The "Old Arch" on the Gianicolo hill above Trastevere has established itself as a reference point for Roman gourmets who want to eat well without breaking the bank. "Creative Italian cuisine" is an overused term, but that is exactly what chef Patrizia Mattei offers in dishes like tonnarelli with gray mullet bottarga, wild fennel, and breadcrumbs, or duck breast in vin santo sauce with stewed cannellini beans. The recipes are based on the kind of roots-y local ingredients an Italian grandma might use, but in combinations that Nonna would never attempt. The menu changes according to the season, but even in winter, lightness is a key word, with plenty of vegetables and herbs. Main courses go beyond the usual binary meat-or-fish option to embrace game (rabbit, pheasant, guinea fowl), and a small selection of side dishes (such as grilled vegetables with Piedmontese Toma cheese) can easily take the place of a secondo. There's no outside space, but the air-conditioned interior, fresh from a 2007 makeover in tones of white, cream, and dark chocolate, balances seriousness and friendly intimacy, as does the generally excellent service. Wine is another forte: If you're unsure what to order, ask knowledgeable sommelier Domenico for advice. Be sure to book at least a day in advance.

Open Mondays through Saturdays 6 pm to midnight.

The Roman offspring of Don Alfonso 1890, one of southern Italy's top restaurants, baby is cradled on the poolside terrace of the Aldrovandi Palace Hotel, on the northern edge of the Borghese Gardens. But it's worth the taxi ride from the center to experience the refined but unpretentious cuisine of Alfonso Iaccarino and his son Ernesto, who oversee the menu and kitchen staff from their Amalfi Coast base. Most recipes, like sartù di riso (rice loaf) on a bed of tomato ragù, or the ricotta and nettle "nudi" (gnocchi) in gurnard sauce come straight from the mother ship, while one or two others (like the roast chicken served with red pepper ice cream) nod at the Roman tradition. In cooler weather, one dines inside in a suite of elegant, contemporary-minimalist rooms that are in stark contrast with the rather fusty antique decor of the hotel upstairs. Allow around $145 a head with a modest bottle of wine, and add another $55 if you want to combine lunch here with a day pass for the Aldrovandi pool.

Open Tuesdays through Sundays for lunch and dinner.

Hats off to this new café-restaurant, which is attempting to bring quality catering to touristy Piazza Navona—noted until now both for the beauty of its Baroque architecture and the uninspiring, overpriced food served by the clip joints that line it. As befits this most scenic of piazzas, seating is mostly outside, with overhead heaters making it a viable option year-round. The menu, created by Emiliano Pascucci, sous-chef to Heinz Beck at the stellar La Pergola, mixes lighter, more creative fare (raw shrimp marinated in ginger and lime) with traditional Roman dishes such as spaghetti all'amatriciana—with tomato, pancetta, onion, and pecorino cheese—or veal saltimbocca, prosciutto-filled veal rolls. But this is also a good place for a morning cappuccino or an evening aperitivo. Service is efficient and multilingual.

Open daily 9:30 am to 2 am.

The original Roman wine bar, Cul de Sac may not look like much inside, but its great position (just around the corner from Piazza Navona), highly prized outside tables, and reasonable prices mean that it's usually packed. The service is relaxed and friendly, and there's a small but select menu of house specialties, from lasagna to Greek salad to homemade pâtés and terrines. The wine list is as thick as a phone directory—but much more interesting—and the crowd is equally mixed with an emphasis on the artsy.

Open daily noon to 4 pm and 6 pm to 12:30 am.

Good centro storico trattorias are hard to find, and Gino's is no exception: It's tucked away in a tiny cul-de-sac just around the corner from the Camera dei Deputati, the lower house of the Italian parliament. It pays to book, as the place tends to fill up with homesick deputati who come for the next best thing to Mamma's cooking. The day's specials are chalked up at the entrance to this rustic time capsule; they generally include Roman classics like tonnarelli cacio e pepe (pasta with crumbled sheep's-milk cheese and plenty of black pepper) and pasta e ceci in brodo di arzilla (a soup of pasta and chickpeas in skate broth). The house wine is onesto, as they say around these parts: rustic and unrefined, but gratifyingly low in price.

Open Mondays through Saturdays 1 to 2:45 pm and 8 to 10:45 pm.

