Budget friendly restaurants in Rome
Apr 30th, 2016, 11:33 AM
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Budget friendly restaurants in Rome
I will be raveling with my two boys this summer to Rome and I was looking for some suggestions for
budget friendly but delicious restaurants in Rome ... many thanks
budget friendly but delicious restaurants in Rome ... many thanks
Apr 30th, 2016, 02:21 PM
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I am a single mother traveling with two boys to Rome -
I just would love some reccomendations for dinner
I am personally a non meat eater and my two sons will each meat but I
would say a pasta and fish and beef would be great for all. I have been to
Rome many times but on a whole other kind of trip with friends and for work with an unlimited dinner budget. This is not the case. We are renting an amazing apartment in Piazza Navona and may cook a few nights but I would love some budget quality restaurants .. I can't give a budget exactly so whatever you feel would not be breaking the bank... many thanks
I just would love some reccomendations for dinner
I am personally a non meat eater and my two sons will each meat but I
would say a pasta and fish and beef would be great for all. I have been to
Rome many times but on a whole other kind of trip with friends and for work with an unlimited dinner budget. This is not the case. We are renting an amazing apartment in Piazza Navona and may cook a few nights but I would love some budget quality restaurants .. I can't give a budget exactly so whatever you feel would not be breaking the bank... many thanks
Apr 30th, 2016, 04:37 PM
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There are restaurants with very good food - often at modest prices - in almost every neighborhood. You just need to check the me u and price list out front. I would also ask the people you are renting the apartment from for the names of a few in the immediate neighborhood.
Two issues:
You don;t say how old the boys are but in their teems some are just eating machines and may find Italian portions too small and want more courses - or lots of snacks (when my brother was 14 to 16 and "filling out", after shooting up 9" in one year, he once came home and as an after school snack ate sandwiches of the entire meat loaf my mother had for the family dinner. And 3 hours later was ready for dinner. This is not uncommon at that age.)
Sodas are tiny, expensive and there are no refills. I would get them used to drinking water with meals instead - or that can eat up a lot of money - and isn;t good for them anyway. (I admit on a longer trip I do make a stop at a McDonalds at one point - just so I can get a giant diet coke with extra ice. But that will hold me for 2 weeks.)
Two issues:
You don;t say how old the boys are but in their teems some are just eating machines and may find Italian portions too small and want more courses - or lots of snacks (when my brother was 14 to 16 and "filling out", after shooting up 9" in one year, he once came home and as an after school snack ate sandwiches of the entire meat loaf my mother had for the family dinner. And 3 hours later was ready for dinner. This is not uncommon at that age.)
Sodas are tiny, expensive and there are no refills. I would get them used to drinking water with meals instead - or that can eat up a lot of money - and isn;t good for them anyway. (I admit on a longer trip I do make a stop at a McDonalds at one point - just so I can get a giant diet coke with extra ice. But that will hold me for 2 weeks.)
Apr 30th, 2016, 06:23 PM
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Papa's Cafe in Via Dell Orso is cheap and cheerful - good sized portions too.
https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Resta...ome_Lazio.html
Navona Notte has wood fired pizza and is also reasonable
https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Resta...ome_Lazio.html
As a ballpark expect to pay around 8-12 euro for a plate of pasta, around 1 euro for a coffee, 3-4 euro for a soda/soft drink, around 5-10 euro for a pizza.
Of course there is Subway and McDonalds if your boys are starving. The purists will be horrified but nothing wrong with a quick bite at McDonalds to placate a hungry teenager - and you'll find they are full of locals who certainly aren't snotty about eating there. There is a McDonalds near the Trevi Fountain and one near the Spanish Steps (also another at Termini station).
https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Resta...ome_Lazio.html
Navona Notte has wood fired pizza and is also reasonable
https://www.tripadvisor.com.au/Resta...ome_Lazio.html
As a ballpark expect to pay around 8-12 euro for a plate of pasta, around 1 euro for a coffee, 3-4 euro for a soda/soft drink, around 5-10 euro for a pizza.
Of course there is Subway and McDonalds if your boys are starving. The purists will be horrified but nothing wrong with a quick bite at McDonalds to placate a hungry teenager - and you'll find they are full of locals who certainly aren't snotty about eating there. There is a McDonalds near the Trevi Fountain and one near the Spanish Steps (also another at Termini station).
