Where to Eat on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in Rome
Rome is celebrated for the undisputed craftwork of droolworthy Italian dishes, and we are here to narrow down the very best spots in the Eternal city to enjoy your holiday feasting! So, leave the oven turned off and this year join us in indulging in one of our expertly selected Christmas culinary experiences in one of the food capitals of the world.
We have selected 18 mouth-watering options for you, from the most classic lunches and dinners to innovative and extravagant dining experiences.
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Restaurants for Christmas lunch in Rome
Here’s a selection of some of the best restaurants in Rome that are offering Christmas Day or Christmas Eve lunch in Rome:
Il Marchese
Via di Ripetta, 162 (centro storico)Il Marchese offers a delicious Christmas lunch this year, classic and juicy. Try the polenta with Genovese-style beef, the lamb ragù lasagna, and the fornara-style veal brisket, and to finish, Luigi Piras’ myrtle panettone.
Il Giardino ristorante & La Terrazza at Hotel Eden
Via Ludovisi, 49 (Veneto)This year as well, Hotel Eden, the historic five-star luxury hotel in Rome by Dorchester Collection, stands out during Christmas for its warm and welcoming atmosphere, sophisticated style, and vibrant ambiance. Both Il Giardino Ristorante and the Michelin starred restaurant La Terrazza will offer special menus for Christmas Eve and Christmas lunch.
For Christmas Eve dinner, a five-course menu inspired by the Italian coast will be served at the Terrace, while the Garden Restaurant will offer a four-course menu. For Christmas lunch, both restaurants will feature four-course menus, live music, and a special visit from Santa Claus for the little ones.
Proloco Trastevere
Via Goffredo Mameli, 23 (Trastevere)In the heart of Trastevere, near Piazza San Cosimato, Proloco Trastevere is a contemporary osteria that showcases the Lazio region through small producers and a kitchen that balances tradition with a modern touch. For Christmas, host Elisabetta Guaglianone serves a convivial, multi-course menu with choices at each step, classic regional starters, comforting first courses (including broth-based dishes), and traditional mains, ending with homemade desserts like panettone with zabaglione and house-made nougat.
Campocori Restaurant at Chapter Roma
Inspired by the classic Italian restaurants of 1930s New York, and with interiors designed by internationally renowned South African designer Tristan du Plessis, Campocori is a gastronomic haven with many facets. It offers a unique cuisine that is both classic and modern, attentive to sustainability and zero-waste concepts, yet always engaging and delightful.
DonnaE Bistrot at Elizabeth Unique Hotel
Between Piazza di Spagna and Piazza del Popolo, DonnaE Bistrot, set inside the Elizabeth Unique Hotel, becomes the stage for a dining experience that blends tradition, creativity, and seasonal ingredients, with a common thread that nods to the roots of Lucanian cuisine. From December 23 to January 6, the restaurant welcomes guests with a festive à la carte menu, designed to highlight holiday flavors while letting everyone build their own culinary journey, leaving room for curiosity and the pleasure of discovery.
Eggs
Via Natale del Grande, 52/53 (Trastevere)Trastevere’s restaurant, Eggs, is always open for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and St. Stephen’s Day.
Alongside the à la carte menu, special dishes include handmade tortelli served in capon broth or a Parmesan cream, as well as classic Russian salad. Sounds like a delicious selection for the holiday season!
47 Circus Roof Garden
via Luigi Petroselli, 47 (Circo Massimo)Next on our list of the best restaurants open for Christmas feasting in Rome is 47 Circus Roof Garden. A roof garden featuring Mediterranean gourmet cuisine crafted by Chef Maurizio Lustrati, where sustainability takes center stage. Get ready for a special menu on Christmas Eve and a delightful lunch on December 25th.
Isotta Trattoria Cortese
Via Carlo Livi, 12-16 (Torrevecchia)A Roman trattoria with a modern touch and the old-school charm of true hospitality, Isotta offers a fixed menu for Christmas Eve dinner and a special à la carte menu for Christmas Day lunch. The Christmas Eve set menu is especially tempting, featuring highlights like fried anchovies with lemon and wild-fennel mayo, farro tubetti with artichokes and raw cuttlefish, chestnut-filled tortello with smoked herring, mandarin and cocoa, and red mullet in guazzetto.
