Find out where to enjoy a classic Italian breakfast in Rome, from espresso to cornetti and much more. Discover the best places in the city of Rome to have breakfast and morning coffee, from the earliest hours of the morning to the afternoon.
Jump To
- What is Typical Breakfast in Rome?
- What Do Romans Eat in the Morning?
- What Time is Breakfast in Rome, Italy?
- Best Places for Breakfast in Rome
- Roman Style Breakfast
- Historical Insights: Did Romans Eat Breakfast?
- How Much is Breakfast in Rome?
- What Did Poor Romans Eat for Breakfast?
- How to Order Breakfast in Rome
- How to order breakfast in Italian
- More posts like this:
What is Typical Breakfast in Rome?
A traditional Roman breakfast is more of a snack than the feasts served up at breakfasts in other parts of the world, usually a sweet pastry (a cornetto, similar to a croissant, but less buttery, and often stuffed with jam, cream or chocolate) and a cappuccino or caffè latte. So it’s simple, not too filling, and just tasty enough to get on with your day.
What Do Romans Eat in the Morning?
Other than the cornetto, you can try biscotti (hard cookies), a basic cake or a slice of toast slathered in jam. Yogurt with fruit or muesli is growing popular, the health-conscious Roman’s preference. What’s important about the Roman breakfast is that there usually is a touch of sweetness to it, accompanied by strong Italian coffee. Coffee is a morning ritual.
What Time is Breakfast in Rome, Italy?
Breakfast in Rome can be surprisingly early: most Romans eat between 7:00 AM and 10:00 AM, and many will enjoy their first meal in a bar (what Italians call a café) on their way to work, relishing the thumb-twiddling ritual of being served a standing breakfast at the counter: a quintessentially Roman experience.
Best Places for Breakfast in Rome
Coromandel – An intimate and relaxing environs, Coromandel serves up a selection of Italian flavours with an international twist. Fabulous service and food to match, this place is the perfect breakfast destination.
Barnum Roma – Via del Pellegrino 87. This place is great for breakfast with good quality and great value for the cost, especially if you’re into avocado toast and various coffee choices. It also has a really nice atmosphere for those looking to settle in and relax over a slow morning. Free WiFi is also available.
Moonrise Café: definitely the most original and best breakfast in Rome.
Sciascia Caffè 1919 – Best for Traditional Coffee with Rich History and Classic Italian Café ExperienceIf you’re looking for a traditional Roman coffee experience with rich history and classic Italian café atmosphere, make sure to visit Sciascia Caffè 1919.
Roscioli Caffè Pasticceria – Essentially Renowned for its breads and pastries, stop into Roscioli for a true taste of Roman bread baking and a quick pick-me-up with a freshly baked pastry or bread. Go vacation in Italy to start your day off with freshly baked breads, like an Italians.
Le Levain Café - French-Italian gastronomic fusion; hundreds of different kinds of pastries and excellent coffees; a sophisticated setting, but with eco-friendly materials and quality ingredients.
L’Antico Forno di Piazza Trevi – For the best breads and pastries in Rome, go to this bakery right by the Trevi Fountain, a great area to take it all in.
Sant’Eustachio Il Caffè: Always a crowd Often considered one of the best places in the city for a coffee, Sant’Eustachio Il Caffè is an antique café where you will get a true Roman espresso experience.
Roman Style Breakfast
A Roman-style breakfast has more to do with the atmosphere than the food. It’s mostly eaten on the run at the neighbourhood bar with the rest of the city as it springs to life around you. The atmosphere is important: raucous locals exchanging salutations and the barista calls out the regulars’ orders.
Historical Insights: Did Romans Eat Breakfast?
It’s a long way from the Romans’ bare-bones morning meal They did, however, belabour the point that the ancient Romans’ daily nosh was commonly known as ‘ientaculum’, which consisted of a few slices of bread, olives and cheese, possibly with a side of meat or fish. They generally ate a side of meat or fish. They generally ate it quite early in the morning before heading out for the day.
How Much is Breakfast in Rome?
Prices, of course, also vary depending on the location you choose to eat in. Breakfast at a café – a coffee and a cornetto – can cost anything between 2 and 5 euros; a more substantial breakfast, with sandwiches or a platter with cheese and cold cuts, might be closer to 5 euros up to 15 euros.
What Did Poor Romans Eat for Breakfast?
‘The poorer citizens of Rome’, who would often eat ‘bread alone and thin porridge or boiled-up leftovers from yesterday’s dinner’, might think they’ve got off lightly by today’s standards.
But the inexpensive breakfast options still depend on an assortment of simple staples: a plain cornetto, for example, or a slice of pizza bianca (often the bread is lightly salted and eaten for breakfast, since it’s tastier than the sweetened variety).
How to Order Breakfast in Rome
Ordering breakfast in Rome is simple. In most bars, you go first to pay (il cassa, pronounced the cass-a) where you will be given a receipt, which you then take to the bar where the coffee and pastry are prepared, and where you will place your order.
It is very normal to eat your breakfast standing at the bar since this is typically a fast affair, and many people rush into the bar standing from the office before heading out to work in a city centre.
How to order breakfast in Italian
Customer: Buongiorno! Un caffè, per favore.
Translation: Good morning! A coffee, please.
Barista: Certo! Vuole anche qualcosa da mangiare?
Translation: Sure! Would you like something to eat as well?
Customer: Sì, prendo un cornetto alla crema.
Translation: Yes, I'll have a cream-filled croissant.
Barista: Ottima scelta. Altro?
Translation: Great choice. Anything else?
Customer: No, grazie. Quanto devo?
Translation: No, thank you. How much do I owe?
Barista: Sono quattro euro in totale.
Translation: That will be four euros in total.
Leave a Reply