Top Tips for Dining in Rome: Where to Eat Meals and Snacks?

The last time that we stayed in Rome, we hired a small house in the old city (Trastevere). We found that the best and most economical places to eat were the cafes used by the locals. Like any capital, Rome can be quite expensive to eat in restaurants, but if you watch where groups of local people go during their lunchtime, you can get great food at a reasonable price. I absolutely love just wandering around the streets of this area. You turn a corner and find an amazing piece of history!

Eat in the cafes that the locals use, there are always loads down the wee side streets. We went to the obvious places but also walked around and found some nice hidden gems. That was about 15 years ago though so probably changed a lot.

Use the free student guided walking tours, simple search online will point you in the right direction.

Hope you have a good time.

I went to Venice back in 2019 or something and it was so overcrowded it just wasn't enjoyable, plus the grocery store there wouldn't let me leave without scanning a receipt (when I didn't even buy anything so I had to wait for a customer to pass through).

Not a good experience. I probably would've loved Venice during the late 90's ~ Early 2000's than what it has become now.

I have been to other parts of Italy but not Rome, so all I can recommend you do is use the trains to get around.

Be careful to check if the place you are eating charge a table fee just for sitting there. I got caught out by this where they added another 20% on top of the meal (which wasn’t cheap).