Where to find the best vegetarian street food in Rome, Italy’s beautiful capital city.
Italian food is like a magnet that attracts travelers to Italy.
Full of carbs, simple flavors, and fresh ingredients, Italian dishes always satisfy the heart as well as the tastebuds.
Eating street food is cheaper than eating in restaurants, as most budget travelers know. It also provides insight into the local cuisine!
Vegetarians know that it can be difficult to find quality, meat-free food in certain European countries.
As a budget traveler who is also vegetarian, I can happily say that there are tons of amazing and affordable street food options in Italy.
After living in Rome for five months, I have developed a love for these specific places that offer authentic, veggie-friendly Roman food.
The Best Vegetarian Street Food in Rome
From fresh fruit and gelato, to pizza and pasta, there is plenty of delicious vegetarian food in Rome!
Gelato
This heavenly Italian-style ice cream is a necessity on hot summer days. Or on cold days. Or on literally any day.
Gelato is denser and sweeter than normal ice cream. So a small serving, costing usually around 3 euros, will do the job.
Gelaterias reside on every corner of Rome. But make sure you scope out the authentic stuff.
Near touristy areas, you’ll see gelato piled high with preservatives and bursting with artificial color.
Look for gelato that is almost hidden from view in its refrigerated container, and is a more modest color.
Here are the best gelato shops in Rome, in my humble opinion. The flavors rotate based on what fruits are in season.
Sometimes you can even find vegan options.
- Frigidarium: Via del Governo Vecchio 112, open daily 10:30am – 1am
- Del Viale: Piazza Giuseppe Gioachino Belli 9, Trastevere, open daily 10am – 12am
- Giolitti: Via Amerigo Vespucci 35, Testaccio, open daily 7am – 12am
Supplì
A supplì is a small fried ball of risotto rice and tomato sauce, sometimes with meat or other flavorings inside as well.
The classic, meatless supplì is simple yet filling.
There are a couple places in Rome that sell these as cheap snacks.
- Supplì: Via di San Francesco a Ripa 137, Trastevere, open Mon – Sat, 9am – 10pm
- Pizza Trilussa: Piazza Trilussa 42, Trastevere, open daily 10am – 3am (4am on weekends)
Pizza
Everyone loves eating pizza in Italy. But Roman-style pizza is its own phenomenon.
Romans serve pizza in massive rectangles, each with a unique topping.
The servings are sold by weight, so you can pick what size slice you want.
Supplì in Trastevere also sells a Pizza Rossa that is to die for. This is pizza with thick tomato sauce, olive oil, and oregano, as pictured above.
Most pizza shops have a nice selection of vegetarian toppings using various cheeses, sauces, herbs, and veggies like zucchini, eggplant, and mushroom.
The following pizza stand in Mercato Testaccio has the most interesting flavors and amazing fluffy dough.
- Casa Manco: Box 22, Mercato di Testaccio Via Aldo Manunzio, open Mon – Sat, 11am – 3pm
Pasta
There is no shortage of pasta, another staple Italian dish, in Rome
For a hefty, four-euro box of take away pasta, visit Pastificio near the Spanish Steps.
This little shop makes only two types of homemade pasta daily and at least one of them is always vegetarian. You know it’s good because there is often a line out the door!
I also want to mention Osteria Da Fortunata, even though it is not street food.
This restaurant near Campo De’ Fiori has some of the best quality pasta in Rome. You can watch the cooks make the pasta by hand in the front of the room.
I recommend the cacio y pepe, which is bucatini pasta mixed with black pepper and pecorino romano cheese.
- Pastificio: Via della Croce 8, open daily 1pm – 9:30pm
- Osteria Da Fortunata: Via del Pellegrino 11/12, open daily 12pm – 1am
Trapizzino
The trapizzino is yet another form of irresistible carb in Italy.
This popular street food consists of a triangular bread pocket filled with meat, cheese, or veggies.
The shop in Trastevere has a delicious eggplant parmesan trapizzino, and other rotating flavors with usually at least one other vegetarian option.
- Trapizzino Trastevere: Piazza Trilussa 46, open daily 10am – 1am
Fresh Fruit
To counteract the overload of pizza, pasta, bread, and gelato, I always fill up on fresh fruit while in Rome.
The Mediterranean climate makes for incredibly sweet and juicy oranges, pomegranates, figs, and berries, and I always found affordable produce at these two street markets.
- Campo De’ Fiori: Piazza Campo de’ Fiori, Open Mon – Sat from 7am until 3pm
- Mercato Testaccio: Via Beniamino Franklin, Open Mon – Sat from 7am until 3pm
If you’re short on time and want to explore all of Italy’s street food with a local, book a street food tour.
The Rome Street Food Tour from Get Your Guide has 5-star ratings from hundreds of travelers, just let them know you are a vegetarian beforehand. Book your tour here!
A couple things to note before traveling to Italy:
- You can check visa requirements on iVisa.com.
- Travel insurance is a good thing to have before any trip abroad. I recommend Squaremouth Insurance because they have affordable plans and a helpful live chat!
Check out these articles to read about more of my adventures around Italy!
Best Views of the Amalfi Coast
6 Reasons To Visit Cinque Terre
Top 13 Things To Do In Florence
A Day In The Tuscan Countryside
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