Brian Nagele
Rome has been the capital of Italy for nearly 150 years, which is not particularly impressive as it’s been the epicenter of European civilization for over a millennium.
Anyone interested in western civilization, history, philosophy, archaeology, and culture will find endless sources for fascination in this most historic of metropolises.
Between trips to the Colosseum and strolls down the Via del Corso, Rome’s history unfolds before your eyes.
There’s an epic view of the city’s rich history around every corner and from every rooftop.
Many restaurants take advantage of their picturesque location, offering al fresco dining on rooftops or patios, so guests never have to miss a view of the city.
Read on to explore my list of the best restaurants with a view in Rome.
Aroma
Via Labicana, 125, 00184 Roma RM, Italy
Phone: +39 06 9761 5109
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Aroma is a fine-dining Italian restaurant on top of the Palazzo Manfredi, with a front row and birds-eye views of the Colosseum.
Chef Giuseppe Di Iorio creates new takes on traditional Italian dishes using the bounty of the surrounding farms and purveyors.
Sommelier Alessandro Crognale completes the dining experience by helping customers pair their meal with the perfect wine from a massive list of over 600 labels.
The rooftop terrace is a stunning setting to enjoy lunch or dinner from the comfort of a glass-covered dining space.
The menu is a chef’s tasting menu with various priced meals depending on how many courses you’d like.
My favorite dish was the smoked cod with clams, peaches, and sea asparagus.
Mirabelle
Via di Porta Pinciana, 14, 00187 Roma RM, Italy
Phone: +39 06 4216 8838
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Mirabelle is another fine dining Italian restaurant with a spectacular rooftop garden, offering a more encompassing view of Rome’s many historic destinations.
Located in the Ludovisi neighborhood, Mirabelle has an elegant atmosphere with a beautiful interior opening out onto a manicured rooftop.
The restaurant has live music every evening and is open for brunch, lunch, and dinner.
Executive Chef Stefano Marzetti creates a gorgeous menu of Mediterranean Italian cuisine with scratch-made pasta and fresh fish.
A sommelier offers guidance on wine pairings, but there’s also an expert mixologist creating craft cocktails.
I went for the extravagant brunch, delighting in a double espresso to accompany a niçoise salad and a fresh pasta carbonara.
Ristorante Roof Garden
Via Tor de’ Conti, 25, 00184 Roma RM, Italy
Phone: +39 06 679 2446
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Located on the rooftop of the gorgeous Hotel Forum Roma, Ristorante Roof Garden has up close and personal views of all the ancient structures within the Imperial Fora, including the Basilica di San Pietro, Foro di Augusto, and Torre dei Conti.
The kitchen, led by Chef Enzo Passanisi, offers both Italian and globally inspired cuisine in a fine-dining multi-course format.
The incredible views from the opulent rooftop are available year-round, covered with glass panes during inclement or cold weather.
The rooftop garden is a favorite for weddings, corporate events, and special group dinners, so be sure to reserve a table.
I went for a luxurious dinner, starting with larded scallops over cream of artichokes before the main dish of Milanese veal chops and risotto with fine herbs.
Imàgo
Piazza della Trinità dei Monti, 6, 00187 Roma RM, Italy
Phone: +39 06 6993 4726
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Imago is a Michelin-starred contemporary Italian restaurant in Rome City center, at the apex of the Spanish Steps.
You could bring a tour guide to Imago’s incredible rooftop dining room to point out a long list of sites you’ll see from your vantage point, including the Pantheon and Campidoglio.
Imago is an indoor dining space with huge bay windows, patterned carpet, and elegant white chairs and tables.
Executive Chef Andrea Antonini creates unique and creative interpretations of traditional Italian cuisine with her spectacular seasonal menus.
The dining experience is truly memorable, from the live music to the view, to the artfully presented dishes.
The food was almost too beautiful to eat. My favorite was the spiny lobster, mushroom, and black truffle ravioli.
La Pergola
Via Alberto Cadlolo, 101, 00136 Roma RM, Italy
Phone: +39 06 3509 2152
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Located on the upper level of Rome Cavalieri Waldorf Astoria Hotel, La Pergola is Rome’s only fine dining restaurant to receive the coveted three Michelin Stars.
The interior alone looks like a 16th-century royal banquet hall. Director and Executive Chef Heinz Beck offers a menu of Italian and Mediterranean cuisine as stunning as the setting and surrounding views of Rome.
You’ll find various menus, from à la carte to gourmet, along with an award-winning Sommelier’s multiple wine lists.
The menus are seasonal.
