I can say for a fact that deciding where to eat near the Vatican is pretty tough, especially if you are a foodie and don’t want to fall into the tourist menu traps. Being one of the areas in Rome most crowded with tourists, sometimes I even find it tricky to eat well near the Vatican Museums or Saint Peter’s Square.
Even though I know it’s very tempting to stay in Borgo Pio for lunch because it makes it easy to go back to exploring the Vatican landmarks, this is not an area that I recommend for eating (apart from some exceptions that you will find below!).
The areas around the Vatican where you will find great restaurants are Prati and Trionfale. Especially for the Prati district which has always offered great eating windows. From bars and coffee shops to quality street food, to original dishes and contemporary recipes, find out here where to eat near the Vatican from breakfast to aperitif and dinner!
Map of where to eat near the Vatican
Eateries and restaurants near Vatican City
Sciascia Caffè 1919, historic coffee shop near the Vatican
This is one of the historic coffee shops in Rome and has never shown any sign of cooling. Sciascia Caffè is known for its”chocolate coffee” where a layer of chocolate is spread in the cup before pouring the coffee in.
I had their signature coffee last time I visited Sciascia Caffè and loved it. Being naturally sweet thanks to the presence of the chocolate, you can even avoid adding sugar.
Sciascia Caffè is open all day so you can also have some snacks and a casual lunch grabbing one of their tables outdoors before resuming sightseeing.
- Where: Via Fabio Massimo 80/a
- When: Every day 7 am-8 pm, on Sundays from 8 am.
- Website.
Tulipane, stylish breakfast near the Vatican
This is an elegant bakery serving light and delicious meals from morning to lunch, brunch included. Paying attention to the smallest detail and ingredient, the flour they use is carefully selected from a range of local producers and is stone ground.
To the high-quality flour, they like combining other ingredients such as herbs and spices to offer their customers different products to tantalize their taste buds. Every day, from their oven they dish out a different type of bread. For example, on Monday, the bread will be made using Perciasacchi ancient Sicilian grain, on Thursday, seeds and cereals, and on Friday, with rye flour.
For breakfast, they serve their bread in both sweet and savory versions, in all their meals, bread is key. So for brunch and lunch, you can opt for a scrumptious pizza, a stuffed savory croissant, a hearty sandwich, or a comfort soup served with crunchy bruschetta.
- Where: Via del Pavone 28.
- When: Every day 8.30 am-3.30 pm.
- Website.
Papo Gusto, Neapolitan bistrot near the Vatican
Ever dreamed of Neapolitan cuisine but can’t head to Naples just now? Well, very close to the Vatican there is no one but two bistros serving the local delicacies of the pizza hometown.
With one restaurant in the quaint Borgo Pio street and one nearby in Prati, Papo Gusto has made it a point to introduce the excellence of the Campania region to as many people as possible.
Open from breakfast through after dinner, cold cuts aperitifs, smoked buffalo mozzarella, fried pasta, eggplant parmigiana, and more are served all day long.
- Where: Borgo Pio 31 (Borgo) and Via Properzio 26 (Prati).
- When:
- Website.
Forno Cresci, breakfast through dinner near the Vatican
Forno Cresci is a rare gem on this side of the Vatican en route from Saint Peter’s Basilica and Stazione San Pietro train station, always crammed with tourists no matter what month of the year and what time of the day.
This area, in fact, is not exactly home to the best restaurants near the Vatican, but Forno Cresci is an exception. One of the best panettone in Rome, Forno Cresci dishes out all your meals from breakfast to after-dinner cocktails.
- Where: Via Alcide De Gasperi 17.
- When: 7 am-12 am, breakfast, lunch, aperitif, dinner, cocktail.
- Website.
Flower Burger, great for lunch near Vatican City
Flower Burger is one of my favorite vegan restaurants in Rome, perfect for a healthy fast-food-style lunch. This is easily where to eat near the Vatican if you are looking for a quick meal without sacrificing taste and good quality.
Their colorful buns are all-natural and their ingredients freshly sourced and prepared. They have an outdoor space so you can either choose to eat inside or outside. I stop here quite often when I need to eat in Prati because it’s delicious and quick.
- Where: Via dei Gracchi 87 (fast food, vegan, lunch)
- When: Every day 12-3 pm and 7-10.30 pm.
- Website.
Check out our full guide to the best restaurants in Prati if you are near the Vatican!
Pizzarium, lunch on the go near the Vatican Museums
Pizzarium by Bonci dishes out every day one of the best pizzas in Rome. Right below the walls of the Vatican Museums, Pizzarium is a must-stop for locals and travelers. Around lunchtime, the line might look quite overwhelming, and on some days you are going to wait a bit, but it’s worth it. This is one of our regular stops when we are in the area, either for lunch or just for a mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack.
