Best-of list · City Guide
The best bars in Rome right now — from Jerry Thomas Project's speakeasy secrets to rooftop views over Villa Borghese. Detailed editorial notes —
The short answer
10 ranked rooms follow. How we picked is at the end of this guide.
Rome's bar scene is often overshadowed by its restaurants and ruins, yet the city hosts some of Europe's most technically accomplished cocktail bars. The best are tucked into side streets in Centro Storico, Prati, and Trastevere — places where bartenders pour with serious intent and regulars have occupied the same stools for decades. We recommend approaching Rome's bars like you approach its art: with patience and willingness to look past the obvious.
Rome's cocktail bar culture runs deep, anchored by a few legendary spots that have maintained their standards through decades of tourism and trend cycles. The serious bars tend toward classical preparations and careful sourcing, with bartenders who can tell you exactly where their spirits come from.
How we picked
Rome's best bars live in the neighbourhoods rather than on main tourist routes. We recommend starting with Jerry Thomas Project for cocktails that define what serious bartending means, then moving into Prati and Trastevere where the bars serve their regulars before they serve tourists.
The city rewards patience and exploration. Skip the rooftops unless you're celebrating something specific — instead spend your evenings in smaller rooms drinking natural wines, eating at aperitivo bars, and letting the evening unfold. Rome's bar scene reflects the city itself: it reveals itself slowly to those who look beyond the surface.
Priya covers European and global city bar scenes for barsforKings. She visits Rome twice a year and considers Jerry Thomas Project one of the most important speakeasies operating in Europe.
Last reviewed 2026-05-09 · The editors recheck hours and closures against current local coverage.