Food & Cooking Tours in Rome

Dinner with Francesca and Pasquale was delicious and interesting. It was a tiny bit hard to find the right door to their building, but Francesca came out on her porch and called down to us, so we found it in the end. How nice it was to have a home cooked meal - we tried many new flavors and ingredients (such as a fresh raw curly chicory salad with anchovy dressing, whole Roman artichokes, a fava bean salad, and some soft green olives that were utterly distinctive and new to us!) and although our hosts were half our age, we had plenty to talk about. It was a very relaxing evening and I'm so glad we did it. Francesca was very good at answering questions in advance via email, and she was very, very helpful in general about things we wanted to do in Rome (especially vintage shopping!)

We met up with Francesca and Pasquale the next afternoon down in the Ripa (I think it was Ripa, anyway) neighborhood of Rome where we piled into their little car and drove out of the city. We went to the hill town of Frascati, and had we not gotten a late start, we'd have seen Carnivale in the charming little town's square. As it was, we saw the aftermath and confetti covered the cobblestones. We looked in on the churches, and also enjoyed the high vantage view of Rome in the valley below. We had a drink and a snack at a local pub, then we drove to Grottaferrata to a restaurant called L'Asino D'Oro (the golden ass/donkey) where we enjoyed some tasty regional cuisine and wine - it was relaxed, slow paced, and felt like a very authentic experience. And that was exactly what we were looking for! Thank you both! :)

Francesca i the perfect host. She lets you visit her in her home, invites two other really nice friends and serves fantastic food. And we got the best tips for restaurants and what to see.

The great thing about the evening was the possibility to learn more about living in Rome/Italy, at a personal level. We talked about differences between our countries, food, culture, politics, music and so much more.

Thank you Francesca:) The first thing we tell about, from our Rome trip, is the evening at your place:)

My husband and I booked this dinner for our second day in Rome. When we arrived at Francesca we are stunned from the food smell and the beautiful design. Francesca cooked really delicious food and she hosted us with her partner Pasqello. we had such a good evening with them. they opened for us two bottles of great white wine. We had a nice conversation and really loved to be with them. I really recommend this meal. it was an amazing experience.

Francesca and Pasquale were great hosts! The meal was so well thought out and prepared perfectly. It really gave us a taste of how the locals eat in Rome. We got to try several local cheeses, as well as produce that is specific to the area. And the fresh pasta was amazing too! I would really recommend this to other people. Also, don't let the distance from city center discourage you because it was a very easy bus ride to get to her apartment.

Francesca and Pasquale were great hosts for our dinner at their cute and cozy home. They provided not only tips on what to do and where to go in Rome, but also great conversation and a delicious Italian meal lovingly created by hand. The dinner is a great way to see a side of Rome you might not get if you stick to the tourist traps, so definitely check it out!

We had a wonderful time at Francesca. we were a little bit late cause we take the wrong bus. her apartment were located on the other site of Rome than ours. after all Francesca welcomed us warmly and have had prepared a grandiose menu for us. we want and also have to recommend this option to look at the local side of Rome.

Francesca and her husband prepared a delicious dinner for us, everything tasted great and every dish was from original italian cuisine. We spent a lot of time talking about many different subjects including food and traveling. They are very friendly, Francesca is a great cook and I honestly recommend this event!

Our dinner was spirited and cozy, food delicious and conversation chirpy as there happened to be two other guests who, as Francesca, had a good sense of humor and we found to have much in common.
A great way to see another, very local, side of Rome. Recommend highly!

You must do this. The nice girl Francesca cooked for us with a great passion. The simple dishes were marvelous and very tasty. It was very cosy and we can recommend this to everyone.

I spent wonderful evening at Francesca’s plase with my family. Francesca served delicious dinner in her small but nice apartment. Fully recommended.

Francesca’s home is so warm and welcoming, the food was delicious and tasty, Francesca is a charming hostess.

