The Rome IndexWhere to eat near the Vatican
Better options than the tourist-trap streets around St Peter's.
The problem
Via della Conciliazione, the main approach to St Peter's, is lined with unremarkable restaurants targeting pilgrims and first-time visitors — expensive for what they offer.
Head into Prati
Five minutes north into the Prati neighborhood changes the picture entirely — local bakeries, good pizza al taglio spots, and sit-down trattorias used by the people who actually live and work in the area.
Borgo
The narrow streets of the Borgo district, between the Vatican walls and Castel Sant'Angelo, hide a few genuinely good spots among the tourist places — look for short, handwritten menus and Italian-speaking clientele.