If at a bakery you can buy bread and sometimes both bread and pastries, the pastry shops in Rome known as “pasticcerie” prepare only the sweet baked goods. In Rome’s best pasticcerie (confectioneries), you can find anything from cakes, cookies, croissants, and all types of pastries.
Buying a cake, especially a fresh one, as a gift to bring home with you might not be very convenient as it can break along the way. But at a pastry shop, you can pick any confectionery products and have them packed for traveling.
The best pastry shops in Rome produce any type of pastries and cakes, including those for vegans. Due to always higher demand, top Roman confectioneries experiment with different types of flours, ingredients, as well as natural sweeteners to decrease the amount of sugar.
Map of the best pastry shops in Rome
Regoli (Esquilino)
Regoli is one of the historical pastry shops in Rome that has never shown any sign of cooling. This artisanal pasticceria was founded by the Regoli family in the far 1916 between the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore and Piazza Vittorio. After more than a century, it is still managed by the same clan.
Proudly Roman, Regoli makes all the traditional Italian pastries and cakes. Paying close attention to the selection of the ingredients, the patissier tries to follow the old recipes. Here, you will smell the scent of tradition and find anything from Italian-style tarts and cakes such as Mimosa and crostata, cornetti, and the unmissable maritozzo, the king of Roman pastries.
As a peek at foreign influences, you will also find creations such as Profiteroles, Charlotte, and Saint’Honoré.
- Where: Via dello Statuto 60.
- When: Wednesday to Monday 7 am-7 pm. Closed on Tuesday.
- Website.
Federico Prodon Pâtisserie (Vatican – Borgo Pio)
Elegant and sophisticated, Federico Prodon Pâtisserie is a pastry boutique in the shadow of the Vatican walls. Here, you are going to find all the most famous cakes such as Foresta Nera, Mont Blanc, Pavlova, Sacher, Tart au citron, and Tart Framboise.
If you want something smaller, single portions are available as well as cookies such as the delicious baci di dama, hazelnut-enriched dough with a chocolate heart, cookies, truffles, cantucci, and mini tarts.
- Where: Vicolo del Farinone 19.
- When: Tuesday to Sunday 7 am-7 pm. Closed on Monday.
- Website.
De Santis Santa Croce (San Giovanni)
Founded in 1908, De Santis Santa Croce is another of the historical pastry shops in Rome located in the San Giovanni area near the Santa Croce in Gerusalemme Basilica, one of the least-visited churches in the city.
Here, the fragrance of croissants, tarts, cakes, maritozzi, and stuffed “bomb” pastries starts very early morning so that you can treat yourself to a warm and hearty breakfast in Rome. I’m guessing you will be a regular if you have your hotel around the area. Are you not around for breakfast? Fret not, plenty of mignon pastries and cakes for every break of the day.
- Where: Via di Santa Croce in Gerusalemme 17/21.
- When: Monday to Saturday 5.15 am-10 pm, Sunday 6.30 am-1.30 pm.
- Website.
Linari (Testaccio)
Linari is a famous pastry shop and bar in the traditional Testaccio neighborhood not far from landmarks such as the Caestia Pyramid and Rome’s Protestant Cemetery. Founded in 1971 and famous for its leavened pastries such as the beloved croissants and their luscious maritozzo, Linari is a locals’ favorite breakfast destination.
Not far from the city center and Trastevere, and neighboring Ostiense, I always suggest visiting Testaccio for a feel of true “Romanness. Famous for its traditional restaurants, several Rome food tours run in this area such as Taste of Testaccio by Eating Europe and Testaccio Food and Market Tour by Devour Tours. The latter will kick off with a typical Italian breakfast right here at Linari where you will taste the creamy maritozzo.
- Where: Via Nicola Zabaglia 9.
- When: Every day 6.30 am-9 pm. On Tuesday until 1.30 pm.
- Website.
