thecurioussparrow

Where to Find Cheap Eats & Street Food in Rome

Wondering where to grab some delicious and affordable street food while sightseeing in Rome? From pizza and pasta to naughty deep-fried goodies, Rome is full of amazing, budget-friendly things to eat, and I’m here to give you the lowdown on exactly where to find them.

As someone who used to live in Rome and returns every year, I’ve taste-tested the best snacks and street food in the city. In this post, I’ll share my personal recommendations for places you shouldn’t miss while you’re in Rome. The places I’ve picked are great value for money; you can get tasty snacks or entire meals for less than €10, with some options coming in at as little as €2.50! 

As with my other food posts, like my list of Where to Eat Like a Local in Rome, and Where To Find The Best Pizza In Rome, I will recommend places in different districts in Rome. As with every capital city, you will find better value places the farther you venture from the tourist areas. But let’s be realistic, you’re going to want to spend quality time in Rome’s gorgeous historic centre and popular neighbourhoods like Trastevere and Testaccio. Luckily there are still many delicious, good value places in these areas if you know where to look. 

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, which means that I may earn a commission if you make a purchase by clicking a link (at no extra cost to you). This helps to keep the blog running and growing, with lots of free content for you to enjoy.

Trapizzino (Multiple locations)

Let’s start with one of my personal favourites – Trapizzino. It’s a must-try Roman invention; a triangular pocket of pizza dough stuffed with traditional fillings like polpetta al sugo (meatballs in tomato sauce), coda alla vaccinara (oxtail stew), and the utterly addictive chicken cacciatore. These pizza pockets are affordable, hearty, and deeply satisfying. A lot of people get their trapizzino to take away, but there are a few tables available in certain branches, which is useful if you are a messy eater like me! There are multiple branches scattered across the city so you will never be too far from some seriously good food. 

Cost: Around €5 per trapizzino

Location: Multiple including Mercato Centrale Roma, Trastevere, Testaccio and Prati.

Pasta Imperiale (Multiple locations)

Pasta-on-the-go might not be something you’d thought of, but in Rome it is actually quite common. There are several places around the city that offer pasta in takeaway boxes, and Pasta Imperiale is one of the very best. Here you pick the type of fresh handmade pasta you want, like fettucini, spaghetti, or gnocchi, then choose one of several sauces. These include all the big Roman hitters like cacio e pepe, arrabbiata and carbonara, but also sauces from different regions like Ragu alla Bolognese and Pesto Genovese. 

Cost: Around €8 for a generous portion. It’s takeaway-friendly and ideal if you’re craving carbs but don’t want a formal sit-down meal.

Location: Two branches; one in Monti and one along Via dei Coronari (one of the prettiest streets in Rome).  

Mordi e Vai (Testaccio neighbourhood)

One of Rome’s most beloved street food spots, Mordi e Vai serves panini (sandwiches) filled with traditional Roman recipes, like their best-selling alesso di scottona con cicoria (braised beef brisket with bitter greens) picchiapò (braised beef with tomato, onion, and carrots), vitello alla carbonara (veal carbonara) or polpetta al sugo (meatballs in tomato sauce). If you’re feeling adventurous, try a Roman specialty – trippa alla romana (tripe)!

Everything at Mordi e Vai is incredibly tasty so if you are travelling in a group, why not grab a few different ones to share? Located inside the bustling Testaccio Market, this is real local food at street food prices.

Cost: €6–7 for a big, hearty sandwich. You may need to queue but the service is very efficient.

Location: Nuovo Mercato Comunale di Testaccio, Via Beniamino Franklin, 12/E, 00153

Supplì Roma (Trastevere)

Found in the charming Trastevere neighbourhood, this place is a local institution. Their supplì (deep-fried rice balls) are really the best kind of comfort food. The bestseller is the supplì al telefono (filled with mozzarella and ragù) but you can find other flavour combinations like cacio e pepe, cuttlefish ink and shrimp, and oxtail, all of which are appetizing.

You can also find croquettes, fior di zucca (deep-fried stuffed zucchini flowers), filetti di baccala’ (codfish fillets), as well as crispy Roman-style sheet pizza by the slice. Basically everything you could possibly want! Ideal for a late-night snack or mid-afternoon refuel, your mouth will be watering before you even step inside, thanks to the aroma of the freshly-made goods wafting along Trastevere’s narrow streets.

Cost: At around €2.50-3.50 per supplì, with pizza slices priced by weight.

Location: Via di S. Francesco a Ripa, 137, 00153

Eroi Della Pizza (Prati)

Close to the Vatican, this hole-in-the-wall pizzeria offers crispy Roman-style pizza al taglio with generous toppings. My favourite is their crispy pizza bianca, topped with sliced potatoes and rosemary and filled with juicy porchetta, from the nearby Castelli Romani area. Along with pizza, there’s an excellent variety of supplì, costing around €2.50 each. You will have a hard time choosing between the scrumptious flavours, like amatriciana, cacio e pepe, and ‘nduja (a spicy Calabrian sausage). 

Located around eight minutes from the Vatican Museum entrance, Eroi Della Pizza is great for a quick bite before or after some sightseeing. Better still, it’s open until 2am, so if your foodie cravings are keeping you awake, you can go grab a quick late-night slice. 

