Updated October 2026
For a first date in Rome, try Ai Tre Scalini, Bar Locarno and Terrazza Locarno (Hotel Locarno), or Salumeria Roscioli. Weekday evenings are calmer; on Friday and Saturday, book ahead where you can.
A first date in Rome is usually an aperitivo: a drink with snacks in the early evening, which can easily turn into dinner if it goes well. Dressing up a little is normal, and a walk through the old town is part of the fun.
Here are ten real places for every budget, from a free sunset in the Orange Garden to a special-occasion dinner, plus three unusual ideas at the end.
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Wine barMonti€€All ages
A wine bar going back to at least 1895, with a vine covering the façade and old paintings inside, a short walk from the Colosseum. Open every day from 12:00 to midnight with no reservations, it is the kind of relaxed, characterful place where a first drink easily turns into a whole evening.
Via Panisperna 251, 00184 Roma · Walk-in
Hotel bar and roof terraceFlaminio (Piazza del Popolo)€€€30s
The bar of an elegant hotel near Piazza del Popolo, open all day, plus a roof terrace for drinks with a view. Stylish without being stiff, it is a good choice when you want a first date to feel a little special.
Via della Penna 22, 00186 Roma · Walk-in
Restaurant and deliCentro Storico (Campo de' Fiori)€€€30s
A deli with a restaurant near Campo de' Fiori, known for cured meats, cheese, Roman pasta and wine. Open every day for lunch and dinner; book ahead for a special-occasion dinner.
Via dei Giubbonari 21, 00186 Roma · Takes bookings
Street foodTestaccio€All ages
The original home of the trapizzino, a triangle of pizza bread filled with Roman classics like chicken cacciatora or oxtail, plus supplì and craft beer. Cheap, cheerful and a fun way to taste Rome together, with seats in the room next door.
Via Giovanni Branca 88, 00153 Roma · Walk-in
MarketTestaccio€All ages
A covered neighbourhood market with about 100 stalls, from fresh produce to street food counters. Wandering and snacking from stall to stall is an easy daytime date, and Trapizzino and the Centrale Montemartini are close by.
Via Lorenzo Ghiberti, 00153 Roma · Walk-in
ParkAventino€All ages
A small garden of orange trees on the Aventine hill, open every day from dawn to dusk, with a terrace looking out over the rooftops and domes of Rome. Free and romantic, it is at its best at sunset.
Piazza Pietro d'Illiria, 00153 Roma · Walk-in
ParkPincio (above Piazza del Popolo)€All ages
Rome's oldest public garden, designed by Valadier between 1810 and 1818, with one of the city's best-known views from its terrace over Piazza del Popolo towards St Peter's. Walk on into the Villa Borghese park for a free, easy date.
Terrazza del Pincio, above Piazza del Popolo, Roma · Walk-in
MuseumFlaminio€€All ages
A striking contemporary art and architecture museum, open Tuesday to Sunday from 11:00 to 19:00, with a café and restaurant. Contemporary art gives you plenty to react to and talk about, and the open piazza outside is nice for a drink afterwards.
Via Guido Reni 4A, 00196 Roma · Takes bookings
CinemaTrastevere (Monteverde side)€All ages
An independent arthouse cinema showing Italian and international films, some in the original language with Italian subtitles, with an outdoor arena in summer. A classic, low-key movie date in a cinema Roman film lovers are fond of.
Largo Ascianghi 1, 00153 Roma · Takes bookings
Exhibition space and caféCentro Storico (Piazza Navona)€€All ages
A Renaissance cloister by Bramante that hosts changing art exhibitions, with a café and bistro inside. Combine an exhibition with a coffee in the cloister for a calm, cultured daytime date in the heart of the old town.
Via Arco della Pace 5, 00186 Roma · Takes bookings
Unusual places worth a special trip when you want a date nobody forgets.
ViewpointAventino€All ages
Look through the keyhole of the gate of the Knights of Malta priory and you see the dome of St Peter's perfectly framed at the end of a garden avenue. Free, a little magical, and a few minutes' walk from the Giardino degli Aranci; expect a short queue.
Piazza dei Cavalieri di Malta, 00153 Roma · Walk-in
MuseumOstiense€€All ages
Ancient Roman statues displayed among the giant engines and boilers of a former power plant, part of the Capitoline Museums. Open Tuesday to Sunday from 9:00 to 19:00 and usually quieter than the big museums, it makes an unexpected and memorable date.
Via Ostiense 106, 00154 Roma · Walk-in
Architecture walkTrieste€All ages
A small district of fairy-tale buildings designed by Gino Coppedè and his pupils from 1915, grouped around Piazza Mincio and its Fountain of the Frogs. Free to wander and off the tourist track, it feels like a secret to share.
Piazza Mincio, 00198 Roma · Walk-in
Popular places to meet people in Rome include Mercato Centrale Roma (food hall), Ma Che Siete Venuti a Fà (craft beer pub), and Freni e Frizioni (aperitivo bar). All of them are easy to visit alone or with friends.
Pick an indoor spot such as Ai Tre Scalini or Salumeria Roscioli. Both work well for a first date in any weather.
In the YesTonite City Index, Rome is number 24 of 112 cities for dating, with a dating score of 7.5 out of 10.
Open YesTonite and see who in Rome is going out tonight. Say hi, agree on a time and meet at one of the places on this page.
Checked October 2026. Opening hours and prices change, so call or check the website before you go.
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