Are there good cheap places to eat in Rome the equivalent to our weatherspoons?

Question

I am looking to staying in Rome a while and like to eat Italian food. Here in the UK you can get great meal deals in the weatherspoon pubs and wonder if Italy has a similar place?

Answer 1

Yes there are a lot of them and we call these places "trattoria".
However be careful and always give a look to the price list (generally they are exhibited outside of the entrance door) because sometimes they are expensive "restaurants" but called "trattoria" for a fancy ...fashion: Mainly in Rome there are a lot of VIPs that begin frequenting these places and suddenly prices rise till the double.In Rome is very easy to move by the subway and reach areas where you can find cheap trattorias.
It will take just a few hours when you'll be there to know where to go (it's enough you meet some other British that is there since a while and ask them for proper informations).
Absolutely don't listen to the taxi-drivers; they often receive a commission from the restaurant they suggest to you.....
In case of doubts the first day (and/or the second) go to eat a good pizza; that's good and cheap (almost) everywhere.
I'm sorry but I can't suggest you any place where to eat because I'm not going to Rome since a longtime (but I know how it runs) and I've fotgotten these names.
Enjoy and...good luck.

Answer 2

Rome is a very pedestrian oriented city (they should tell the drivers that though). You are never going to be put in a corner where a lunch is going to blow the budget. There are a million places which have what I call "NY Pizza" where the pizza is pre-cooked and sitting in a window - you tell them what you want and they put it in the oven to warm it up. It's only 2 or 3 euros. If you want a traditional pizza where it is cooked to order it's about 10-12 euros but enough for two for a lunch. Often, a lunch will include a glass of wine. Bottled water is typically expensive on the street 2-3 euros. I buy mine at a grocery store when I get there (I think I paid 1.8 euros for 6) and keep them in the hotel room. Two other alcoholic drinks I can think of are grappa and limoncello. Grappa is the distilled fermentation of wine-making by-products and is typically 100 proof or more. Limoncello is lemon flavored liqueur. Sambuca is an anise flavored liquor, but I've never looked for it in Italy.

Answer 3

We like to stay at the Hotel Delle Muse because guests of the hotel can have delicious 3-course meals for just 15 euro per person. You can read all about the hotel on our web site: http://www.thetravelzine.com

Have a wonderful time in Rome, one of our favorite destinations.