Our lowest priced meal (and also one of our favorites) was the 3-course set price lunch (including wine, water, coffee, and cover) at Agriturismo Spino Fiorito in northern Tuscany for ten euro a person. By far the most expensive was a gourmet dinner at Villa Mangiacane, two courses with a bottle of their wine, for 143 euro for two (our next most expensive was 90 euro for two).
A good way to save money on the cost of eating out on your Italy vacation is to eat your larger meal at lunch and look for a restaurant that offers a fixed price menu. We've seen them as low as eight euro a person but the average throughout Italy seems to be ten or eleven euro per person, often including wine and/or mineral water. On set price meals you won't pay an extra cover charge either.
A coffee at a bar is still under one euro, sometimes as low as seventy euro cents. A breakfast pastry is almost always under one euro, too. Remember though that many bars in cities or tourist areas charge extra for table service so if you're just having a quick drink, stand at the bar. Sandwiches in a bar or take away pizza also make an economical lunch. You can often find cold drinks in grocery stores for much less than you'd pay at a bar or your hotel mini-bar. Grocery stores and delis usually have a good selection of cheeses, cold cuts, and other picnic items so you could also save by having a picnic for one of your meals.
Food in Italy: Eating Out in Italy | Food Shopping in Italy | How to Order Coffee
I’ll admit to having been taken at a ristorante in Cortona. The cost for LUNCH (for two) which included a mezzo bottiglia di vino,aqua minerale, and two secondi’s came to 88 Euro!!
Let me amend my last. There were also two appetizers. Still caro.
I found you can eat very well in Italy and stay within budget. Italy has the best “fast food” anywhere!
I agree with km to an extent. It depends on what your budget is however as to how well you can eat! We did not go to that particular restaurant by choice. We were with others who wanted to go there. As for “fast food” I can get that at home regardless of how good it is.
Our 90 euro lunch was actually a splurge (we could have eaten at the same restaurant for much less). It was James’ birthday and we chose the multi-course tasting menu with a nice bottle of wine.
The cheapest way to have lunch or dinner in Italy is to go to a pizzeria, where you can find pizzas, salads and my appetizers!! The average cost of a pizza is 5/8 euro….