Zì Fenizia, Rome's only kosher takeaway pizza outlet, has changed its name and location. No longer in the Ghetto, it's now a short hop from the Trevi Fountain, but the pizza, made according to a special slow-rise recipe, is better than ever. Try traditional Roman toppings like aliciotti e indivia (anchovies and endives), and don't ask for margherita—the kitchen avoids dairy products, which means no mozzarella. It's a daytime place; the shutter goes down around 7:30 pm.

Open Mondays through Thursdays and Sundays 9 am to 8 pm; Fridays 9 am to 2 pm. Closed Jewish holidays, including 10 days of Passover.

Concept restaurants come and go in Rome, but Grano has substance to match its style, and the location—in a pretty piazza just around the corner from the Pantheon—could hardly be better. The name translates as grain or wheat, a theme that underpins both the contempo beige and cream urban-country decor and the cuisine, with homemade bread (check out the walnut and golden-raisins version) and high-class pasta taking center stage. A plate of perfect, al dente paccheri with calamari and cime di rapa (turnip tops) sums up the chef's tasty southern-Italian approach, but there are plenty of non-carb options, too, from antipasti like a simple but fresh tuna tartare to the meat or fish main courses. The owners previously worked at Gusto, and the influence of that Roman mold-breaker is clear in the mix of strong design, creative but unfussy Italian cuisine, and reasonable prices (which extend to remarkably honest markups on wine). Service is simpatico, and the small al fresco seating area in the piazza is a delight on a summer evening (it's not undiscovered, though, so book ahead if you're angling for an outside table).

Open daily 12:30 pm to midnight.

This is one of those places that hasn't changed since Fellini was a bambino. La Campana claims to be the oldest restaurant in Rome, and you'll believe it when you see the venerable waiters. But the service is impeccable, and the classic Roman cooking is as reliable as the midday cannon on the Gianicolo hill. Alongside ubiquitous staples such as spaghetti alla carbonara are more recherché seasonal delights like vignarola, a spring soup of artichokes, fava beans, and guanciale. The wine list is limited, and the ambience rather stuffy. But like the more expensive (and less worthwhile) Dal Bolognese in Piazza del Popolo, this is the sort of trattoria that attracts everyone from artists to bankers to contessas, which makes it great for people-watching.

Open Tuesdays through Sundays 12:30 to 3 pm and 7:30 to 11 pm, September through July.

It's a bit of a trek to get out near the end of the No. 8 tramline from Largo Argentina, but people come from all over to sample the exquisite pizza turned out by the "Greedy Cat." Though the bright, colorful restaurant also offers excellent pasta, meat, and fish dishes, the main event is the pie, with a crunchy crust slightly thicker than the usual pizza romana. Toppings include Caciocavallo cheese, artichokes, and pancetta; there's also a margherita made with superb buffalo mozzarella, and a small selection of daily specials (check the blackboard). Start with fried zucchini blossoms or fried stuffed olives. Unlike most pizzerias, this one has a substantial wine list. Book ahead, or be prepared to wait in a long line.

Open Tuesdays through Sundays 8 to 11:30 pm.

Believe it or not, a German chef, Heinz Beck, is the heart and soul of what is unanimously considered to be the best restaurant in Rome (a status recently consolidated by the awarding of a third Michelin star), located in the Cavalieri Hilton. Beck's creative cuisine, always grounded in the Italian tradition, sashays effortlessly from simple but succulent dishes like ricotta tortellini with pecorino cheese and fava beans to elaborate party pieces such as organic wood pigeon with a purée of dried-fruit bread and pomegranate granita. With its elegant but unstuffy decor, breathtaking views of the city, superb service—less fussy now than it was a few years back—and mind-boggling wine list (not to mention the mineral water and tea list), this is the place for a big splurge. Book well in advance, and allow for at least $200 a head with wine.

Open Tuesdays through Saturdays 7:30 pm to midnight.

Focaccia is a Genoese term; Romans refer to their high-rise pizza bread as plain old pizza bianca. For the best pizza bianca in town, with "Any Thing You Like Inside" (as it's rendered on an English sign on the wall), head for this daytime and early-evening takeaway joint not far from Piazza Navona. There are three steps to pizza heaven: First pay at the cash desk for a regular or large slab; then join the throng milling three-deep at the counter; then, when the hassled pizza slicers finally notice you, hand over the receipt and point at fillings that range from standard (prosciutto cotto) to offbeat (Brie or grilled eggplant). Combos of up to three or four ingredients are de rigueur.

