UPDATED FOR 2022/2023! There is a widely held misconception that during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, Rome’s restaurants shut down and people who don’t have the luxury of eating at home are left to scavenge for food wherever they can get it. While one should expect some venues to be closed and many to embrace limited hours, visitors to Rome can eat very well during the holidays. It just requires a bit of planning.
Be sure to call all venues (during service hours) or book online well in advance. While the openings below have been confirmed multiple times, non si sa mai (you never know what can happen)!
To partake in the traditional Christmas Eve fish feast, head to Tempio di Iside, my favorite fish restaurant in town. They will be open for New Year’s Eve, too. Il Sanlorenzo also serves dinner Christmas Eve and the fish is super fresh but they aren’t particularly nice to visitors, just FYI.
For street food and bakeries, Antico Forno Roscioli, Pizzarium, and Panificio Bonci have some holiday opening hours and are my go-tos for carb-based provisions, especially panettone.
In Testaccio, Piatto Romano is open for lunch on Christmas Eve and is open on New Year’s Eve for lunch and dinner. Across the river, La Gensola and Antico Arco are always open December 24, 25, 31, and January 1 for lunch and dinner, while Romanè is open on Christmas and New Year’s Day. Casalino in the Ghetto is open daily, though it’s a kosher establishment, so will be closed December 24 and 31 at lunch and will reopen for dinner. Himalaya Palace is open through the holidays, except Mondays, and it is delicious.
Beer drinkers have lots to celebrate. Open Baladin is open on both Christmas and New Year’s Day. As always, Ma Che Siete Venuti a Fa’ in Trastevere is always open for beer.
Here are the holiday schedules for some of my top spots:
Trattorie e Ristoranti
Cesare al Casaletto
Via del Casaletto 45 (Gianicolense )
(+39) 06 53 60 15
Open: Thu-Tue (12:45pm-3pm & 7:45-11pm)
Closed: Wednesdays and December 24-January 4
Exceptional opening Wednesday December 21
Salumeria Roscioli
Via dei Giubbonari 21 (Centro Storico )
(+39) 06 68 75 287
Open: Mon-Sun (12:30-4pm & 4pm-12am)
Closed for dinner on December 24 and 31
Closed all day on December 25, 26, and January 1
Casalino Osteria Kosher
Via del Portico d’Ottavia, 1e (Centro Storico)
(+39) 06 7978 1514
Open:Sun-Thu (10am-midnight); Fri (10am-4:30pm); Sat (9:30pm-midnight)
Osteria La Gensola
Piazza della Gensola 15 (Trastevere )
(+39) 06 58 33 2758
Open: Daily lunch and dinner
Fixed menu on December 24, 25, and 31
Antico Arco
Piazzale Aurelio 7 (Gianicolo)
(+39) 06 581 5274
Open: Wed-Mon (12pm-12am)
Closed: Tuesdays
Fixed menu on December 31
Tavernaccia Da Bruno
Via Giovanni da Castel Bolognese 63 (Trastevere)
(+39) 06 58 12 792
Open: Thu-Tue (12:30-3pm & 7:30-11:30pm)
Closed: Wednesdays and on December 24 to 26; December 31; January 1
Exceptional opening: Wednesday December 28
Santo Palato
Piazza Tarquinia 4a/b (Appio-Latino)
(+39) 06 77 207354
Open: Mon-Fri (12:30-3:30pm & 7:30-10:30pm) Sat-Sun (1-3:30pm & 7:30-10:30pm)
Closed: December 24-27; December 31-January 2
C’è Pasta e Pasta
Via Ettore Rolli 29 (Trastevere)
(+39) 06 5832 0125
Open: Sun-Thu (8:30am-3pm & 5-8:30pm) Fri (8:30am-3pm)
Closed: Friday evenings, Saturdays. December 24-26; December 31-January 1
Il Sanlorenzo
Via dei Chiavari 4 (Centro)
(+39) 06 686 5097
Open: Tue-Sat (12:45-2:45pm & 7:30-11pm) Mon (7:30-11pm)
Open for Dinner: December 24 and 31
Open for Lunch: December 25 and January 1
Closed: December 26
Piatto Romano
Via Giovanni Battista Bodoni 62 (Testaccio)
(+39) 06 6401 4447
Open: Mon-Sat (12:30-3pm & 7:30-11:30pm); December 31 until 11pm
Closed: Sunday; December 24 for dinner; December 25 and January 1
Al Moro
Vicolo delle Bollette 13 (Trevi)
(+39) 06 678 3495
Open: Mon-Sat (12:30-3:30pm & 7:30-11:30pm)
Closed: December 25-26; January 1. Closed for dinner December 24 and 31
Colline Emiliane
Via degli Avignonesi 22 (Centro)
(+39) 06 481 7538