Cost: Pricing here, as with all pizza al taglio places, is done by weight. Just point at the one you want on the counter and show how big or small a slice you want. Supplì start from €2.50. 

Location: Piazzale degli Eroi, 6, 00192

Zia Rosetta (Monti)

This cozy little spot in the Monti neighbourhood specializes in panini, served in crusty rosetta-style rolls. There are a host of interesting fillings to enjoy here, ranging from classic Italian combos like mortadella and pistachio cream or buffalo mozzarella and sun-dried tomato to the obscurely named “Brexit” (*sad cry*) panini, with roast beef, sautéed escarole (an Italian green leafy vegetable), walnuts, olives, raisins, and a mustard vinaigrette. There are also plenty of vegetarian options here too, as well as a few for vegans (quite rare in Rome).

With so many tasty options to choose between, you may struggle with what to order. Luckily, Zia Rosetta offers cute mini rolls too, meaning you can try a few different combinations without getting too full. There are a few seats on the premises, but if they are all taken, you can enjoy your sandwich in the nearby Piazza della Madonna, one of the best spots for people-watching in Monti.

Cost: Classic size sandwiches range between €6.50 to 7.50 while the mini rolls are around €3 each. 

Location: Via Urbana, 54, 00184

Altro Pasta e Vino (Testaccio market)

Altro Pasta & Vino is another excellent spot for affordable pasta in a casual setting. Served on paper plates, you can choose from two sizes – piccola (170g) and grande (220g). The menu features Rome’s best pasta dishes like gricia, carbonara, cacio e pepe and amatriciana, along with seasonal dishes using high-quality dishes from the Lazio region.

There is a small bench with some stools to sit on, but you can also take your food away to eat in the seated area of the Testaccio Market hall. You can also buy fresh pasta and pre-made lasagne to take away and cook at your accommodation.

Cost: Prices vary between €5-7, depending on the portion size.

Location: Via Beniamino Franklin, 12 mercato testaccio box 77, 00153

Forno Campo de ‘Fiori (Historic Centre) 

Rome’s historic centre has many pretty piazzas which attract tourists in their droves, but the food options around them are often pretty lackluster. One place that bucks the trend is Forno Campo de ‘Fiori. Founded in 1880, this historic spot in the piazza of its namesake produces freshly baked goods, with pizza rossa and pizza bianca both popular choices here. My personal fave is the pizza con la mortadella, an enormously tasty sandwich of crispy, salty pizza bread flavoured with olive oil and filled with cured meat from the Emilia-Romagna region. Simple food, but affordable and very addictive!

Grab a warm slice straight from the oven and enjoy it while exploring the Campo de’ Fiori area. Forno Campo de ‘Fiori opens early and closes around 7.30pm, making it a great spot for a cheap breakfast, lunch, or evening snack.

Cost: The price of pizza is done by weight, but ranges from around €12 to 24 per kilogram.

Location: Campo de’ Fiori, 22, 00186

Mercato Campagna Amica Farmer’s Market (Circo Massimo)

If you happen to be in Rome at the weekend and want to experience an authentic farmer’s market, make your way to Mercato Campagna Amica near Circo Massimo. This large market hall is a haven for fresh, regional products. Make your way through the stalls towards one of the vendors selling porchetta sandwiches. There are several stalls here displaying perfectly-roasted pigs, with the meat sliced fresh with every order. The sandwiches are crispy, juicy, and filled to the brim with salty, melt-in-your-mouth porchetta. Make sure they add some crispy crackling too for true sandwich heaven!

There is a nice outdoor eating area with plenty of tables and chairs available if you don’t want to eat standing up. Mercato Campagna Amica is also a good place to stock up on goodies you want to fill your suitcase with, such as locally-made wine, olive oil, cured meat, and cheese. 

Cost: A big porchetta roll is around €5-6 and makes for an excellent and filling lunch. Otherwise it’s a great spot to grab some fresh and affordable bread, porchetta, cheese, olives, and pastries for a picnic or takeaway lunch.

Location: Via di S. Teodoro, 74, 00186 (Only open Saturdays & Sundays 8am-3pm)

Fraschetta da Sandro (Testaccio)

This rustic deli in Testaccio offers up huge, appetizing panini at amazingly low prices. They are stuffed with all manner of delectable cured meats (including coppa di testa and mortadella), cheese, and grilled vegetables. If you don’t fancy a sandwich, you could get a nice meat and cheese board, which is equally delicious, affordable and generous in size. Wash your meal down with a glass of the friendly owner’s home-produced wine. This place is a real hidden gem, where you will find a stream of workers coming in for a quick takeaway on their lunch breaks. So why not join them?

Cost: €4–6 per panino

Location: Via Galileo Ferraris, 5, 00153

Food Tours in Rome

If you’d like some help navigating Rome’s incredible food scene, I suggest joining a food tour. Here are some well-rated tours for different budgets:

I hope this post has shown you that with so many delicious, budget-friendly bites available, you never have to go hungry while exploring Rome. Whether you’re on a tight travel budget or just short on time between sightseeing stops, these street food spots and cheap eateries deliver high-quality, authentic Roman flavours on the go.

If you’re planning a visit to Rome, save this guide and let your taste buds explore the Eternal City – one supplì, sandwich, or pizza slice at a time. If you have other recommendations then please let me know, as I am always on the lookout for new places to try!

Ciao for now

Izzie, the Curious Sparrow

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