What is a reasonable food budget for Rome? Our breakfast is included at our hotel so we will have lunch, dinner, and snacks?
For a picnic lunch: bottle of wine, bread, meat, cheese from an open market what am I looking at spending?
Lunch: Bistro or pizza?
Dinner: Casual good food!
Hey, Laura. Great question! Depends SO MUCH on where you go and types you order (i.e., types of cheese, types/quality of wine) and your seating preference for lunch (the bar/counter is the cheapest, table service...especially outside, an additional charge plus a small gratuity of 5-10%), but my guesstimate is that a 'free' breakfast at the hotel (pastry, cappuccino, juice, maybe some cheese or meat), a picnic lunch, and dinner at a casual restaurant will run approximately 50 or 60 Euros, or about $70.00 US dollars per day for 2 people, total...that would be maybe e15-20 total for picnic lunch with wine and about e35-40 for the dinners, for an approximate total of 50 to 60 Euros, or about $63 to $70 US. So easy to spend more than that, though, especially near the main tourist sites.
Gio's answer is pretty much right on track with what my husband spent throughout Italy last month.
For lunch, we usually had a sandwich or pizza and iced teas to go. This was typically 15-20 euros for the two of us.
For dinner, we always chose casual restaurants with outdoor seating. For two entrees, two soft drinks, one small bottle of house wine, one dessert, and the mandatory bread fee, we spent 40-45 euros on average.
Don't forget to budget 2-3 euros for Gelato!
Rather than an open market, I suggest finding a supermarket or local grocery for your picnic items. Costs can vary greatly, by being selective, the two of you can eat well for 30-40 euros at a restaurant, even less without wine (but that doesn't make sense) Figure about 7 euro for an antipasti, maybe 10 euro for a pasta, 7 euro for a carafe of wine, and toss in another pasta or meat dish, or maybe a vegetable dish. Lunches can range from a slice, to a cheap sandwich, probably 10 euro at least for the two of you, but rarely more than 20 euro.
It's kind of hard to give someone a budget on food because it all depends on what you want and what you like and where you buy it!!!
There are many deli-buffet like places in Rome that are easy to get a snack or entree, lunch or dinner. Figure about $25 /day without beverages pp. Wine, soft drinks, cappucinos are pricey in general so that is not included in est. nor is the gelato. the good thing is the dollar is now stronger.
Stay away from restaurants near the tourist sights. If the menu is in english, move on. The local restaurants a block or so away will have better food at half the price.
Hey Laura, thank's for the question. My family, husband, myself and 2 hungry teenagers will be traveling to Italy in December....too cold for a picnic? It sounds like my thoughts about 200 euros might be a little low?
