Going out for an aperitivo—starting your evening by getting finger food and drinks with friends—is one of Italy’s most popular pastimes.
The country’s year-round benign climate plays a large part in this. You’d struggle to find the same joy sipping a cocktail and snacking on hors d’oeuvres in the p*ss*ng rain in, say, London during any given weekend in March. But so does Italian dolce far niente culture, which prioritises pleasure, and spending more time outside drinking with friends and less time stowed away behind a desk.
Rome, as the capital city, excels in aperitivo culture. Here we’re sharing our top tips for where to find the best aperitivo in Rome. Partly because we’re lovely people, and partly because we want to welcome more of you onto our brilliantly boozy Rome Tipsy Tour. 🤭
Affordable Aperitivo Bars in Rome
While most aperitivo drink and snack combos start around €10 per person, going out for aperitivo in Rome doesn’t have to break the bank. Here are our top choices for budget-friendly aperitivo throughout the Eternal City.
Terraza San Francesco
📍Via Jacopa de’ Settesoli 7, 00153
Situated atop a quaint three-star hotel not far from the River Tiber in the district of Trastevere, Terraza San Francesco is perhaps the most reasonably priced rooftop bar in Rome. Glasses of prosecco or wine start from €6 and cocktails from €7. Click here for their drinks menu.
Pimm’S Good
📍Via di Santa Dorotea 8/9
Pimm’s Good boasts a nice location with indoor and outdoor seating overlooking one of Trastevere’s tucked-away squares. Their aperitivo isn’t refined, but it’s decent, and perfect for soaking up booze, consisting of roast potatoes, ham rolls, croquettes, bruschetta and more.
And at €8 per person during happy hour (6 – 8:30 pm, it’s a pretty good deal.
Caramella
📍Vicolo del Cinque 31
Their aperitivo (€8 per person) is an absolute stodge-fest, consisting of chips, pizza slices, bruschetta and stuffed slices of piadina wraps and not a trace of greens or vegetables in sight. Unlike most aperitivo bars in Rome, where groups share a platter, here each person gets their own. 🤭
Come hungry!
La Scaletta
📍Via della Scala 8
This trattoria (home-style restaurant) offers not aperitivo, but apericena, which is a rather more substantial version of the classic drink-and-snack combo. But at just €8 per person (or €6 for just the drink), it offers excellent value for those travelling on a budget.
La Scaletta also has a traditional kitchen serving up Roman classics like carbonara, amatriciana and creamy tiramisù.
➡️ Learn to make pasta and tiramisù in Rome!
@romeitalytravel Aperitivo for 8€ in Trastevere . 📍 Pimm'S Good (Via di Santa Dorotea, 8/9 ) 📍 Caramella (Vicolo del Cinque, 31) 📍 La Scaletta (Via della scala , 8) . #romeitalytravel #trastevere ♬ Sure Thing (sped up) – Miguel
Quality Aperitivo Bars in Rome
Freni e Frizioni (Trastevere)
📍Via del Politeama, 4/6, 00153, Roma
If you find yourself around Trastevere’s Piazza Trilussa and fancy kicking back with chic and classy cocktails, make sure you check out Freni e Frizioni. Their cocktails cost anything from €8 for a traditional Aperol Spritz up to €12 or above for something more complex, but they lay out a generous aperitivo buffet until around 10 which customers can help themselves to.
Enoteca Palombi (Oasi della Birra)
📍Piazza Testaccio 38, 00153, Roma
Overlooking the buzzing main square in Rome’s cool district of Testaccio, Enoteca Palombi (or the “Oasis of Beer” as it’s usually known) attracts a mix of locals, students, and well-heeled UN employees from the nearby Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). It serves more than 500 kinds of beer, and a great aperitivo platter of cold cuts of cheeses, prosciutto and jam, as well as more substantial dishes for those who want to make an evening of it.
Make sure to book a table if you want to guarantee a spot. Most punters take their drinks out onto the piazza.
Jerry Thomas Speakeasy
📍 Vicolo Cellini, 30, 00186
The Jerry Thomas Project regularly features among the top bars in the world and is internationally renowned for its innovative cocktails. It doesn’t open until 9 pm (daily) and so doesn’t serve pre-dinner aperitivo per se, but what they do serve – and excel in – are exquisite cocktails. Don’t miss their signature drink, the Jerry Thomas Speakeasy, which is a perfect blend of gin, vermouth, and orange bitters.
🤫 Check out our favourite Rome speakeasies
Rooftop Aperitivo Bars in Rome
Rome’s temperate climate and breathtaking skyline mean that rooftop bars are becoming increasingly popular. Here are our favourite rooftop bars for aperitivo in Rome.
Borromini Terrace
📍Via di Santa Maria dell’Anima 30, 00186
A caveat: the aperitivo here is on the pricey side: around €15 for a beer and €25 for a cocktail. But you’re not as much for the aperitivo as you are for the views that go with it. The Borromini Terrace overlooks Piazza Navona and has views of both the Pantheon’s domed roof and Michelangelo’s dome of St Peter’s Basilica in the distance. Booking is mandatory since demand is high, but come on a clear day (pretty much every day in Rome) and you’ll be blown away.
Oro Bistro
📍Via S. Eufemia 19, 00187
Expect to pay from €13 for a beer, €22 for a classic cocktail and €24 for a signature cocktail. But as with other rooftop bars in Rome, what you’re really paying for is the view. Oro Bistro has sweeping views over ancient Rome, with Trajan’s Column in the foreground and the Roman Forum and Colosseum in the distance. Reserve your table here to avoid disappointment.
➡️ Book your small-group Colosseum tour here
@romeitalytravel BORROMINI TERRACE ✨ a 10/10 overall! Where should we go next? 👇 #rooftopbarrome #romebar #romenightlife #rooftops #nightlife #cocktails #drinkinginrome #romeitalytravel #perte #fyp #fypシ #viral #perme #parati #traveltiktok ♬ Carol Of The Bells – Lindsey Stirling
@romeitalytravel One of the Best Rooftop Bar in Rome 📍 Oro Bistrot Roma . #romeitalytravel #bestrooftopbar #rooftopbarinrome ♬ Love In Portofino – Dalida & Raymond Lefèvre Et Son Grand Orchestre
Donna Camilla Savelli
📍Via Garibaldi 27, 00153
Situated within an ancient monastery at the foot of Trastevere’s Janiculum Hill, this four-star hotel features one of the nicest aperitivo bars in Rome for a peaceful retreat from the frenetic city centre. You won’t find an ambience this peaceful, in the midst of a garden, anywhere else in Rome.
Cocktails start from €15. We suggest booking to guarantee a table.
