Rome Termini And San Lorenzo

Termini and its surrounding region are dominated by restaurants representing both extremes of the price range: cheap eats and over-priced tourist menus catering to hungry travelers. Avoid restaurants immediately surrounding the station and head into some side streets for higher quality options. Hostel dwellers with kitchen access should make the huge SMA grocery store ( h Open M-Sa 8am-9pm, Su 8:30am-8:30pm) located downstairs next to the Coin store on V. Esquilino, right on the corner of P. Santa Maria Maggiore, their friend. There's also an indoor market filled with merchants selling fish, meat, fruit, vegetables, and various canned goods at V. Giolitti 271/A (alternative entrance on V. Principe Amadeo 188 h Open M 5am-3pm, Tu 5am-5pm, W-Th 5am-3pm, F-Sa 5am-5pm).

Antica Pizzeria de Roma, V. XX Settembre 41 (☎06 48 74 624; www.mcmab.net), Businessmen may take home a big paycheck, but that doesn't mean they don't like bargains when they see them: midday, this tiny pizzeria is full of men in suits, munching some of the best-priced and freshest pizza in the neighborhood. Though this pizzeria offers the same standard fare that infiltrates all of Rome (thin-crust pizza sold by weight), watching the workers cut, weigh, and serve up fresh pies like a science (or whip out an individual one in less than 10min.) is a real pleasure—and you haven't even taken your first bite. Once you do, you'll be ready to join the businessmen every day. From P. della Repubblica, walk down Vittorio Emanuele Orlando and turn right onto V. XX Settembre. Proceed 7min. Individual pizzas €2.20-5.50, €0.70-2 per etto. Open daily 8am-9:30pm. Does not take credit cards. Wheelchair access. Has air conditioning.
Pasticceria Strabbioni Roma, V. Servio Tullio 2a-2b (☎06 48 73 965), Not much has changed at Strabbioni since it opened in 1888: not the hand-painted flowers gracing the ceiling or the old-fashioned lamps, and definitely not the good service and food. (While Let's Go might not have been around in 1888, we're pretty sure this place would have merited a listing in Let's Go Grand Tour 1889.) The second-oldest bar of its type still in Rome, this is the place where locals come for a cheap lunch (primi classics are written daily on a chalkboard outside), a freshly baked pastry, or even an afternoon mixed drink. At only €3.50-4 a drink, how can you resist? Enjoy a specialty like the budino di riso, a small rice pudding cake, in the casual seating outside or while standing at the wooden bar as you chat with the staff. From Porta Pia, walk down V. XX Settembre and make a right onto V. Servio Tullio. Open M-Sa 7am-8pm. Does not take credit cards. Wheelchair access. Serves alcohol. Has outdoor seating.
Fassino, V. Bergamo 24 (☎06 85 49 117), The folks at Fassino will have you know gelato isn't just a summer thing. Their famous Brivido Caldo reinvents the favorite frozen treat, sticking a cookie in its middle and turning it into a hot delight topped off with whipped cream. If it's a winter month, try their richest flavor, the cioccolato with brandy and cream. If it's summer, their original cioccarancio (dark chocolate and orange) is to die for. After the sugar rush (or before, if you're one of those people who's been brainwashed into the dessert-after-dinner rule), settle down for a savory crepe, which the Sicilian owner makes with no butter fat—only extra virgin olive oil—for a lighter taste. Though their fixed lunch meal (a crepe, drink, dessert, and coffee; €8.50) is a steal, consider coming in the evening when a classical pianist plays until the customers leave. From the end of V. XX Settembre, turn left onto V. Piave and walk until you hit P. Fiume. Turn right onto V. Bergamo. Live music M-W, F, Su 10pm-closing. Gelato €1.50-3. Open M-F 9:30am-1am, Sa 3:30pm-1am, Su 9:30am-1:30pm and 3:30pm-1am. Does not take credit cards. Wheelchair access. Serves alcohol.
Ristorante Da Giovanni, V. A Salandra 1 (☎06 48 59 50), A hand-written menu, shelf of old typewriters, and even a hanging carcass greet customers at this subterranean trattoria. Don't worry: the meat is dangling in the kitchen, ensuring that your entree will be that much fresher. With only a few windows near the ceiling and a wood-lined interior, this family-run Roman restaurant oozes with dark warmth that matches its classic dishes. You've seen it written dozens of times at numerous establishments, but you'll never get tired of Da Giovanni's cacio e pepe, which they've been making for over 50 years. From P. della Repubblica, walk up V. Vittorio Emanuele Orlando and turn right onto V. XX Settembre. Walk 5min. and turn left onto V. M Pagano; veer left onto V. Antonio Salandra. Open M-Sa noon-3pm and 7-10:30pm. Takes credit cards. No wheelchair access. Serves alcohol.
Ristorante Africa, V. Gaeta 26-28 (☎06 49 41 077), The area around Termini abounds with cheap, international dives, but this African restaurant distinguishes itself with better-quality food and a more welcoming decor. The friendly staff will be happy to recommend a dish to the customer ignorant of African cuisine or Italian, but English translations provide ample assistance. Vegetarians can finally feast on something other than pasta: the aliccia is a healthy dish of puréed vegetables simmered in onion and herb sauce and served with traditional African bread (€9). Bright orange walls, carved wooden seats, and African sculptures bring you out of Italy, at least for the hour you're here to eat. Termini. Walk in the direction of P. del Cinquecento and turn right onto V. Gaeta. Appetizers €3-4; entrees €9-12. Open M-Sa 8am-midnight Takes credit cards. Wheelchair access. Serves alcohol.
La Famiglia, V. Calatafimi 11 (☎06 48 54 39), Trattorias are about as common as hotels in Termini..which means that they're essentially everywhere. Though La Famiglia offers the same classic fare you'll find elsewhere, its location on a quieter street, its surprisingly good prices, and its bright, white decor make it a superior choice. Patio seating behind tall plants offers even more privacy to diners seeking something a bit more romantic. A huge menu of pizza, homemade pasta, fish, and meat is made even more affordable by the freshly prepared buffet option. Termini. Walk up V. Volturno and turn right onto V. Calatafimi. Primi €5-8; secondi €6-18. Small self-service plates €6.50, large €8.50. Open daily noon-4pm and 6-11pm. Takes credit cards. Wheelchair access. Serves alcohol. Has outdoor seating.
Pizzeria del Secolo, V. Palestro 62 (☎06 44 57 606), A favorite among nearby hostel dwellers, this corner spot serves up 27 varieties of thin-crust and filled pizza, including one loaded with nutella. Grab a slice or a cheap primi before ordering a few cups of even better-priced Peroni beer (€2.50). Termini. Take V. Milazzo 4 blocks and turn left onto V. Palestro. Pizza by the slice €0.70-1.10 per etto; whole pizzas €4.50-6. Primi €5-7. Open daily 8am-midnight. Does not take credit cards. No wheelchair access. Serves alcohol.