Food for Italians is an integral part of their national culture, the traditions of the preparation of many dishes can be traced back to the Middle Ages. Therefore, it is not surprising that in Rome there is simply a huge number of restaurants, trattorias and pizzerias. Often, the restaurant’s menu promises the most delicious food at its tables.
When getting acquainted with the capital of Italy, you need to consider that this city is simply awash with tourists, so it’s almost impossible to find delicious food at reasonable prices in the historical center. To get real pleasure and get acquainted with the real Italian cuisine, it is worth looking into the establishments loved by the locals. When deciding where to eat tasty and inexpensive food in Rome, you should definitely look into the picturesque area of ​​Trastevere.
Trastevere - gastronomic paradise
The original Trastevere district , located on the right bank of the Tiber River, is a recognized place where every tourist can eat tasty and inexpensive in Rome. Italians come here to spend the evening with delicious food and a glass of local wine. In the evenings, the region is enveloped simply by a dizzying mixture of aromas: meat, seafood, fish, pasta - you can not resist the temptation!
Surprisingly, not only Italian dishes are prepared here. For example, in the tavern Greco Akropolis you can enjoy pleasant Greek food and chilled white wine. Or stop by at Lettere Caffe, which offers a lot of vegetarian dishes and live music in the evenings.
Trattoria at Trastevere
Among the many restaurants in the area, I would like to mention Impiccetta, which is famous for its lamb, grilled or in the oven, at the request of the client. For those who don’t like meat, delicious seafood pasta is served here. A nice nuance for those who follow the figure: in this restaurant you can order a small portion (Piccola). But it is enough to stay full. They also offer home-made wine; there is red and white in the wine list.
When deciding where to eat in Rome, you can stop by the nearby Bottega Fienaroli Bistro Restaurant. It will offer more than ten varieties of jamon and, of course, local Prosciutto ham. More precisely, this is not really ham, rather a dried pork ham prepared according to a special recipe. This meat abundance will offer more than forty varieties of craft beer brewed at local breweries.
If you want to spend a romantic evening together, you should definitely book a table at Hosteria dei Numeri Primi. There is a wide variety of fish dishes, only freshly caught fish is used for cooking. It serves homemade wine with a light fruity flavor.
Acquaintance with Italian Pasta
The traditions of Mediterranean cuisine have long been familiar in our country, and it seems that pasta can be tasted in any institution of the middle hand. However, this is not so, real Italian pasta is a whole art, and you can get confused in the types offered.
Among the places where it is tasty and inexpensive to eat in Rome, it is worth noting the restaurant Carlo Menta. Locals believe that here is the best Fatte in Casa climbing in the whole city. And here you should try spaghetti with Perfetto mussels or pasta with blue cheese. It’s good to run here for lunch, because Carlo Menta has been working since 12 noon. In the daytime, you can always find a free table here, in the late afternoon this can be a problem.
If you want to experience the true atmosphere of Rome, welcome to the Vecchia Roma Trattoria. The history of this institution has more than a hundred years, it serves real food without any pathos and economy. The menu has a lot of traditionally Roman dishes, some names are unfamiliar, but this does not matter. Quick polite waiters will help to make a choice.
Of the shortcomings, it is necessary to note the constant occupancy of the institution, you often have to wait until the table is empty. Among the visitors there are many temperamental locals, this indicates excellent cuisine in Vecchia Roma. However, among establishments where it is almost always possible to eat inexpensively in Rome, the Vecchia Roma trattoria stands out.
Neapolitan or Roman
Despite the fact that Naples is considered the birthplace of pizza, it is popular throughout Italy. Naturally, in Rome there are a huge number of establishments serving pizza for every taste.
The legendary Neapolitan pizza is baked on a lush, slightly moist layer of dough, in contrast to the thin Roman dough. It has long been the custom that quite simple ingredients and only local products are used for Neapolitan pizza.
