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Best Pizza in Rome: A Complete Guide
Roman thin-crust and pizza al taglio by weight, and where to find both done right — from Bonci's counter near the Vatican to a San Lorenzo classic since 1959.
By Todo Rome · Published 2025-01-01
Two Kinds of Roman Pizza
Rome runs on two entirely different pizza traditions, and confusing them is the most common tourist mistake. Pizza romana (or pizza tonda) is the sit-down kind — a thin, cracker-crisp, almost flatbread-like base, cooked hot and fast, blistered rather than puffy at the edges. Pizza al taglio is sold by weight from rectangular trays, cut with scissors, and eaten standing up or on the move — a completely different dough (higher hydration, longer proof, airier crumb) built for a fast lunch rather than a sit-down meal.
Pizza al Taglio: Start Here
Pizzarium Bonci, Gabriele Bonci's counter near the Vatican, is widely considered the best pizza al taglio in the city — thick, slow-fermented dough topped with whatever's best that week, cut to whatever size you point at. There's no seating; eat standing at the counter or take it to a nearby piazza. Expect a short queue at lunchtime, worth every minute of it.
Sit-Down Roman Pizza
Dar Poeta in Trastevere is the neighbourhood's best-loved pizzeria — a thicker, longer-proofed crust than the classic Roman style, and a Nutella-ricotta calzone for dessert that most tables order despite intending not to. Pizzeria Formula Uno, a no-frills San Lorenzo institution since 1959, does the thin, crackling classic style with paper tablecloths and cash-only billing — exactly what a neighbourhood pizzeria should be, and unchanged in decades.
What to Order
At a sit-down pizzeria, margherita (tomato, mozzarella, basil) and marinara (tomato, garlic, oregano, no cheese) are the tests of a kitchen's basics — order one of these before anything more elaborate to judge the dough. At a pizza al taglio counter, pizza bianca (no sauce, just olive oil and salt) tests the dough directly; look for what's freshly out of the oven rather than what's been sitting.
A Note on Fried Starters
Most sit-down pizzerias serve a menu of fried antipasti before the pizza arrives — supplì (fried rice balls with a mozzarella centre), fiori di zucca (stuffed courgette flowers), baccalà (salt cod fritters). These aren't optional extras so much as half the point of a Roman pizzeria dinner; order at least one to start.
Timing
Pizzerias open for dinner service around 19:00–19:30 and the ovens need time to reach full heat — the first pizzas of the night are rarely the kitchen's best. Arriving at 20:00 rather than opening time gets you a better pie and, in most neighbourhoods, still beats the worst of the queue.