Hi everyone. I will be in Rome in two weeks. My question is in regards to food. Which beer bars have the best food or restaurants with a great beer selection. Thanks! Omar
Bir & Fud is the only beer place that has better food that I can think of. I cannot think of any other restaurant that has elevated food and a good beer selection.
Two of my favorite restaurants in Roma are Armando al Pantheon, exactly as it sounds, right next to the Pantheon but not a tourist place, and Roma Sparita in the Testaccio neighborhood not too far from Trastevere where Bir & Fud is. Both will probably require reservations so check them out and see if you think you're interested.
I just thought of something else... if this is your first trip to Roma I wouldn't suggest it, BUT if it's not or you're in the area - if you visit the Vatican or are staying nearby - grabbing a few nice bottles of Italian birra and heading over to Bonci Pizzarium to pick up a few squares of pizza and then finding a nice spot to have a picnic lunch is nice. They also have some beer there but it's limited, and mainly if not all, Birra del Borgo. Keep in mind, Bonci is not like other Italian pizza, but it's very good. Plan to get there before they open and grab a ticket or you'll wait (unless things have died down). Also, if you visit the Vatican you'll leave on the south side but Bonci is on the North side, so walk to the east and up and around or you'll end up walking up the huge hill behind it (which is fun and interesting in a certain way, but time consuming and not overtly exciting and somewhat time consuming). Also, although it's not a restaurant, Baguetteria del Fico is a tiny, family run sandwich shop that I love. They specialize in artisanal beer, a short walk west of the Piazza Navona. They have great little bites (Parma ham, olives, cheeses, etc.), and they're friendly and depending on who's there, enjoy talking about the craft beers they offer (no to very little English though). If you go there, No.au is worth a stop not too far to the north but they tend to open late and there's not a lot to do in between. They have a nice little bit of food as well, and as in most of Europe, a little nibble here and there is quite often the way to go rather than having one larger meal.
Sorry, but I can't help myself; at the very least this thread will be archived and help other people though, so there's that. Another great place for food is I Porchettoni, in the University area north and east of the Termini. It's slightly sketchy getting there depending on how you go about it, but you're from Illinois so I assume you've been to Chicago and can handle yourself. I would actually suggest a route that takes you the long way (out of the way) to Birra + in the east first, and then back to Il Serpente (futbol bar, great taps, kind of English in nature but small), and then dinner at I Porchettoni. From there you can head straight back into central Roma. They have beer there, but it's limited; but I've also found that as a tourist if you're friendly and talkative you can bring your own beer to a small place and just throw them a couple of bucks and they'll let you drink it no problem. I recall, and I might be wrong, drinking a beer that I had with me at the time there and they had no issue with it - no "corkage fee" or anything. Of course, try the porchetta.
Open Baladin Roma: it's not the best food that you seem to be seeking out, but to be honest, in Roma almost all of the food is good. It's not specifically Roman food, which is certainly OK, and I gave it a 4 out of 5 in my review which is pretty good. It's a nice place and it's worth a visit, especially given it's location in a shopping area not too far south and east of the Campo de' Fiori. With that said, do not miss Johnny's Off-License in the Campo de' Fiori. They have a great selection of beers that you can take back to your hotel room, or home, or to a restaurant that will let you drink them. In between is a place called Roscioli Salumeri con Cucina that's a very popular place to eat. I've eaten there three times now and I've never been impressed, and actually been let down EVERY TIME. I think it's more of a tourist place although I will say that the food and wine are good. I just think they seems to have a grandiose impression of themselves, and for some reason (probably because of their location to shopping) they're over-rated.
A lot of great info there, @NeroFiddled. I'm hoping to visit Rome this fall, so I'll be revisiting this thread when planning gets going. @Socalfan21 , please add your thoughts back here after your visit.
@NeroFiddled I just saw all of this. Thank you so much for all of your recs. 1) This is not my first trip to Rome BUT I was there 4 years ago but only for about 2 and a half days so we pretty much hit up all the touristy stuff. This time, I will be there for about 5 full days and want to tackle this trip from a different angle. 2) Bonci is a great rec. I have been there the last time we were there and actually there is a Bonci location right by my apartment here in Chicago. It was the first city that Bonci opened his second location at which is cool. I have a reservation at Armando al Pantheon and I am very excited for that meal. Roscioli was one I was on the fence about but I think your review made it easy to go elsewhere. I will probably hit up the bakery and caffe (I love coffee) and will head elsewhere for meals. Thank you again for taking the time to post this! @Mothergoose03 Ill make sure to post a little something when I return!
There is a new place called Luppolo Station you can read about it here https://www.beeradvocate.com/articles/16571/luppolo-station-romes-train-themed-craft-focused-pub/
Oh, man, I didn't know that Bonci has a location in Chicago. Looking at the map, it's just down the street from the Crowne Plaza that I'm staying at next week. Be. Re. is a beer bar near the Vatican area. When I was there in July they had quite a solid tap list, including locals and a couple Cantillons. They're connected to a little food place that's somewhat well known for Trappizzino, which are kind of like pizza pockets. I wouldn't go specifically for the food, but if you're near the Vatican and want something quick to eat along with the best tap list in that area, it's worth stopping.
Can you visit Tre Fontane Abbey in Rome? I'm going to Rome, Florence, and Siena next week. I will be in each city for about 3-4 days each. Any recs would be awesome. I think I have a solid foundation on Rome and what it has to offer, so recs on the other cities are greatly appreciated. (I'm not into doing touristy things.) Also, LOCALS, I am traveling from New York City, if anyone is looking for trades. Thanks!!!!
You can tour the abbey. It's about a 20 minute drive south of central Rome. I'm not sure how much the brewery plays into that. Call them and find out: 349 28 98 576 I'll also be visiting Florence and Siena later this year. Maybe you could post some highlights of your trip when you get back?
It seems like I go every year now! That's my wife's doing. There's certainly nothing wrong with that, I love Italy, but I'd rather return to Germany or visit a country I haven't been to yet (Belgium!). However, we'll also be visiting Switzerland on this upcoming trip so there's that.