If you want to try real Neapolitan pizza, you need to try to find the family pizzeria Est Est Est da Ricci in the dead end of one of the Roman streets. This is one of the favorite places of local pizza lovers. She has been working since 1888. Almost every evening there is a line of people wishing to enjoy delicious pizza. The secret of such success is simple - the variety of fillings is not so great, but here they carefully monitor the quality of the products.
Wood oven pizza
However, the Romans themselves prefer the classic recipe for Roman yeast-free pizza, which is baked in an old wood-burning oven. The place where it is tasty and inexpensive to eat such pizza in Rome is called Dar Poeta. The menu offers a variety of pizza options, from the classic Margarita to the signature Sarmonata with salmon. The dough itself is impressive for the base, it is unusually thin, but at the same time tender and crispy. This taste is obtained by adding olive oil to the dough (Italian cooking secret). A special feature of this establishment is its completely natural ingredients, as well as a huge selection of pizza toppings.
Cheese lovers should visit the pizzeria Formula 1, which is located near the National Museum. There is no refinement of the interior, the atmosphere is rather modest, but the price-quality ratio will pleasantly surprise anyone. This is one of the places where you can eat cheaply in Rome, while enjoying it. Pizza Quattro Formaggi (Four Cheeses), served in Formula 1, is considered one of the most delicious in the city.
Kingdom of Tiramisu
Absolutely not exaggerating, Rome can be called a paradise for lovers of sweets. The desserts that are offered for a traditional cup of espresso are beyond praise. Among the variety of desserts, I want to highlight Tiramisu, which is prepared from mascarpone cheese. This dessert is unique in that it is not baked.
The classic recipe for this dessert necessarily includes coffee, but only in Rome can you try tiramisu with more than 50 different flavors.
To do this, go to the cafe Pompi Tiramisu, where, according to local residents, they prepare the most delicious tiramisu in Italy. Here, the attention of the sweet tooth is offered new tastes of your favorite dessert - with pistachios, wild berries and even with the addition of “Pina Colada”. The cafe owners call it the “Kingdom of Tiramisu”, although here you can also try many equally attractive desserts.
Amazing ice cream of Rome
It is unacceptable to visit Rome and not try the famous Italian ice cream (Gelato). To do this, go to the cafe Giolitti, one of the oldest institutions in Rome. The ice cream served here is considered especially delicious, because it is produced right here. Such natural ice cream does not melt for a long time and refreshes well in the summer heat.
Those who care about their figure can be advised to visit the Fior di Luna ice cream parlor, which began its work back in 1952. Today, this cafe specializes in the production of low-calorie ice cream, and delicious seasonal sorbets are also prepared here.
Pleasure on the run
However, there is not always time to sit quietly at a table in a cafe and enjoy the delights of Italian cuisine. Sometimes between sightseeing in Rome there is only enough time for a quick snack on the run. To do this, on the streets of the city there are a huge number of small bistros and bars where they offer delicious food.
For example, one of the popular street food establishments is just around the corner from the Coliseum. This is Ce Stamo a PensĂ Street Food bistro, where you can always order a portion of delicious Neapolitan pizza or a plate of pasta.
Not far from the Ponte Sisto bridge is the newly opened pizzeria, where this traditional dish is served in the form of rolled cones. This non-standard way of serving absolutely does not spoil the taste of pizza, in addition, the menu offers more than ten options for the filling. And here is a good selection of desserts with fresh fruits.
When deciding where to eat cheap in Rome, you need to think about Kathmandu Fast Food, a small bistro where there are no traditional Italian dishes on the menu. But here you can try a kebab with vegetables or a dish of rice and meat curry. The portions are simply huge, no one has gone hungry yet.
Judging by the reviews, where to eat in Rome, it becomes clear that in this city there are a huge number of establishments for every taste and budget. Here I want to try everything: juicy and aromatic dishes of traditional Italian cuisine, caprese salad with buffalo milk mozzarella or handmade pasta with fresh seafood. A morning in Rome is good to start with a cup of aromatic coffee and a delicious fruit dessert.