Dining OUt in Gay Rome - A guide to Gay Restaurants

A Passion For Food

The Italians tryly have a passion for food! The cuisine here is simple but tasty – pizza can be bought by the ounce in one of the many ‘pizza al taglio’ outlets dotted around the city – it’s inexpensive and probably the best quality ‘fast-food’ you could hope to find.

The Trastevere district on the right bank of the Tiber has a great selection of trattorias and is the perfect location for a meal followed by an evening stroll, but be prepared to wait as the restaurants don’t take bookings and are often extremely busy, especially at weekends.

Today Italian cuisine is highly cherished around the world and beyond the stereotypical pizza and pasta dishes, people are discovering a colorful, flavorful set of magnificent dishes, an explosion of simplicity and natural ingredients. Every region has its own treasure, a signature dish, a particular wine and product, gifts of nature and heart of traditions.

Most Italian meals consist of a "primo", pasta or rice course, "secondo", meat or fish, and "contorno", usually vegetables or salad on the side. Meals can include "antipasto", hors d'oeuvre, "dolce", dessert, and "frutta" - fruit.

Although everyone loves Italian food, figuring out where and what to eat in Italy can pose problems for the traveler. Knowing what type of meal or snack you wish to have and considering time limitations, you may wish to consider one of the following choices:

Bar: The place to have espresso and all its variations, rolls and small sandwiches, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Pay first and give the receipt to barman with order. It is usual to stand at the bar, as there is a service charge for sitting at a table. Bars in Italy are open from early morning to late night.

Panineria: A sandwich bar, where a quick meal can be had.

Trattoria: Less formal than a ristorante, where local specialties are served.

Ristorante: The most formal type of place to eat when one is not in a hurry. The order of courses is antipasto, pasta or soup, main course, salad, and dessert, all accompanied by good wine.

Ice Cream

Gelato is the Italian word for ice cream which is one of the many sought after delicacies in Italy . It's impossible to imagine the Italian summer without gelato; you MUST taste it when you are in Italy ! when you order. Most gelaterie (ice cream parlors) require you to pay before you eat, so first go to the cassa (cash register) and order and then present your receipt when you order. Another favorite treat in Italy is called granita which is a slushy flavored ice drink. The most popular flavors are limone (lemon) and caffe`(frozen espresso)

Coffee

The Italian word for coffee is caffe`. In Italy , making the perfect espresso or cappuccino has become a form of art. Some rules to follow when ordering a coffee in Italy : Always remember that when ordering a coffee in Italy , you must say espresso, not expresso. Only tourists order cappuccinos after lunch or dinner; Italians only drink cappuccino in the morning for breakfast. So unless you want everyone to know that you are a tourist, refrain from ordering cappuccinos in the afternoon and evening. When ordering a coffee in a bar, you first have to get in line at the cash register and pay for your coffee; then take the receipt to the bar and give it to the “barrista” (bartender) and he will then make your coffee.

In gay Rome, nine out of ten restaurants are trattorias. More than a restaurant, a trattoria is where you spend the evening, a cafe, a bar, and living room in one. Everyone likes to eat out, until quite late, all the time. Romans will sit and chat (and drink) after all the food is gone. The worst treatment a foreigner will get comes while waiting for a table, or being seated (some restaurants will segregate foreigners). You should either eat with a group of locals, or just ignore it and join the fun (when in Rome…)

Remember that most places will not open before 8pm and tables are scarce by 9pm. It helps if you make a reservation. If you just show up without one, don’t show up hungry. A “no sorry” from the host may mean that you might have to wait around and a table may free later. It is customary to order appetizers, pasta, main dish, coffee or grappa. You may omit a course, but remember that main dishes usually come without sides, and the pasta dish will not be meal-sized. The meal is never rushed; if you think you are getting the silent treatment, toss out the words for water (”acqua”), wine (”vino”), or the check (”conto”) to get your waiters attention. Even though the tip is included (”service com pris”), it is considered an insult to offer you the bill before you request it. In most restaurants they are expecting you will stay until closing.

Just to the south of the Colosseum there are two convenient gay refreshment spots, to relax after all the walking you'll be doing, both open in the afternoons.

Coming Out (Via di SanGiovanni in Laterano 8) bar and gay restaurant for gay men and women, open daily from 11am to 2am, is the big meeting places for Rome's gay community; busiest on weekend evenings. All the local gay mags are distributed here and they have cocktail specials every evening if you need another excuse to come early.

Anfiteatro (Via di SanGiovanni in Laterano 12) is the gay bar next door to Coming Out, and together they sponsor the Gay Street Roma events. All summer this street closes to traffic for events that include free movies, music performances, and art displays.

Ice Cream Bears (Via di San Giovanni in Laterano 120) is just down the street, with tempting sweets and beverages, and a cabinet full of rich gelato flavors to sample, served up by Gianni and Carlo, friendly local bears who've made this a gathering point for guys in the area.

Also conveniently located along the gay trail, Citta in Fiore (via Cavour 269) is a friendly Chinese restaurant. Low prices and great food here, plus the welcome always extended by owner Jada and staff, make this place very popular with locals. La Bagette (Via Merulana, 83) is a typical little Italian bar, owned by two lesbians, with a rare and pleasant gay ambience for wine, cocktails, coffee, delicious fresh fruit juice and light afternoon meals.

Note: Is there a gay restaurant that we have forgotton? If so then contact us and let us know. We're always happy to hear of a new restaurant of a gay-friendly one that has something special to offer the gay community. Contact Us