Best bars in Rome : where drinking in Rome at night

Who doesn’t want to go out for a drink after a busy day of sightseeing in the Eternal City? But finding the best bars in Rome isn’t easy if you’re a stranger to the city. Fear not, there are many great bars scattered throughout the city. Especially Rome wine bars have become increasingly popular in the past decade or so.

This is your guide to drinking in Rome and where to find the best bars on a night on the town. By the way, a traditional pub or bar in Rome is called a Birreria.

Drinking in Rome : what you need to know to fin the best bars in Rome

Drinking laws in Rome Italy

The legal drinking age in Italy is 16 years. The local authorities are also getting stricter about drinking in Rome, laying down clear rules about when and where people can drink in public.

During the Roman summer – the busiest period in the city – drinking from glass containers on public streets is banned after 22:00. After midnight, drinking on the street is banned entirely, while a ban on the sale of alcohol comes into effect at 02:00. Breaking the rules can lead to a fine of €150.

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Best bars in Rome prices

When out on the streets for a night of drinking in Rome, you’ll discover the prices of drinks may vary considerably depending on where you go. The average price of a pint of beer is around €4 to €5, while a glass of house wine can set you back between €1,50 and €3. Other wine can cost up to €5 per glass.

The best areas to have a drink in Rome

Bars in Rome Centro Storico

The historic centre of Rome, especially the area near Piazza Navona is one of the best areas to drink in Rome for the younger crowds. Popular among tourists and locals alike, the area is also home to quite a few American or British style pubs.

You can’t go wrong by checking out the following 2 bars/pubs around Campo dei Fiori:

Bottiglieria il Nolano

A lively Italian bar with a good selection of wine and beer from where to watch the world go by on Campo dei Fiori. They also have a good selection of snacks to accompany your drinks.

Prices – $$-$$$
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Druids Irish Pub

A real Irish sports bar in the middle of Rome! Druids has been owned and managed by real Irish for almost 30 years. With a big screen and top-notch football vibes, it’s one of the best bars in Rome to catch a Serie A game.

Prices – $$
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Best Bars in Rome Trastevere

Even the locals flock to Trastevere for a drink in the evening despite its reputation as a tourist hangout. What makes Trastevere one of the best areas to drink in Rome, is that it’s paired with some great restaurants to visit after having a cocktail or aperitivo at a bar.

Bar San Calisto

On Piazza San Calisto, this bar serves its regulars all day long. Here you can get from coffee and freshly squeezed orange juice in the morning, to inexpensive beers, wines and digestivi in the afternoons and evenings. And they don’t even charge extra for sitting at a table on the square outside.

Prices – $

Freni e Frizioni

A former mechanic’s workshop, this popular bar among the younger crowd is literally called “brakes and clutches”. Well, it’s debatable whether you’ll need to put on the brakes after helping yourself to Freni e Frizioni’s aperitivo buffet from 19:00 to 22:00. They also mix great cocktails at around €10 each.

Prices – $
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   Tip: Book a table for a Friday and Saturday evening to avoid disappointment.

Best bars in Rome Monti

Smaller and less touristy than Campo de Fiori and Trastevere, Monti’s wine bars and restaurants have a strong community vibe. Here, the wine bars also serve great food. It’s certainly one of the best areas to drink in Rome for pairing excellent quality wine with delicious local cuisine.

You can try:

Ai Tre Scalini

An ancient winery dating back more than 1,000 years (not kidding) and officially a bottiglieria since 1895. At Ai Tre Scalini you’ll be treated to the best glass of wine paired with great local dishes.

Prices – $$-$$$
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Vino al Vino Al

A small and relaxed Rome neighbourhood wine bar with about 20 options for wines by the glass. They also prepare delicious small plates to eat. Afterward, you can wash it down with some excellent spirits.

Prices – $$-$$$
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La Barrique

An authentic Roman wine bar with a limited food menu offering great tasting dishes. La Barrique opened with a modest wine list in 2001, gradually expanding it to the impressive list it features today.

Prices – $$-$$$
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Different places to enjoy a drink in Rome

Although wine bars are very popular, by now you must have realised you can get a drink in many different types of establishments in Rome. Here are some recommendations for:

Best wine bar in Rome

No list of the best bars in Rome will be complete without mentioning Enoteca Spiriti. Located on the Piazza di Pietra, it’s the best option for a wine bar near the Pantheon.

They even have American-style martinis. And you can order excellent light meals to accompany your drink.

Prices – $$-$$$
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Best café in Rome

Romans take their coffee seriously. So, before ending your day in one of the best bars in Rome, why not start it in Sant’ Eustachio Il Caffé?

After 80 years, this unpretentious café has become somewhat of a local institution on Piazza di S. Eustachio. The coffee beans come from Ethiopia and Guatemala, among others.

Watch the barista add “sugar” to your coffee by giving you a spoonful of the sweet foam left over from an espresso whipped with sugar.

Prices – $$-$$$

Best cocktail bar in Rome

Rome’s Salotto 42, offering front-row seats of the ruins of the Temple of Hadrian, is not only a contender to be the best cocktail bar in Rome but is also ranked as one of the best bars in the world. It’s the perfect place to unwind and sip on a spritz after a busy day of playing tourist.

Prices – $$

The best rooftop bars in Rome

If you want to make the most of your before or after dinner drink in Rome, make it memorable from a rooftop bar with vistas of the sun setting over the Eternal City. Check out these 3 rooftop bars in Rome from where to enjoy a glass of wine, beer, or a cocktail.

Word of warning, drinks from a rooftop bar are generally more expensive. But sometimes it’s worth paying a little extra for a special treat.

The best Rome panorama bars

Hotel Raphael

For views of duomo after duomo on Rome’s skyline (including that of the Pantheon) the terrace bar atop Hotel Raphael is a treat worth an expensive glass of wine or cocktail. You’ll easily pay at least €20 for a cocktail, or you could just order a bottle of Prosecco to share and sip on it for a very long time.

PS: This is where Julia Roberts stayed while filming Eat, Pray, Love.

Prices – $$$

Fortyseven

With close-up views of the Tiver River and the Temple of Hercules Victor, this is one of the smaller rooftop bars in Rome at the top of the boutique fortyseven hotel. However, it’s also lesser known and therefore much more relaxed.

Prices – $$$

Minerva Roof Garden

The bar on top of Hotel Minerva is one of the biggest rooftop bars in Rome, overlooking Bernini’s elephant statue and the Pantheon. While less private, your chances of getting a table without a reservation are better.

Prices – $$$

Conclusion on the best bars in Rome

The choice of great places to go drinking in Rome proves the Eternal City has a lively soul at night after all the historic attractions have closed for the day. The best areas to drink in Rome aren’t always the touristy ones, with Monti a good example.

That’s not to say you won’t find some of the best bars in Rome, like Enoteca Spiriti, in the city centre. And if you’re really adventurous and can afford it, why not end your day in one of the rooftop bars in Rome?

Continue your reading with the best restaurants in Rome, our article for all food lovers who want to eat like locals !