Rome - Food for less than €30 Euros a day!

1.     Breakfast, Lunch, Snacks: Eat at the bar or standing up, it will be half of the cost of sitting down. In addition, if you sit outside, it may cost even more than sitting inside (depends on the restaurant).

2.     Breakfast – if you are staying in a hotel, most serve continental breakfast (so free), if not, buying a sandwich at a deli or café is about €2-4, café latte or cappuccinos another €1.5-2. Total cost = €6 Euros

3.     Cheaper alternative – buy food from a local grocer known as “Alimentari” and pack food to take with you on your site seeing for the day (just make sure to bring an insulated bag on your trip or just be careful with perishables). Don’t worry about water – bring a canister with you and fill at the public water fountain found throughout Rome known as the “Nasoni” – for big nose.

4.     Lunch – getting food from a local deli or café or wine bar or Tavola Calda (hot table), is typically cheaper - €2-4 for sandwich, €4-6 appetizer plate of antipasti. But if you want to splurge, eating at a Trattoria or restaurant, there is a lunch menu cost €6-9 for pasta/pizza/entrée with a drink. Total cost: on the low=€4, average=€6, and on the high=€9= Total cost @ most €9 Euros.

5.     Do get some pizzas at one of those window stand, they do weigh the pizza slice (so veggies or not, the heavier the higher the cost).

6.     Snacks – Gelatto, gelato…delicious. Its Italian ice cream made with fresh fruits, chocolate, nuts.. My favorite is Pistachio, make sure to get a taste first, some gelaterie do not put as much nuts in theirs but if you like it creamy, then that’s the way to go. It’s about €2 for one scoop, €3 for two scoops, €4 for three. Some gelaterie are cheaper, charging €1,5 for a scoop. It’s everywhere in Rome, must try.  Another favorite is Cannoli, I have never had a Cannoli this good until Rome, the shell was crispy not soggy, the cost was similar to gelato, it is about €2-4 for a Cannoli, depending on the size.   

7.     Stay away from popular tourist areas when selecting a place to eat, for instance, don’t eat at a restaurant across from the Vatican, it is going to cost more. Go to Travestere or Piazza Navona.

8.     Dinner – You can eat for free at a wine bar during happy hour if you buy a drink for €5-9. The happy hour buffet depending on the wine bar, maybe an array of deli meats, cheeses, sandwiches, grilled vegetables, pasta dish, appetizers, quiche. So pay attention when you are walking around during the day, they will have their signs up. You can always come in, take a look and walk out.

9.     Water – if you do decide to eat in a restaurant, make sure to specify Tab water, you don’t need to spend money on bottle waters; Rome has awesome drinking water (as indicated by all those Nasoni).

10.  Do not eat at a restaurant that has a menu with 7 different languages. Go for more authentic ones, Trattoria or restaurants do have dinner specials that would include an appetizer then an entrée for €8-15 Euros. And get a ¼ carafe of house wine for €3-6 Euros or ½ carafe €7-9 Euros.

Based on these suggestions:

Breakfast: €6 Euros at most

Lunch: €9 Euros at most

Dinner: €15 Euros

Totaling: €30 Euros (this is on the high side of all the suggestions above; you can easily do much less by selecting less expensive foods/drinks).