Italians have no great awareness of vegetarianism. There are Italian vegetarians, but they tend to be of the hard-line macrobiotic variety, and their numbers fall every year, with the demise of the comunes and cooperatives that fuelled them. That said, it's a lot easier for vegetarians here than in many European cities. The reason is simple: Italian cuisine - especially the southern variety - includes innumerable meat-free combinations of pasta, cheese and vegetables.

As long as you avoid the seriously cucina romana offal-with-everything places, you should be able to assemble a perfectly satisfying meal by choosing from among the antipasti, first courses, salads or contorni and desserts. If in doubt, check by asking non c'è carne, vero? (There's no meat, is there?). Note too that many Italians don't consider chicken (pollo) or fish (pesce) to be meat, so check.

Via dei Latini 65 (06 445 4105)
Bus to Porta Tiburtina. Open noon-3pm, 8pm-midnight, daily. Average L40,000. No credit cards.
Air conditioning. Booking advisable.

A friendly but upmarket vegetarian restaurant in San Lorenzo, which prides itself on its wine list. Very enjoyable pasta courses are mainly southern Italian in conception; the more macrobiotic secondi are a tad less convincing, but still satisfying. Since it is officially a private club, you need to fill in a nominal membership card to eat here. They also organise cooking and wine courses.

Largo dei Chiavari, 85 (06 6880 3656)
Bus to Corso Vittorio Emanuele. Open noon-4pm, 6pm-midnight, daily. Average L20,000. Credit AmEx, DC, EC, MC, V.
Tables outdoors.
Branch: Piazza di Pasquino, 72 (06 6830 7881).

The nearest Rome has to a fast-food salad bar. Not exclusively vegetarian, but a good cheap alternative to obligatory pasta and/or veggie ghettoes (although you can order pasta too). The main branch is geared to fast outdoor eating; the smaller one in Piazza di Pasquino is a shade more comfortable and intimate.

Second courses are more of a problem; often, you'll have to make do with an unispiring insalata mista. Among the standard options are: carciofi alla giudiadeep-fried artichokes; fagioli all'uccelletto haricot beans with tomato, garlic and olive oil (strictly speaking a contorno, but substantial enough to take the place of a main course); melanzane alla parmigiana aubergine with Parmesan (this occasionally has meat in the topping); scamorza grilled cheese; specify without ham (senza prosciutto) or anchovies (senza alici).

Via Margutta 118 (06 3265 0577)
Metro Flaminia/Bus to Piazza del Popolo. Open 11am-midnight daily. Average L45,000. Credit DC, EC, MC, V.

Rome's historic vegetarian diner has expanded into a surprisingly large plant-filled space on arty, exclusive Via Margutta. The décor pays homage to the area, with plenty of modern art; at weekends there is live piano. For lunch, a set-price all-you-can-eat option from brunch buffet (L20,000, with dessert) is an alternative to the more formal restaurant.The menu offers a wide choice: pasta, salads, soufflés, soya rolls and grilled vegetables.

Via del Leoncino, 38 (06 3265 0577)
Bus to Via Tomacelli or Via del Corso. Open 12.30-3.30pm, 7.30-10.30pm, daily. Average L20,000. Credit MC, V.
Tables outdoors.

Rome's only vegetarian pizzeria. Service is rather uncertain and the tables outside are too flimsy for serious pizza-sawing, but it's cheap and fills a gap in the market: just about any vegetarian topping you like (even pesto). There's also a vegan menu, and even the own-made beer and cola are organic.

orechiette ai broccoletti/cima di rape ear-shaped pasta with broccoli sprigs/green turnip-tops; pasta e ceci soup with pasta and chick-peas; pasta e fagioli soup with pasta and borlotti beans; pasta alla puttanesca or alla checca (literally 'ý la whore' or 'ý la raging queen') based on olives, capers and tomatoes, though anchovies (alici) are sometimes slipped into the former; penne all'arrabbiata pasta with tomato sauce and lots of chilli; ravioli OK if filled with ricotta e spinacci (soft cheese and spinach) and served con burro e salvia (with butter and sage) or a simple sugo di pomodoro (tomato sauce); risotto ai quattro formaggi risotto made with four types of cheese; spaghetti aglio, olio e peperoncino with garlic, olive oil; spaghetti cacio e pepe with crumbled salty ewe-milk cheese and lots of black pepper.