Last Updated on November 12, 2024 by admin

It feels like we’re still in a bit of a “natural wine” moment in Rome, with new bars opening left and right, natural wine fairs held throughout the year, and restaurants stocking their wine lists with low and no-intervention bottles. In parallel, another beverage-based moment seems to be emerging as we speak, this one revolving around specialty coffee.

Given the number of cafès now serving specialty coffee in Rome, I thought a post on them would be useful.

You’ll generally be looking at a higher price tag than the typical €1-1.50 range for a coffee in Rome, but, let’s face it, you’re paying for a higher-quality, and most times, better-tasting product (no, not all the coffee in Rome, or Italy, for that matter, is good – this is a common misconception). 

I’ve linked to Instagram accounts and locations below, and I’ve made you a map of all the specialty coffee spots in Rome, too! 

The complete guide to specialty coffee in Rome

What is specialty coffee?

Disclosure: I have used the term “specialty coffee” without knowing exactly what it means until very recently. I had a vague idea of something about “single origins” and “fair trade”, and I knew that I generally really like drinking it, but I didn’t realize just how high the flavor, and more importantly, the supply-chain standards are.

To sum up, what I’ve learned is that specialty coffee is “special” because it is subject to rigorous grinding, brewing and taste-testing processes and is then assigned a grade by a “Q-Grader” (another term I’ve just learned), which is the coffee industry’s version of a sommelier. The coffee has to score an 80 or higher in order to qualify as specialty.

At the same time, the supply chain is extremely important. The coffee should be grown and harvested sustainably, with care and attention to the quality of the beans, and the coffee should be handled the same way along each link of the chain. 

Specialty coffee is “single origin,” meaning that it comes from one place, which can be a cluster of family farms in a certain area, for example, and you should know exactly where it comes from. Specialty coffee producers should be transparent about their practices, too.

Where to get specialty coffee in Rome

Coffee has been on my mind more than usual lately (this is the part of the blog post where I digress into an anecdote about my childhood and then weave it into a story of present day – if you make a meme about it, tag me).

I started drinking coffee when I was twelve. I’ve come to realize that this is maybe a bit early in general, but it isn’t by Italian-American standards (which I am). I’ve loved coffee pretty much since then, so I was very surprised when the smell of it started to make my stomach turn when I got pregnant this spring.

I had to hold my nose walking by the coffee bar at work, and if Jeremy made a Moka pot at home, I had to hide in the bedroom with the door closed until the smell dissipated. 

Fortunately, that went away at the beginning of my second trimester, and the thought of coffee started to sound good again.

Being pregnant, my doctor told me to limit myself to two coffees a day, but I’ve been sticking to just do one daily caffeinated beverage. (No judgement for anyone who drinks more, it’s just that the few times I had two, I felt shaky, so stopping at one has worked for me).

That one cup of coffee a day has become something I really look forward to. Since my daily cup has become more of a treat than a ritual, I’ve checked out more specialty coffee spots in Rome that are serving up the good stuff. I’ll indicate my favorites in the list below.

A map of all the specialty coffee spots in Rome

Here’s your free map, in case you scrolled by the first time 🙂

Basilica San Paolo

Origine San Paolo – Via Corinto 66

Another spot I haven’t had the chance to visit, Origine San Paolo’s cozy-looking interior and breakfast (with specialty coffee, of course), lunch and dinner are calling my name from across the city.

Campo de’ Fiori

Barnum – Via del Pellegrino 87

Located just off Campo de’ Fiori, Barnum is one of the city’s most popular places for specialty coffee in Rome’s city center.

A quick scroll of their Instagram feed just left me drooling – I’ll be going very soon and hoping that their lemon curd croissant is available.

Tulipane – Via del Pavone 28

The brainchild of a food journalist and an interior designer, Tulipane serves brunch, bread and baked goods with specialty coffee from Bologna-based roaster Forno Brisa.

Roscioli Caffè – Piazza Benedetto Cairoli 16

Known for their maritozzi, a sliced-open sweet bun filled with fluffy whipped cream, Roscioli serves them and more alongside their own blend of specialty coffee made by Nudo Artisan Coffee. You can get traditional espresso-based drinks, V60, or drip cold brew (my guess is that the cold brew is seasonal).

Circo Massimo

Casa Manfredi – Viale Aventino 91-93

It only recently came to my attention that Casa Manfredi (and its sister spot, Casa Manfredi Teatro, above) serve 1895 by Lavazza, which is a range of specialty coffees by the well-known roaster. No wonder it’s so good!

Stop in for a coffee and stay for the pastries – their little tarts and other treats are irresistible, as are their array of laminated pastry clouds.

