Giuseppe Di Iorio has run the kitchen at Aroma since the restaurant opened on the rooftop of Palazzo Manfredi in 2010, and in 2015 he won it the Michelin star it has held ever since — ten years and counting in the 2025 guide. He cooks from Lazio and from his native Campania, holding the regional canon in one hand and a fine-dining grammar in the other. The four tasting menus run from a four-course Romano at €160 to a seven-course at €240, with à la carte secondi around €56 to €58; a vegetarian menu and a gluten-free option sit alongside.
The dishes that recur are the ones to order. The handmade tagliolini with pumpkin, gorgonzola and pearls of caviar is the plate that explains the kitchen: Roman comfort dressed for the address. The marinated octopus with a three-potato pie, and Di Iorio's saltimbocca alla romana rebuilt as prosciutto in consommé under a sage-scented cream, show the same instinct, which is to take a dish Romans know by heart and refine it until it surprises them. The wine list is deep in Lazio and southern Italy and reaches back two decades.
The room is the reason to book months out. Aroma sits on the top floor of Palazzo Manfredi, directly across from the Colosseum, and the covered terrace stays open year-round, glassed in through winter and open to the night in summer. At dusk the amphitheatre turns gold against a darkening sky, close enough to read the arches without leaning. Inside, the tone is hushed and adult, the lighting low, the tables well spaced; the dress code is casual-elegant and the service is formal without stiffness. Set against Rome's other view tables, the rooftops of the centro and the Aventine terraces, nothing else puts two thousand years of stone this close to the plate.
Is Aroma in Rome worth it?
Yes, if you want the view as much as the meal. Aroma is the only Michelin-starred restaurant in Rome that looks directly onto the Colosseum, and Giuseppe Di Iorio's cooking is accomplished enough to justify the room rather than coast on it. Tasting menus run €160 to €240. Book the terrace for a proposal or a milestone birthday; it is the most dramatic table in the city.
What should I order at Aroma?
Order the handmade tagliolini with pumpkin, gorgonzola and caviar, the dish that best shows Di Iorio's hand, and the marinated octopus with three-potato pie. The saltimbocca alla romana, rebuilt as prosciutto in consommé under a sage cream, is the one to try if you know the Roman original. If choosing is hard, the four tasting menus from €160 take the decision away.
How do I get a table at Aroma with a Colosseum view?
Book at least two weeks ahead for weekends, and longer in summer, when the terrace facing the Colosseum is among the most requested in Rome. Ask specifically for an outdoor table on the Colosseum side and note any occasion, and the restaurant will try to accommodate. The terrace is covered and open year-round, so a winter booking still gets the view through glass.
What is the dress code at Aroma?
Casual-elegant. There is no jacket requirement, but Aroma is a Michelin-starred rooftop, so a collared shirt or a dress is the right register; beachwear and shorts read wrong on the terrace. Most diners dress up a little for the occasion, particularly for a proposal or anniversary. The room is formal in tone without being stuffy, and a small effort suits it.
Is Aroma good for a proposal?
Yes — it is one of the best proposal restaurants in Rome. The covered terrace puts the floodlit Colosseum directly across from your table, and the staff will seat you on the rail and mark the occasion if you ask when booking. Plan on €160 to €240 a head for the tasting menu. For a starrier meal without the view, La Pergola is the city's three-star benchmark.
