I read somewhere that there is a restaurant or cafeteria in or just outside the Vatican that has good food and is filled with priests. The food is supposed to be good and reasonable. I can't find it in my notes. Anyone know what I am talking about? Thanks for helping.

Il Matriciano?

There is a cafeteria inside the Vatican. We didn't eat there so I can't comment on the food - but bad food in Italy is difficult to find (outside Venice).

Eskcrunchy, that might be it...fits the description but might be pricier than I thought.

This fit the bill the day I ate there...definitely filled with priests.

From my trip report:
"A good find for me was one in National Geographic Traveler that arrived just as I left home. Ristorante Arlu on Borgo Pio near the Vatican was a great stop post-Basilica touring and on the way to Castel Sant'Angelo. It was full of priests the day I walked in for lunch, and remained full the entire time I was there. I had the insalata caprese, rigatoni con salsiccia, apple cake and cappuccino. I have 22E written down for this one. It was really good in a neighborhood where I'd been led to believe there weren't any "good" choices!"

Arlu was also recommended in Gourmet magazine a while back.
Only 12 tables at that time. Borgo Pio 135 tel 06 686 8936

Don't know the answer to your question. But we found out the hard way that you do not order anything in a restaurant close to the Vatican without first asking the price. No prices were posted in this particular restaurant - why we didn't pick up on this I don't know - tired and hungry I guess. But what we had was very good but we would never go back to this restaurant.

Avoid, if it's still there, the "Snack Bar", a private enterprise, that was/is located across the street from the entrance/ exit of the Vatican museum. I had read several postings on message boards that the menu prices were NOT what was charged, and that the owners inflated the final prices and added "extra charges" for an exorbitant rip-off.

forgot to add, that I did have lunch in the Vat. museums cafeteria, and the food was fresh and good. Go slightly off hours, as it was crowded.

Be careful where you eat near the Vatican. The only bad food we had in Italy was in a restaurant near the Vatican. We were hungry so marched down the street and were solicited to eat in a restaurant, where the food wasn't good, the prices weren't good, and they kept trying to convince us to order bruschetta. "Bruscetta, bruschetta, bruschetta," insisted the waiter, over and over, until we gave up and ordered it! We were the only customers.

Everywhere else in Italy had good food!