Hotel Locarno
Via della Penna, 22 (Popolo)In its centenary year, Hotel Locarno celebrates the 2025 holidays with a refined gourmet experience by Chef Domenico Smargiassi, paired with standout mixology from bartender Nicholas Pinna. Christmas Eve features a tasting menu that blends Italian tradition with seafood flavors, ending with Neapolitan pastiera. On Christmas Day, lunch is enhanced by special off-menu dishes such as grilled Roman-style artichoke with puntarelle sauce, porcini tagliatelle with seasonal truffle, and herb-crusted lamb chops with sautéed potatoes.
Terrazza Les Etoiles
Via dei Bastioni, 1 (Prati)For the Christmas Eve Dinner and Christmas Day Lunch, the Terrazza Les Etoiles proposes new creations of Chef Anzidei in addition to their à la carte menu. Expect Marinated Swordfish Carpaccio with Dijon mustard and puntarelle, Lobster Spaghettoni for Christmas Eve Dinner and Traditional Cappelletti with fine black truffle, Iberian Suckling Pig, porcini mushrooms and golden potato millefeuille on Christmas Day.
Do you want to know what Terrazza Les Etoiles has planned for New Year’s Eve? Click here.
Unique al Palatino
Via di San Teodoro (Palatine)The ‘Unique Al Palatino’ restaurant inside the Kolbe Hotel Rome on Via di San Teodoro offers an exclusive fixed menu to celebrate Christmas day in the company of friends and relatives in an exclusive venue in the center of Rome.
Cafè Romano at hotel D’Inghilterra
Via Bocca di Leone, 14 (Centro Storico)Right in the heart of Rome—just steps from Piazza di Spagna and Via Condotti—inside one of the city’s most iconic hotels, the newly refreshed Cafè Romano (the ground-floor restaurant) offers set menus for Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas Day lunch. For Christmas Eve: amberjack carpaccio with crispy puntarelle, homemade chitarrine with shrimp and lemon, and grilled sea bass with a selection of artichokes. For Christmas Day lunch: stracciatella in broth, Christmas tortellini in a Parmesan cream, and a lamb duo with chicory and potatoes.
Adelaide at Hotel Vilon
Via dell’Arancio, 69 (Centro Storico)The Adelaide Restaurant at Hotel Vilòn, located at Via dell’Arancio 69 in Rome, is elegant and refined, led by Executive Chef Gabriele Muro. Once again this year, to celebrate the holiday moments with its guests, it offers dedicated menus for Christmas Eve dinner, Christmas lunch, and New Year’s Eve dinner.
Osteria Fratelli Mori
Via dei Conciatori, 10 (Ostiense)Another of our favourites is this hidden gem in Ostiense. Crafted for those who love good authentic Roman cuisine and seeking wallet friendly dining. This holiday season they’re offering a price fixed Christmas lunch for 60€ per person which includes antipasto, a first and second course as well as a dessert handcrafted by pastry chef Nonna Giuliana. Trust us, you’ll return if not only for her famed Ricotta d’Ambrogio.
Hosteria Grappolo D’oro
Piazza della Cancelleria, 80 (Campo de’ Fiori)Roman tradition reigns during the holiday season at Hosteria Grappolo D’oro. Enticing guests with dishes like broccoli and arzilla soup and pumpkin ravioli with butter and sage on Christmas Eve, and tortellini in capon broth or the oven-baked lamb with potatoes on Christmas day. We’re positive this is a spot you’ll be happy you chose. Check out their menus starting at just 70€ per person.
Acquolina Restaurant
Via del Vantaggio, 14 (Popolo)Acquolina restaurant inside The First Roma, which has just confirmed its second Michelin star, is preparing for the holidays. For those who want to spend Christmas Eve under the banner of haute cuisine, chef Daniele Lippi’s menu might be for you. On the menu: langoustine with puntarelle salad, oyster and raisin; cod with pumpkin, laurel and white truffle; bottone pasta with saffron, mantis shrimp and white truffle; spaghettino pasta with leek and caviar; and more.
Masa Rooftop
Via di S.Maria Maggiore, 143 (Monti)The terrace at Hotel Major is bustling during the Christmas season. From special menus designed for Christmas Eve and Christmas lunch, all the way to New Year’s Eve. Masa Rooftop, besides offering a breathtaking view of the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, allows you to have lunch and dinner on the rooftop in a new heated structure. A wonderful spot for holiday dining with a stunning view!
Anavà
Via di S.Maria Maggiore, 143 (Monti)Anavà invites you to slow down and celebrate in a modern bistro that blends retro elegance with luxury. Watch Chef Danilo Mancini at work in the open kitchen, where Italian tradition turns into joyful, beautifully balanced dishes. Choose Anava for Christmas and New Year’s Eve for an unforgettable dining experience shaped by passion, care, and pure pleasure.
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