General

Although it has long been popular primarily for its cheapness and convenience, Italian food occupies a revered place as one of the world''s great cuisines. The southern Italian diet especially, with its emphasis on olive oil, fresh and plentiful fruit, vegetables and fish, is one of the healthiest in Europe, and there are few national cuisines that can boast so much variety in both ingredients and cooking methods. Italy's wines, too, are among the finest and most diverse in Europe and a main stay of the Italian diet produced in fine vineyards throughout the country. The international image of cheap fizz and rough reds is long out of date, as today's producers bring the palate a refreshing reinvention of an old favourite.

Rome

There is a wide and varied selection of restaurants to choose from in Rome. These choices range from exclusive high-level cuisine, developed by some of the most famous chefs on the international scene to traditional, hearty Romanesca fare in all its manifold variations; from Jewish cuisine and testaccina recipes to the specialties of Lazio and ethnic dishes, which can be sampled in the plethora of restaurants that offer delights from all over the world.

The only way to really understand the heart and soul of Rome is by tasting its culinary splendors in a popular restaurant, this allows you to steep yourself in Roman culture while you discover the tastes and flavours of traditional cooking through the ages.

Delicious Roman cuisine stems from a time when people were unable to afford a meal made with meat, and therefore had to use offal, which at that time was considered less 'prestigious' but definitely more affordable. Over the centuries, traditional dishes like coda alla vaccinara (oxtail cooked with wine, tomatoes and peppers), la pajata, (veal's offal cooked in a tomato sauce), l'abbacchio alla scottadito and la trippa alla romana (tripe), have come to be considered as delicacies and are eaten by even the most refined palates.

Testaccio is one of the areas in which to find traditional restaurants serving the Romanesche specialities, especially in the area surrounding the disused abattoir, places such as Checchino dal 1887. The district of Trastevere is also a great place to find good restaurants, and inside the Ghetto you'll find several places offering Judeo-Roman cuisine as well as unique variations on traditional themes.

If in search of high-class food, Rome offers a great choice of quality restaurants. There are elegant places in the more exclusive hotels, such as La Pergola dell'Hotel Hilton, the Terrazza dell'Hotel Eden or La Veranda dell'Hotel Majestic. You can also try the delights of creative haute cuisine at restaurants such as Quinzi & Gabrieli, Alberto Ciarla and Le Sans Souci. Tucked away down a small alley, the exclusive Il Convivio Troiani can be hard to fine, but if you are looking for Italian alta cucina, this is your place. Agata e Romeo have offered family-run fine dining for three generations. Romolo nel Giardino della Fornarina in Trastevere is the perfect setting for a romantic evening; dine outside in the low-lit courtyard where Raphael is said to have courted his lady, La Fornarina. Nino is a cozy option, offering classic Roman and Tuscan cuisine in a warm environment.