Looking for an aperitivo in Rome for summer 2023? Here it is – the ultimate guide to the best Rome rooftop bars and outdoor Rome aperitivo places for 2023.

In 2023, an outdoor aperitivo in Rome is still the best way to meet casually with friends and loved ones. It’s inexpensive, fun and an ideal way to enjoy the city’s piazzas, gardens and rooftops while staying cool.

I’ve also updated my classic guide to the best rooftop bars in Rome for 2023, and added some of the best new outdoor Rome aperitivo places and cocktail bars to the present list.

Some of the following bars only serve drinks until around 8.30 pm, after which time they turn into restaurants. Others are bars which will serve you all night – details can be found below. With significant numbers of tourists in the city, the only rule for 2023 is that even for a drink, it’s better to call ahead and book for your Rome aperitivo.

So without further ado, here’s the complete list of the best Rome rooftop bars and outdoor Rome aperitivo places for summer 2023!

Aperitivo in Rome’s South-Central neighbourhoods: Testaccio, Ostiense and Garbatella

Aperitivo Rome: Testaccio Estate

One of the things that Rome does best is transform outdoor spaces – even apparently unlikely ones – into cool open-air bars and clubs. Testaccio Estate is another fine example, pimping the area adjacent to the former slaughterhouse in Testaccio – better known as la Citta dell’Altra Economia – next to the river Tiber by Ponte Testaccio with its mix of pop and cool during the summer months.

Expect temporary restaurants, cocktail bars, comedy nights, DJ and band stands and dancing areas for carefree summer nights. Keep the Instagram page bookmarked to find out exactly what kind of night you have in store – evenings are often themed around music styles – or just head down here on a whim seven days a week to join the party.

Where: Citta dell’Altra Economia | Largo Dino Frisullo | Rome
Aperitivo Rome prices: Beers from €3 / depends on the night
Aperitivo snacks included: Nope, but count on buying street food

River Bar, Ostiense

Not far from the church of Saint Paul’s in Rome, known as San Paolo fuori le Mure, in a quiet spot on the river Tiber, River Bar is an understated summer pop-up for 2023 offering excellent food and drink. While the entrance is tucked away off Via Portuense, flanking a car workshop and a handful of light industrial units, continue through River Bar’s wooden door to reach a pleasant green garden. Here, pop-up art exhibitions and Dj sets enliven a cool, locals-only set up.

The project is the brainchild of the same people behind Vinificio natural wine bar and Pastificio San Lorenzo, so expect a thoughtful wine list featuring natural and orange wines. Food, curated by Nido Gusto e Miscele, includes tasty chicken and burrata bites for the perfect aperitivo.

Where: River Bar | Via di Santa Passera, 25 | Rome Tel 334 100 2976
Aperitivo Rome prices: Wine by the glass and beer starts at €6
Aperitivo snacks included: No, but count on buying delicious small plates

La Mescita Enoteca in Garbatella

This gorgeous, locals-only wine bar is a mecca for natural wine fans and a very cool 30-40 something crowd. The bar opens at 6.30 pm and serves until midnight, with the aperitivo hour blurring into a casual dining experience. Order a bottle of wine from the impressive, rotating list or ask the owners for a tip based on your tastes. Booking essential at this time for your Rome aperitivo.

Where: La Mescita | Via Luigi Fincati, 44 | Rome | Tel 333 301 5847
Cocktail prices: Drinks from €7
Aperitivo snacks included: Order from the tapas-style menu which includes fresh gazpacho soups and pulled-pork sandwiches from €8

La Fornarina dal 1989 bakery in Garbatella

La Fornarina dal 1989 is a friendly, neighbourhood bakery in Garbatella near the Regione Lazio headquarters, open Monday to Saturday from 6.30 am until early evening, with opening extended to 11.30 pm at night on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. It doesn’t close for lunch so this is a great spot for breakfast, lunch and Roman aperitivo.

This year, the new aperitivo formula at La Fornarina is a good-value €10 offering, which includes a drink of your choice and a range of different snacks. Drinks range from the classic spritz to a few light cocktails.

So head along today to check it out – La Fornarina will be open all summer, except for the week of Ferragosto. And don’t forget to say that Testaccina sent you!

