta, pizza, and market produce. Less touristy, more local in character.
Generally, the best street food isn't found near major monuments (those areas skew touristy with inflated prices and lower quality). Walk a few blocks into residential neighborhoods and you'll find better quality, lower prices, and more authentic experiences.
Street Food Etiquette and Practical Tips
Understanding a few basics about Roman street food culture will enhance your experience:
- Ordering: Most pizza al taglio and bakeries operate on a similar system—you indicate what you want and how much, they weigh it, and you pay. Don't be shy about asking for small amounts to try multiple things. Most vendors are happy to accommodate.
- Paying: Many street food vendors and markets are cash-only or have minimum credit card amounts. Always carry cash, preferably in small bills and coins. ATMs are plentiful in Rome if you need to withdraw more.
- When to Eat: Romans typically eat street food as a snack (spuntino) between meals, not as a replacement for meals. However, tourists on the move can certainly make a meal of street food. The busiest times are late morning (around 11 AM), mid-afternoon (4-5 PM), and early evening (7-8 PM).
- Standing vs. Sitting: Street food is typically eaten standing—at counters, leaning against walls, or walking. Some pizza al taglio places have a few tables, but most expect customers to eat and move on. If a place has table service, prices are usually higher.
- Napkins: Take plenty of napkins. Supplì, porchetta, and trapizzino are messy. No one will judge you for looking like you enjoyed your food.
- Water: Romans don't typically drink while eating street food, but you can bring a water bottle or buy one at nearby shops. The numerous public drinking fountains (nasoni) throughout Rome provide safe, cold water for free.
- Quality Indicators: Lines of locals waiting patiently are the best sign of quality. Also look for places making food fresh throughout the day (you can see them preparing pizza, frying supplì, etc.) rather than relying on pre-made items sitting under heat lamps.
- Pricing: Most street food items cost €2-6. If prices are significantly higher, you're probably in a tourist trap. If something seems too cheap, quality may be compromised.
- Sharing: It's perfectly acceptable to buy multiple items and share with companions. This lets you try more variety without overeating.
- Language: Most vendors speak limited English but are used to tourists. Pointing and gesturing works fine. Learning a few phrases helps: "Quanto costa?" (How much?), "Uno, per favore" (One, please), and "Grazie" (Thank you).
Testaccio Market, Rome
Testaccio Market: Rome's best food market for street food
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