Apr 30th, 2016, 11:14 PM
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The pizza by the slice and suppli to be found at local pizza by the slice places are better in all aspects (taste, price, health, environment, economy, sustainability....) than subway or mcdonalds. That some locals eat at these places doesn't mean anything, as anywhere in the world, locals here also don't always care about what is good (childhood obesity in italy is increasing parallel to the appearance of these places). Seek out the better pizza by the slice places for snacks for the boys and you'll be fine (for example roscioli forno on via dei chiavari or forno del campo on campo dei fiori, supplizio on via dei banchi vecchi ).
May 1st, 2016, 02:30 AM
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Well saying Subway - basically a salad sandwich - is destroying the Earth is a tad far fetched and good old McDonalds - what an easy target. It's highly unlikely the OP will go there anyway.
The pizza slice is a good idea. There is a bakery called Antico Forni on Via della Scrofa on the junction with Via dei Portoghesi that does pizza this way - they also sell cakes that are just too pretty to eat (there is a great wine shop next door too).
The pizza slice is a good idea. There is a bakery called Antico Forni on Via della Scrofa on the junction with Via dei Portoghesi that does pizza this way - they also sell cakes that are just too pretty to eat (there is a great wine shop next door too).
May 1st, 2016, 06:16 AM
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I guess I was looking for a lovely budget restaurant maybe with outdoor space to have dinner ..something memorable for the kids but on my budget... its just my personal taste but we never do fast food in NYC besides pizza so it is highly unlikely we would do that in Europe.. but pizza yes. I know there are many places to get food and make yourself a delicious fresh sandwichs for lunch but I was looking for a few recommendations for dinners ... and the location does not matter much since we will be walking all over the city and I can coordinate with our location... In my opinion there is nothing worse than being on budget and having a less than average meal. I am grateful for all the help .
May 1st, 2016, 07:49 AM
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Recalling our first trip to Rome - about 11 years ago; it was an unplanned trip to to visit our daughter, who had taken a position as an au pair there a few months earlier.
We were definitely on a budget - rented a small apartment not even close to the city attractions (more in a working class neighborhood at the far end of the metro) - and we were pretty shocked at the cost of dining out for dinner. I remember one meal at a basic restaurant in the main part of the city. Nothing that screamed out "fancy."
The three of us had small salads and shared a simple pasta dish, which was spaghetti with a bolognese sauce. Three glasses of red table wine. The bill came to the equivalent of $100.
Of course the exchange rate (dollars/euros) wasn't as favorable then, but it was still a surprise.
It's often the "cuberto," or cover charge for sitting down at a table that is what makes dining out so expensive.
We found that by having "stand-up" lunches at pizza delis, or carry-out and eating in a piazza, or bringing along grocery-store snacks for our outings during the day ... and then having all of our breakfasts and most dinners in our apartment, we were able to stay within our budget. You may have a more generous budget than we had, but I would think with two boys, it could get expensive fast to go to restaurants often.
We were definitely on a budget - rented a small apartment not even close to the city attractions (more in a working class neighborhood at the far end of the metro) - and we were pretty shocked at the cost of dining out for dinner. I remember one meal at a basic restaurant in the main part of the city. Nothing that screamed out "fancy."
The three of us had small salads and shared a simple pasta dish, which was spaghetti with a bolognese sauce. Three glasses of red table wine. The bill came to the equivalent of $100.
Of course the exchange rate (dollars/euros) wasn't as favorable then, but it was still a surprise.
It's often the "cuberto," or cover charge for sitting down at a table that is what makes dining out so expensive.
We found that by having "stand-up" lunches at pizza delis, or carry-out and eating in a piazza, or bringing along grocery-store snacks for our outings during the day ... and then having all of our breakfasts and most dinners in our apartment, we were able to stay within our budget. You may have a more generous budget than we had, but I would think with two boys, it could get expensive fast to go to restaurants often.
May 1st, 2016, 08:49 AM
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Sorry - but in most neighborhoods there are local family restaurants (run by families) that have wonderful food. I can't reco since I never took note of the names of these places (just the more upscale ones) but there are many where one plate of pasta and 3 small salads won't cost $100 (sound like directly in Piazza Navona of similar).
And with the prices out front how can it be a surprise anyway?
And with the prices out front how can it be a surprise anyway?