Where: La Fornarina | Piazza Oderico da Pordenone, 4 | Rome | Tel 06 511 0133
Cocktail prices: €10
Aperitivo snacks included: €10 gets you a drink of your choice with a plate of snacks

Biffi pavement cafe in Garbatella

Biffi is an all-day cafe and bar with cool in its DNA. We love it for breakfast and lunch but there’s something about the golden hour in this pretty corner of Garbatella. This is a great place for people watching the local cool crowd and enjoying a well-mixed aperitivo at this shabby-chic pavement cafe. If you want to keep drinking and snacking all night, you won’t lose your seat.

Where: Biffi | Piazza Eugenio Biffi, 11 | Rome | Tel 06 5143 5360
Cocktail prices: From €7
Aperitivo snacks included: Order nibbles such as olives and crisps separately, or make it a light dinner with a crusty bruschetta from €6

Rome aperitivo in Trastevere

Orto Cocktail Bar – at Orto Botanico, Trastevere

Orto Cocktail Bar is the kind of collaboration we love. Take Oro Whisky Bar – a grown-up, good looking basement bar near Piramide, and combine the knowhow of Daniele Gentile and team with a beautiful summer pop-up location. Rome’s Orto Botanico, the city’s Botanical Gardens, is the beautiful backdrop for this high quality project featuring fabulous mixology, and it’s worth your time for 2023.

The cocktails have been created with the Botanical Gardens in mind, so draw inspiration from its vineyard and rare plants and collections, such as its aloe garden and encyclopaedic terrace of grapes. While most cocktails have a rum or tequila alternative if you’re not mad about whisky based cocktails, I really recommend you trying the whisky mixology here as it’s delicate, well thought out, and absolutely delicious. Light bites available from the food truck.

Where: Orto | Orto Botanico| Largo Cristina di Svezia 23 | Rome | Italy
Cocktail prices: From €13
Aperitivo snacks included: If you want more than crisps, order light bites from the food truck

Santo cocktail bar, Trastevere

Santo Trastevere – one of the coolest cocktail bars in Rome – has been able to put tables outside for summer 2020, creating an idyllic green garden in one of Trastevere’s sleepiest piazzas. Surrounded by green under a trailing pergola, this is just the spot we all needed to chill in this summer after a rough first half of the year! Don’t forget to book ahead as outdoor tables are limited, but this is perfect for your Rome aperitivo.

Where: Santo Trastevere | Via della Paglia, 40 | Rome | Tel 06 5837 7020
Cocktail prices: From €10
Aperitivo snacks included: Order from Santo’s restaurant menu if you get the munchies, which is a modern Mediterranean offer ranging from hummus dips to roast octopus or grilled squid.

Jacopa rooftop bar in Trastevere

An unmissable aperitivo Rome spot in warmer weather is the rooftop bar of Jacopa in Trastevere. This is actually one of the few rooftop bars in Trastevere, making it a welcome addition to the list. Situated on the sleepier side of Trastevere not far from Porta Portese, the bar is open every evening for rooftop aperitivo and cocktails from 18.00, with light-bites available as well such as bread and anchovies and charcuterie boards.

Cocktails are original and the prices are reasonable, marking Jacopa as one of the cheapest rooftop bars in Rome on our list with cocktails starting at €10.

Designed for the warmer season, the cocktail list is all about fresh flavours and notes of summer fruit. Some tables are reserved for dinner after 20.00. Reserve your table via on the online form, available on Jacopa’s IG page.

Where: Jacopa | Via Jacopa de’ Settesoli, 7| Rome | Italy |Tel 065809075
Cocktail prices: From €10
Aperitivo snacks included: If you want more than crisps, order light bites including bread & anchovies and charcuterie boards

Aperitivo in Rome’s historic centre

Piazzetta Ripetta and San Baylon at Palazzo Ripetta

Piazzetta Ripetta is the internal courtyard garden of 5* hotel Palazzo Ripetta, situated just a few minutes from Piazza del Popolo. The hotel’s restaurant and cocktail bar, San Baylon, moves into Piazzetta Ripetta in the summer months and this courtyard manages to be both a convivial yet private and intimate space.

Beautifully set tables, candles and lights, positioned by a shimmering fountain, make Piazzetta Ripetta one of the prettiest places for an aperitivo in Rome and one of the best garden restaurants in Rome’s summer months. Conveniently located close to Piazza del Popolo, don’t miss Piazzetta Ripetta for artful cocktails, light bites during the day, and as the summer location for San Baylon restaurant by night, with dishes from chef Marco Ciccotelli. Reservations useful.

