Good and reasonably-priced food near the Vatican?
I'll be going to Rome in mid-February, and staying near the Vatican. I'm looking for restaurant suggestions in Rome that are grad-student-budget friendly (anywhere, since I'll be walking all over the city during the day) and also restaurants near the Vatican (I'm taking my mom with me, so staying near the Vatican and not having her walk throughout the city would be good for dinner). Also, where can I find the best carbonara and amatriciana?
By kcchan
on Jan 24, 2007 09:09 AM
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Here are a couple (cut out of some old posts of mine - we and our college-aged kids liked both these places a lot. Out of range for the touristic mess between the Vatican and Tiber, where good meals are hard to find. Metro for these is Ottaviano, I think. -
In the Prati district, convenient to the Vatican Museum - Osteria dell' Angelo, Via G. Bettola 24 - a Slowfood spot - offer a very good fixed price lunch deal limited choices, roman food , including a very good carbonara, etc.- they have an oven they fire up in the evenning but we were there at noon on Christmas Eve - patrons mostly local, groups of guys, families with strollers, all sorts - servers of character - supposedly ex-rugby players and looked it. Friendly and real - reasonable.
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Ditto L'Isola della Pizza at Via degli Scipioni, 43-47. Pizza (also in Prati near the Vatican Mus.) at lunch is not all that common in Rome - this place offers fine wood oven pizzas along with a fine antipasti spread and I am sure other good things - Convivial good humored atmosphere, patrons from local business people to students - their pizzas were excellent. The owner/guy in front of the huge oven is reputed to be an avid hunter and game is featured in season - on a non-food note, funny sanitizing toilet is worth seeing - a new thing in Rome.
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Last time I was in Rome some friends and I stumbled on Al Pallazzola behind the Ministry of Justice building, not far from the Piazza Cavour. It was a very unglamorous trattoria like the ones I remembered from my student days in the early 80's. The food, as I recall, was decent and reasonable -nothing fancy,though. Just your basic Roman meal.
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Thanks! I appreciate the help - I'll be sure to write down the suggestions.
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Regarding the L'Isola della Pizza recomendation, are you saying they are open for lunch?
I'm taking my mom and dad to rome this march, and a decent lunch spot is what I'm looking for...
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both of the places I recommended are open for lunch. You might want to check closing days vs. your schedule though. Each will be closed one scheduled day in the week (but these two are not closed the same day)
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I went to great restaurant just next to the Vatican. It is called Ostera dei Pontefici. I went in and the grandeur of it all overwhelmed me a bit but when I was directly greeted by the owner at the door, shown the menu (which had really cheap prices) I had a 3 course meal and paid only £25 for it all! The pizza was great and the anti pasti was great. And best off all it was near my hotel just off st peter square and I went back each day!
This i the link to their site http://www.osteriadeipontefici.com - its got a map and menu etc
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Also in the area behind the Justice building is a small family run spot called Piccola Irpinia. For lunch you can just do the antipasto spread. Great deal and really tasty. Menu prices are also fair.
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Where exactly is the "Justice building"? Is it part of Rome or of Vatican City? Do you have a street name for Piccola Irpinia or the Justice building?
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