foodie guide italy best cheap eats

The Foodie’s Short Guide to Italy’s Best Cheap Eats

ByCassandra Tresl

Discover Italy’s best cheap eats, where to find them and what you absolutely must-try!

Eating really damn well in Italy does not have to be expensive. You may need to go out of your way to purposefully spend a lot of money on food in Italy. But, a lot of people don’t expect this and think they can only find the best of the best at world renowned restaurants.

This foodie’s guide to Italy’s best cheap eats explores the accessible side of Italian cuisine without the overpriced meals, exuberant Michelin start restaurants and crazed tourism.

In this foodies guide to cheap eats in Italy, we include the top must-eat dishes in the country and where to find them!

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Quick List: The Best Types of Cheap Eats in Italy

  • Porchetta
  • Pizza
  • Pasta
  • Antipasti
  • Panini
  • Pasticcini
  • Seafood
  • Cucina Povera
  • Braceria Meat

What Do People Eat In Italy?

The menu for a typical Italian person will depend on where they’re located, both in terms of region and if they’re in a big city or rural area. However, there are still a few aspects of mealtime that act as a common denominator among Italians, regardless of demographics.

First, meals are usually simple and often repetitive. If there’s one thing we’ve observed during our time living in Italy, it’s that Italians don’t mind enjoying a rotation of the same handful of dishes throughout the week.

Traditional Italian food focuses on the quality of ingredients, not the complexity as you’d find in other cuisines. Many dishes do not have a long list of ingredients.

There is also heavy emphasis on seasonality, which is something that is lost among cultures that are used to cooking with any type of ingredient they want, regardless of the season.

You haven’t tasted a tomato until you’ve tasted a garden tomato in Italy during tomato season.

While some people may think that the most popular Italian dish you can find all over the world is stereotypical, Italian people really do eat a lot of pasta. In fact, it is normal for an Italian person to enjoy pasta every single day, sometimes even twice a day.

Pizza and the panino are two other frequently enjoyed dishes among the everyday eating habits in Italy.

Depending on other factors, these eating habits in Italy can vary slightly but remain consistent with the concept of eating locally and fresh.

Why Is Food So Affordable in Italy?

Without getting too deep into world economics, the state and Italian businesses (comparatively) prioritise its citizens’ access to wholesome and standard goods, especially staple ingredients.

In other words, basic ingredients for cooking typical Italian dishes are inexpensive. Therefore, these items are affordable at grocery stores and fairly priced when you purchase certain dishes at restaurants.

Another important factor in keeping food costs down in Italy is consuming locally sourced foods. Examples of this include loaves of bread made with Italian wheat, dairy products made from Italian cows, truffles sourced from the hills of Italy and so on.

Clearly, the more time, work, and money it takes to import ingredients, the higher the cost will be to the end consumer.

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what to eat in italy

Best Places in Italy for Budget Foodies

The most classic answer to finding the best food in Italy is typically Tuscany. There are many exceptions to this but in general, a lot of food tourism occurs in Tuscany based on its “farm to table” reputation and the many high-end restaurants located there.

For foodies looking to eat their way through Italy on a budget, Tuscany is not the prime place to visit for food. While incredibly cheap eats are found in every region of Italy, it’s hard to pinpoint just one as the best place for budget foodies.

However, there is a general theme to this foodies guide to Italy on a budget: eat in smaller cities, towns, and lesser-known regions. Additionally, steer away from northern Italy if you are a foodie on a budget. The further south you travel, the bigger the likelihood of finding cheap eats.

Foodies in Italy who are looking to experience real and traditional cheap eats will find the best food outside of major tourist destinations. Do not be afraid to venture off to a small town where you’re the only tourist there and enjoy a meal at the local restaurant.

If there is one thing that you can depend on, it’s that there is no region or place in Italy with bad food.

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A Foodies Guide to Finding Cheap Eats in Italy

Porchetta

Porchetta is a boneless pork roast that’s traditionally cooked on a spit and over a fire, with the fat and skin still on. The crispy skin is arguably the best part from a slice of porchetta.

Depending on where you are, the seasoning may vary and often include fennel, rosemary, garlic, and even almonds. It is frequently served out of food trucks, at events, and deli shops but rarely seen on the menus at sit-down restaurants.

Although porchetta is found all over Italy, it is only slightly less common in southern Italy.

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A porchetta food truck in Buonconvento

Pizza

No foodies guide to Italy is complete without pizza. There are different styles of pizza in Italy and to no surprise, they’re all delicious. The most popular type of pizza that most people are familiar with is the Neapolitan-style pizza which is round in shape and features a thin crust.

Traditionally, there are only a handful of topping combinations that belong on a Neapolitan-style pizza but San Marzano tomatoes and mozzarella cheese is the most purist order. Remember, a round pizza in Italy will never arrive on your table already pre-sliced.