Where: Palazzo Ripetta | Via di Ripetta 231 | Rome | Italy |Tel 06 323 1144
Cocktail prices: From €14
Aperitivo snacks included: If you want more than crisps, order light bites including tartares and cheeses

The Court rooftop bar near the Colosseum

The Court, which opened last year, has quickly become one of Rome’s best-loved garden bars, thanks to its exclusive location right in front of the Colosseum. This is a ground-floor bar on a raised, private platform with enviable views of Rome’s most famous monument, and an exclusive vibe thanks to its presence in one of Rome’s swankiest hotels, the five-star Hotel Palazzo Manfredi.

Hotel Palazzo Manfredi hosts one Michelin star restaurant Aroma on its unrivalled rooftop, where chef Giuseppe di Iorio reigns supreme, but if you want to enjoy those Colosseum views without spending all of your holiday on dinner, a cocktail in The Court makes the perfect Rome aperitivo.

Open from the first pink streaks of dusk until the small hours, the cocktail list has been created by Matteo Zed and prices start at €27 for his creations here.

As well as new inventions, you can also find a few vintage classics such as the crowd-pleasing Pornstar Martini. Comprising vanilla vodka, passion-fruit liquor and fresh passion-fruit, it is served as tradition denotes with a sidecar of champagne.

Despite being one of the most expensive rooftop bars in Rome, booking ahead for a table is essential as this bar has a limited amount of seating.

Aperitivo Rome: The Court | Palazzo Manfredi | Via Labicana 125 | Tel +39 0677591380
Cocktail prices: From €27
Aperitivo snacks included: Your drink includes an ample snack selection from caprese skewers to hand-cooked crisps, olives, mini-burgers and more – almost a light dinner.

Spritzeria Monti, rooftop bar in Monti

It’s been a while since we’ve seen an exciting new option for drinking in Monti, so the addition of Spritzeria Monti, one of the area’s few rooftop bars, marks a huge game-changer. The rooftop bar is a project from boutique hotel Condominio Monti, which also owns Magasin and Osteria Oliva, ground floor cafe and restaurant respectively. The condominium terrace is fun and the prices are just right for this informal set-up. This rooftop is open every night from 17,00, but gets really popular, so be sure to book ahead for your Rome aperitivo. Don’t worry if you don’t like Aperol spritz or Campari spritz (€10) – there is a full range of alternative spritz-style cocktail options too, plus light bites such as hummus, savoury maritozzi and more.

Where: Spritzeria Monti | Via dei Serpenti 108 | Rome | Tel 342 582 8879
Cocktail prices: From €10
Aperitivo snacks included: Order finger food as you drink, from €8

Maio Terrace in Barberini

This bar and terrace restaurant occupies the sixth and seventh floor of La Rinascente, including the outdoor, upper level. New for 2023, Maio Restaurant offers lunch and dinner options, but in between mealtimes pause for a cocktail with pleasant city view. Cocktails from €15, light bites available too.

The most glamorous of all the store’s drinking and dining options, Maio is one of the best rooftop bars and aperitivo places in Rome. Enjoying fabulous views overlooking the Eternal City, this is just the place for a glass of something cool and refreshing day or night, after some much deserved retail therapy.

Where: Maio | 6th & 7th floors La Rinascente |Via del Tritone 61 | Tel +39 0687916652
Cocktail prices: From €15
Aperitivo snacks included: Order a pizza from the tempting menu if you want more than just crisps and olives

Terrazza Navona at Palazzo Navona

Terrazza Navona is a chic and well-appointed rooftop bar on top of the impeccable four star Hotel Palazzo Navona. You’ll fall in love with its double-layer roof terrace, the highest part of which can be reached by a wrought iron spiral staircase. Up on the top level, gallery seats have been lined up along the rail so that everyone is facing outwards when they enjoy a drink and aperitivo here with a view.

Otherwise, the larger rooftop on the main decking area enjoys a mix of sunny and shady spots. The service is excellent and the drinks list is ample. Rather than automatically bringing you a range of snacks, the team at Terrazza Navona offers an ample and ambitious aperitivo menu for a fixed price.

For example, the various aperitivo formulas comprise canapes prepared by the chef, plus olives, caper berries, nuts and crisps and cost from €25 to €30 per tray, depending on the particular type requested.

You can also order cheese boards and pinsas which represent a good value way to fill your stomach while ordering from the basic drinks menu. Essentially, there’s something for everyone here!

