Must-see nightlife in Rome

  • Stravinskij Bar in Hotel de Russie in Rome

    Stravinskij Bar

    Tridente, Trevi & the Quirinale

    Can’t afford to stay at the celeb-magnet Hotel de Russie? Then splash out on a drink at its swish bar. There are sofas inside, but the sunny courtyard is…

  • Necci da 1924: Roman pasta & meat dishes, plus Italian wines & aperitifs, at a decades-old cafe with garden patio.

    Necci dal 1924

    Monti, Esquilino & San Lorenzo

    An all-round hybrid in Pigneto, iconic Necci opened as a gelateria in 1924 and later became a favourite drinking destination of film director Pier Paolo…

  • Blackmarket Hall

    Monti, Esquilino & San Lorenzo

    One of Monti's best bars, this multiroomed speakeasy in a former monastery has an eclectic vintage-style decor and plenty of cosy corners where you can…

  • Il Goccetto

    Centro Storico

    This authentic, old-school vino e olio (wine and oil) shop has everything you could want in a wine bar: a woody, bottle-lined interior, a cheerful crowd…

  • Rooftop Spritzeria Monti

    Rome

    Atop the 5th-floor of Condominio Monti hotel, this bijou rooftop is a popular place for an evening spritz...

  • Caffè Sant'Eustachio

    Centro Storico

    Always busy, this small and unassuming cafe near the Pantheon serves the best coffee in town. Its secret? Baristas beat the first drops of an espresso…

  • Rome, Antico Caffè Greco: Keats & Byron drank coffee at the marble tables of this celebrated, richly-ornate 18th-century cafe.

    Antico Caffè Greco

    Tridente, Trevi & the Quirinale

    Casanova, Goethe, Wagner, Keats, Byron, Shelley and Baudelaire were all regulars at Rome's oldest and most elegant cafe, which opened in 1760. Prices…

  • Ai Tre Scalini in Rome is a classic eatery with a warmly decorated interior serving pasta & meat plates, plus a large wine list.

    Ai Tre Scalini

    Monti, Esquilino & San Lorenzo

    A firm favourite since 1895, the 'Three Steps' is inevitably packed with young patrons spilling out of its two-room interior and into the street. Its a…

  • Open Baladin in Rome bar

    Open Baladin

    Centro Storico

    This modern pub near Campo de’ Fiori has long been a leading light in Rome’s craft-beer scene, and with 40 beers on tap and up to 100 bottled brews (many…

  • Gatsby Café

    Monti, Esquilino & San Lorenzo

    There's good reason why the friendly bartenders here all wear flat caps, feather-trimmed trilbys and other traditional gents' hats: this fabulous 1950s…

  • Roscioli Caffè

    Centro Storico

    In Rome, the Roscioli name is a guarantee of good things to come: the family runs one of Rome's most celebrated delis and a hugely popular bakery, and…

  • La Casa del Caffè Tazza d’Oro

    Centro Storico

    A busy cafe with burnished 1940s fittings, this is one of Rome's best coffee houses. Its position near the Pantheon makes it touristy but its coffees are…

  • Terra Satis

    Trastevere & Gianicolo

    This friendly neighbourhood cafe and bar in Trastevere serves great coffee and offers a lavish, predominantly vegetarian aperitivo buffet between 6pm and…

  • Keyhole

    Trastevere & Gianicolo

    This achingly hip, underground speakeasy ticks all the boxes: no identifiable name or signage outside; a black door smothered in keyhole plates; and…

  • Caffè Ciampini

    Tridente, Trevi & the Quirinale

    Hidden away a short walk from the top of the Spanish Steps towards the Pincio Hill Gardens, this cafe has a vintage garden-party vibe, with green wooden…

  • Vinile

    Southern Rome

    On weekends a mixed bag of Romans hits the dance floor at Vinyl, a buzzing bar and club cooking up food, music and party happenings on the Via Giuseppe…

  • Barnum Cafe

    Centro Storico

    This on-trend cafe, bistro and cocktail bar hybrid is the sort of place where customers come for a breakfast of muesli and smashed avocado toast…

  • Bar San Calisto

    Trastevere & Gianicolo

    Head to 'Sanca' for its basic, stuck-in-time atmosphere, cheap prices and large terrace. It attracts everyone from intellectuals to people-watching idlers…

  • Pimm's Good

    Trastevere & Gianicolo

    'Anyone for Pimm's?' is the catchphrase of both the namesake fruity English liqueur and this eternally popular bar. It has a part red-brick ceiling and…

  • Il Baretto

    Trastevere & Gianicolo

    Venture up a steep flight of steps from Trastevere – go on, it’s worth it. Because here you’ll discover this good-looking cocktail bar where the bass…

