Italy · month by month
Rome food calendar
What is in season in Rome, what to eat right now, the food festivals worth planning around and the months to be careful with. Tap a month.
January in Rome
The best of January: Puntarelle.
In season
- Puntarelle
Crisp chicory shoots dressed with anchovy, garlic and vinegar, on every trattoria menu in winter.
Nov–Feb
Nothing of this kind in January. Try Everything.
February in Rome
The best of February: Frappe and castagnole, Roman artichokes.
In season
- Roman artichokes
Carciofi alla romana, braised with mint, and alla giudia, fried whole in the old Jewish Ghetto. The romanesco variety peaks in March.
Feb–Apr - Carciofo romanesco (Roman artichokes)Feb–Apr
- Puntarelle
Crisp chicory shoots dressed with anchovy, garlic and vinegar, on every trattoria menu in winter.
Nov–Feb
Eat it now
- Frappe and castagnoleCarnival
Fried carnival pastries in every pasticceria in the weeks before Lent.
Nothing of this kind in February. Try Everything.
March in Rome
The best of March: Bignè di San Giuseppe, Abbacchio and pizza al formaggio.
In season
- Roman artichokes
Carciofi alla romana, braised with mint, and alla giudia, fried whole in the old Jewish Ghetto. The romanesco variety peaks in March.
Feb–Apr - Carciofo romanesco (Roman artichokes)Feb–Apr
Eat it now
- Bignè di San Giuseppe19 March
Cream-filled choux puffs for St Joseph's Day, Italy's Father's Day.
- Abbacchio and pizza al formaggioEaster
Milk-fed lamb, roast or scottadito, and a tall cheesy Easter bread for Easter morning.
Mar–Apr
Nothing of this kind in March. Try Everything.
April in Rome
Shoulder seasonThe best of April: Abbacchio and pizza al formaggio, Fave and pecorino.
In season
- Fave and pecorino
Raw broad beans eaten with young pecorino romano, the classic 1 May picnic.
Apr–May - Roman artichokes
Carciofi alla romana, braised with mint, and alla giudia, fried whole in the old Jewish Ghetto. The romanesco variety peaks in March.
Feb–Apr - Carciofo romanesco (Roman artichokes)Feb–Apr
Eat it now
- Abbacchio and pizza al formaggioEaster
Milk-fed lamb, roast or scottadito, and a tall cheesy Easter bread for Easter morning.
Mar–Apr
Nothing of this kind in April. Try Everything.
May in Rome
Peak seasonThe best of May: Fave and pecorino, Gelato Festival World Masters Roma.
In season
- Fave and pecorino
Raw broad beans eaten with young pecorino romano, the classic 1 May picnic.
Apr–May
On the calendar
- Gelato Festival World Masters Roma
Mid-May, 3 days, EUR 15 ticket
Nothing of this kind in May. Try Everything.
June in Rome
A hard monthThe best of June: Zucchini flowers and Vinoforum.
In season
- Zucchini flowers
Fiori di zucca stuffed with mozzarella and anchovy and fried, in pizzerie and at the counters that sell supplì.
Jun–Sep
On the calendar
- Vinoforum
Mid-June, 9 days, wine fair at Tor di Quinto, EUR 25 evening pass
Plan around
- The heat
Lunch is long and dinner starts after 8:30pm. Eat outside at night, not at midday.
Jun–Aug
Nothing of this kind in June. Try Everything.
July in Rome
A hard monthThe best of July: Zucchini flowers and Festa de' Noantri.
In season
- Zucchini flowers
Fiori di zucca stuffed with mozzarella and anchovy and fried, in pizzerie and at the counters that sell supplì.
Jun–Sep
On the calendar
- Festa de' Noantrisecond half of July
Trastevere's own festival: a procession, music and food stalls along Viale di Trastevere.
Plan around
- The heat
Lunch is long and dinner starts after 8:30pm. Eat outside at night, not at midday.
Jun–Aug
Nothing of this kind in July. Try Everything.
August in Rome
A hard monthThe best of August: Pollo coi peperoni and Zucchini flowers.
In season
- Zucchini flowers
Fiori di zucca stuffed with mozzarella and anchovy and fried, in pizzerie and at the counters that sell supplì.
Jun–Sep - Nocciola Romana DOP hazelnutsAug–Nov
Eat it now
- Pollo coi peperoni15 August
Chicken stewed with sweet peppers, the Roman dish for Ferragosto.
Plan around
- Ferragosto closuresaround 15 August
Many family-run trattorie close for one to three weeks in August. Check before you go.
- The heat
Lunch is long and dinner starts after 8:30pm. Eat outside at night, not at midday.
Jun–Aug
Nothing of this kind in August. Try Everything.
September in Rome
Shoulder seasonThe best of September: Zucchini flowers, Nocciola Romana DOP hazelnuts and Sagra della Porchetta di Ariccia.
In season
- Zucchini flowers
Fiori di zucca stuffed with mozzarella and anchovy and fried, in pizzerie and at the counters that sell supplì.
Jun–Sep - Nocciola Romana DOP hazelnutsAug–Nov
On the calendar
- Sagra della Porchetta di Ariccia
Early September, 4 days, free entry, in Castelli Romani
- Taste of Roma
Nothing of this kind in September. Try Everything.
October in Rome
Peak seasonThe best of October: Chestnuts and new olive oil, Nocciola Romana DOP hazelnuts, Festa di Frascati.
In season
- Chestnuts and new olive oil
Roast chestnuts on street corners, and peppery olio nuovo from the Sabina hills on bruschetta.
Oct–Dec - Nocciola Romana DOP hazelnutsAug–Nov
On the calendar
- Festa di Frascati
Early October, 3 days, Frascati DOC wine, free entry
- Roma Beer Week
Mid-October, 7 days across ~30 venues
- One of the world’s 100 best food eventsSagra dell'UvaExpected Sunday 3 October 2027 · always the first Sunday of October
The grape harvest festival in the Castelli Romani, when the town's fountains flow with wine for an afternoon.
How to go: Thirty minutes from Rome Termini by train.
Nothing of this kind in October. Try Everything.
November in Rome
The best of November: Chestnuts and new olive oil, Puntarelle.
In season
- Chestnuts and new olive oil
Roast chestnuts on street corners, and peppery olio nuovo from the Sabina hills on bruschetta.
Oct–Dec - Puntarelle
Crisp chicory shoots dressed with anchovy, garlic and vinegar, on every trattoria menu in winter.
Nov–Feb - Nocciola Romana DOP hazelnutsAug–Nov
Nothing of this kind in November. Try Everything.
December in Rome
The best of December: Fried baccalà and pangiallo, Chestnuts and new olive oil.
In season
- Chestnuts and new olive oil
Roast chestnuts on street corners, and peppery olio nuovo from the Sabina hills on bruschetta.
Oct–Dec - Puntarelle
Crisp chicory shoots dressed with anchovy, garlic and vinegar, on every trattoria menu in winter.
Nov–Feb
Eat it now
- Fried baccalà and pangialloChristmas Eve
The Christmas Eve fish dinner, then pangiallo, a dense honey, nut and candied fruit cake.
Nothing of this kind in December. Try Everything.
Festival dates move from year to year, so check this year's dates before you book. Seasons are how growers, markets and local guides describe them; edges vary with the weather. Know something we missed? Tell us.