The Lilium guide

Where to eat near Porta Pia

Our addresses — on foot from the hotel, where Romans eat

When you ask us where to eat, we don't point you to a guidebook: we tell you where we go ourselves. Four addresses within a few minutes' walk of the hotel, at Via Venti Settembre 58/A — the Rome that's truly worth eating in, not the one with menus photographed for tourists.

In short

Our four favourite places to eat near Porta Pia are all within walking distance of the Lilium Boutique Hotel on Via XX Settembre: Al Piave (Via Piave 2E), a braceria and Roman kitchen a few minutes' walk away; Hostaria da Vincenzo (Via Castelfidardo 6), a historic seafood and traditional hostaria run by the Crosti family since 1972; La Lampada (Via Quintino Sella 25), a Roman trattoria frequented by Romans; and Trattoria Coriolano (Via Ancona 14), open since 1935 a few steps from Porta Pia. Termini station is a short walk away.

The bar at the Lilium Boutique Hotel — the starting point for an aperitivo at Porta Pia, Rome

Where the team eats

Our favourite addresses

The neighbourhood around Porta Pia is not a tourist zone: it's the Rome of ministries, offices and the Romans who live here. Which means the trattorie here have to be good to stay open — and the ones we recommend have been doing it for decades, some for three generations.

We've chosen four places we genuinely go to, and for each one you'll find the real walking distance from the hotel. No copied lists, no inflated reviews: just the spots where we send our friends. If you like, our reception will book for you and explain the way — it's almost always two turns and you're there.

One tip before you set off: in Rome people dine late. Before 8pm many dining rooms are half empty, which is perfect if you want a quiet table; but the best comes later, when they fill with voices and Romans. If you'd rather start slowly, have an aperitivo with us at the hotel bar and then head out for dinner.

The four addresses

Our tables near Porta Pia

A few minutes on foot · Via Piave 2E

Al Piave

The closest of all: a braceria, Roman kitchen and cocktail bar a step from the hotel, between Porta Pia and Via Veneto. Wood-fired grill, fresh pasta, meat and fish dishes, and an outdoor terrace. Order the carbonara or the tonnarelli cacio e pepe, and the artichokes when they're in season. Handy for a quick lunch, too.

A few minutes · Via Castelfidardo 6

Hostaria da Vincenzo

A family hostaria, run by the Crosti family since 1972: pasta made by hand every day, seafood and authentic Roman tradition. Tables outside and a snug dining room. In the evening it's worth booking. Usually closed on Sundays (best to check the hours). You come here for the fish, but the meat mains hold their own too.

On foot · Via Quintino Sella 25

La Lampada

An authentic trattoria in the Sallustiano quarter, near Via XX Settembre and the Baths of Diocletian. Rooms with arches, paintings and wooden shelves, generous portions and honest prices. Cacio e pepe, carbonara, tripe, ricotta gnocchi, and homemade desserts. More Romans than tourists eat here — the highest compliment of all.

A short walk · Via Ancona 14

Trattoria Coriolano

A few steps from Porta Pia, open since 1935 and kept by three generations of the Guerra family, originally from Amatrice. Mezze maniche alla carbonara, fettuccine, cacio e pepe with potatoes, saltimbocca alla romana, tripe in sauce. Fresh homemade pasta and artisanal desserts. A no-compromise table: book in the evening, especially at the weekend.

Inside the hotel · Via XX Settembre 58/A

Aperitivo at the Lilium

Before you head out, stop at our bar or in the inner courtyard: a glass, a few nibbles and your map for the evening. It's the best way to begin — and to ask reception to book your table and point out the most convenient route on foot between these addresses.

Good to know · The whole area

Termini close by

These four places are all in the quadrant between Porta Pia, Piazza Fiume and Termini station, reachable on foot. Handy if you're looking for "where to eat Roman cuisine near Termini": the same addresses work for those arriving by train and for those staying with us.

The menu guide

What to order from Roman cuisine

Roman pasta revolves around four classics, and it pays to know them. Cacio e pepe is the simplest and the hardest: just pecorino and pepper, whipped with the cooking water until they turn into a cream. Amatriciana adds guanciale and tomato; carbonara egg, guanciale and pecorino, never cream; gricia is carbonara without the egg. Try a different one at each dinner: here they do them all properly.

Among the mains, the flagship dish is coda alla vaccinara: oxtail braised long and slow with celery and cocoa, the poor man's dish of the Testaccio quarter turned symbol of the city. Lighter but just as Roman, saltimbocca alla romana — veal, ham and sage. And to begin, order the supplì: fried rice croquettes with a molten mozzarella heart, to eat with your hands while the rest arrives.

One rule only: trust the waiter. In the family trattorie we recommend, if you ask "what's good today" they really tell you — and often the dish of the day isn't even on the menu.

The inner courtyard of the Lilium Boutique Hotel — an aperitivo before dinner near Porta Pia, Rome

Frequently asked questions

Questions about where to eat at Porta Pia

Where can you eat Roman cuisine near Porta Pia and Termini?

Our four favourite addresses near Porta Pia are all within walking distance of the Lilium Boutique Hotel on Via XX Settembre: Al Piave (Via Piave 2E), a braceria and Roman kitchen a few minutes' walk away; Hostaria da Vincenzo (Via Castelfidardo 6), a historic seafood and traditional hostaria run by the Crosti family since 1972; La Lampada (Via Quintino Sella 25), a Roman trattoria frequented by Romans; and Trattoria Coriolano (Via Ancona 14), open since 1935 a few steps from Porta Pia. Termini station is a short walk away.

Which restaurant is closest to the Lilium Boutique Hotel?

Al Piave, on Via Piave 2E, is a few minutes' walk from the hotel: a braceria, Roman kitchen and cocktail bar with an outdoor terrace. For a family trattoria, Hostaria da Vincenzo on Via Castelfidardo is just as close. Both sit in the quadrant between Porta Pia, Piazza Fiume and Via Veneto, where the Lilium is too.

What should you order from Roman cuisine in Rome?

The four classics of Roman pasta are cacio e pepe (pecorino and pepper), gricia (pecorino and guanciale), amatriciana (guanciale, tomato and pecorino) and carbonara (egg, guanciale and pecorino). Among the mains, coda alla vaccinara and saltimbocca alla romana; to start, the supplì — fried rice croquettes with a molten mozzarella heart. You'll find these dishes in all the trattorie we recommend around Porta Pia.

Do you need to book the restaurants near Porta Pia?

In the historic family trattorie, like Hostaria da Vincenzo and Trattoria Coriolano, booking for the evening is recommended, especially at the weekend. The Lilium reception can book for you and point out the most convenient route on foot. For an informal lunch or an aperitivo, you can usually just turn up.

Are there fish restaurants near Porta Pia?

Yes. Hostaria da Vincenzo, on Via Castelfidardo, specialises in seafood as well as Roman tradition, with pasta made by hand every day. Al Piave, beyond the grill, also offers fish dishes. Both are a few minutes' walk from the Lilium.

Read also

What to see near Porta Pia: monuments, churches and parks on foot from the hotel →

At the table, like an insider

The Rome that's truly worth eating in

Stay at the Lilium Boutique Hotel: we'll book you the right table and point out the way — all a few minutes' walk from Porta Pia.

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