Rome is famous for its pasta, but the city also has a deep seafood tradition fed by the nearby coast at Fiumicino and Ostia. Romans treat fish as something special, often reserved for weekends and celebrations.
This guide explains the dishes that define Roman seafood and how to pick a restaurant that buys fresh rather than frozen.
Roman fish dishes to know
Spaghetti alle vongole (with clams) is the entry point, but look out for tonnarelli or spaghetti with telline (tiny wedge clams) on the coast. Fritto misto — lightly fried mixed seafood — is a Roman favourite, as is filetti di baccalà, battered salt-cod fillets best eaten in the old Jewish Ghetto.
For a treat, order a whole fish such as branzino or orata, often baked in salt or cooked all’acqua pazza ("crazy water") with tomato, garlic and herbs.
Where the seafood is freshest
Many of Rome’s best seafood restaurants source from Fiumicino, the fishing port near the airport, where waterfront trattorie serve the morning catch. In the centre, reputable fish restaurants display the day’s offerings on ice and price by weight.
A useful rule: if a fish restaurant offers a huge menu of everything, be cautious; the best ones keep the list short and tied to what arrived that day.