Casa Manfredi is also the only place I ever order vanilla gelato (available in the spring and summer months), which to me tastes like cake batter. They sell cakes and seasonal treats like chocolates for Valentine’s Day, Pandoro at Christmas, and other items.

Flaminio

Marzapane –  Via Flaminia 64

Between starting and finishing this post, I had the time to go to Marzapane, and holy hell, is it good.

Being pregnant and all, there are quite a few things I can’t eat, so I kept it simple – scrambled eggs and toast with a latte. The eggs were some of the creamiest I’ve ever had, the bread was dreamy, and the coffee was one of the best cups I’ve had in recent memory.

The real show-stopper was the pastry that my friend and I split for dessert – a crispy, layered pastry nest hugging a cheesecake filling that was crowned with popcorn, peanut clusters, and bathed in caramel sauce. We had to stop ourselves from buying the rest of them to take home.

Sensorio Coffee Lab – Via Flaminia 69

Serving breakfast, brunch and lunch, Sensorio Coffee Lab also does coffee-tasting events.

If you’re a relative newcomer to the world of specialty coffee like me, their Insta feed is educational – they post coffee factoids and explainers (in addition to pics of their photogenic food).

Bar Sota – Via della Freccia 55

Ok, I realize I’ve said this about a million of the places listed above, but I really want to go to Bar Sota. Why? Well, because it’s not every day that I find places that combine my love of natural wine and specialty coffee with my husband’s love of burgers and sandwiches. Bar Sota appears to be one of those rare places.

They serve specialty coffee from Nomad Coffee, natural wines, craft beers and kombucha – all in cans.

Garbatella

Nero Vaniglia – Circonvallazione Ostiense 201

I first came across Nero Vaniglia over the summer, when I saw an Instagram post highlighting some of their iced lattes. I still haven’t made it there (a shame, really, because I love the neighborhood), but it’s high on my list.

Specialty coffee, sweets and savory stuff are all on offer.

Monteverde

Otaleg! Monteverde – Viale dei Quattro Venti 70

From Marco Radicioni, the gelato genius behind Otaleg! in Trastevere, comes a second location serving pastries and coffee in addition to excellent gelato.

The single-origin coffee at Otaleg! Monteverde is served in double shots, and you can also get pour over, AeroPress and French press, as well as Moccamaster batch brew.

Grani, Farine e Caffè – Viale dei Quattro Venti 152

After years of working in some very well-known kitchens, Giorgia Roscioli decided to open a place of her own.

Offering a mix of Italian and French pastries, Grani, Farine e Caffè classifies itself as a small bakery that serves specialty coffee, but you’ll also find homemade granola, jams, cookies, focaccia and savory brioche bread.

Ostiense (Piramide)

Marigold – Via Giovanni da Empoli 37

Also topping my list of faves is Marigold. I’m always surprised by the specialty coffee there. Their multiple signature blends, called “Cicchi by Marigold,” can be fruity, chocolatey, creamy, and everything in between. The beans are sourced from different places, including Ethiopia, Costa Rica, and Brazil, and they’re roasted in Italy.

The food is fresh and local, and the cinnamon scroll is one of my favorite things in the world.

Marigold serves brunch on Saturdays and Sundays (no reservations accepted), as well as breakfast and lunch Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays (book here).

Casa Manfredi Teatro – Via dei Conciatori 5

The “open laboratory” of Casa Manfredi (above), Casa Manfredi Teatro serves speciality coffee and pastries from a cool, dark, yet inviting modern space near the Piramide metro stop.

Mostro – Piazza di Porta San Paolo

A recent player on the specialty-coffee-in-Rome scene, Mostro opened in a tiny kiosk at the south end of the Parco della Resistenza on Piazza di Porta San Paolo, near Piramide (formerly Café du Parc). I have been, but as of yet, only for aperitivo. While there, I noticed a sandwich board outside with their list of specialty coffees that you can sip in their cozy plant-lined terrace.

Café Merenda – Via del Gazometro 5a

This is another place I want to go to immediately after scrolling through their Instagram feed.

Along with specialty coffee and croissants, Café Merenda serves “comfort food” according to their Insta bio. I’m not sure what that means, but I look forward to finding out.

Piazza Fiume

Faro – Via Piave 55

Starting at the tippy-top of my faves list is Faro. There are some places in Rome that are not worth waiting in line for (you’ve probably seen them on TikTok), but some are, and one of these places is Faro.

There are three reasons why I keep going back to Faro – the coffee, the pastries, and the people. It can be overwhelming in there given the cafe’s popularity and the fact that there is almost always a waiting list on Saturdays and Sundays, but the servers and baristas never seem short on patience. 

