From trattorias in Trastevere to pizzerias in the historic centre: some advice on where to eat in Rome on a budget.
From pasta all'amatriciana to supplì to lamb chops:Romeit is known for its delicacies, which must be tasted when staying in the city. Being a city very popular with tourists, it can happen to run into deceptive places, which offer these dishes at exorbitant prices. However, you can eat in Rome on a budget: let's see together in which restaurants.
What and where to eat in Rome on a budget
One of the aspects that struck us most about Rome is its culinary richness. Many delicious dishes originate from the capital ofItaly, so when we go to the city we take advantage of it. If you too are planning a trip to Rome, we'll let you in on a secret… in some restaurants you can try typical specialties at low prices, while maintaining excellent quality!
The typical dishes of Rome
You must have eaten a Roman dish at least once. However, let's still try to make a recap of all the typical dishes to try while staying in the capital. For a quick snack or as an appetizer, supplì cannot be missing. This well-known Roman street food dish consists of an elongated rice-based ball of rice, filled with meat, mozzarella, provola and ham or other ingredients. The first courses are certainly the most famous specialties of Rome. How good are the Roman gnocchi, which are obtained from semolina dipped in milk with eggs au gratin with butter and Parmesan, the Carbonara, prepared with eggs, bacon and pecorino, the Gricia, a simpler version of the Carbonara without eggs, the Amatriciana and Cacio e Pepe!
As for the second courses, we advise you to try the lamb chops that are strictly eaten with the fingers, and the saltimbocca alla romana, which are slices of veal seasoned with butter, white wine, raw ham and sage. At dinner, on the other hand, you should have the typical Roman pizza at least once which, unlike the Neapolitan one, is low and crunchy. Last but not least, you could enjoy a delicious Maritozzo with cream, which the Romans often eat for breakfast.
Where to eat in Rome
Are you ready to discover the best cheap restaurants in the capital? Since Rome is very large – think that it often takes an hour to go from one part of the city to the other – we decided to divide our recommendations according to the area. So, here's where to eat on the cheap in Trastevere, Garbatella, in the historic center and in Prati.
The Trastevere district
Trastevere is a district of Rome known for its bohemian atmosphere and for its restaurants that manage to skilfully blend tradition and innovation. During your stay in the capital, you will enjoy trying the cheap trattorias in Trastevere. For example, in the Sciapò restaurant in via dei Genovesi you could enjoy pasta alla Carbonara but also lighter and fish dishes. If, on the other hand, you are looking for a place to eat pizza, we recommend the Morgue, nickname of the Ai Marmi pizzeria, located in Viale di Trastevere.
WHERE TO SLEEP IN TRASTEVERE: Find all the accommodation offers
The neighborhood of Garbatella
Garbatella, with its historic villas, is a sort of village enclosed within the city. In this area south of Rome there are many cheap restaurants. However, if you aim for the best, you should go to the Casetta Rossa in via Magnaghi. This place is known throughout the city because 75% of the ingredients used for the preparations come from zero kilometer agriculture and livestock. Another gem of the neighborhood is La Piccola Trattoria da Me in Via Rocco da Cesinale, where you will find genuine and tasty dishes at ridiculously low prices.
The historical centre
In the historic center of the city it is more difficult to find restaurants for everyone because it is the place most frequented by tourists. However, if you spend some time researching, you can find affordable restaurants in this neighborhood as well. For example, a few steps from Piazza Navona is the Antico Forno Roscioli, a historic pizzeria and pastry shop where you can taste delicious pizza by the slice and supplì. Otherwise, for Roman pizza, you could try the local Pizza Florida, located in the homonymous street. Ciao Checca in Piazza di Firenze is instead the ideal choice for you if you are looking for a particular restaurant. In fact, in this place you will find pasta, soups and centrifuges made with organic ingredients.
WHERE TO SLEEP IN THE HISTORICAL CENTER OF ROME: Find all the accommodation offers
Prati district
Prati, near Castel Sant'Angelo, is one of the most prestigious and elegant districts of the city, known for its luxurious boutiques and gourmet restaurants. Contrary to what you might think, even in this area of the city you can eat cheaply. In via degli Scipioni you will find Vuliò, a well-known street food venue with traditional Apulian dishes, and Pinsa 'mpò, a Roman pinseria with outdoor tables in via dei Gracchi.