This type of pizza is intended as a sit-down meal where you have time to enjoy it, possibly with a glass of wine and some company.

The more casual and “to go” style pizza you’ll find in Italy is square or rectangular which are known as pizza al taglio or pizza al trancio. These typically have a thicker dough and are slightly more oily.

You’ll find these sold at bakeries and often for a price per kilogram instead of per slice. The toppings and flavours on rectangular pizzas are more diverse and you’ll find some creative options which even include seafood.

Pizza al taglio directly translates to sliced pizza and is the every day hero for anyone who needs to quickly grab a bite to eat.

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Typical takeaway pizza found at a shopping centre in Italy
A sausage and ham pizza from a restaurant in Naples

Pasta

While pasta is typical in the U.S. as a main dish, pasta in Italy is a primi piatti, also known as the first course. Portions are not huge and the adaptations of pasta are endless throughout Italy.

From our observations of traveling throughout Italy, pasta is an empty canvas that each different region of Italy uses to define their local cuisine.

From different shapes and sizes of noodles to the numerous sauces, the combinations are vast and you should try as many as possible. Pasta in Italy is seen as a staple dish and it’s rare to see a plate of pasta on a menu for more than €10.

It is also not pretentious and historically, eaten every day because it sufficiently always delivers on calories and energy. You’ll find pasta even sold at hot food bars (tavola calda) at rest stops and other casual cafes.

🍝 Recommended: Pasta Making Class in Rome

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Wild boar sauce with parparadelle, truffle risotto and Tuscan white beans in olive oil
Pillow soft ravioli in truffle sauce
Casoncelli – a stuffed pasta usually made with two sheets of pasta and filled with meat. A typical pasta dish in the Lombardy region.

Antipasti

Among the best of Italian cuisine is antipasti, which is something that happens before a meal even begins. Similar to appetizers, antipasti is comprised of various snacks and bite-sized portions that are meant to stimulate the appetite before the real first course

Unless it’s a special event, most Italians will stick with the classic antipasti selections which include various salami, cheeses, olives, spreads and bread or crackers. This is also one of the best ways to familiarise yourself with local and regional cuisine – through different versions of cheese and cured meats!

Antipasti is a must on the foodie’s guide to Italy. Especially if you’re on a budget, you fill that these items are usually filling enough without the price tag of a main course. If don’t want to eat out, you can also stop at a cheese shop or the grocery store deli counter to pick up some antipasti dishes.

Pair these with a rustic bread, and you have yourself a satisfying, traditional, and inexpensive meal.

An assortment of seafood antipasti in Gallipoli

Panino

Similar to pasta, the selection of sandwiches (panini) is limitless. The panino is an essential item on the foodie’s guide to Italy because it is eaten in every single corner of the country.

By far, the panino is the most accessible dish, and a standard sandwich shouldn’t cost you more than €5. In Italy, you can find a panino at gas stations, the local bar, and sometimes at bakeries.

The most humble of panini in Italy will often be served without a sauce, which is something that may surprise American tourists. Unless you specify, it’s very possible that you’ll receive a prosciutto or even a porchetta sandwich without any sort of mayonnaise or similar condiment.

Then, there are establishments like Trapizzino in Rome which only serve a saucy panino. Chances are, if you visit places that specialize in sandwiches, it’s almost guaranteed that they’ll be big and very filling.

⛽️ MUST KNOW: If you’ve ever driven in Italy, you may have seen giant rest stops along the motorways. The sandwiches (and everything else) from the Autogrill rest areas are actually pretty amazing.

Pasticcini

Pasticcini, or pastries, are a core pillar of Italian cuisine. But for some reason, other than tiramisu, Italian sweets don’t make their way across the border.

A pasticceria in Italy will typically only focus on sweet baked goods which also includes cakes. However, a pasticceria isn’t the only place to find pastries in Italy. More common pastries are also sold at standard bakeries which go by the name of il forno, il panificio or la panetteria.

A pasticceria is the best place in Italy to find breakfast. In the morning, is when a bakery will have their best products freshly laid out along with a wide variety. Pastries are yet another thing that can strongly differ among regions in Italy.

For example, the babà napoletano is a rum-soaked cake that’s a specialty in Naples and its surrounding areas. In Rome, it’s the maritozzo, a cream-filled soft bun, that gets everyone excited.

The pasticciotto in Puglia is famous for its pie-like crust and chocolate or even ricotta fillings.

Regardless of where you are, relying on pasticcini is a must while uncovering the best cheap eats in Italy. They are always satisfying, mouthwatering, and a great value.

Also, never judge a pasticceria by its storefront because often times, it’s the hole-in-the-wall type of places that are the most delicious.

