Rome “Bites of Gold”: From historic institutions to the rising stars of pizza dough, 10 stops to savor the culture of authentic pizza by the slice in Rome.
Cover photo of Lina Pizza in Teglia
Rome isn’t just a place to visit “with your eyes”; rather, it’s a city to discover with all your senses on high alert, drawn by the scent of toasted flour and ripe tomatoes that suddenly wafts out from the corners of its neighborhoods. In this regard, pizza by the slice has long since moved beyond being a quick fix to embrace more creative interpretations (often linked to “new school” baking, the revival of local agricultural products, and gourmet-style toppings). A quick note: here we’ve chosen to focus primarily on pan pizza, even though most of the places mentioned also serve top-notch slice pizza (a tradition strongly linked to historic bakeries like Boccione and Roscioli). But now let’s get to the point: between acrobatic air pockets and creative dough techniques, we’ll reveal the ten must-visit stops for a food tour in true Roman style.
1. Lievito - Francesco Arnesano
A young master of sourdough, Francesco Arnesano has transformed his restaurants into veritable carb boutiques(recently praised in a New York Times article as well). The key? Carefully selected, certified organic flours and fermentation processes meticulously timed, resulting in a light, airy texture and a distinctive aroma. The “acoustic” bite makes for a particularly enjoyable eating experience—from the crisp edge to the creamy richness of the ingredients, right down to the delicacy of the vegetables prepared with just the right cooking technique. Furthermore, the acidity of the tomato is always balanced by a selection of oils with varying levels of persistence. Among the must-try specials, the slice with flaky potatoes and fiordilatte stands out, but it is with the cacio, pepe, and figs version or the Roman-style tripe that Arnesano creates small stuffed masterpieces.
2. Gabriele Bonci’s establishments (Pizzarium and Il Panificio Bonci)
Gabriele Bonci, needless to say, is the visionary who revolutionized the concept of pan pizza long before it gained traction through social media hashtags. Between the Pizzarium on Via della Meloria and the nearby Panificio, the “Michelangelo of pizza” continues to work with ancient grains and direct farm-to-table sourcing. His takeout pizzas are beloved by the public precisely for their generous toppings—supported by a moist, fluffy crust that retains all its crispiness on the bottom. It’ll be hard to choose at the counter; however, the pizza with potatoes and buffalo mozzarella and exuberant combinations like tongue, salsa verde, and turnips—not to mention the homemade porchetta paired with sautéed chicory remain must-tries.
3. Ruver
Born from Alessandro’s contemporary and passionate vision, Ruver is riding the new wave of Roman baking that blends innovation with simplicity. Here, the dough benefits from a slow-rising process that yields a light texture and a melt-in-your-mouth crumb, without sacrificing that signature “crunch.” The menu emphasizes clean pairings and fresh ingredients from local micro-producers and artisans. Exquisite is the pan-baked margherita, with juicy tomatoes, the white pizza with galletti and Valle Belbo prosciutto, and the stuffed pizza with Turkish meatloaf, cumin, friggitelli peppers, spring onions, wild chicory, and yogurt from Fattoria Faraoni.
4. Lina Pizza in Teglia
The team at Lina Pizza in Teglia has created a space where human warmth is reflected in the dough. At the counter, the pizza prides itself on being easy to digest and having precise, well-defined flavors, thanks to long fermentation times that result in a soft interior and a delicately toasted crust. The baking trays evoke the flavors of Sunday and Roman nostalgia. Among the classics are the simple “pizza rossa”—a “sunny” blend of tomato and good olive oil—and the pizza stuffed with sautéed chicory and sausage, a simple and comforting bite.
5. Frumentario
Frumentario is a project by a team of artisans guided, first and foremost, by the mantra of unrefined grains. The result is a pizza by the slice with a distinct personality, featuring the nutty aromas of the grain and a cushiony texture that balances even the boldest toppings. The menu changes with the seasons, offering combinations that are anything but ordinary. The highlight is the pizza with roasted pumpkin, smoked provola, and crumbled amaretto, alongside great classics such as the pizza with zucchini flowers, anchovies, and buffalo mozzarella.
6. Pizzeria Sancho
Following their historic success in Fiumicino, the Di Lelio family—comprising brothers Franco and Emiliano and their father Franco—has brought their legendary legacy to the Prati neighborhood. Sancho is an institution that transforms the pizza pan into a vessel for haute seafood cuisine and home-style cooking, all supported by a light, elastic dough baked to a perfect golden brown. Each slice captures the natural flavor of Lazio’s finest ingredients, enhancing their character. Among the cult favorites arethe pizza with artisanal porchetta and baked potatoesand the famous seafood offerings such as the pan pizza with anchovies and crostini or the one topped with creamed salt cod and Lucanian-style peppers.
7. Pantera – Pizza Rustica
Conceived by brothers Manuel and Filippo Trevisan, Pantera reinvents the neighborhood-style rustic pizza in its own unique way, stripped of all pretension and crafted using contemporary methods. The thinly rolled dough results in a crust that’s springy to the bite, with a pronounced presence of the grain’s various nuances. It’s a pizza that evokes memories of the past while, at the same time, moving forward with precision in its execution. The undisputed specialty? The “dry” pizza with rosemary and coarse salt, although what really drives patrons wild are the stuffed pizzas available at the counter—such as the one topped with freshly sliced mortadella or the version with chicken alla cacciatora.
8. Il Forno degli Amici
A go-to spot for anyone looking for Roman-style pizza by the slice in its purest form. At the Stocchi family’s restaurant, the dough rests for over thirty-six hours, ensuring a light, airy texture and a golden crust. The pizzas, baked continuously in the oven, feature vibrant and well-balanced toppings. You absolutely must trythe pizza with potato puff pastry and fresh rosemary, and the marinated peaches and porchetta, as well as their famous Margherita, loaded with stringy fiordilatte and basil.
Note: As of this writing, it is temporarily closed while awaiting the launch of a new project.
9. Antico Forno Roscioli
The Roscioli family has turned its Antico Forno on Via dei Chiavari into a true global pilgrimage destination. Its pan pizza follows a precise formula: long and thin, taut on the bottom, lightly oiled, and irresistibly savory. It’s the quintessential Roman pizza, meant to be eaten hot on the go on the cobblestones of the Parione neighborhood. The undisputed queen is the “pizza rossa,” thin, chewy to perfection, and topped with a sweet, thick tomato sauce, accompanied by the legendary pizza with mortadella (the “mortazza”), served piping hot as is customary.
10. Forno del Ghetto (Boccione)
In the heart of the historic Jewish quarter,the all-female management team of the Limentani family guards the secrets of a century-old bakery that transcends passing trends. Although famous for its traditional kosher pastries, this bakery produces a white pizza—both on a peel and in a pan—that is a true archaeological artifact of flavor: crispy, thin, sprinkled with coarse salt and good olive oil, and with the unmistakable aroma of a wood-fired oven. The specialty here is absolute simplicity: the plain white pizza, perfect in its imperfection, or the seasonal version with fried Roman zucchini and a light sprinkling of anchovies.