I went during the summer, enjoying the first course of duck foie gras with peach and vervain, followed by eggplant tortellini with sumac sauce and red prawns.
La Terrazza
Via Ludovisi, 49, 00187 Roma RM, Italy
Phone: +39 06 4781 2752
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From Roman chef Fabio Ciervo, La Terrazza is a fine-dining, Michelin-starred Italian bistro with indoor dining atop the roof of Hotel Eden in Ludovisi.
The stunning interior has floor-to-ceiling windows with top-rate views of the Spanish Steps and Trinita dei Monti.
Chef Ciervo uses his world travels to inform his menus that fuse classic Roman cooking with international methods.
Ciervo has an international team in his kitchen, with an internationally recognized pastry chef from France.
Customers can choose between different prix fixe menus.
I liked that the three-course meal gives you the choice between various dishes for each course.
It was a hard choice, but I’m glad I chose the pigeon breast and raspberry for my main course.
La Terrazza dei Papi Rooftop Restaurant
Via Carlo Alberto, 3, 00185 Roma RM, Italy
Phone: +39 06 4470 2024
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Sandwiched between the Basilica Papale di Santa Maria Maggiore and the Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, La Terrazza dei Papi is a charming, understated rooftop restaurant atop the Mecenate Palace Hotel.
The rooftop garden has a cocktail lounge with bright green cushioned couches, countless potted plants and flowers, bar tables, and formal seating.
The rooftop has a great happy hour menu, with delicious craft cocktails, small plates, and snacks to enjoy a sunset before sitting down to a more formal dinner.
I had an Aperol Spritz with a delicious plate of parma ham with buffalo burrata.
It was the perfect prelude to a pasta course of homemade gnocchi with clams, fried artichokes, and mullet roe.
Settimo Roman Cuisine & Terrace
Via Lombardia, 47, 00187 Roma RM, Italy
Phone: +39 06 478021
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Settimo means “7th,” which, in the case of this lovely restaurant, refers to the seven kings of Rome.
It also refers to its location on the 7th floor of the Sofitel Rome Villa Borghese Hotel.
The rooftop patio has awesome modern decor, including mosaic floors, brightly colored, mid-century modern chairs, and colorful round marble tables.
Settimo Roman Cuisine offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner, serving the most authentic Roman dishes by executive chef Giuseppe D’Alessio.
The gourmet menu serves a small and perfectly executed multi-course menu.
I loved their light and vibrant tuna tartare with avocado cream and pink grapefruit. It matched the decor!
47 Circus Roof Garden
Via Luigi Petroselli, 47, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Phone: +39 348 016 2378
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Inspired by views of the Circus Maximus and the Temple of Vesta over which it overlooks, The 47 Circus Roof Garden is a whimsical Italian and Mediterranean bistro and cocktail bar.
Head chef and kitchen director Gabriel Henry creates playful dishes and hosts rotating guest chefs who contribute unique and diverse dishes to ever-changing menus.
47 Circus Roof Garden offers over 200 labels of fine wine along with 47 brands of gin to create an award-winning cocktail list to accompany a seasonal menu.
I loved the Apricot Sour, a dry gin drink with apricot purée, sugar, lemon juice, and egg white.
The traditional Roman menu had all my favorite pasta, including cacio e Pepe and spaghetti all amatriciana.
Casina Valadier
Piazza Bucarest, 00187 Roma RM, Italy
Phone: +39 06 6992 2090
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Casina Valadier is a stunning multi-story restaurant inside the ancient Villa Borghese next to Terrazza del Pincio and the Piazzale Napoleone I.
Each floor has a different decor, along with various patios and terraces. The restaurant is a traditional Italian restaurant committed to sustainability and local and ethical sourcing.
To get the best views, I went to the third-floor Vista restaurant to enjoy a spectacular multi-course menu plated in colorful displays of culinary art.
I went for the spring tasting menu and was blown away by the scampi dish with roasted scallops and a fava bean purée.
Ristorante Panoramico Quattordicesimo Piano – Il Fungo
Piazza Pakistan, 1, 00144 Roma RM, Italy
Phone: +39 06 592 1433
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Located inside the Sports Palace in the urban EUR district, Il Fungo is an equally modern upscale restaurant and bar on the 14th floor of this unique space-needle structure.
The structure is a protected landmark that displays the bridge between old Rome and the new urban plans that exist today.
The awesome, ultra-modern interior has the highest views of the city.
The high-end menu is an impressive fusion of modern and globally inspired cuisine.
I went for a fish-centric lunch, starting with marinated amberjack and melon topped with crispy ham.
For my main course, I had squid tempura with red cabbage and ponzu sauce.