Where: Terrazza Navona | Palazzo Navona Hotel | Largo della Sapienza 8 | Rome | Tel +39 06 8115 2341
Prices: From €20
Aperitivo snacks included: Pick from one of Terrazza Navona’s popular aperitivo formulas

Terrazza Borromini rooftop bar in Piazza Navona

La Grande Bellezza terrace at Eitch Borromini Hotel, the Roman rooftop bar with the best views in the city, hands down, has a lot to offer even before you order a drink. From the incredible bird’s-eye views over Piazza Navona, to the romantic rooftops of old Rome, and the sun dipping over the dome of Saint Peter’s – you have to forgive the punters crowding at the rooftop edge angling for a fabulous picture or two.

The terrace belongs to the handsome four-star hotel in the palazzo below, Eitch Borromni, which also boasts another delicious roof terrace and restaurant on the fourth floor, from whose alabaster pillars you can peer right down onto the fountain of the four rivers in Piazza Navona.

But for cocktails, and THOSE views, I highly recommend heading directly to the top floor where Terrazza Borromini offers great mixed drinks in delicious surroundings. There are a few bar snacks available – such as plates of prosciutto and mozzarella – but this is not a place to dine, it’s more of a pre-dinner spot, opening at 6.30 pm and seeing most visitors drift away to dinner by 9.30 pm / 10 pm, except in high summer, when guests stay until midnight to beat the heat.

The prices fit the location and the fact that this is a high-end hotel bar. Cocktails start at around €25. Aperitif drinks like the classic Aperol or Campari Spritz count as a cocktail here in terms of prices.

This bar has rightly become one of the Rome’s best loved rooftop bars so reservations are now essential every night. In conclusion: €25 is a lot to pay for a cocktail, but this bar with its unforgettable city views is just about worth it. Don’t forget to book and come early to avoid the crowds and catch that sunset.

Where: La Grande Bellezza | Hotel Eitch Borromini | Via di Santa Maria dell’Anima, 30| Rome|Tel +39 06 6821 5459
Cocktail prices: From €25
Aperitivo snacks included: Expect small tasting portions of couscous, pasta and crudités – not enough for dinner though!

Bar del Fico near Piazza Navona

This classic bar on Rome’s all-day-cafe scene is sleepy by day, when local pensioners play chess under the shade of its eponymous fig tree. But by night, Piazza del Fico is teaming with young folk grabbing drinks and mingling in this characteristic part of old Rome. It can be tough getting a seat, so don’t forget to call ahead!

Where: Bar del Fico | Piazza del Fico 26 | Rome | Tel 06 6889 1373
Cocktail prices: From €10
Aperitivo snacks included: Minimal table snacks

Salotto42 near the Pantheon

Rome’s beautiful set have been coming to Salotto42 in the gorgeous Pizza di Pietra for almost two decades, but 2020 ushered in a sensational novelty: pavement tables. Due to Rome’s fierce urban decorum rules, historic piazzas such as this one weren’t always able to be populated by bar and cafes, but these days you can also try and nab a prized seat in the piazza with direct views of the Temple of Hadrian. Try Salotto42’s delicious cocktails – including several varieties of spritz – or a glass of bubbly.

Where: Salotto42 | Piazza di Pietra 42 | Rome | Tel 06 678 5804
Cocktail prices: From €15
Aperitivo snacks included: Crisps, olives

Adelaide restaurant and bar near the Spanish Steps

Five star Hotel Villon burst onto the Roman scene a couple of years ago as one of the city’s most charming new boutique hotels, and has today carved a place in the hearts of connoisseurs in the know. Located in a cobbled blink-and-miss-it side street in the historical centre, not far from shopping street via del Corso and the Spanish Steps, this is tardis of a hotel which opens up through a series of interconnected salons into a precious, internal courtyard garden.

Hotel Vilon is great all year round for a drink at the bar or dinner in its superb Adelaide restaurant. In the warmest months, you can also drop in for an aperitivo in the hotel’s secret garden, which is always a worthwhile appointment.

Where: Adelaide Restaurant | Hotel Vilon | Via dell’Arancio 69 | Rome | Tel 06 878187
Cocktail prices: From €20
Aperitivo snacks included: Yes, small nibbles

Hi-Res restaurant and bar near the Spanish Steps

Hotel Valadier in Rome is one of those iconic properties which has left an indelible mark on the city of Rome, but isn’t afraid of change.

