The Best Places To Eat While Exploring Rome, According To Bobby Flay

Whether you're just starting your Italian vacation in Rome or are spending your entire trip in this ancient city, you won't want to skip any meals during your stay. However, between dodging tourist traps around major sightseeing hotspots and trying to find the absolute best of the best Italian food, it can be tricky to choose the best places to eat as an outsider. Fortunately, one of America's most popular chefs took to social media to shout out a few of his favorite spots. During a trip to Italy to find new chefs to compete on his TV show "Triple Threat," Bobby Flay posted on his Instagram from two of his favorite places to eat in Rome: the unassuming but delicious sandwich shop La Vita é un Mozzico and Pierluigi, a classic restaurant famous for its seafood.

This is far from Flay's first trip to Rome. In 2021, his show "Bobby and Giada in Italy," took him through Rome and Tuscany to learn more about Italy's fascinating cuisine. From the carbonara at Santo Palato to the gelato at Otaleg, Flay has taught us all about eating in Rome — so when he takes the time to shout out a place to eat there, it's definitely worth checking out.

If you're in the mood for a quick bite or a delicious lunch, chef Bobby Flay recommends visiting La Vita é un Mozzico for a sandwich. Flay stated that his favorite order is the porchetta sandwich, a crispy roast pork on pizza bianca, which he dubbed "the perfect Italian sandwich in Rome." Flay is not alone in loving this unique sandwich spot. La Vita é un Mozzico has a perfect 5-star rating on Tripadvisor, with one reviewer enthusing, "Best sandwiches I have ever had ... in life!!!! So glad we stumbled upon this hidden gem."

As seen in Flay's Instagram post, like a classic deli, all you have to do when you arrive is grab a number and wait outside on the street for it to be called. While you're rushing around trying to see everything in Rome in a single day, this is the perfect place to grab a quick snack while you're walking around and taking in the sights. You can find this tasty and affordable spot at Via Angelo Brunetti, 4, 00186 Roma RM, Italy, close to Piazza del Popolo, and they're open every day except Sunday.

If you saved enough money using your Rome Tourist Pass to splurge a little on your vacation, you can't go wrong with Pierluigi. As shown in chef Bobby Flay's Instagram post about dining here, visitors can expect to choose the fish for their meal from a fresh seafood bar before it is exquisitely prepared and served to them at their table — either inside or out on the terrace.

Pierluigi dates back to 1938, and calls itself "The First Fish Restaurant in Rome." Don't expect to find fish and chips here, though — this is a fine dining establishment specializing in Italian seafood. Less than 10-minute walk from Piazza Navona, you can find this luxurious restaurant at Piazza de' Ricci, 144, 00186 Roma RM, Italy. According to visitors on Google, however, you should expect to spend more than 100 euros per person when you dine here.