Choosing where to eat in downtown Rome, GA, during RIFF is partly about appetite and partly about the clock. Eight nearby restaurants offer different ways to turn a gap between screenings into a good meal.

Ana’s by the River brings a muffuletta or Cuban to the discussion; Schroeder’s New Deli pairs pizza with fried mushrooms; and Doug’s Deli Downtown gives sandwich and burger fans another lunch option.

Harvest Moon offers Southern dishes, John Henry’s a broader grill menu, and Moe’s Original Bar B Que barbecue with familiar sides. Jefferson’s belongs on the list for local favorites including fried pickles and wings.

For an evening when dinner deserves its own place on the itinerary, Chophouse on Broad offers the steakhouse option. Compare the menus and opening hours below before committing: an early deli lunch and a leisurely steak dinner fit very different spaces on a festival schedule.

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Ana's by the River, at 315 Broad Street, offers sandwiches, salads, rotolos, lasagna, wings and burgers. Offerings include a classic New Orleans-style muffuletta and an amazing Cuban.

It makes sense for a group that wants familiar lunch-and-dinner choices without committing to a steakhouse occasion.

Its posted hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m.–7:30 p.m., making an early dinner more practical than a meal after a late screening.

Schroeder's New Deli, at 406 Broad Street, has the broadest deli-meets-pizza identity of these stops, with sandwiches, pizza, calzones, wings and nachos. Pizza is a favorite with local diners, and the fried mushrooms deserve a place on the order.

The courtyard and varied menu make it a natural candidate when one person wants a sandwich and another wants to split a pie.

Order around your available time rather than assuming a downtown favorite guarantees a quick turnaround on festival weekend.

Doug's Deli Downtown, at 606 Broad Street, brings sandwiches, soups, smash burgers and baked treats into the comparison.

The Doug’s Double smashburger, with American cheese, grilled onions, bread-and-butter pickles and Doug’s sauce, gives burger fans a place to start; chicken salad is another option for a deli lunch.

It is particularly useful for an early meal or takeout plan, and its listed Friday service continues until 8 p.m.

Saturday closes at 3 p.m., however, and Sunday is closed, so save that stop for the right part of the weekend.

Harvest Moon Cafe, at 234 Broad Street, is the option for a broader sit-down meal, with choices extending beyond deli food into Southern-influenced dishes and other entrees.

Consider the Red Headed Stranger burger, topped with pimento cheese, candied jalapeños, bacon and onion straws, or shrimp and grits for a fuller Southern-style meal.

It also offers a useful Sunday plan: brunch is listed from 10:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m., with restaurant service continuing into the evening.

That flexibility matters when other kitchens have already closed.

Chophouse on Broad Street, at 239 Broad Street, fits the planned dinner occasion, with steaks, seafood and sides. This local steakhouse earned a 2025 Best of Georgia award in the steakhouse category from the Georgia Business Journal and has won multiple OpenTable Diners’ Choice awards.

Filet mignon and the signature filet-and-lobster-tail combination are two choices for making dinner an occasion.

Reservations are advised, and Friday and Saturday service runs from 5–10 p.m., so allow a generous dinner window before a screening. Expect generous portions, upscale flavors, top-shelf wine and spirits, and a check that reflects that quality.

It is closed Sunday under the current schedule.

John Henry's Grill, at 233 Broad Street, provides a middle path for companions choosing among burgers, seafood, pasta and steaks.

The brisket tacos and grouper sandwich are two menu choices worth considering when you want something beyond a burger.

Its Friday and Saturday hours extend to 10 p.m., while Sunday service ends at 3 p.m.

Think Sunday lunch here, rather than dinner before the closing concert.

Jefferson’s, at 340 Broad Street, adds a casual wings-and-burgers stop to the downtown choices.

Fried pickles and wings are local favorites: start with the hand-breaded pickle chips, then consider the signature Double Dipped wings for a crisp finish and plenty of flavor.

It makes sense for a relaxed meal with friends, particularly when the table wants appetizers to share rather than a formal dinner.

Friday and Saturday hours run from 11 a.m.–11 p.m., with Sunday service from 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m., adding another evening option for the festival’s closing day.

Moe's Original BBQ, at 101 West First Street, makes smoked meats and Southern sides the point of the meal.

Pulled pork, chicken and other barbecue choices give it a different identity from both the delis and the steakhouse.

Try the pulled-pork sandwich or smoked chicken with Alabama-style white barbecue sauce, with banana pudding as an option if there is room for dessert.

Posted daily hours are 11 a.m.–9 p.m., including Sunday.

For RIFF weekend, choose Ana's or Doug's around their earlier closing times, Schroeder's for a varied casual order, Jefferson’s for fried pickles and wings, and the remaining stops according to the occasion.

Confirm hours before heading out, and tell your server when you have a screening to catch.

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