Eating in Rome

We're heading to Rome from May 21st to 24th. Does anyone know some good spots (restaurants) for affordable meals in the city center while we're sightseeing? Thanks

You say downtown, but I assume you mean the historic center—it’s not exactly the same thing. Almost everywhere, you’ll see tourist menus for under 20 €, sometimes even under 15 €. Despite the name, you’ll eat much more like an Italian there than if you order pizza or pasta as a main course. Italians don’t think these places are amazing, but it’ll still be way better than the fake Italian restaurants in France. Otherwise, in Rome just like in France, cheap never rhymes with very good

Hi, A budget-friendly option is to buy a slice of takeaway pizza (pizza al taglio), which you can complement by picking up some fruit and drinks from a convenience store, plus a nice gelato.

We're going to Rome from May 21st to 24th. Does anyone know some places (restaurants) where we can eat affordably in the city center while sightseeing? Thanks!

Hello! There are some great spots in Rome where you can eat without spending too much. There are still some old-school taverns where Italians do the cooking. Some Trattorias with a good reputation have Pakistanis cooking. Anyway, there’s a bit of everything... It’s all about luck and price.

Stick to the side streets rather than the main avenues. And check out who’s coming out of the restaurants—that often gives you a good idea.

In the evening, the Trastevere district is great for grabbing a drink, eating, and soaking up the awesome vibe...

thanks, I meant lunch between two visits without spending the whole day at the restaurant.

thanks, I meant lunch between two visits without spending the whole day (at the restaurant).

So, a quick quarter-slice of pizza and that’s it.

The best solution is actually a slice of pizza "al taglio" (takeaway by the slice) or panini or tramezzini from a bar or a "tavola calda" (a café that serves quick sit-down meals). 80% of cafés serve good quick meals—just check how busy they are around 1:15 PM. A few names that come to mind: Bar San Marcello on Via San Marcello, Bar Friends, and Forno Campo de’ Fiori.

Thanks for your replies, and I’ll take note.

Last time I went to Venice (so, in Italy), I asked in a shop to point me to a good, typical restaurant. The lady took me to a nice little 100% Italian joint. I think it’s the same in Rome—trust the locals, who definitely don’t eat at touristy restaurants.

it's gonna be tough, I don't speak any Italian at all

it’s gonna be tough—I don’t speak any Italian at all

Bummer…

Pizza and Coke—it’ll do!

it’s never a problem to eat :-) in bars, the tramezzini (sandwiches) and lunch dishes are usually on display in the "vitrine" and Romans are really welcoming—they’ll make an effort to understand you

Hi,

We ended up walking into this restaurant completely by chance because it started pouring rain, and we were so happy with it that we went back later. The food is really good and not too expensive.

To find a restaurant that's not crowded with tourists on your own, it's simple: you go on TripAdvisor and check the languages of the reviews. In the example below, 537 out of 562 reviews are in Italian—you can go there (but the price range is 30-50 €). www.tripadvisor.fr/...azzi-Rome_Lazio.html Counterexample below: only 246 Italian reviews out of 1,142, and yet—maybe because of that—it's cheap (price range 7-30 €). Avoid it! www.tripadvisor.fr/...eria-Rome_Lazio.html

Try the site Lafourchette for discounts and to read reviews.

I ate well in Rome for around 30 € in Zone 2.

But it's true that you don’t eat the best food in the historic center because it’s too touristy.

And obviously, I don’t agree with the person who keeps saying cheap = bad. In Italy, it’s often in the cheap little eateries where I’ve eaten the best...

Though Rome is a bit of an exception.

And thankfully, not everyone eats like a glutton, stuffing themselves with pasta and a main course.

Check out the San Lorenzo neighborhood.

I completely agree that in Italy, price isn’t a factor at all. You can eat well pretty much anywhere, and I think some of my best Italian culinary memories were in small, local spots with real *cucina casalinga*.

There you go!

That said, it's true that the restaurants with cheap menus in central Rome aren't the best. A bit like the restaurants with 12 € menus near Saint-Michel in Paris. They're clearly for tourists.

Better to grab a pizza al taglio or a good panini.

Oh yes, we were there a few years ago and followed the same rule we used back in the 70s: take a peek inside the restaurant (or outside if there's only a terrace) and look for this—if you see a few clergy members, you can pretty much go in without worry. It can't be bad!

Watch out for pizzerias: they absolutely must have a pizza oven for the pizzas to be at least edible. Some places serve pre-frozen or reheated pizzas... avoid them!

But it’s not a bad idea to check out *Le Routard* too—their picks are often excellent!

Enjoy your meal!

JP

luckily I don’t eat at your place because you must not know the difference between a chicken at 3 € per kg from Lidl and a Bresse chicken at 13 €. That’s exactly what I said earlier: when you only know Italian cuisine from the pseudo-Italian restaurants in France and have never eaten at real Italian places, you might think the cheap stuff is good. As for the idea of stuffing yourself... a Lyonnais salad in Lyon or a Gersoise salad in Gers, with the bread you eat with it, is way more than 85 g of pasta—the standard portion in a quality restaurant. Never commit a crime in Italy—every meal in prison is *primo* and *secondo*.

I ate really well in Italy, no worries, and I check reviews on TripAdvisor or TheFork—I don’t just go anywhere. Reviews from Italians, of course.

After pasta, I can’t imagine eating a main dish *and* sides. But sometimes I’d have pasta and a main without sides because, generally, sides don’t appeal to me. And 85g of pasta with sauce and a dessert is clearly enough for me, yeah.

I go according to my budget.

At home, I don’t cook, so my habits might not suit you. To eat better, I go to restaurants. Long live TheFork!

Hi there! You could say Rome has plenty to offer when it comes to restaurants! And plenty to get lost in...

I’d recommend Agrodolce, which is just a stone’s throw from the Trevi Fountain but isn’t a tourist trap at all! For quick pizzas, check out Trieste Pizza—they make mini ones you can eat on the go or take away. For more spots handpicked by locals, take a look at this page: https://bonjourrome.fr/restaurant-rome/!

Buon appetito! !