While the hotel offers rooms from a very competitive €119 per night – just a five minute walk from the Spanish Steps and Piazza del Popolo – its dining and drinking options plunge you into Dantean worlds of polar opposite: the dark and sexy lure of its basement cocktail bar and eatery, Valentyne, and the glass-walled halls of its lofty rooftop restaurant, Hi-Res.

Hi-Res is happily not just a restaurant, offering early evening cocktails on its terrace to make this an excellent aperitivo option in downtown Rome. The cocktail list is varied, ranging from house specials such as the Deadly Sin – Montenegro, Italicus, orange bitter, lemon juice – to nearly 20 choices of gin. The good news is that cocktails are well-priced from €15 and quality bar snacks are included. We only wish the cocktails were slightly larger.

Where: Hi-Res | Hotel Valadier | Via della Fontanella 15 |+39 06 361 0880
Cocktail prices: From €15
Aperitivo snacks included: Yes, dry bar snacks plus a few fresh canapes

Oste Cavour in Prati

This lovely open-plan bar and restaurant with outdoor seating on Piazza Cavour offers wonderful gourmet aperitivo formulas, plus excellent cocktails.

Strategically positioned for those staying near the Vatican or in the historic centre of Rome, you can come to Oste Cavour for drinks, and / or stay for dinner.

I love the aperitivo option, where by simply adding €5 on to the price of your drink, you can enjoy a wonderful aperitivo spread including preserved vegetables, cheeses and salamis and more – the quality of the food is very high. Don’t miss it!

Where: Oste Cavour | Piazza Cavour 19/21 | Rome | 06 683 2077
Cocktail prices: From €13
Aperitivo snacks included: Add €5 to the cost of your drink for a fabulous aperitivo spread

Terrazza Mirador by the Vatican

Nestling in the grounds of the Villa Agrippina Gran Meliá on the hillside above the Vatican, Terrazza Mirador is a new launch for 2023 which is definitely worth your time. While it enjoys the bucolic setting of the hotel’s extensive grounds, it’s not directly run by the hotel, but by a consortium of Roman bar entrepreneurs. You’ll love this green garden around sunset, with its Mediterranean vibes and pretty views.

The launch prices in 2023 for Terrazza Mirador include a spritz at €11 and a negroni for €13, which is extremely reasonable for such a beautiful location. If you get hungry, order bao buns, vegetarian sushi, fish curries and more – you can essentially stay for dinner too.

Where: Terrazza Mirador | Villa Agrippina Gran Meliá | Via del Gianicolo, 3 |+39 351 871 6027
Cocktail prices: From €11
Aperitivo snacks included: Yes, dry bar snacks plus a few fresh canapes; order light bites or dinner a la carte

Aperitivo in North Rome

Dram Boat near piazza del Popolo

Dram Boat on the river Tiber, close to piazza del Popolo, was one of the revelations of Rome’s cocktail and jazz scene when it opened early in 2020.

The project is the brainchild of Omar Ghoneim, jazz-loving owner of the city’s historic Gregory’s Jazz Club, who has riffed on river lounging in the past with his successful summer pop-up, Gregory’s by the River.

Dram boat, a permanent fixture moored along the Tiber’s tow-path, is many things: a live jazz venue and dance club; a bar specialising in whisky, with 160 different labels; and an easy evening bar and eatery. From 2020, tables along the river bank also mean an additional outdoor option for drinking on warm summer evenings.

Where: Dram Boat | Lungotevere Arnaldo da Brescia | Rome | Tel 3516457888
Cocktail prices: Regular cocktails start at €15
Aperitivo snacks included: Minimal bar snacks

Mediterraneo Maxxi in North Rome

Mediterraneo Restaurant and Garden, at Rome’s MAXXI contemporary art gallery, is all set to be one of the coolest summer restaurants and aperitivo spots in Rome 2020.

Mediterraneo occupies a green, outdoors courtyard in the grounds of MAXXI, as well as an ample dining hall built round a well-stocked bar. Come early for an aperitivo and order food to blend into a dining experience.

Open Tuesdays to Sundays, the restaurant focuses on lunch, dinner and drinks, and has a wonderul garden vibe.

Mediterraneo Roma’s airy location is primed to host events and concerts too, with DJs scheduled on frequent evenings, to accompany your dinner or drinks.

Classic cocktails start at €12, with wine, beers and spirits available too.

Where: Mediterraneo Rome | Via Guido Reni 4/A | Rome | Tel +39 391 7053069
Cocktail prices: €12-€15
Aperitivo snacks included: Order light bites from the menu

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