The best fish restaurants in Rome
Located just 40km from the sea, Rome receives some of the freshest seafood in the country. But despite the fish being super fresh, not everyone knows how to cook it to perfection. It always comes down to one question: what are the best seafood restaurants in Rome? Lucky for you, I’m a seafood aficionado, which means you’ve come to the right person! From seafood cruditè to pasta with clams and oven-cooked sea-bass, here’s my guide to the best seafood restaurants in Rome.
P.S. Make sure you have a reservation before you go.
Seafood restaurants in Rome’s San Giovanni: Ottavio
This isn’t just a great seafood restaurant, I think it’s one of the best restaurants in Rome. If the thought of giant oysters and fresh seafood cruditè paired with white wine makes you space out, you need to get yourself a reservation to OTTAVIO, because this is the TEMPLE of seafood. The true Italian Mediterranean cuisine comes to life at this restaurant, offering spectacular yet simple flavours. What should you order? Without a doubt, the seafood cruditè platter. That means raw prawns, red shrimp, white shrimp and also an orgasmic shrimp tartare. All of that seasoned with OTTAVIO’s lemon and oil sauce. Oh, and if you like oysters, this is definitely the place to order them. If you’re not a big fan of raw seafood, no worries, the fried moscardini (horned octopus) are delicious, as is the shrimp with artichokes and parmesan shavings. But heaven on a plate is the shared platter of gamberi, mazzancolle e astice alla catalana (prawns, shrimp and lobster Catalan). It was to die for. For what type of occasion should you come to Ottavio? Any kind. I think any excuse to dine at this restaurant should be taken!
Via di S. Croce in Gerusalemme, 9+39 06 702 8595
90+ EUR
Visa, American Express and MasterCard
Seafood restaurants in Rome’s Piazza Navona: I Due Ladroni
Tucked away in the beautiful Piazza Nicosia – just footsteps from Piazza Navona – you’ll find I Due Ladroni: one of the most delicious seafood restaurants in Rome. This restaurant serves mind-blowing Neapolitan cuisine, with extremely fresh products coming in every day from the Mediterranean. The marriage of fresh ingredients along with simple yet divine cooking creates a remarkable outcome. I definitely recommend you try the carpaccio di spigola (seabass carpaccio) or the tuna tartare as a starter, followed by the delicious paccheri con dentice, carciofi e bottarga (pasta with snapper, artichokes and bottarga) or the outstanding sea bass in a potato crust, to die for! The atmosphere at I Due Ladroni is elegant yet relaxed, and the fantastic friendly service definitely contributes to a wonderful dining experience! During the good season, dine outside overlooking the piazza!
Piazza Nicosia, 24+39 066861013
50+ EUR
Visa, American Express and MasterCard
Seafood restaurants in Rome’s Campo de’Fiori: Pierluigi
Just a stone’s throw away from Campo dei Fiori and Piazza Farnese, you’ll find Pierluigi in the beautiful squared Piazza dei Ricci. As you step inside, you’ll be immersed in an intimate and stylish setting. And of course, you won’t be able to not notice the exceptional catch of the day. But my favorite place to dine at Pierluigi is in the outdoor area – right on the piazza – where you can breathe the Roman atmosphere. Tables covered in white tablecloths placed on the piazza’s cobble stones and the beautiful sight of the warm-toned palazzi. That definitely sets the mood. From appetizers such as homemade pressed octopus and the spectacular catalana salad with tiger prawns, rucola and cherry tomatoes to main courses such as spaghetti ai crostacei and different kinds of fish like turbot, sea bream and red snapper, it will be hard to choose from the menu! And don’t get me started on the phenomenal seafood cruditè.
Piazza de’ Ricci, 144+39 06 686 8717
60+ EUR
Visa, American Express and MasterCard
Seafood restaurants in Rome’s Trieste: Dar Sor Duilio
Props to my sister who suggested trying out this delicious seafood restaurant in Rome’s Trieste neighbourhood. If you want to taste fresh fish for an amazing price, this is the place to go. Doubling as a restaurant and a pescheria, Dar Sor Duilio welcomes its guests with a huge L-shaped fish counter displaying everything from sea bream to sea bass, from tuna to swordfish. The atmosphere? Simple and informal. The wine selection is great, featuring Italian and French wines. While the menu is divided into Start out with the unforgettable red prawn carpaccio with pistachios followed by the seabass with a potato or zucchini crust.
Via dei Genovesi, 37+39 06 581 6017
40+ EUR
Visa, American Express and MasterCard
Seafood restaurants in Rome’s Trastevere: Le Mani in Pasta
Get ready for a real traditional-style trattoria experience. And make super sure you have a reservation, this place is always packed. The second you step foot inside Le Mani in Pasta, you’re wrapped up by a warm and informal atmosphere, typical of a Roman osteria. And the food here is mind blowing. They serve exquisite Roman cuisine as well as yummy seafood, meat and pasta dishes from different Italian regions. The must-orders? I think you can’t leave this restaurant without trying the seabass carpaccio with truffles, and the pasta with cherry tomatoes, shrimp and seabream! The prawns are also delightful, the filet is super juicy and the portions here are really big!