Open: Tue-Sat (12:45-2:45pm & 7:30-10:45pm) Sun (12:45-2:45pm)
Closed: Sunday evenings; Mondays; and December 23-January 9
Tempio di Iside
Via Pietro Verri 11 (Colosseo)
(+39) 06 700 4741
Open: Mon-Sat (12-3pm & 7:30-11pm)
Closed: Sundays, December 25th-26; January 1-8
Tram Tram
Via dei Reti 44 (San Lorenzo)
(+39) 06 490416
Open: Tue-Sat (12:30-3pm & 7:30-11pm) Sun (7:30-11pm)
Closed: Mondays; December 25-25; December 31
Osteria Bonelli
Viale dell'Acquedotto Alessandrino 172 (Tor Pignattara)
(+39) 329 863 3077
Open: Mon-Sat (1-2:30pm & 8-11pm)
Closed: Sundays, December 24-27; December 31-January 2
Pro Loco DOL
Via Domenico Panaroli 35 (Centocelle )
(+39) 06 2430 0765
Open: Mon-Sat (10am-11pm)
Closed: Sundays, December 25-26th; January 1
Closed for dinner December 24 and 31
Romanè
Via Cipro, 106 (Trionfale)
(+39) 06 6975 6884
Open: Sun-Mon (11:30AM – 12:30PM)
Closed: December 24; January 9-13
Fixed menu on December 25 and 31
Kiko Sushi Bar
Piazzale del Verano 90 (San Lorenzo)
(+39) 06 9484 9822
Open: Tue-Sun (1-2:30pm & 8-11pm)
Closed: Monday, December 25-26; December 31-January 1
Closed for dinner on December 24th
Himalaya Palace
Circonvallazione Gianicolense, 277 (Gianicolense)
(+39) 06 582 6001
Open: Tue-Sun (12:30–3PM, 7–11:30PM)
Closed: Mondays
Pizza
180g Pizzeria Romana
Via Genazzano, 32
(+39) 3911446575
Open: Wed-Mon (7:30-11:30pm)
Closed: Tuesdays; December 24-26, December 31-January 1
Tonda
Via Valle Corteno 31 (Nomentano)
(+39) 06 818 0960
Open: Mon-Sun (7:45pm to 11:30pm)
Closed: December 24th- 25th; December 31-January 1
Pizzeria Ostiense
Via Ostiense 56 b/c
(+39) 06 5730 5081
Open: Wed-Mon (6:30pm-1:00am)
Closed: December 24-26; December 31-January 2
Sbanco
Via Siria 1 (Appio-Latino)
(+39) 06 789318
Open: Tue-Sun (7:30-12am)
Closed: Mondays, December 24-26; December 31-January 1
Street Food, Bakeries, and Takeaway Joints
Trapizzino Trastevere
Piazza Trilussa 46 (Trastevere)
(+39) 06 581 7312
Open: Sues-Sun (12pm to 1am); December 24 and 31 open until 6pm
Closed: Mondays; December 25; January 1
Trapizzino Testaccio
Via Giovanni Branca 88 (Testaccio)
(+39) 06 4341 9624
Open: Sun-Thu (12pm-12am) Fri-Sat (12pm-1am).
Closed: Dinner December 24 and 31; All day December 25 January 1
Antico Forno Roscioli
Via dei Chiavari 34 (Centro Storico )
(+39) 06 68 64 045
Open: Mon-Sat (7am-8pm) Sun (8:30am-7pm); December 24 and 31 open until 5pm
Closed: December 25-26; January 1-2
Pizzarium
Via della Meloria 43 (Trionfale)
(+39) 06 39 74 5416
Open: Tues-Sun (11am-3pm & 5pm-10pm) Fri-Sat (11am-10pm)
Closed: Mondays’ December 25-26; January 1
Forno Campo de’ Fiori
Piazza Campo de’ Fiori 22 (Centro Storico)
(+39) 06 6880 6662
Open: Mon-Sat (7:30-2:30pm-4:45-8pm); December 18
Closed: Sundays; December 25-26; January 1 and 6
Panificio Bonci
Via Trionfale 36 (Trionfale)
(+39) 06 3973 4457
Open: Mon-Thu (8:30am-3pm & 5-8:30pm) Fri-Sat (8:30am-8:30pm)
Open on Sundays (8:30am-8:30pm) through out the month of December; December 24 and 31 until 6pm
Closed: December 25-26; January 1
Cafés, Craft Beer Pubs and Wine Bars
Roscioli Caffè
Piazza Benedetto Cairoli 16 (Centro)
(+39) 06 8916 5330
Open: Mon-Fri (7:00am-6:30pm) Sat (7:30am-6:30pm) Sun (8am-6:30pm)
Closed: From 4pm on December 24 and 31; December 25-26; January 1
Ma Che Siete Venuti a Fà (beers only)
Via di Benedetta 25 (Trastevere)
(+39) 06 6456 2046
Open: Daily (11am-2am)
Closed: Never
Open Baladin
Via Degli Specchi 5-6 (Centro Storico )
(+39) 06 68 38 989
Open: Mon-Fri (12pm-3:30pm & 6pm-1am) Sat (12pm-2am) Sun (12pm-1am)
Closed: December 24 and December 31
Mostò
Viale Pinturicchio 32 (Flaminio)
(+39) 392 2579616
Open: Mon-Sat (5:30pm-12am); December 24 and 31 open noon-6pm
Closed: Sundays, December 25-26; January 1-3
Latta
Via Antonio Pacinotti, 83 (Ponte di Ferro)
(+39) 06 88923791
Open: Mon-Fri (6pm-2am); Sat (11am-2am); Sun (11am-midnight)
Closed: December 25
Circoletto
Via dei Cerchi, 55 (Circo Massimo)
(+39) 06 8377 7691
Open: Tue-Fri (6pm-midnight); Sat-Sun (12:30-3pm & 6:30pm-midnight)
Closed: Mondays; December 24-26th; December 31-January 1
