Australian restaurants, cafés and bars in Rome: flat whites yes, Aussie pubs no
Rome is one of the world's great food cities, but it has no Australian-owned café or pub we could verify as open in 2026. What it does have is a few places that do the things Aussies miss.
The short version
- No verified Aussie venues. We searched local guides, expat listings and the Australian-Italian press. The few "Australian" bars that turned up couldn't be confirmed as open, so we left them out.
- Flat white: Barnum, near Campo de' Fiori, has long been praised for a textbook one [3][4].
- Brunch: Coromandel, near Piazza Navona, is an expat brunch favourite with pancakes and eggs Benedict [1].
- Watching the game: Rome's Irish pubs are your best bet. Scholars Lounge, near Piazza Venezia, is one of the best-known sports pubs in the centre [5][6]. Ask ahead for AFL or NRL.
- Vegemite and Tim Tams: pack them. We couldn't confirm a shop in Rome that stocks them.
Why there's no Aussie pub in Rome
Plenty of cities have an Australian bar run by a homesick Queenslander. Rome mostly doesn't, and we think it's because Australians here don't really need one. A big share of Rome's Aussies are Italian-Australians, and they slot straight into Roman café and trattoria life. The rest are diplomats, students and remote workers who came for the food, not to escape it.
Online, you'll still find a couple of listings for "Australian" pubs in Rome. One claimed to show the AFL and serve Coopers, another was described by a reviewer as part Australian. We couldn't find an official website, a recent review or any other proof either was operating in 2026, so they're not in this guide. If you know otherwise, tell us in the group.
Where to get a proper flat white
Roman coffee is excellent, cheap and fast, drunk standing at the bar. A flat white is a different beast, and for years you couldn't get one. That's changed, slowly.
Barnum
Area: Parione, on Via del Pellegrino, a few steps from Campo de' Fiori.
Why Australians go: Barnum isn't Australian-owned as far as we could find, but it's one of the places Aussies send each other when they're craving a café that feels like home. The 2foodtrippers guide to Rome coffee singles out its "textbook flat whites" [3], and Australian food writer George Eats included it in an October 2026 round-up of the best coffee in Rome [4].
What to order: A flat white and something from the breakfast or brunch menu. The café's own site lists coffee, breakfast and brunch, and says it's walk-in only [2].
Good to know: It's a sit-down café rather than a stand-at-the-bar espresso joint, so you can take your time.
Where to get brunch
Coromandel
Area: Via di Monte Giordano, in the lanes between Piazza Navona and the river.
Why Australians go: Coromandel isn't Australian, but it does a full sit-down brunch, which is still rare in Rome. Time Out Rome describes it as having a loyal following among foreign expats [1].
What to order: Time Out lists pancakes, waffles, bagels and eggs Benedict on the brunch menu, plus teas and fresh juices [1]. It also does lunch and dinner.
Good to know: Check the website or call ahead on weekends.
Where to watch the footy, the cricket and the rugby
No bar in Rome advertises AFL or NRL as a regular thing. Your best chance is one of the big Irish pubs, which have the screens and the satellite packages, and which will often put on a game if you ask.
Scholars Lounge
Area: Via del Plebiscito, just off Piazza Venezia [6].
Why Australians go: It's one of the best-known sports pubs in central Rome, and it was on Wanted in Rome's 2026 list of the best pubs to watch the Six Nations [5]. If you want rugby union, Wallabies tests or the Ashes on a big screen with a crowd, this is your first call.
What to order: A pint and pub grub. Don't expect Australian beer.
Good to know: The pub's website doesn't list AFL, NRL or cricket [6]. Message them before the grand final or a State of Origin night and ask nicely. A Saturday afternoon game at the MCG lands early in the morning in Rome, so check they'll actually be open. Our Aussie life in Rome guide has a table of typical start times.
Other options
- The Shamrock, near the Colosseum, was described by Wanted in Rome in 2026 as "rugby-mad" and a hangout for rugby players living in Rome [5].
- Roma Capannelle Cricket Club plays inside the Capannelle racecourse in the south-east of the city [7]. If you'd rather play than watch, it's the place to start.
- Your lounge room. For the AFL at dawn, a streaming subscription and a moka pot is how most Aussies in Rome do it.
The taste of home
Meat pies and sausage rolls. We couldn't find an Australian pie shop or bakery in Rome. A pizza al taglio at 11am is a decent substitute, if not a direct one.
Vegemite, Tim Tams and Milo. We couldn't confirm a Rome shop that stocks them in 2026. Supermarkets carry big international brands, but the Australian specifics usually come in someone's suitcase. Ask in the group before you go hunting.
Australian wine. We couldn't verify a wine bar in Rome with a real Australian list. Italian wine will more than console you.
All the venues at a glance
| Venue | Type | Area |
|---|---|---|
| Barnum | Café (flat white, breakfast, brunch) | Parione, near Campo de' Fiori |
| Coromandel | Brunch restaurant | Near Piazza Navona |
| Scholars Lounge | Sports pub | Near Piazza Venezia |
Find the Aussies, then find the venue
The quickest way to find out where Aussies are actually drinking this month is to ask them. Join Cooee Italy, our Facebook group for Australians in Italy, and post before the next grand final. Someone will know whose flat has the big screen, and if an Australian café does open in Rome, that's where you'll hear about it first.
Sources
- Coromandel – Time Out Rome
- Barnum Roma
- 6 great coffee shops in Rome – 2foodtrippers
- Best coffee in Rome – George Eats
- Best pubs in Rome to watch Six Nations rugby – Wanted in Rome (2026)
- Scholars Lounge Rome
- Roma Capannelle Cricket Club