  • Circolo Illuminati

    Southern Rome

    Tech house, hip-hop, chill music and top DJs rev up clubbers into the night from Wednesday to Sunday. Earlier in the evening patrons can enjoy showy…

  • L'Osteria di Birra del Borgo Roma

    Vatican City, Borgo & Prati

    Italy is no longer just about wine: there's a growing demand for locally produced craft beer. Try some of the best at this contemporary brewhouse with its…

  • Sciascia Caffè

    Vatican City, Borgo & Prati

    There are several contenders for the best coffee in town, and the caffè eccellente served at this polished old-school cafe in Prati, which opened in 1919,…

  • Goa

    Southern Rome

    At home in a former motorbike-repair shop down a bamboo-lined dead-end alley in post-industrial-style Ostiense, Goa is Rome's serious super-club with…

  • Il Palazzetto

    Tridente, Trevi & the Quirinale

    Enjoy fine views of the Spanish Steps over an expertly shaken cocktail at this terrace bar. Ride the lift up from the discreet entrance on narrow Vicolo…

  • La Bottega del Caffè

    Monti, Esquilino & San Lorenzo

    On one of Rome's prettiest squares in Monti, La Bottega del Caffè – named after a comedy by Carlo Goldoni – is the hotspot in Monti for lingering over…

  • Ma Che Siete Venuti a Fà

    Trastevere & Gianicolo

    Named after a football chant, which translates politely as ‘What did you come here for?’, this pint-sized Trastevere pub is a beer-buff's paradise,…

  • Artisan

    Monti, Esquilino & San Lorenzo

    A mecca for those who enjoy drinking craft beer, this hipster bar stocks artisanal tipples from around the globe and serves simple but tasty global food…

  • Birreria/wine bar Oasi della Birra also plays double duty as a store - find your next favorite beer here.

    L’Oasi della Birra

    San Giovanni & Testaccio

    Housed in the Palombi Enoteca bottle shop, L’Oasi della Birra is exactly that – an oasis of beer. Offering hundreds of labels – everything from German…

  • Faro's cappuccino

    Faro – Luminari del Caffè

    Tridente, Trevi & the Quirinale

    Coffee connoisseurs can’t miss Faro, where the Florentine Marzocco espresso machine concocts a life-changing caffè with 100% Arabica beans, hand-picked to…

  • The entrance of department store La Rinascente, which houses Up Sunset Bar on its top floor.

    Up Sunset Bar

    Tridente, Trevi & the Quirinale

    Perched on the top two floors of luxury department store La Rinascente, this flirty bar promises plenty of champagne, dishes by Michelin-starred chef…

  • An outside view of cafè Linari in Testaccio.

    Linari

    San Giovanni & Testaccio

    A part of the neighbourhood furniture, this long-standing cafe-pasticceria has the busy clatter of a good bar, with excellent pastries, splendid coffee…

  • Exterior of speakeasy

    Club Derrière

    Centro Storico

    Found in the back room of an unassuming trattoria (Osteria delle Coppelle) but accessed through a dedicated entrance, this speakeasy has bartenders who…

  • Tram Depot's mini-garden, complete with benches for lounging.

    Tram Depot

    San Giovanni & Testaccio

    When temperatures climb in the capital, this charming little bar springs to life, serving up coffee and cocktails (€5) until long after sunset. Its…

  • Inside bar Ex-Circus.

    Ex-Circus

    Centro Storico

    A great little bar tucked around the corner from Piazza Navona, Ex-Circus is a laid-back place with sofas, arty decor and free, fast wi-fi. It's popular…

  • Outdoor seating only is available at bar Guerra al Pigneto.

    Guerra al Pigneto

    Monti, Esquilino & San Lorenzo

    Forget the other bars that line Pigneto’s main pedestrianised drag. If you want authenticity, this traditional shop is the place, with its cheap beer and…

  • VyTA Farnese

    Centro Storico

    Feast your eyes on the monumental magnificence of Palazzo Farnese while enjoying a coffee or drink on the terrace of this chic cafe-bar. It serves quality…

  • Zuma Bar

    Tridente, Trevi & the Quirinale

    Dress up for a drink on the rooftop terrace of Palazzo Fendi of fashion-house fame – few cocktail bars in Rome are as sleek, hip or achingly sophisticated…

  • Rosati

    Tridente, Trevi & the Quirinale

    Overlooking the vast disc of Piazza del Popolo, this historic 1922 cafe was once the hang-out of the left-wing chattering classes. Authors Italo Calvino…

  • Freni e Frizioni

    Trastevere & Gianicolo

    This perennially cool Trastevere bar is housed in an old mechanic's workshop – hence its name ('brakes and clutches') and shabby facade. It draws a young…

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