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Seafood

You’ve likely picked up on the theme of sticking with local food while eating your way through Italy. Among the best of Italy’s food specialties is seafood, but only if you’re near the sea.

Do not order seafood while visiting inland Italy because it will likely be more expensive and lower in quality.

To find and eat great seafood simply requires one thing – it needs to be fresh! Regardless of which part of the Italian coastline you’re visiting, chances are that you’ll stumble upon seafood dishes that are actually affordable, despite seafood’s reputation of being expensive. Seafood in Italy is refreshingly consistent in terms of standards and how it’s served.

🐠 Where to find appropriately priced seafood: Visit underrated coastal destinations in Italy for seafood restaurants like the Trabocchi Coast in Abruzzo. Prices are half the cost of what you’d find in popular destinations like the Amalfi Coast.

Our best tip for this foodies guide to Italy when it comes to finding cheap seafood is to look for seafood markets (pescheria in Italian). Many times, fish markets in Italy will sell dishes or have a separate restaurant area in addition to just selling seafood.

If you take away the service and elevated atmosphere of a typical restaurant, you’re left with seafood that’s just as incredible and at a fraction of the cost.

A squid sandwich from a bar in Polignano a Mare
fried fish
Fried anchovies from a restaurant in Naples
Marinated anchovies in vinegar and oil, mixed fried seafood, a grilled fish and baked mussels at Isola del Sole Castro in Puglia

Cucina Povera

The term cucina povera directly translates to peasant food or cuisine for the poor. It is commonly used in southern Italy and even embraced in many restaurants throughout southern regions.

Cucina povera doesn’t imply anything negative. It just happens to be the perfect way to describe authentic home-style cooking without the frills.

In Puglia and Lecce specifically, you’ll find that many of the dishes which embody cucina povera are vegetable-based because animal products (meat) cost more money. As a result, many of the regional dishes are insanely simple, wholesome, and unexpectedly vegetarian.

Cucina povera is a pinnacle of Italian cuisine on a budget because it showcases few and modest ingredients that have come together to create damn good food with the least amount of resources (i.e., it’s inexpensive for guests!).

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Mixed baked vegetables and a meatless orecchietta pasta dish
A humble yet amazing meal from Mezzo Quinto in Lecce

Braceria Meat

Meat lovers, your time is here! In this foodie guide to Italy, we’re letting you in on one of the most underrated components of Italian cuisine – meat served from a braceria. Most frequently found in the region of Puglia, a braceria establishment is half butcher shop, half restaurant.

A braceria allows you to select your cuts of meat, sausages, side dishes, everything while it’s all still raw and in the butcher case. Only upon ordering, are your choices prepared and cooked to perfection.

We wouldn’t consider a meal from a braceria to be in the price range of a typical cheap eats. However, it is the cheap eats version of eating at a steakhouse or a fancy Michelin star restaurant in Italy. The prices at a braceria are madly reasonable for the quality of the food.

The Best Activities in Italy for Foodies

Raw seafood from Pescheria Da Pasqualino in Polignano a Mare

FINAL THOUGHTS: Foodie’s Guide to Italy’s Cheap Eats

The best quality cheap eats are found in smaller towns, lesser known destinations or regions of Italy. Avoid spending too much time in northern Italy because as a whole, everything is more expensive.

Yes, Italians do regularly eat pasta and pizza in addition to the panino. Pasta is typically served as a first course and should not cost more than €10 per plate. To find “to go” pizza, look for pizza al taglio, which is sliced pizza.

It’s possible to find traditionally expensive dishes like seafood and meat on a budget in Italy. For seafood, pick out a pescheria which also serves ready to eat dishes. The best meat dishes without a Michelin star are found at a braceria, common in the Puglia region.

For the foodie who loves activities, make sure to book a cooking class or one of the many walking tours of the best food in each Italian city.

Related Travel Posts:

Travel Resources for Foodies in Italy

☔️ TRAVEL INSURANCE: EKTA or VisitorsCoverage

✈️ FLIGHTS: Skyscanner, CheapOair or Kiwi.com

🚙 CAR RENTALS: Discover Cars or Rentalcars.com

🚊 TRAINS & BUSES: Busbud, Trainline or Omio

🛳 FERRIES: Direct Ferries

🛌 ACCOMMODATION: Booking.com, Agoda or Trivago

☎️ ESIM / CELL PHONE DATA: Airalo

📸 TOURS & ACTIVITIES: GetYourGuide or Viator

Cassandra Tresl is the author and owner of Adventures of Ace, a travel blog that helps fellow adventurers uncover underrated destinations, budget travel hacks and family travel tips. She serves as the head co-pilot on road trips and is known to get captivated for hours by a search in Google Maps. When she isn't writing, Cassandra enjoys navigating life abroad in Italy and cooking for her daughter and husband.