Faro serves specialty coffee from Aliena alongside stellar laminated pastries, brownies, cakes, cookies and more. Their brunch menu has something for the savory inclined, too (my husband is a fan of their pizzetta rossa), and you can get fresh juices and other drinks.

Le Levain Cafè – Via Piave 8

Three years ago, I had a piece of cake from Le Levain at a birthday party that I still remember the taste of. Although I haven’t been to either of their two physical locations, I’d wager that all of their goodies are as memorable.

Their café on Via Piave (just down the street from Faro) was so crowded the day I tried to go – their grand opening weekend, not my best laid plan – does make me want to go back and see what all the fuss is about.

Self-described as having a French character but Italian taste, their pastries look like works of art, and I’d wager that the coffee is just as elevated.

Piazza Navona/Pantheon

Retrovino – Via D’Ascanio 26A

I haven’t had the pleasure of having coffee at Retrovino, but I have dined there, at both the wine bar and Retrobottega, the attached restaurant, and the food at both is extraordinary.

I fully trust that they extend the intentionality of the food to their pastries and specialty coffee. If you’ve been for breakfast, let me know how it is in the comments!

Piazza Vittorio Emanuele

Forno Conti & Co. – Via Giusti 18

I just went to Forno Conti for the first time, and then I went back a few days later (meaning ASAP).

I first went on a public holiday and it was jammed, but I waited in line, and I’m so glad I did. They serve excellent coffee and the pastry and bread selection is beautiful. I had a simple butter croissant and had to stop myself from gobbling it down in two bites. The second time I had eggs and some of the bread I saw winking at me from behind the counter on visit #1.

Can’t wait to go back for a third time.

Pigneto

Fax Factory – Via Antonio Raimondi 87

Another one of my favorite specialty coffee shops in Rome is Fax Factory. 

Located in Pigneto, Fax Factory has excellent coffee at prices that are generally lower than the rest of Rome’s specialty coffee bars. The coffee comes from all over, with some roasted locally in Italy.

Sunday mornings they have a “psychedelic brunch” with a DJ, if you want to have your coffee with a side of tunes (we went last weekend, and it was extremely fun). 

At Fax Factory, you’ll also find sweet and savory breakfast and brunch items. 

Porta Pia

Bap – Via Raffaele Cadorna 5

Bap is a newcomer to Rome’s specialty coffee scene, having opened in July of 2024. Serving breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner, their specialty coffee comes from Torrefazione 68, a local roaster that’s been around since, as you may have guessed, 1968.

Prati (Vatican Area)

Love – Via Tunisi 51-53 (Cipro)

Also serving coffee from Aliena Roasters (like Faro, above), Love has quickly made a name for itself thanks to the specialty croissants they serve alongside their specialty coffee.

I’ve only been once, but I sampled a savory pizzetta and a sweet cinnamon roll, both of which I would very happily eat again (and again).

Similarly to Faro, the day I went to Love, it was extremely busy, but the service was excellent. 

Pergamino – Piazza del Risorgimento 7 (Ottaviano)

Rome’s first specialty coffee joint, Pergamino has been around since 2016. If you need a pick-me-up before visiting St. Peter’s or the Vatican Museums, this is the spot. The beans are 100% arabica and are sourced from different parts of the world.

The owner said in a recent interview that he’d like to eliminate the food at Pergamino altogether, but for now, you can have a selection of savory or sweet items with your brew.

MAE – Via della Giuliana 33 (Ottaviano)

MAE keeps things fresh with its rotating specialty coffee selection. If you’re looking for a lazy start, head there for the all-day brunch.

Casa Matti – Via Sabotino 49-51 (Lepanto)

Serving up specialty coffee and some pretty delicious-looking food, Casa Matti also has evening events on occasion. Keep an eye on their Instagram (linked above) for details.

Testaccio

Tram Depot – Via Marmorata 13 (Testaccio) & Via Corrado Alvaro 37 (Talenti)

Both locations of Tram Depot are certainly two of the cutest coffee shops in the Eternal City, owing to the fact that they’re in old tram cars. I’ve never been to the Talenti location, but their coffee in Testaccio is great, and so are all the cornetti I’ve ever had there.

At Tram Depot, you can have espresso-based drinks, pour overs, French press and siphoned coffee.

Tor Marancia

Pasticceria Walter Musco – Bompiani – Largo Benedetto Bompiani

The range of pastries at Pasticceria Walter Musco is impressive, ranging from filled croissants to tarts to showpieces. Specialty coffee was recently added to the menu. 

You might find yourself in the area if you’re exploring Rome’s lesser-known sights like the street art museum in Tor Marancia. If you happen to do so, stop in at Walter Musco (and tell me how it is).

Coffee lover? 

Check out my guide to Italian coffee so you can understand local norms (and make sure you get exactly what you want).

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