May 1st, 2016, 09:18 AM
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<<something memorable for the kids but on my budget>>
But we still have no idea what your budget is, and you seem to be unusually secretive about it.
What would constitute, for you, the price of a reasonable dinner for your group in the type of place you describe? 40 euros? 80? 150?
I have to agree that the equivalent of $100 for salads, a shared plate of bolognese, and 3 glasses of table wine sounds exorbitant, and that there are family-run places all over Rome where you can do a lot better than that. But we DO need to know what you feel is reasonable to spend; otherwise, everyone is throwing darts at an unknown target.
It's coperto, not cuberto.
But we still have no idea what your budget is, and you seem to be unusually secretive about it.
What would constitute, for you, the price of a reasonable dinner for your group in the type of place you describe? 40 euros? 80? 150?
I have to agree that the equivalent of $100 for salads, a shared plate of bolognese, and 3 glasses of table wine sounds exorbitant, and that there are family-run places all over Rome where you can do a lot better than that. But we DO need to know what you feel is reasonable to spend; otherwise, everyone is throwing darts at an unknown target.
It's coperto, not cuberto.
May 1st, 2016, 09:42 AM
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Thanks, StCirq. Coperto! I should have looked it up when I wrote that.
I think that the cost of the meal I described was reflected in great part by the disparity between the euro and the (at the time) lowly dollar, as well as the fact that this visit occurred before the global recession. Italy was flying high at the time. We never felt that there was very much appreciation of tourists. We were pretty much taken for granted back in 2005.
Having returned in the ensuing years, I think there is a somewhat changed attitude toward tourists in many places in Italy (and a few other countries, as well.) Not trying to be disparaging or to start an argument. Just describing my own experience.
Yes, the restaurant we visited was in the touristic part of the city, but it was definitely not in Piazza Navona or any other piazza. We were looking at possibilities for a reasonable costing meal, and as I recall, this was not among the most expensive choices.
I think that the cost of the meal I described was reflected in great part by the disparity between the euro and the (at the time) lowly dollar, as well as the fact that this visit occurred before the global recession. Italy was flying high at the time. We never felt that there was very much appreciation of tourists. We were pretty much taken for granted back in 2005.
Having returned in the ensuing years, I think there is a somewhat changed attitude toward tourists in many places in Italy (and a few other countries, as well.) Not trying to be disparaging or to start an argument. Just describing my own experience.
Yes, the restaurant we visited was in the touristic part of the city, but it was definitely not in Piazza Navona or any other piazza. We were looking at possibilities for a reasonable costing meal, and as I recall, this was not among the most expensive choices.
May 1st, 2016, 10:07 AM
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No problem. I never studied Spanish, but I assume cubierto is the Spanish equivalent. Just a guess.
Sounds about right for 2005, scdreamer. The exchange rate was the pits, and you're right, Italians weren't so attuned to tourists in big cities as they are today. I probably overpaid in many a place myself back 10 years ago. Not only in Italy. I did it back when I lived in the States, too
And let's face it, we all end up having a less-than-lovely meal for a more-than-acceptable price sometimes when traveling. I live in Europe now, and it still happens to me on occasion, even when I take all the usual precautions.
But it would still be helpful to know what the OP's actual budget is!
Sounds about right for 2005, scdreamer. The exchange rate was the pits, and you're right, Italians weren't so attuned to tourists in big cities as they are today. I probably overpaid in many a place myself back 10 years ago. Not only in Italy. I did it back when I lived in the States, too
And let's face it, we all end up having a less-than-lovely meal for a more-than-acceptable price sometimes when traveling. I live in Europe now, and it still happens to me on occasion, even when I take all the usual precautions.
But it would still be helpful to know what the OP's actual budget is!
May 1st, 2016, 11:08 AM
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i am not giving a budget because I really don't have one ..
IT is just one adult and two boys ages 8 and 11. I don't drink so
there will be no wine bill... I would like to spend as little as possible
for a quality dinner with a nice local. Something small and family run is right up my alley. Sorry if the money thing seems mysterious .. its really not ...
I can say I don't want to spend $150 on a dinner ... that I can say...
IT is just one adult and two boys ages 8 and 11. I don't drink so
there will be no wine bill... I would like to spend as little as possible
for a quality dinner with a nice local. Something small and family run is right up my alley. Sorry if the money thing seems mysterious .. its really not ...
I can say I don't want to spend $150 on a dinner ... that I can say...