Andreotti (Ostiense)
Founded in 1931, a list of the best pastry shops in Rome can’t miss Andreotti in the Ostiense district. Nestled in between the main relics of Roman industrial archaeology, this is a mandatory stop if you are on the lookout for the best maritozzo in the city.
Among the pastries of Andreotti, worth mentioning (and trying) are the Sacher cake, many types of shortcrust pastry biscuits perfect for tea time, fruit tarts, as well as seasonal desserts such as Christmas and Easter cakes.
Pasticceria Andreotti also specializes in southern Italian desserts of Southern Italy such as casatiello, Neapolitan pastiera, and zeppole. To meet everyone’s preferences and provide an offer for a light lunch, Andreotti also produces savory foods such as pizzas, sandwiches, and savory cream puffs.
- Where: Via Ostiense 54/56.
- When: Every day 6.30 am-9.30 pm.
- Website.
Grezzo (Monti, Jewish Quarter, Parioli)
Grezzo has been an all-time favorite Roman pasticceria of mine because its cakes are entirely natural, sugar-free, and delicious. They are Rome’s first raw vegan pastry shop and in fact, all their products haven’t been baked or cooked in any way.
Their cakes, cookies, truffles, chocolate, and even gelato are all dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free, and raw. And since they don’t use any flour, they are also gluten-free. You are going to find plenty of nuts of all types, chocolate, and fresh and dried fruits.
Since their first opening in Via Urbana, Grezzo has launched other pastry shops in Rome, one in the Jewish Quarter and one in the exclusive Parioli area.
Why do I like Grezzo so much? Because even though their prices are not exactly super cheap, they are so heavy with wholesome ingredients, that one is enough to make you feel satisfied. Adding to that, you can eat their products without feeling guilty because there are no chemicals, no sugar, and no artificial additives so in the end, you are eating a healthy piece of cake.
- Where: Via Urbana 130, Piazza Mattei 14, Piazza Euclide 39.
- When: Opening hours vary by location but they are usually open every day from 1 pm to 8 pm. On weekends until 10.30 pm.
- Website.
Casa Manfredi (Aventino)
The sweets of this pastry shop in beautiful Aventine Hill blend tradition and modernity and clearly show the influences of Italian and French baking practices. Here, you can enjoy artisanal patisserie with a delicious coffee of the highest quality.
Together with daily croissants and cakes, the master patissier of Casa Manfredi also dishes out seasonal desserts such as Christmas’ panettoni or Easter’s colombe.
- Where: Viale Aventino 91/93.
- When: Every day 7.30 am-9 pm, on Sunday until 8 pm.
- Website.
Charlotte (Re di Roma)
This French-inspired pasticceria in Rome specializes in creating artisanal pastries and cakes of different formats and flavors. The ingredients defining their products are of the highest quality, from Valhrona chocolate to Bronte pistachio to Madagascar vanilla.
If you visit (and I suggest you do if you are near Re di Roma metro station or even if you are visiting the important Roman church of San Giovanni in Laterano Basilica), tuck into colorful and delicious tarts, macarons, and cookies. Your favorite single portions can become a full cake.
- Where: Via Vercelli 12/14.
- When: Every day 10 am-1.30 pm and 2.30-7.30 pm.
- Website.
Cavalletti (Spagna, Trieste, Vigna Clara, Parioli, EUR)
Cavalletti is a historical pasticceria in Rome famous for its mille-feuille cakes. They make every type of pastries, from the typical croissants that Italians love so much for breakfast with their coffee or cappuccino to cakes, ciambellone Italian donuts, bigné, mignon, and several types of mille-feuille cakes and single portions.
Cavalletti has many pastry shops in Rome and due to its popularity, it has also opened a few coffee shops, one near the Spanish Steps, nonetheless. Their coffee shops are more like bistros that serve breakfast, lunch, and aperitifs.
