Eating in Rome
 

I am a solo female traveler in my late 20s traveling to Rome next week (6/24-6/30). It's my first time and I have some questions about food.

One, how prevalent is street food or eating on the go in Rome? This is a fairly budget trip for me plus as I am solo I am unlikely to eat a sit-down meal in a restaurant more than once or twice during my week there. I would like to be able to find food options that wouldn't require me sitting down in a fancy restaurant. What are my options?

Two, I have pretty interesting eating habits from my dieting days, very healthy and balanced eating. I eat 5-6 small meals a day fairly often (every 3-4 hours). Therefore, I am unlikely to eat a lot a time (in fact a typical "meal" for me in the US is about a 3rd of a normal entree in a restaurant or, if I am eating at home or at work, a string cheese, an apple and a yogurt or something like that). How and where would you recommend I eat? Do I just go to delis and buy enough food to assemble my snack/meal? Can I graze there the way I graze at home? Don't get me wrong - I can break these habits on a vacation but since my body is pretty attuned with eating little a time, I am not sure how much I can really break them. And as I am travelling solo, there is no opportunity to split anything with a travel companion... And I assume there are no "doggie bags" at Roman restaurants;)...

Given these "bizarre" guidelines, any suggestions of how to best eat in ROme would be very welcome!

Lots of options in Rome. The typical italian coffee bar, which you will find on every corner and in between, has coffee and other beverages, including alcohol. Plus they have morning pastries as well as sandwiches (panini, tremezzini) available throughout the day. These in general are not giant American-style sandwiches but smaller and more to the size you require.

The key to keeping prices down: don't sit down. These bars/cafes have a two-level pricing structure. If you stand at the bar or carry out your sandwich, it will cost half what it would cost to sit down. You'll see a price list posted somewhere that shows the price variation.

Another key to keeping prices down: Coca Cola and all sodas cost much more than coffee, water, or even wine.

Also, I bet you'll find that in restaurants the portion size is smaller than in the US. And, yes, there are markets at which you could assemble your own picnic.

Also, pizza by the kilo is sold in many bakeries. You indicate how big a piece you want, they lop off the size you request from a large rectangular pizza and slap it on a piece of paper. Then you have it weighed at the cash register and take it out to the piazza to enjoy.

What I could mnot understand is if you like wine.
If yes, at dinner time a good chance is to go to wine bar and eat a little and drink a glass of good wine.
Several smart tips of wine bar:
ANGOLO DIVINO, close to Campo de' Fiori
ENOTECA CAVOUR 313, at Via Cavour.
CUL DE SAC, very close to Piazza Navona.
VINOTECA NOVECENTO between Piazza Navona and Pantheon.
PALATIUM at Via Frattina.
Do you like pizza ?
Then, IL CARROCCIO, behind Piazza Bologna.
LA GALLINA BIANCA close to the Termini station.
As street food, the smart tip for you is, IMO, ROSTICCERI' at Corso Rinascimento.
If you like beer, then BIR& FUD, in Trastevere.

Vincenzo

My dessert suggestion (in the form of gelato).

Gelateria della Palma

It is close to the Pantheon. It has more than 100 flavors of gelato. If you have your back to the Pantheon (facing the fountain), it on the street in front of you on the right.

I was in Rome this past weekend, it was fabulous.

I would definitely go to a grocery store and by some bread, salami, cheese and fruit and you'll be set!

There are tons of casual places where you can sit and eat at minimal cost.

Besides getting picnic food and eating on a bench of the side of a fountain you will see lots of sandwhich shops, tavola calda (casual places for hot meals) and even small cafes. I urge you to spend some time enjoying Rome by sitting and watching the world go by - rather than gobbling on the run and missing seeing La Dolce Vita.

(We have gone several times in the later afternoon to the cafes across from the Pantheon - and they serve small bites for free when you buy a drink. Beautiful scene, soak up the Roman atmosphere, perhaps meet some other tourists.)

We have been known to have gelato instead of lunch when we are in Rome. Perhaps the best gelato place in Rome is Old Bridge - across the street from where people line up to get into the Vatican Museum.

alinae - I actually only ate in restaurants three times during my week in Rome. While the food in restaurants was delicious, it was a bit too heavy for my diet (here at home, I mostly eat fruit, poultry, salads, and yogurt, and soy products - and like you, I eat 5-6 small meals a day).

I found that many of the side streets in Rome had little markets, where I happily bought fruit, yogurt, bread and cheese - and occasionally a slice of something that looked vaguely like pizza or a calzone.

There were also little stands on several corners that sold delicious fruit and water, and once I found the grocery stores, it was even better. It was very, very easy to just get little "picnic" type lunches together every day (I ended up buying a little pack of plastic forks,knives, and spoons). Sometimes I would just get my little picnic and sit on some church steps or in a plaza and people watch while I ate.

Enjoy!

Thank you guys! I knew I'd get some answers here:)

To answer some questions: I do like pizza and plan to eat a LOT of gelato! I am by no means a wine connoisseur, but I plan to visit some wine bars for dinner - I have read about those.

I am gratified to know that I will not starve in Rome;) Thanks everyone!

Last year my wife and I had several meals (salads for less than $10) at Insalata Ricci. The food is light but nourishing, and there are branches on Corso Victor E, just off Piazza Navona, and in Vatican City.

Here's another vote of support for Insalata Ricci. We found their restaurants to be very "chain like", but with good tasting food that was always fresh.

The one near Victor Emanuel and Place de Argentina (sorry for what are undoubtedly spelling errors in those street names) was very nice, with outdoor seating and a great place to watch people.