1. Fiaschetteria Marini & Enoteca Buccone for lunch!

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Enoteca means wine bar in Italian, and why not have wine for lunch? There are two must visit enotecas in Rome that provide quality food and wines for low prices. The Fiaschetteria Marini, is a favorite among locals. It is located in a business area of Rome, so you will see many people in suits sitting there for lunch.

At Fiaschetteria Marini, you will receive fresh, home-made lunch with the pasta made to order. They have a variety of wines to sample and purchase. Their menu prices range from 3 – 7 EUR (3.50 to 7.50 USD). There is no outdoor seating here but they do have a lot of space indoors with seating near the windows.

Another place to go to is Enoteca Buccone. This wine cellar enoteca used to be a coach-house, then turned tavern, and now it’s a wine cellar. With floor to ceiling shelves filled with any type of wine imaginable and antiques from the last century, this enoteca has a very warm feel. Lunch is served Monday – Saturday and dinner is also now being served on Friday and Saturday only. Some of the delicious food you will find on their menu are a wide assortment of smoked fish. They serve swordfish, tuna, mackerel, and salmon. Some special dishes on the menu include delicious salads, roast sucking-pig, and salted pork. And obviously, each dish can be pared with its wines. The wines available are listed on the menu and sold by the glass. Save room for dessert because you will have some hard choices to make! Choose from cakes, jam tarts, and babà with rum and limoncello.

Fiaschetteria Marini

Address: Via Raffaele Cadorna, 9

Price: 3 – 7 EUR / 3.5 – 7.50 USD

Opening Hours: 12–3pm Mon – Sat for lunch; 7–11pm Thu – Sat for lunch and dinner. Closed Sunday.

Contact: +06 474 5534

Facebook: Fiaschetteria Marini

Enoteca Buccone

Address: Via di Ripetta, 19/20, 00186 Roma, Italy

Price: from 21 – 40 EUR / 23 – 43 USD

Opening Hours: 12:30 pm – 3:00 pm & 7:30 pm – 11:30 pm MOnday - Saturday. Closed Sunday.

Contact: +39 06 361 2154

Website: Enoteca Buccone

2. Archi di Loreto Rubei: a local favorite

It is typically good advice when visiting Rome to not eat in the center of the city…but in this case we will break the rules. Ristorante Tre Archi is a great option when eating in the center of the city. It’s located behind the Navona Square. Here at Tre Archi, you can eat delicious Italian food at reasonable prices.

I will warn you that Tre Archi is popular among locals and with only 30 seats, this restaurant fills quickly. It is a very relaxed and casual atmosphere with air conditioning, which is important in the summer in Rome. It can get very hot here!

Now, as in many restaurants in Rome, there is a 1 EUR (~1.05 USD) table charge per person. This is pretty standard. A dinner for two at Tre Archi is more food than you will be to handle, but the cost won’t ruin your appetite.

Before I tell you the price of the meal, here is a sample meal: table charge: 1 EUR (1.05 USD) per person (2 people), 1 litre of water 3 EUR (3.18 USD), Spaghetti all'amatriciana 7.5 EUR (7.95 USD), ossobuco (stewed veal with shank bone) 9 EUR (9.53 USD), Roman-style artichokes (carciofi alla Romana) 8 EUR (8.47 USD), and coffee 1.5 EUR (1.59 USD) = 32.50 EUR (34.42 USD). AMAZING! All food is freshly made and you will be so full afterwards!

Tre Archi is all about traditional Italian cuisine. This is a must-eat restaurant on your list the next time you’re in Rome.

Archi di Loreto Rubei

Address: Via dei Coronari 233, Roma - Italy

Price: from 7 to 10 EUR / 7.5 to 11 USD

Opening Hours: Monday to Saturday 12:30 to 3pm, 7 to 10pm; Closed Sunday.

Access: 1 minute walk from the Navona Square. Along the Colonari Street, north side of the square.

Contact: +39 06 686 5890

3. Li Rioni: a big pizza pie, that's A'more!

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

Located behind the Colosseum, a local favorite pizzeria is Li Rioni. Locals typically do not eat pizza for lunch. Traditionally, pizza is served at dinner and you order a beer…yes that’s right a beer and not a wine with your meal. Pizza is a meal for one, so you order a whole one for yourself.

Li Rioni is so popular that it is recommended that you book a reservation in advance. It opens at 7 pm and by 8 pm the place is full and a waiting list starts. It is only open until midnight. Pizzas range from 8 to 9 EUR (8.50 to 9.75 USD) and this does not include a beverage.

When you’re in Italy you can’t leave without having pizza and Li Rioni is the place to go!!

Li Rioni

Address: Via Dei Santi Quattro, 24 00184 Roma

Price: 8 to 9 EUR / 8.65 to 9.75 USD

Opening Hours: 7 pm to 12 am; Closed Tuesdays.

Access: Take a visit to the Colosseum

Contact: +39 0670450605

Website: Li Rioni

You won't leave hungry

With so much to see and do in Rome, you will work up an appetite. We promise you that you won’t be disappointed or hungry. Eating out shouldn’t “eat you out of house and home” but be an enjoyable experience. Now that you know a few restaurants in Rome that won’t hurt the wallet, you will have more to spend at other fantastic restaurants that you come upon.

Never be afraid to wonder down a side street or alley — you never know what gem of a restaurant or cafe you may come across.