Most visitors to Rome never venture outside the historic centre, meaning the only food market they ever come across is the daily farmers’ market at Campo de’ Fiori. But as every local knows, many of Rome’s central markets have become overpriced tourist traps, stocked with fresh produce at hugely inflated prices or with low-quality goods imported directly from China. 

Rome’s most authentic food markets (mercati rionali) are on the peripheries, in more residential areas, far from the madding crowds. This guide shares the best food markets in Rome for street food, for fresh produce, and for overall variety. This won’t be an especially long list. (After all, how many food markets can you realistically fit into one trip?) So we’ll be honing in on the highlights of three Roman food markets and focusing on what makes them really worth visiting. 

Testaccio Market

Address: Via Aldo Manuzio 66b, 00153

Open: Monday to Saturday, 7 am – 3:30 pm

Testaccio Market is our favourite food market in Rome, combining remarkable variety with guaranteed quality. Its 61 stalls sell everything, from greengrocers and butchers to international food specialists, like Spiros Greek Kantina or the Asian Altro Green. Come at the weekend, and you’ll also find vintage clothing and bric-a-brac stalls in the small square outside.

But it’s the street food stalls that make Testaccio Market worth visiting. For an introduction to Roman street food, try FoodBox, whose deep-fried specialities include supplì (rice balls), baccalà (cod fish), carciofi (artichoke), and fiori di zucca (pumpkin flowers with anchovies and mozzarella). For pizza, look no further than CasaManco, who leave their dough to rise for 100 hours before rolling it out and creatively topping it with some truly moreish combos.

👉 Book your Pizza & Tiramisù Making Class

👉 Book your Pizza & Cocktails Making Class

We love Altro Pasta — unsurprisingly — for the pasta. It’s an informal setup where you just grab a seat, order a plate of pasta with daily sauces, and watch the world go by. 

👉 Secure your spot on our Pasta & Tiramisù Making Class

We’ve all heard the phrase “When in Rome, do as the Romans do”. But if you want to trade in typical local grub for a true taste of Tuscany, you can do no better than Sicché – Roba Toscana. This stall specialises in Tuscan (specifically Florentine) food like ribolitta (Florentine stew) and cecina (chick-pea pancakes). If you’re feeling brave, try the panino al lampredotto — a typical sandwich made from tripe, oil-dunked bread, salsa verde (green sauce), and salsa piccante (hot sauce).

You’ll find plenty of space right in the middle of the market to sit down and eat. Or you can walk down the road to Piazza Testaccio and enjoy your lunch there on the fountain steps. 

Getting to Testaccio Market

Testaccio Market is conveniently situated just a 10-minute walk from Piramide metro station (B line), or a five-minute walk from several bus stops on the Via Marmorata. You can also easily walk across the river from Trastevere, in case you’re based there.

Central Market (Mercato Centrale) – Best for Food Shopping

Address: Via Giovanni Giolitti 36, 00185

Open: Daily, 7:30 am – 11:30 pm (12 am Friday and Saturday)

Central Market is the sleekest and most modern of Rome’s major food halls, and is similar to the Mercato Centrale in Florence (from which it was inspired) and Turin. Like Florence’s Mercato Centrale, Rome’s food hall feels distinctly contemporary and organised  — a stark contrast to the often chaotic and colourful vibe of most Italian markets. 

This is no bad thing for visitors, since it eases the process of ordering, paying, and sitting down to eat rather than standing around trying to work out what’s going on or haggling at length.

You’ll find everything in Rome’s Central Market from street food classics like trapizzino, pizza, and gelato, to international options like smash burgers, Chinese dumplings, and Argentinian empanadas. 

Getting to Central Market

Central Market is really easy to reach, since it’s located within Termini Station: Rome’s main terminus. Both of the main metro lines (A and B) connect there, as do many buses throughout the city. Click here for a complete guide to getting around Rome.

Campagna Amica Market

Address: Via di San Teodoro 74, 00186

Open: Saturday and Sunday, 8 am – 3 pm

Situated just around the corner from the Circus Maximus and at the foot of the Palatine Hill, Campagna Amica Market is a bustling indoor farmers’ market with a couple of dozen foods selling artisan produce and a few street food trucks in the garden courtyard at the back. 

I almost always take friends here for lunch when they come to visit, and it always goes down a treat. My recommendation is that one of you grabs some glasses of locally produced wine or beer from the courtyard while the others secure a table in the sun. Then use that as your base to browse the food trucks. 

There’s generally one that sells Italian dishes of the day, one that specialises in grilled meats and sides, one that does vegetarian/vegan street food, and a fried chicken stall.

Getting to Campagna Amica Market

Campagna Amica Market is situated at the western foot of the Palatine Hill and just up from the Circus Maximus. If you’re taking the metro, Circo Massimo station is your closest (a 15-minute walk away). I really like walking down from the Orange Garden on the Aventine Hill first before crossing the Circus Maximus to get to the market.

Learn Real Roman Recipes through our Cooking Classes

Italy is one of the best countries for food: so much so that its cuisine just received UNESCO status. Trying it out and about, especially in food markets — the first port of call for any serious foodie — is a must. But nothing feels more rewarding than tucking into recipes you’ve made yourself.

Our cooking classes deliver just this, teaching you the tips and tricks behind making pasta & tiramisu, pizza & Italian cocktails, and much, much more. All classes take place in our centrally situated, air-conditioned schools, and you get to take the recipes home with you at the end of each class.

Rome with Chef’s cooking classes are led by fun, local chefs who don’t just love Italian food — they live Italian food; are fluent in the language of Italian food; and are experts in sharing the secrets and stories behind your best-loved Italian dishes.

👉 Book your Pasta & Tiramisù Making Class

👉 Book your Spritz & Spaghetti Class

Looking for something more exclusive? Check out our private cooking classes.