The Best Savoury Breakfast in Rome: Where to Find Eggs, Bacon and Toast
Missing a proper savoury breakfast while you're exploring the Eternal City? You're not alone.
As much as we love an Italian breakfast of espresso and a cornetto, sometimes you just want eggs, bacon, and a decent piece of toast.
Whether you're recovering from a late night in Trastevere, craving a taste of home, or simply looking for one of the best breakfasts in Rome, several cafés near the city's main sightseeing routes serve a savoury, Anglo-Saxon style spread, the kind of hearty plate you'd expect in the UK, the US, Australia, or anywhere else that treats breakfast as a proper meal rather than a pastry and a coffee.
Quick answer: The best spots for a savoury, Western style breakfast in Rome are Barnum Roma (near Campo de' Fiori), Molly's Garden Café (near Piazza Navona), Buddy Veggy Restaurant Café (vegan and vegetarian, city centre), and GOODY 1976 (near Piazza del Popolo). Between them they cover classic fry ups, American style brunch plates, and plant based versions.
Barnum Roma
Best for: Specialty coffee and an all day cooked breakfast.
Barnum sits on Via del Pellegrino, a short walk from Campo de' Fiori and Piazza Navona, and it's become one of the most talked about breakfast spots in the historic centre. Expect a queue most mornings, especially at weekends. The menu leans more toward an Aussie style brunch than a strict British fry up: think organic eggs, avocado toast, and a classic plate of egg, bacon, sausage, hash brown, and toast, alongside the pistachio croissant and matcha latte the café is best known for. Coffee here is genuinely excellent, sourced from selected plantations.
Address: Via del Pellegrino 87, 00186 Roma
Hours: Daily, 8:00 to 15:30 (breakfast and brunch)
Price: Roughly €8 to €20 per person depending on what you order
Good to know: No reservations, walk ins only, and only bottled water is served.
Molly's Garden Café
Best for: A cosy café atmosphere near Piazza Navona.
Molly's is often listed as a Vatican area spot, but it's actually tucked into Via del Governo Vecchio, just off Piazza Navona and a short stroll from the Pantheon, so it's handy if you're doing the historic centre rather than St Peter's. It's known for American style brunch plates: Eggs Royale on a toasted English muffin with hollandaise and smoked salmon, plus pancakes, avocado toast, and gluten free options across most of the menu. Regulars mention the food comes out fast even when the small space is full.
Address: Via del Governo Vecchio 46, 00186 Roma
Hours: Daily, 8:00 to 16:00
Price: Around €10 to €20 per person for breakfast, more for a bigger brunch plate
Good to know: It gets busy. Mornings tend to be calmer than midday.
Buddy Veggy Restaurant Café
Best for: A fully vegan or vegetarian take on a savoury breakfast.
Who says a savoury breakfast needs meat? Buddy Veggy, in the heart of the centre near Piazza Navona and Campo de' Fiori, has built a loyal following, including plenty of non vegan diners, for reworking Roman classics like carbonara and lasagne with plant based ingredients. Breakfast here includes vegan scrambled eggs and pastries. Several reviewers rate the vegan sausage highly enough that they say you can't tell the difference. Portions are generous, though a few reviewers note prices run slightly higher for the amount of food.
Address: Corso Vittorio Emanuele II 107A, 00186 Roma
Hours: Monday to Friday 10:00 to 23:00, Saturday and Sunday 9:00 to 23:00
Price: Mid range. A full meal with a drink tends to land around €15 to €25.
Good to know: Popular for lunch and dinner too, so it's a good backup if you want more than breakfast.
GOODY 1976
Best for: A relaxed, music themed bistro breakfast away from the tourist crush.
Set inside what used to be the Goody Music record store near Piazza del Popolo, GOODY 1976 mixes nostalgia with a genuinely serious kitchen. The breakfast menu was developed by a pastry chef with a background at Le Levain and Retrobottega.
The standout is the set breakfast combo menu, four fixed plates that each pair a savoury main with coffee and juice, so you're not piecing a breakfast together item by item.
The LA combo brings scrambled eggs, bacon, and pancakes with maple syrup. The Rio combo is brioche toast with avocado and fried eggs, plus yogurt, granola, and red fruit. The Vienna combo swaps in a bagel with fried eggs, bacon, and avocado, again with yogurt and granola on the side. All three run €13 and include coffee and orange juice.
If you just want the basics, there's also a straightforward eggs with bacon plate for €8, with a small surcharge for any changes to the set combos.
Address: Via Flaminia 23, 00196 Roma
Hours: Daily, 7:30 to 21:00 (kitchen open all day, no closing between meals)
Price: Breakfast combos €13, eggs with bacon €8. Lunch and dinner mains run higher.
Good to know: Doubles as a wine and cocktail spot in the evening, so it's easy to combine with a later visit.
Is a Savoury Breakfast Better Than an Italian Breakfast?
That depends on what you're after.
A traditional Italian breakfast is light: an espresso or cappuccino with a cornetto, usually eaten standing at the counter before work. It's quick and simple, and often cheaper, since Italian bars typically charge a table surcharge for sitting down, sometimes doubling the price of standing at the bar.
A savoury, Anglo-Saxon style breakfast is a meal in itself. Eggs, bacon, sausage, and toast, enough to fuel a full day of walking Rome's cobbled streets.
There's no need to choose one or the other. Have a hearty savoury breakfast one morning and a cornetto and espresso the next.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I get a savoury, Western style breakfast in Rome?
Barnum Roma, Molly's Garden Café, Buddy Veggy Restaurant Café, and GOODY 1976 all serve savoury, Anglo-Saxon style breakfasts, ranging from classic fry ups to vegan versions.
Is there a savoury breakfast spot near the Vatican?
Yes - THE LOFT Colazione, Brunch & Pizza Dinner vicino San Pietro.
Do I need a reservation for breakfast in Rome?
Most of these cafés are walk in only, including Barnum Roma. Arriving before 9am generally means a shorter wait, particularly on weekends.
Looking for More Than Just Breakfast?
If great food is one of the reasons you're visiting Rome, why stop at breakfast?
Our Snacks & Facts food tour takes you beyond the tourist restaurants and into the heart of Rome's food culture. We'll wander through Largo di Torre Argentina, Campo de' Fiori, and the Jewish Ghetto, stopping to try authentic Roman pizza, crispy supplì, Jewish style fried artichokes, and artisan gelato, all while uncovering the stories behind the city's most iconic neighbourhoods.
Come hungry, leave full, with plenty of stories to tell.
Last Updated: August 2026