From the most authentic Italian pasta to the richest servings of gelato,
Rome is the ultimate culinary paradise. Where else would you indulge in Italian cuisine rather than the Italian capital? As such, if you were ever to live here, you'd want to eat out regularly, right? Why cook for yourself when you can eat at a traditional trattoria nearby? Well, much like practically everything else in this world, eating out in Rome regularly comes with a few pros and cons. It'd be great if you could afford it for one thing, but what if you can't? At the same time, what if you're not familiar with Italian dining etiquette or don’t understand Italian yourself?
Pros
Indulge in The Most Authentic Italian Cuisine
Where is the best place to get Italian food? The Italian capital, of course! While many other parts of Italy can rightfully argue that they do Italian food best, there's still nothing quite like Rome's culinary scene. They don't just serve Italian cuisine too! Naturally, the city also specializes in Roman food. Take Pasta alla Carbonara., for example. While it's a famous dish that you could find just about anywhere else in the world that also serves Italian food, spots like Osteria da Fortunata on Via del Pellegrino or Cantina e Cucina on Via del Governo Vecchio are known as the best places to get them.
Italian Food is Healthy Overall
If there's one cuisine that you'll want to eat almost every single day, it's Italian. Not only is it rich, flavorful and always fulfilling, but it's quite healthy too. Even more so since the best places to eat here, specifically the
Michelin-starred restaurants in Rome, only use fresh ingredients. Not all of them are organic, but rest assured that they're of the highest quality. And as long as you maintain your diet and ensure it's as balanced as it can be, you'll barely have to worry about risking your health here. Doesn't sound too bad, does it?
Get Some Much-Needed Fresh Air
Go to any
neighborhood in Rome and you'll instantly realize that most of its restaurants offer al fresco dining. The city practically started it! Many of the best places to eat in Rome lets you dine outside and get some sunshine. AcquaRoof Terrazza Molinari, Bistrot di mare on Via del Vantaggio, Babette in Via Margutta, and Cuoco & Camicia on Via di Monte Polacco are some of the best examples of this. So instead of eating alone at home or in your office, eating out in Rome regularly allows you to get as much sun as you want. You'd sooner turn tan here than if you went to the beach in Southern Italy!
Meet New People Along The Way
Italians are pretty passionate about food. They're just as passionate about eating it as they are making it. As such, many locals in Rome eat out regularly, making restaurants, trattorias, bistros, and more the perfect places to meet new people. So when go out for lunch or dinner, you'd do well to be as friendly as possible. Compliment the chef on their work and they'll regard you as their new best friend just like that! And while it's not exactly good manners to interrupt people when they're eating, talking to them before or afterward is a nice way to make new friends. Such are the
customs in Italy, especially in Rome.
Cons
You Have to Adjust to Their Food Culture
When you
move to Rome, you understandably have to adjust to their culture. This applies to their food and dining culture too. For one thing, if you prefer to eat out for breakfast, expect to have to drink coffee like an Italian. In other words, get used to espresso shots! They also eat lunch and dinner a little later than what you're likely used to. If you used to eat lunch at noon on the dot, expect to start it at 12:30 pm at the earliest. As for dinner, most start at around 8:00 pm instead of 7:00 pm like many other countries.
It Can Get Pretty Expensive
You don't need anyone to tell you that eating out in Rome regularly will cost a lot of money.
Rome's living costs are already high and if you choose to dine in a restaurant for all of your meals, your daily expenses will increase exponentially. The average price for a meal in the city ranges from €20.00 to €30.00 per person, and that's only among affordable or mid-range restaurants. If you go to pricier places, you'll naturally have to spend more. These prices might not seem much now, but when you accumulate them over time, you'll find that they've already used up a good chunk of your money.
Popular Restaurants are Often Crowded
If money isn't an issue for you, then you can and will want to eat only at the best places, right? There in comes another con: crowds! Possibly the worst thing about eating out regularly in Rome is that many of its most popular spots are often crowded. Some are filled to the point that you'll have to call days, weeks, or even months before you can get a table. This isn't that much of a problem if you can eat anywhere, but if there are places that you want to frequent more, and they happen to be famous, then the challenge is real!
It Can Get Old Pretty At Times
Rome may be the best place to get Italian food but for other cuisines, it's a bit tough. This isn't to say that there are no foreign foods on offer here, but they're few and far between. For instance, for every 100 traditional trattorias around the corner, there are only about 10 to 15 restaurants that serve foreign cuisines. Other European cuisines like French and Greek are more common, but for everything else, you'll need to exert the extra effort to find them. Hence, if you eat out in Rome regularly, there's a good chance that Italian food will get old to you sooner than you think.
Can you eat out in Rome regularly? You'll need the right budget, a passion for Italian food, and the patience to get into busy restaurants that are often crowded. Eating out in this food capital is much more challenging than you might expect.
