How we choose the best places and services in Rome
From the centro storico to the outer quartieri: the five steps our editors follow to choose the trattorias, shops and services in every RomeList ranking.
Romans are demanding customers. They will forgive a chipped plate but never a tired sauce, and they remember which barber ruined a haircut ten years ago. RomeList tries to rank with that same long memory. This is the process behind every list we publish.
Looking beyond the centro storico
Research covers every part of the city where the service exists, not only the streets between Piazza Navona and the Pantheon. Some of Rome's best tailors, pastry shops and garages are in Testaccio, Garbatella, Monteverde or Tuscolano, well away from the visitor routes, and we go looking for them on purpose.
Reputation that outlasts a season
In a city that welcomes so many visitors, a place can be busy without being good. We give more weight to the standing a business has with its regular customers over the years than to a moment of fame, and we are wary of anywhere that seems to live off passing trade alone.
Confirming it is open, and where
Roman addresses can be confusing and businesses do move. Before publishing, we make sure each place is still in business, that the street number and phone are correct and that it is genuinely part of Roman daily life. Closed, relocated and duplicate entries are removed rather than left to mislead anyone.
Choosing the few
Each ranking covers a single trade, so a pasticceria is judged against other pastry shops and a physiotherapist against other physiotherapists. From that field we keep only the businesses that stand out, which is why some lists are short. A short, honest list is worth more than a long, padded one.
Updating all year round
Rankings are revisited regularly, with extra attention after the summer, when Rome reopens and a few shutters stay down for good. Details are refreshed, closures come off and newer names are added once they have proved themselves to the neighbourhood.
When something is wrong
Write to info@romelist.com if you find an error, a closed business or a place we ought to know about. We look into every message and correct the guide once the change is confirmed. Tips from readers who know their own street are often the best ones we get.
A note for owners
If your business is listed, you can claim it and keep its hours, photos and description up to date through the businesses section of the site.