5 Best Rome Food Tours in 2026 + Must-try Roman foods!

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There was one thing in particular we were excited about before visiting Rome, and it was an obvious one: Italian food (and wine, of course). Personally, I found all the options a little overwhelming. But luckily, there are so many great Rome food tours you can join to get a perfect evening of food and wine in the Italian capital.

Let’s not forget the yummy gelato found on every street corner!

As you may know, Rome is one of my favourite places in Italy, alongside Tuscany and the Trentino, and all the amazing food tours and evening walks available are amongst the reasons why.

From strolling past the Pantheon at night (gelato in hand, of course), to having a glass of wine overlooking one of the many piazzas and fountains of the city, there is no better place to indulge in local cuisine than Rome.

6 Must-try Foods in Rome

The Eternal City is (as we all know) famous for its architecture and history, but let’s not forget the culinary scene.

Before I dive into my overview of the best food tours in Rome, you need to know the lay of the land when it comes to must-try dishes.

Chances are high you will end up on a food tour that includes at least 3 of these – so it’s always good to have some background knowledge. You’ll also find that I mention some of these in the food tour overview below.

From traditional Roman dishes to local specialties, here are some must-try dishes when in Rome.

Read next: Northern vs Southern Italy (trip planning advice)

#1 Pizza al Taglio

A slice of pizza al taglio is absolutely necessary for your gastronomic journey through Rome. This square-shaped pizza is baked in a big tray and sold by weight.

There is an endless variety of toppings, ranging from artichokes and prosciutto to plain margherita, making this the perfect street food snack for your walks around the city.

#2 Pasta Carbonara

When in Rome, do as the Romans, right? In that case, you have to dig into a plate of authentic carbonara pasta. The original is made with guanciale (cured pork jowl, basically a fancy bacon), pecorino cheese, egg yolks and black pepper.

This creamy dish is a must to try in Rome – especially since most international versions have altered the recipe.

#3 Supplì

If this popular street food shows up during your food tour, get excited!

These deep-fried rice balls are stuffed with tomato sauce and mozzarella, and taste like absolute perfection. Gooey cheese inside a crispy golden hand-sized ball – what’s not to love?

#4 Cacio e Pepe

You didn’t think I’d miss this one?

This simple, yet delicious Italian dish needs to be on your list of foods to try in Rome. It consists of just 3 ingredients: Pecorino cheese, black pepper and spaghetti (cooked al dente, of course).

#5 Gelato

This one goes without saying. No visit to Rome would be complete without authentic Italian ice cream!

Whether it’s creamy pistachio, refreshing lemon or the classic stracciatella (my favourite), you know you’re in for a treat. Look for gelaterias with natural, artisanal flavours for the real experience.

Top tip for finding authentic gelato in Rome: If you see fluffy gelato that “sticks out” high above the container – run. These have been whipped to expand in size, and thus you are paying for air. Additionally, you want natural colours, not bright ones (for example, pistachio should not be green and lemon should not be yellow).

#6 Carciofi alla Romana (Roman-style artichokes)

I was surprised to find that artichokes were a traditional dish in Rome, but on my first Rome food tour, I got to try this classic.

The tender artichokes are cooked in olive oil, fresh herbs and garlic until they “consume” the flavour (if that makes sense), making them incredibly flavourful and oh-so delicious!

The 5 Best Rome Food Tours

Whether you’re a seasoned foodie, love Italian food or are just looking to expand your culinary horizons, a food tour in Rome is an experience not to be missed.

However, with so many options, alternatives and companies offering these tours, it’s easy to get a little thrown off by which ones to choose. Especially if you only have limited time in Rome.

Below are the best food tours for your Rome itinerary!

Tip: All of the tours listed can accommodate vegetarians, but you are highly advised to let them know in advance. Some of them cannot guarantee that they can arrange vegetarian options if they are not informed in advance.

#1 The highest-ranked Rome Food Tour

With over 1720 5* reviews and the winner of the 2023 Viator Experience Awards, this tour is not to be missed.

The tour focuses on the Prati neighbourhood, which is relatively unknown amongst tourists, making the experience feel more authentic than some other food tours of Rome.

You’ll be making several stops, with some walking in between (don’t forget a good poncho or umbrella if it’s raining – bad weather won’t stop the tour).

Some of the delights you can look forward to on this tour is aged balsamic vinegar, pizza and truffles.

• Length: 4 hours
• Cost: $149
• Max group size: 13
• Food samplings included: Up to 20
• Starting point: Via Cipro
• Wheelchair accessible: Yes
• Advance booking needed: Yes
• BOOK HERE

#2 Rome Street Food Tour

If you are more of a street food kind of traveller, this is the perfect Rome food tour for you. From supplì (as mentioned above) to zucchini flowers, you’ll try some of the best street foods Rome has to offer.

Read later: the perfect 7-day Rome itinerary

The meeting point is one of Rome’s famous markets, Campo de’ Fiori, and you’ll start right off the bat by greeting some of the vendors at their stalls.

Your guide is local, and will teach you all the ins and outs of the local street food scene.

Note that this tour will take you to (and through) street markets, not to any sit-down restaurants. If you are looking for a food tour that stops in restaurants, look at the other spots on the list.