Via Agri, 9+39 0645651347
30+ EUR
Visa and MasterCard
Seafood restaurants in Rome’s Prati: Banchina 63
I have completely fallen in love with this place. From the design to the food and service, everything is top-notch at this newly opened restaurant and bar in the trendy Prati district. The protagonist? Seafood! If you’re a seafood cruditè lover, Banchina 63’s fish bar will definitely get your taste buds tingling. From the freshest prawns and shrimp, to giant oysters, this place definitely has what a seafood lover searches for. But it’s not just seafood cruditè that you get here, the seafood dishes are also amazing, and in constant change. I had delicate a delicate mazzara shrimp starter with fresh burrata on a bed of tomato guazzetto and ginger and it was amazing. The pasta dishes are also impeccable and you can’t end your culinary journey without trying their twist on tiramisu.
Via Emilio Faà di Bruno, 63
+39 06 6941 2199
40+ EUR
Visa and MasterCard
Seafood restaurants in Rome’s EUR: Livello 1
Anyone living in Rome knows that finding a good restaurant in the EUR neighbourhood isn’t that easy. Thankfully, Livello 1 has decided to raise the standard, and make our decision-making process much easier. With a wonderful open kitchen, Livello 1 serves delicious seafood in a contemporary setting. If you’re into seafood cruditè, you’re going to love Livello 1’s selection of oysters, carpaccios, tartares and crostaceons. Definitely try the seared tuna with ponzu sauce or the shellfish ceviche as a starter. As for a main course, the seafood pasta dishes are exceptional, with an innovative twist.
Via Duccio di Buoninsegna, 25+39 06 503 3999
60+ EUR
Visa, American Express and MasterCard
Seafood restaurants at the Colosseum: Il Tempio di Iside
A footstep away from the Colosseum you’ll find another must-visit monument: Il Tempio di Iside. Known as an institution in Rome for their spectacular fresh fish, this restaurant is definitely the place for a seafood culinary journey. For all seafood lovers who are searching for an elegant dining experience, Il Tempio di Iside is the perfect place. The food is exceptional, definitely order the seafood cruditè but don’t leave this restaurant without having tried their pasta with granseola – spider crab – it’s to die for. The chef is very innovative with the dishes, expect Italian cuisine with a twist. And definitely make a reservation.
Via Labicana, 50 (corner with via Pietro Verri)+39 06 700 47 41
90+ EUR
Visa, American Express and MasterCard
Seafood restaurants in Rome’s Monteverde: Trattoria del Pesce
This cozy restaurant in the Monteverde neighbourhood is the perfect place to relax and indulge in a one of the best seafood offerings of the capital. Trattoria del Pesce serves top quality seafood personally selected every day from Italian fishing ports. Start off with the Grand crudo di mare, a selection of 6 different seafood cruditè, we had three carpaccio and three tartares (the angler fish tartare was to die for) followed by a spigola al sale. They also have an excellent wine selection and a lovely service. A must-try in Monteverde!
Via Folco Portinari, 27+390695945393
70+ EUR
Visa and MasterCard
Seafood restaurants in Ostia: La Vecchia Pineta
My ultimate favorite place for lunch or dinner in Ostia – the Roman seaside just 40 minutes from Rome – is La Vecchia Pineta. Apart from the beautiful indoor area decorated with portholes, the strong point of La Vecchia Pineta is its stunning outdoor veranda overlooking the Mediterranean. For a delightful lunch on a sunny day or for a romantic outing with your partner this place is simply perfect.Regarding the food, it’s delicious. Definitely order the crunchy baby squids with balsamic vinegar reduction and leek straw as an appetizer, the black fettuccine with veracious clams and pumpkin flowers as a first course and the juicy turbot with roasted potatoes as a second course. You’ll thank me later!
Piazzale dell’Aquilone, 4, Lido di Ostia+39 06 5647 0255
50+ EUR
Visa, American Express and MasterCard
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Seafood restaurants in Fiumicino: Gina a Porto Romano
In a quiet street in Fiumicino – where you will also find the Porto Romano Yacht Club – there is a lovely seafood restaurant that will blow you away. If you like staying inside, the indoor dining area is simple yet elegant, and has large windows overlooking the patio, the gardens and the sea. But honestly, if you come to Gina a Porto Romano, the outdoor patio is where you want to dine. From spring to autumn, there’s nothing better than dining out in the open, and what better way than in a splendid patio overlooking the sea? Whether you’re craving a tartare, a seafood pasta or a delicious seabass simmered in white wine, Gina a Porto Romano delivers. I definitely recommend the tuna tartare, it’s one of the best I’ve ever had. The octopus with potatoes is also excellent, and for a main course, you won’t go wrong with the classic spaghetti with clams. But if you prefer fish, ask the staff for the catch of the day and you’ll be blown away.
Via Costalunga, 31, Fiumicino+39 06 658 3143
40+ EUR
Visa, American Express and MasterCard
Seafood restaurants in Fregene: Il Sogno del Mare
My favorite restaurant in Fregene is Il Sogno del Mare. Tables on the sand, a nice sea breeze, a sunny day and amazing seafood! The atmosphere is so relaxing, and after lunch enjoy a walk on the beach. The must orders are the salmon tartare, the shrimp tartare with stracciatella cheese and the fried squids and calamari. For a first course, the paccheri tricolore are the way to go! Il Sogno del Mare also has a great wine selection and the staff is friendly and efficient. Just a heads up, when you reserve make sure to ask for a table either under the sun (during spring/autumn) and on the shade but on the sand during the hot summer months. It’s the perfect place to go with a group of friends for lunch on a sunny Sunday.
Lungomare di Ponente, 25, Fregene+39 06 6656 2812
40+ EUR
Visa and MasterCard
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