On the price side, Pizzarium is not cheap, but the quality of the dough and especially the toppings really set them apart from other pizza places. Toppings will likely mirror the seasons so expect zucchini and eggplants in summer and cabbage and pumpkin in winter. Together, of course, with the best quality cold cuts and cheese.
- Where: Via della Meloria 43.
- When: Every day 11 am-10 pm, on Sundays 11 am-3 pm and 5-10 pm.
- Website.
Mezé, Middle-Eastern bistro near the Vatican
Mezé is where to eat near the Vatican if you are craving a true Middle-Eastern experience. At 10 minutes on foot from the main landmarks of the Holy See, it’s a very convenient spot for lunch and dinner.
With fares such as cous cous (both vegetarian and fish versions), kebab, and unmissable Lebanese specialties such as hummus, baba ganoush, and tabouleh, Mezé delivers a sensory overload at affordable prices.
- Where: Via Properzio 30.
- When: Tuesday to Sunday 12-3 pm and 6-11 pm. Closed on Monday.
- Website.
Hedera, great gelato near the Vatican
This is one of the exceptions to the overall Borgo Pio tourist quality. Hedera is different, a one-of-a-kind gelateria in Rome that we make sure we never miss when we are around.
They don’t offer 100+ flavors because each and every one of them is the result of a careful selection of ingredients and freshly made. The flavors frequently change depending on the season. My husband is obsessed with their fig flavor but even though he kept asking for it, he found only once much to his desperation.
If you like their gelato, you’ll be happy to know that they doubled the experience with a new shop in Via dei Coronari near Piazza Navona.
- Where: Borgo Pio 179.
- When: Every day 11 am-8 pm.
- Website.
Check out our guide to visiting the Vatican in Rome
El Maiz, Venezuelan street food near the Vatican
Are you craving South American flavors and even better if gluten-free? El Maiz is a new Venezuelan restaurant conveniently located 5 minutes on foot from the Vatican Museums.
Their menu offers a wide range of arepas with anything from shredded meat to beans and cheese, empanadas, and plantain cooked and served in many ways. You can enjoy the traditional Venezuelan treats on the spot by grabbing an outdoor table or on the go.
- Where: Via Tolemaide 16.
- When: Monday to Saturday 12-10 pm. Closed on Sundays.
- Website.
Discover the unmissable highlights of the Vatican Museums
Pinsa’mpò, Roman pinsa near St. Peter’s Square
This is one of the favorite “pinserie” near the Vatican among locals and tourists. Sister of the pizza as you know it, here they serve a delicious Roman pinsa, oval-shaped and slightly different in dough and flour from the regular pizza al taglio.
It’s a small eatery where you can choose to eat at one of their outdoor tables or on the go. If you are staying near the Vatican, this pinsa is a perfect dinner after you are done sightseeing for the day to take away or have it delivered.
- Where: Via dei Gracchi 7.
- When: Monday to Saturday 10.30 am-9 pm. Closed on Sundays.
- Website.
Do you like the area? Check out our guide to the best hotels near the Vatican!
Romané, traditional Roman food near the Vatican
Romané is the first restaurant adventure of Stefano Callegari, the pizza master founder of Trapizzino. It’s located very close to the Vatican Museums so perfect for lunch or dinner once out of the gallery.
The menu is fully based on traditional Roman cuisine so apart from the pasta classics such as carbonara and amatriciana, here you can also find abbacchio (lamb) and polpette meatballs in tomato sauce. Adventurous eaters can try tripes and coratella (offal).
- Where: Via Cipro 106.
- When: Every day 11.30-12 am.
- Website.
La Pratolina, great pizza around Vatican City
We have been going to La Pratolina pizza place for years and we love it. This is why we were pleased to know they’ve doubled the effort and opened a second restaurant. Both their venues are around the Vatican, one in the Prati district and one in the Trionfale neighborhood.
In Prati, they are near Lepanto metro station and more of a traditional restaurant, while in Trionfale they are close to Cipro metro station and more of a street food place, even though there are some outdoor tables.
La Pratolina serves the Roman pinsa, so more oval-shaped than the standard round ones, and their toppings are made with high-quality seasonal produce perfectly combined. Drinks include craft beer and great wines.
- Where: Via Rialto 16 (Trionfale), Via degli Scipioni 248/250 (Prati).
- When: Every day 6.30 pm-12 am, closed on Monday (Trionfale). Every day 12.30 pm-12 am, Saturday and Sunday from 5.30 pm (Prati).
- Website.
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