• Length: 2,5 hours
• Cost: $50
• Max group size: 15
• Food samplings included: 5
• Starting point: Campo de’ Fiori
• Wheelchair accessible: No
• Advance booking needed: Yes
• BOOK HERE

#3 Trastevere Twilight Food Tour (+ a visit to Rome’s oldest wine cellar)

Before you think it (just in case): this tour is not Twilight themed. It’s just that it starts at twilight.

This food tour made the list because it has been running for 10 years, and includes access to 2 of the most well-known restaurants in the Trastevere neighbourhood – and the oldest wine cellar in the city!

One of the reasons I love this tour so much is because wine and drinks are included – such as a toast of prosecco at Da Enzo Restaurant (a very popular spot).

• Length: 4 hours
• Cost: $142
• Max group size: 12
• Food samplings included: 13
• Starting point: Piazza S. Bartolomeo All’Isola, 22
• Wheelchair accessible: No
• Advance booking needed: Yes
• BOOK HERE

#4 The Best Private Food Tour in Rome

If you are travelling with a group of friends (or family) and want a truly unique food tour experience in Rome, you should book a private food tour.

When you book, you can choose whether you want your tour to include 6 or 10 samples of local foods (ranging from buffalo mozzarella to gelato).

Going on a private tour gives you much more freedom to ask the questions you want, and you’ll get the full attention of your local guide.

• Length: 2-3 hours
• Cost: from $109 (depending on your group size)
• Max group size: Private
• Food samplings included: 6 or 10 (you choose when you book)
• Starting point: Campo de’ Fiori or Piazza di S. Cosimato, 62
• Wheelchair accessible: No
• Advance booking needed: Yes
• BOOK HERE

#5 “5-course food tour of Rome”

This food tour has a bid of a fun spin to it, as it’ll take you on a walk through the streets and neighbourhoods of Rome whilst you work your way through a 5-course “meal”.

Your meal consists of 3 different starters (such as carciofi alla Romana or buffalo mozzarela), a main (for example cacio e pepe) and of course dessert (artisinal gelato).

Between each course you move from restaurant to restaurant, whilst your guide shares some of the local secrets of the city.

• Length: 3,5 hours
• Cost: $103
• Max group size: 12
• Food samplings included: 5 courses (several samples per course)
• Starting point: Piazza Farnese
• Wheelchair accessible: No
• Advance booking needed: Yes
• BOOK HERE

What to expect on a food tour in Rome

Below is my exact experience of my first Rome food tour – to give you an idea of what to expect! Consider it my “Rome travel diary”.

We met up with our guide, Tiffany and her husband Dario (who was training as a guide for the tour) in the Jewish Quarter of Rome. Tiffany hails from Indiana, but has spent the last 10 years in Rome after falling for the city as a result of a semester abroad. Right down our street, or what? We were soon joined by the only other guest on our tour, and off we went.

LivItaly guarantees that there are never more than 6 people in a tour, which we absolutely loved. The intimacy of being only 5 people made the whole evening feel more like dinner with friends than an impersonal tour. We got to get to know our guides and the other guests, all while learning loads about Italian food, culture and history.

In between facts and stories we were able to ask Tiffany and Dario any questions we may have had, and they gladly answered, explained and embellished after hearing them all.

Side note: I LOVE learning and sharing what I know, and kept quoting Tiffany for the rest of the trip, leaving Ida mesmerised at just how I remembered everything they told us on the tour.

During our tour we visited 3 restaurants, where we got to try some traditionally fried specialties, pizza and pasta; a gelato bar, where we got to gorge in our favourite flavors; and lastly a cafe where we finished it all off with the best espresso in Rome.

Walking between meals made for the perfect break, to get some fresh air, take some photos of the sights on the way, and ask some more questions.

Side note: I think I literally squealed when Tiffany revealed that we were looking at the place where they believe Julius Cæsar was stabbed.

Not going to lie, I was mostly excited about the wine. Being a wine enthusiast (which is grown up speak for ‘I love wine’), I am happy to say that I was able to leave the tour with some actual knowledge on the topic, going beyond simply knowing what I like and what I dislike when it comes to the grape juice we are all so fond of. Going beyond this, Tiffany took us all the way back to the ‘beginning of alcohol’, and told us its entire history up until today!

Fun fact: Humans started making alcohol around the same time as we stopped being hunter-gatherers. Some scientists and historians believe that these to events go hand-in-hand, and that humans started settling in one place in order to keep making this fun-filled poison.

Other things we learned include the recipe for pesto, and the history of the pizza. And did you know that the ground level in Rome today is way higher than it was in Ancient Rome? This is due to the frequent floodings of the Tiber river in the late Middle Ages, bringing silt over the river banks again and again.

Truth be told, Ida and I actually spent our first 2 days in Rome looking at the Forums and various ancient ruins thinking ‘wow, they were really good at basements in those days..‘

We left feeling our food tour very full (of both food and knowledge), and both really enjoyed ourselves. We got to try some amazing Italian dishes, and I’m still processing some of the things we learned. If you’re looking to spend a great evening learning things you won’t be able to google your way to, go ahead.

I’ll leave you with another fun fact that will have you sorted for life: In Italy they believe that the bubbles in Prosecco expand your stomach, in turn getting you ready to eat more food. Because of this, Prosecco (or bubbly wine) is usually drunk before meals. You’re welcome.

More Rome Food Tours

Below are a few more popular Rome food tours, in case you want to browse all the options there are (and not just the top 5 that I have shared in this post).