- Where: Pastry shops in Via Nemorense 179, Via di Vigna Stelluti 204, and Largo dei Colli Albani 41. Bistros in Via San Sebastianello 7A (Spanish Steps), Viale Parioli 45, Viale Europa 20, and via Ugo Ojetti 85.
- When: Pastry shops every day 8/9 am-8 pm, bistros every day 7 am-9 pm.
- Website.
Le Levain (Trastevere and Trieste)
Le Levain is one of our go-to places in Trastevere for breakfast. Translating into “yeast” from the French, Le Levain is indeed a French-inspired patisserie that recently opened a café near Porta Pia gate in Rione Sallustiano.
A feast of tartes, choux, sablé, and macarons, Le Levain also produces its own French-inspired bread. Never missing behind the counter is the traditional baguette.
While also the pastry shop in Trastevere serves coffee and you can have breakfast and a light meal, the café in Via Piave offers a larger space where customers can sit and relax while tasting their sweet creations.
- Where: Via Luigi Santini 22 (Trastevere), Via Piave 8 (Sallustiano).
- When: Every day 8 am-8 pm.
- Website.
Wani (Garbatella)
Acronym for We Are Not Ingredients, Wani is one of the still few vegan pastry shops in Rome located in the Garbatella neighborhood not far from the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls.
From cakes to all types of pastries and creams, their creations are fully plant-based, colorful, and delicious. Being without eggs and dairy-free, they are perfect for those who are intolerant. They also are healthier than many store-bought sweets as they don’t contain trans-fats and palm oil.
- Where: Via Gabriello Chiabrera 162.
- When: Every day 8.30 am-8 pm, on Monday until 2 pm, on Sunday from 9.30 am.
- Website.
Julietta (Ostiense)
Julietta is one of the new vegan pastry shops in Rome and a new opening in the hip Ostiense neighborhood. It can be considered the sister lab of the successful Romeow cat bistrot, one of our favorite restaurants in Ostiense.
Along with vegan cakes entirely made with plant-based ingredients, here you can also sample and buy other plant-based products such as vegetable “cheese” made with fermented nuts and other fermented veggies such as sauerkraut and tempeh.
- Where: Via Francesco Negri 25/27.
- When: Wednesday to Sunday 9.30 am-7 pm, Sunday until 5.30 pm. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
- Website.
Giano (Monteverde)
Giano is one of the pastry shops in Rome renowned for the high-quality panettone they make for Christmas. Set inside Villa Zaccardi Hotel, Giano serves delicious and refined desserts where look plays a pivotal role.
The “sweet side” of Giano Bistro, here, you can find full cakes and single portions as well as the typical breakfast pastries such as croissants and tarts. Every piece is curated to the smallest detail, including its decoration and aesthetic appearance.
- Where: Circonvallazione Gianicolense 224.
- When: Every day 8 am-9 pm.
- Website.
Lato 15 (Colosseo)
It’s not easy to find a good eatery near the Colosseum but there are some exceptions and Lato 15 is one of them. If you have a sweet tooth, this will be heaven for you. You will get lost among tarts, cakes, cookies, biscuits, creams, profiteroles, cheesecakes, gelato, and anything you can think of.
They also have a small savory production so you can have a light lunch there if you like panini, tramezzini, and pizza, and then round off your meal with an artisan dessert.
- Where: Via della Polveriera 15.
- When: Every day 8 am-7 pm, on Monday and Saturday from 9 am, on Sunday from 10 am.
- Website.
Radagast Vegan Bakery (Prenestino)
If you are craving traditional Italian and international desserts but are following a plant-based diet, this might well be the right place for you. Expect anything from tiramisu to cheesecake to brownies.
Here you can also enjoy their savory products for a delicious plant-based light lunch before tucking into your favorite vegan dessert.
- Where: Via Teano 309.
- When: Monday 12-7 pm, Tuesday to Saturday 10 am-7 pm. Closed on Wednesday and Sunday.
- Website.
WANT TO SAVE THIS FOR LATER? PIN IT TO YOUR BOARD!