Open Mondays through Fridays 9 am to 9 pm, Saturdays 9 am to 11 pm, September through July.

This relaxed, informal trattoria not far from Piazza di Spagna is a convenient pit stop before or after a shopping spree on the boutique strip of Via Condotti. Service is old-style Roman (that is to say, self-assured but not obsequious) and efficient. The menu champions local traditions in dishes such as rigatoni all'amatriciana (with pancetta and tomato), saltimbocca alla romana (thin veal slices with prosciutto and sage), and carciofi alla giudia (fried artichokes). The clientele and surprisingly extensive wine list are more upmarket than you would expect, given the checked tablecloths and down-home cooking. In summer, book early to secure one of the few outside tables.

Open Mondays through Saturdays 7:30 to 11 pm. Closed August.

The owner, a former rugby player, and his slightly scruffy crew serve a three-course, fixed-price menu (currently $31 a head) that includes cookies and wine. Among the hearty, traditional Roman dishes on offer are pasta all gricia (with bacon and pecorino), as well as superb roast lamb. Other grilled meats and fish are available for a small supplement. Lunch has a similar menu but à la carte menu. Service is informal and gruffly jovial. There are outdoor tables, when the weather allows; but whether you eat inside or out, it pays to book ahead, as this place is popular.

Closed Sundays and in August.

The regional government of Lazio, of which Rome is the capital, opened this stylish and high-tech–looking wine bar and restaurant, near the Spanish Steps, to promote local wine and food. Eat downstairs at one of the tables that crowd around the bar, or in the coolly minimalist upstairs room. The wine list proves that when it comes to wines from this region, there is life beyond Frascati: You might be tempted by a bottle of the aromatic red Cesanese del Piglio, or by the excellent chardonnays produced by Paolo and Noemi D'Amico in Lazio's far north. Renowned chef Antonello Colonna bases the menu on local produce such as Monte San Biagio sausages and cannellini beans from Atina. The healthy, veggie-rich dishes on offer include an excellent fried baccalà (salt cod), crunchy on the outside and butter-soft within, served with endives, pine nuts, and golden raisins. There are also several kosher options.

Open Mondays through Saturdays 12:30 to 3 pm and 8 to 10:30 pm.

If hours of admiring the priceless masterpieces of the Vatican Museums has you craving a humble piece of pizza, you'll be grateful for this tiny to-go outlet, hidden away on an anonymous street less than ten minutes' walk from the museum entrance (walk down the steps to Piazza Santa Maria delle Grazie, take your first left, then your first right). Gabriele Bonci, a young chef expert in the use of flours and leavens, lets his pizza dough rise for 72 hours, and sells it by weight. The fresh, organic toppings include treats like wild asparagus; pesto and eggplant; and buffalo mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, and anchovies. Bonci also bakes bread: The rye loaf and sourdough are both particularly good—and long-lasting.

Closed Sundays.

Born in the summer of 2005, this classy newcomer at the quieter, northern end of Trastevere has already made a name for itself. The decor is relaxed neo-Baroque, with high-backed chairs, cast-iron chandeliers, and murals inspired by the heraldic shields of noble Roman families; simple wooden tables and a long line of cozy banquettes help to keep things informal. Service is casual but efficient, and chill-out background music sets the mood for the mostly young, trendy, local clientele. But what really makes Rivadestra worth a visit is the menu. There are only three or four options for each course, but dishes like bombolotti pasta with arugula pesto, scallops, and bottarga, or baked salt cod on a bed of fennel, turn out to be well-executed creative combinations that haven't lost their roots in Italian home cooking. The wine list is a little on the thin side (and a few labels were missing on our last visit), but on the upside, it's good value for your money: If you manage to spend €50 a head in here, you've really pushed the boat out.

Open Mondays through Saturdays 7:30 pm to 11:30 pm.

