For a true taste of Rome, enjoy the city's delicious specialities in its buzzing trattorias and ristorante.

Romans love to eat and the cuisine is hearty, meaty and rich. Although you are half an hour from the sea, fish is not a major part of the Roman diet. Classic Roman dishes include pasta all'amatriciana (tomato sauce with guanciale, unsmoked pig's cheeks), carbonara (with guanciale, pecorino, pepper and egg), cacio e pepe (pasta with percorino romano and pepper), abbacchio (spring baby lamb) and coda alla vaccinara (oxtail stew). The best time to eat in Rome is in the spring when you get fresh ingredients like spring lamb and fava beans, though the hearty food lends itself well to the colder months as well. Lovers of offal (innards) will find excellent sweetbreads, tripe, liver, pajata (delicious baby lamb intestines) and more, especially in one of the restaurants in Testaccio.

Eating well in Rome is not difficult but it takes some research and pre-planning to avoid hopeless tourist traps. Romans eat at fixed times - generally 1pm to 3pm for lunch and 8pm or later for dinner. If you aren't careful, you can find yourself without a good dining choice in off-hours since any decent restaurant will likely be closed. As a general rule, any restaurant or trattoria open straight through the day is a place that caters to tourists - especially near the main tourist attractions.

When dining, keep a few things in mind - while Italian menus are based around three courses (appetizer, pasta, entrée), it is not necessary to eat that way. You can order as much or as little as you want as portion sizes are healthy but generally smaller than in the U.S. and often you can get a half size of pasta (though not usually for exactly half price). Restaurants will often charge a bread (pane) or cover (coperto) charge, usually around a Euro or so per person. Bottled water is commonly drunk, usually €2 - €3 a bottle. If you want a glass of wine, you likely won't have a wide choice, but the house wine is invariably good and often just a few Euros. Some restaurants sell wine by the carafe but even in upscale places wine by the bottle prices will be reasonable - €12 to €45 for good Italian wines. Tip about 8 - 10%, in cash, as most credit card receipts don't have a place to leave the tip.