Pompeii - food available at entrance?

We ate at the outdoor cafe near the entrance called Hortus Pompeii. Good lemon slurpee things and basic sandwiches. We took the sandwiches and some potato chips inside and had a picnic later on.

The website says no food or drink in the excavation areas, but when we were there in April, many were sitting on curbs eating inside the park and nobody was stopping them. I don't blame them as there is only one small area to buy food and sit and eat and it was always crowded.

Yep, they do ask that you picnic only in designated areas. You can see one of them in area XI, near Casina Dell'Aquila on this map:

http://pompeiisites.org/wp-content/uploads/Pompeiweb2023.pdf

You can see another on the north side near Porta Di Nola, and another near the amphitheatre (east side) near Torre IV.

Visitor rules:
http://pompeiisites.org/en/visiting-info/regulations-for-visitors/

We ate in a designated picnic area - there were even picnic tables...

Do you know there is a busy, air conditioned cafeteria style cafe inside the Pompeii excavation? (I don't know how long a break Mondo might give you.) Herculaneum has no food inside. You cannot exit and re-enter on a same day ticket.

Edit: https://www.happycow.net/reviews/chora-pompei-183309

There are indoor toilets at the cafe location, in my experience.

I didn't see any food inside. There are a number of restaraunts including an outdoors one right at the entry. We had basic pizza and cold drinks there and it was fine and not too terribly priced either. I was tempted by the beer but I wouldhave gone to sleep in the sun!

Nothing airconditioned - but lots of shade

Thanks so much for such quick answers! We don't have to worry about heat with all this rain, but tomorrow is expected to be clear. Thx again!

From personal experience I can tell you there are few trash cans available. I took a banana with me and carried the peel around a very long time until I found a trash bin--I think near the place where they were selling beverages--and maybe food? I didn't look. I'd hope for trash bins near the designated eating areas, but I think I must not have encountered any of those.

There are restaurants near the Piazza Immacolata entrance.

I took a banana with me and carried the peel around a very long time
until I found a trash bin

I had to stop and think about that for a second, not that I ever needed one, but I don't recall seeing one either. And yet, I don't recall seeing any litter anywhere either. That's impressive.

Thanks, everyone, we found great sandwiches that we ate once our Mondo tour was finished. We purchased the sandwiches at one of the eateries outside the entrances, while waiting for our guide.
The guide finished the tour at the Forum, and there was a crowded place selling food and drinks close by, along with free bathrooms.
Safe travels!