Food at the Vatican? Where to have lunch?

[smartpeach]

Hi,

 

We're going to spend all day at the Vatican on April 26. We have Scavi tour at 10:45am and a museum tour at 2:00pm. I figured there's just enough time to grab a quick lunch in between tours. Can anyone recommend a nice place to have lunch at the Vatican?

 

Thanks in advance! :)

[riffatsea]

There is a cafeteria at the Vatican but I cannot vouch for the quality of the food there!

IF you go out looking for food try heading north to be out of the tourist zone.

[texancruzer]

We did the Vatican all morning with a private guide. Then headed over to the Coliseum/Forum with same guide for the afternoon. We had originally had them book a nice sit-down lunch but then decided to grab a quick bite and leave more time for "seeing stuff"

 

Our guide took us to a wonderful little hole-in-the-wall pizza place. Homemade personal size pizza, drink and desert was 5 euros per person. Good too ! The owner was also the cook and the waiter :) Came over and chatted with us in between customers. Just a short walk - and there are tons of these near the Vatican and the locals use them for their lunches mostly. So watch the locals and follow them !!!

[riffatsea]

Maybe this is the pizza place just mentioned? If not it sounds like a good one.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187791-d947689-Reviews-L_Isola_della_Pizza-Rome_Lazio.html

[seabreezer]

Really? Sounds like a good one? Most of the reviews look pretty bad to me. Lot's of warnings to stay avoid it. The one in Italian says that the red sauce was made with Ketchup!

[vino100]

We did the Vatican all morning with a private guide. Then headed over to the Coliseum/Forum with same guide for the afternoon. We had originally had them book a nice sit-down lunch but then decided to grab a quick bite and leave more time for "seeing stuff"

 

Our guide took us to a wonderful little hole-in-the-wall pizza place. Homemade personal size pizza, drink and desert was 5 euros per person. Good too ! The owner was also the cook and the waiter :) Came over and chatted with us in between customers. Just a short walk - and there are tons of these near the Vatican and the locals use them for their lunches mostly. So watch the locals and follow them !!!

 

What tour guide did you use for the Vatican tour? I will be there this Sept.. Thanks. Sara

[CoralReef]

The Vatican has a cafeteria which is actually pretty good. Not cheap by American standards, but not unreasonable prices by European standards. We have enjoyed several decent meals there. They also have a separate, adjoining, pizza restaurant which has a more limited menu, but is less expensive.

 

With your tour timing, I would opt for one of the Vatican options, just for convenience. I don't think you have time to go outside the Vatican for lunch. And the snack stalls between the Vatican Museums and the Scavi entrance all charge exorbitant prices. I've never paid so much for a Diet Coke in my life! We have also eaten at nearby restaurants, and the food was no better than the Vatican's, for much more money, and would take longer.

[riffatsea]

Hmm? We must read differently! The reviews I read did not complain about the food but merely that the folks did not know the Italian custom of charging separately for each item brought to the table. Also I never put any weight on reviews by people with only 1 post soooo we come to different conclusions.

I DO agree that in general the area is touristy but was just trying to be helpful to find the pizza place that had been mentioned earlier.

[cruisemom42]

It's worth repeating for new travelers that particularly in Italy, the waiters will try to upsell you -- in a nice way -- by bringing bread, appetizers, etc to your table. These are not complementary (well, bread occasionally is....) and if you do not want them, you should say so, in a pleasant manner, of course. If you do want them, at least ask the cost so you are not surprised at the end of the meal.

 

They are not trying to rip you off, it's just the way things are done.

 

Well.....ocasionally they are trying to rip you off, see link below from last summer:

 

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE56147J20090702

 

But mostly it's not done with bad intent. Especially in restaurants like the one posted above that seems to be populated mostly by locals.

[texancruzer]

What tour guide did you use for the Vatican tour? I will be there this Sept.. Thanks. Sara

 

We used Angel Tours. Private tour guide for the whole day. Not cheap but worth every penny. 180 euros for the morning Vatican tour (just dh, me and guide) and 180 euros for Coliseum/Forum in the afternoon (same - just the 3 of us).

 

I DO agree that in general the area is touristy but was just trying to be helpful to find the pizza place that had been mentioned earlier.

 

I'm not even sure the place we ate HAD a name :D It was really small - long and skinny and no tables - just a few bar stools at a bar area along one wall. Only pizza. Most locals came and took it with them. There was a BIG SIGN out front " PIZZA, DRINK AND DESERT - 5 EUROS " I only mention it because it was fast, hot, good pizza and cheap :eek:

[corvettelover]

If you are going outside the Vatican for lunch, look up Osteria Dei Pontefici - it 's very close to the Vatican and the meals are wonderful.

 

Our driver, Duman, from romeinlimo recommended it, and it was outstanding. We let the restaurant owners bring us whatever they recommended, and it was something else!!!

[Red Hat Cruise Cat]

If you are going outside the Vatican for lunch, look up Osteria Dei Pontefici - it 's very close to the Vatican and the meals are wonderful.

 

Our driver, Duman, from romeinlimo recommended it, and it was outstanding. We let the restaurant owners bring us whatever they recommended, and it was something else!!!

 

How are the prices?