Near Campo De' Fiori (a magnet for young Romans at night), the Roscioli family has turned their long-standing bakery and grocery store into destinations for food and wine aficionados. For our money, it's the bakery-diner side of the operation in Via dei Chiavari that works best, rather than the deli-restaurant in Via dei Giubbonari, where the wine and food is top-notch but the service is on the unpleasant side of frosty. Not so in the forno, a friendly, bustling neighborhood bakery where you can get a slice of pizza to go, or come lunchtime, perch at a few bar-height tables to sample daily specials like lasagna, involtini, or meatballs: A generous single dish plus a glass of wine will set you back about $14.

Open Mondays through Saturdays 12:30 to 3 pm.

Settembrini proves that chic design can go hand in hand with friendly service, good food, and reasonable prices. Not far from the media hub of Piazza Mazzini (state broadcaster RAI has its offices nearby), this multipurpose diner morphs throughout the day: late-morning panino bar to smart buffet lunch stop, afternoon tearoom to early-evening wine bar to full-on tête-à-tête restaurant. Roman chef Luigi Nastri insists on only the freshest, best-quality ingredients, from just-landed Puglian fish to Gerardo di Nola pasta. Dishes like the marinated beef fillet with couscous and steamed vegetables show him at his creative best. The ever-changing wine list, strong on carefully selected small Italian wineries, is a real treasure.

Open Mondays through Saturdays 1 to 3 pm and 8 to 11 pm, September through July.

There's no sign, just a small door with red curtains. Inside you'll find a jumble of wooden tables and a sawdust-covered floor—and homemade pasta, gnocchi, and other comfort food worth the often-long wait. Though Margherita herself has become too old to cook, two assistants who trained at her side for years continue to offer straightforward, traditional food at very reasonable prices: pasta and chickpea soup, tonnarelli cacio e pepe (thick spaghetti with grated cheese and black pepper), fried zucchini flowers, osso buco, and Roman Jewish specialties, including fried artichokes. Be forewarned: The restaurant doesn't take credit cards.

Open Tuesdays through Thursdays and Sundays 12:30 to 3 pm; Fridays and Saturdays 12:30 to 3 pm and 8 to 10:30 pm, September through July.The restaurant sometimes closes on summer Saturdays as well; call ahead to check.

This small, unpretentious trattoria has won the hearts of many Romans, and not just because it serves better food than most places in tourist-clogged Trastevere. The restaurant also offers jobs to mentally handicapped youth, who work both as waiters and in the kitchen. The menu features simple, consistently good dishes such as sea bass carpaccio, Tunisian-style couscous, chickpea soup, and fresh cassata and cannoli from Sicily.

Open Mondays through Saturdays 7:30 to 11 pm, September through July.

It's as difficult to get a booking at this tiny upscale trattoria as it is at most of Rome's white linen restaurants. Just up the road from the city's new ethnic hub of Piazza Vittorio, Monti is run by three good-looking brothers from Le Marche, the Adriatic coast region of central Italy that's famous, among other things, for its culinary prowess. The cuisine here is certainly a good advertisement for marchigiano genes: Dishes like tagliolini with anchovies, pecorino cheese, and golden raisins, and a thinly sliced cod carpaccio with red onions and truffles are both ambitious and delicious. In fact, with its contemporary decor, clientele of creative professional types, adventurous menu, and extensive wine list, one might think that there's little of the trattoria about the place—but the warm welcome and commitment to value for money are reassuringly true to the name.

Open Tuesdays through Saturdays 12:30 to 3 pm and 7:30 to 11 pm, Sundays 12:30 to 3 pm. Closed in late August.

Finding a good spot for a bite of light lunch is not easy in Rome, where a gulf yawns between the sandwich-in-a-bar and the three-course-meal joints—which makes Vic's a welcome find. In a former vini e olio (wine and oil outlet—the sign's still painted above the door) between Via del Corso and the river, this unpretentious eatery offers a small selection of filled savory crepes, plates of cold cuts and cheese, and a huge range of salads from a classic caprese (tomato, mozzarella, and basil) to more exotic options such as radicchio, golden raisins, pine nuts, and Parmesan. Rushed but charming staff serve a packed house of local workers and waistline-conscious shoppers who come here to refuel for less than $30 a head.

Open Mondays through Saturdays noon to 3:30 pm and 7:30 to 10:30 pm.