We had a lovely time eating with Francesca! I had contacted her a week before we arrived in Rome to see if it was possible to suggest a date for my mum's birthday, she was great! See arranged to have it on the day I had requested, and even though I wasn't sure if my brother would be able to make it or not, she was willing to go ahead even though her minimum number had not been reached! My brother did make it in the end though, which was great. The food, of course, was delicious! There was lots of it so make sure you don't eat too much before hand! I particularly loved the cheeses, and my brother wolfed down her pasta like he'd never eaten before! The location is quite far out of Rome, so be prepared for a long bus ride, but for us it was lovely to see this other side of the city and escape the hustle and bustle of the centre of Rome in the height of tourist season! Their home, while small was beautifully clean and well presented, with lovely touches like the vintage china and cabinates and views out to the mountains. This was a first experience for all of us so I sensed a little nervousness all round to start with, but then the wine started flowing and we talked about food and culture and life. It was really lovely to learn a little about real Italian culture. Thank you Francesca for welcoming us into your home and giving us a lovely and alternative experience in Rome! xxx

Words cannot express how much we appreciated what Francesca (with the help of her wonderful parents) did for a group of 16 strangers. It was like a big family party at a relative's house. The food was incredible -- from amazing cheeses, tarallini, olives and other appetizers -- to a great lasagna, chicken cacciatore in a white sauce, fabulous tiramisu, elegantly served in tea cups, after-dinner drinks, coffee, etc. But the best thing was just the hospitality and friendliness that this family showed to people who started as strangers and ended the evening feeling like a part of the family. Francesca even went so far as to line up a driver for all 16 of us, from our hotel on the other side of Rome, and make reservations for us in an enoteca for a before-dinner drink and experience. Then she gave us the name of a great pizzeria to look up the next night when we were in Trastevere. If you are in Rome, and you are thinking about whether Like A Local is a route you'd like to take, you absolutely must check out Francesca!!! Hands down one of the highlights of our two-week trip to Rome and Tuscany. Mille grazie, Francesca!!

Francesca was so hospitable and super enthusiastic about hosting a dinner. As we were a small group, we also had additional guests present. She made all of us feel welcomed! There was no uncomfortableness whatsoever which is usually present when you meet someone for the first time.
The food itself was so delicious, we had 4 courses, and I was literally full after an appetizer. So please come to Francesca very hungry, as portions are huge! The tmosphete was that of a big family gathering for a nice Sunday meal. I highly recommend everyone to book this dinner. Francesca was also very nice to hail us a taxi when our uber failed to show up after 40 minutes of waiting.

Go prepared to enjoy a special evening with Francesca and her charming Italian friends and/or family. She is a darling host and made us feel really special. There was quite a lot of food and we left full and satisfied. We were especially WOW'd by her pasta course, the citrus chicken and our tiramisu. Do remember to carve out enough time to relax and not be hurried. She and her boyfriend even gave us helpful tips on cool sites to visit which are off the beaten track. Jen

We had dinner last night with Francesca! She was absolutely a pleasure and the food was unbelievable. It is a bit far from the city but such a unique experience that it was well worth it. Her place is so tiny and quaint and my husband, two teens also loved it. My daughter is a vegetarian and she carefully made sure each plate she served worked for her. Get out of the city and enjoy this experience. Thank you, Francesca!

My friends and I was able to do the Ebike tour in Rome. I must say this tour was definitely the best tour we did in Rome. Our tour guy Elias knew all the history about Rome and we seen things that I'm sure a bus couldnt show us. Elias was very friendly,helpful and funny. We felt safe riding the bikes and following his lead.
So i would say this is definitely a must if your ever in Rome. 😊

We had a lovely experience with Francesca in her cozy apartment in Rome with a charming couple from Estonia.
Francesca hosted us generously, prepared a tasty multi-course meal, with lots of good wine, authentic Italian food and all accompanied by interesting explanations.
The conversation flowed and time passed pleasantly.
warmly recommended.

Thank you Francesca :)

We were really late because the taxi driver couldn't find the address but Francesca and her boyfriend were very gracious. She prepared a lovely meal and explained everything. They made a genuine effort to connect with us through our mutual love of music. They drove us back to our hotel which was great as Rome taxi drivers don't seem to know the suburbs very well.

This wasn’t the first time we’ve opted to take the road least traveled-:) if you’re looking for an extraordinary experience, skip the restaurant and try meeting and eating with a local. Francesca prepared a wonderful meal for the six of us in her home. She and her partner were delightful and we highly recommend dinner with Francesca!