The best healthy restaurants in Rome

The Eternal City has much more to offer than crazy-good pastas, risottos and cappuccinos. And this is being said by a carbohydrate aficionado. Just because your body is craving a nutritious meal doesn’t mean you have to give up on satisfying your taste buds (or going to the restaurant)!

If you want to leave behind your higher-than-average caloric intake for the day, let me tell you about my favorite healthy restaurants in Rome. After all, the Eternal City is filled with delicious eateries that are ready to convert you to a healthy lifestyle!

20MQ

20MQ, short for “20 square meters” is one of those places you stumble upon and fall in love with. Situated in Rome’s Flaminio neighbourhood – just a 10-minute walk from Piazza del Popolo – you’ll find this super cute healthy eatery in Rome. If you’re in the neighbourhood and your body is craving something fresh, look no further, 20MQ is the place to go! From their delicious organic salads (try the one with salmon, avocado and berries) to their homemade cakes and freshly squeezed juices and centrifuges, you’ll get back in shape in no time! And while you’re at it, why not buy some adorable furniture for your home? That’s right, 20MQ also sells beautiful furniture that you’ll immediately fall in love with! 20MQ is perfect for breakfast, lunch and snack time!

Fratelli De Luca – Salad & Juice Bar

Who are we kidding, could Rome’s Prati neighbourhood be missing a delicious healthy place? Of course not! If you’re in this part of town, head directly to Fratelli De Luca to indulge in your post-summer detox! Just entering this place will make your body feel better! Their fresh juices are a must-order, as well as their smoothies! Not to mention their salads! Fratelli De Luca whips up a sandwich, a salad or a baked potato like you’ve never tasted before! Their cous cous, caprese and Marino sandwich with arugola, smoked tuna and tomatoes are YUMMY! You can taste the freshness and feel your body thank you while not having to give up on your palate’s needs! What’s Fratelli De Luca’s winning card? Their unquestionable passion for what they do mixed with the freshest ingredients in town!

Ginger Sapori & Salute

Operation Detox will not seem so bad once you’ve entered Ginger. With two locations in Rome’s historic center (Sant’Eustachio after the Pantheon and Via Borgognona near Via del Corso), there are no more excuses for delaying trying a healthy restaurants in Rome. Ginger is one of Rome’s pioneers in healthy cuisine. From super fresh smoothies and fruit juices, to delicious salads and fruit plates, Ginger is definitely the place to go to for a healthy break! Not to mention their delicious rice and pasta dishes! Apart from the healthy and super tasty food, Ginger also has a beautiful sleek, bright contemporary design! Just know one thing, walk-ins are welcome but this place is always packed! Reservations aren’t a bad idea if you want to assure yourself a seat in one of Rome’s organic temples! How to best describe Ginger? Healthy, organic, sustainable!

Aromaticus

In Rome’s lovely Monti neighbourhood, there is more than just wow carbonara and cool Japanese restaurants to try. If you find yourself in this part of town neglecting your post-summer detox, walk down via Urbana to be tempted by Aromaticus’s organic food! Green pots, plants, seeds and biological wine will be greeting you at the door! But Aromaticus gives you so much more than just fresh vegetables and biological wine, they have a yummy, healthy & organic menu that is definitely worth a try! For a flavour-packed dish, go for the fassona beef tartare! SPOT ON! If you’re feeling more vegetarian, the salads are delicious as well as the vegetable creams! But the menu changes based on the availability of fresh products so give it a try for lunch! You can either have your meal in this super cute shop or take it away and consume it on the go!

Zia Rosetta

If you’re strolling by Rome’s Monti neighbourhood in search of a healthy meal, I know just the place. Super cute, eco-friendly, healthy and with a great service, I’m talking about Zia Rosetta in via urbana. Fresh salads made on the spot, delicious healthy dishes, fruit juices and yummy gourmet rosettas (Roman bread) filled with unbelievable delicacies, that’s what you get at Zia Rosetta in Monti. Enter the small eatery and order at the counter, when your dish is ready, your name will be called out. If you want to stay at Zia Rosetta for your meal, there are a few stools and tables where you can eat and relax, otherwise just consume your lunch on the go. Or even better, have your salad or rosetta delivered at home! Definitely try the Dalida salad with chicken strips, misticanza, spinach leafs, avocado and cherry tomatoes for a blast of freshness.

Valery Fruit

Valery Fruit: you’ll never find it on the internet – either you know it or you don’t. During my university years, this place saved my butt lots of times! Between not having enough time to make a healthy lunch at home, and having to choose from the college cafeteria or the yummy yet not so healthy pizza place outside university, I’ve had my fair share of “junk food”. That is until my friends and I discovered Valery Fruit on Via Lima (Parioli neighbourhood)! LIFE SAVER! Valery Fruit is this super small shop that sells the healthiest food ever! You enter and a fruit/vegetable/soup/salad counter awaits you. From freshly made tramezzini and sandwiches to spelt salads, cous cous and velvety pumpkin soups, you’ll feel as healthy as ever! Everything is already packed and ready to take away! Don’t forget to try their juices!

Charlie/Panificio Nazzareno

Situated in Rome’s Ponte Milvio neighbourhood, not only are Charlie & Panificio Nazzareno the perfect wine bars for aperitivo, they even have an amazing healthy and organic lunch and dinner menu! If it’s fresh food you’re searching for, look no further, Charlie and Panificio Nazzareno have a breath of fresh air coming your way! Their menu? Super fresh and healthy! If you’re into ceviches, carpaccios, tartares, salads and cold-cuts, Charlie & Panificio Nazzareno are the places for you! From the salmon tartare with ginger, carrots, apples and poppy seeds to the seabass tartare with fennel, carrots, zucchini and mint, I don’t know which to choose from! And their salmon salad with oranges is a MUST! Plus they have a nice juice bar menu too! Who knew getting back into shape could be nice after all?

Vivi Bistrot

We all know that detoxing is great for the body and unpleasant for the spirit. Especially in the time of Instagram, where caloric food images are popping up on your Instagram feed like there’s no tomorrow. I know the feeling. But what if I told you that apart from tasting good, your operation detox could also LOOK good? I’m not talking about the kilos you’re going to say goodbye to after your diet, I’m referring to the view Vivi Bistro offers of Piazza Navona. Not only is the food delicious, the location is fantastic! You have an open window on Piazza Navona and you’re going to inevitably ask yourself: “why haven’t I started eating healthier before?”. Vivi Bistro offers salads, burgers, gluten-free dishes as well as a juice bar menu! Definitely don’t miss out on this small corner in paradise. You can thank me later!

Zero

ZERO restaurant is my go-to place for a delicious healthy meal. Situated in Rome’s Parioli neighbourhood – right on Piazza Ungheria, you’ll find this small yet incredibly yummy restaurant. ZERO is known around Rome for its healthy mind-blowing cuisine. And if you need to keep an eye on your calories, it’s definitely the place to go. No more counting calories in your head, ZERO DOES IT FOR YOU! Its menu is divided according to the way the dishes are cooked: steamed, wok, raw or grilled. And it gets better, it even tells you the amount of calories in each dish! What should you order? The steamed salmon slice (418 Kcal), the octopus salad (174 Kcal), the noodles with vegetables (317 Kcal) or the tuna tartare (264 Kcal)! While you’re at it, order some fresh juices and fruit centrifuges! Don’t forget to make a reservation, this place is always packed!