It's easy to eat mediocre, overpriced food in Rome, a city where tourists – and the restaurants geared towards them – are thick on the ground. Which is a shame because with its wealth of family-run establishments, and access to fresh ingredients grown just outside the city, Rome boasts a number of top-value places to drink and dine. The trick is knowing where the locals go. Below, we list 10 ways to eat well in the Eternal City without breaking the bank.

1. Morning coffee

Whether you want a simple caffé normale (espresso) or a refreshing granita (a semi-frozen coffee-and-sugar concoction), you can't find better than at Caffè Sant'Eustachio. Located on a hidden piazza round the corner from the Pantheon, the cafe, which has been in business for 72 years, is crammed with locals, and the occasional savvy tourist, both morning and mid-afternoon. Run by brothers Raimondo and Roberto Ricci since 1999, the coffee beans they use are organic, fair-trade, and hand-picked by Roberto on his tasting trips to South and Central America. Just remember to pay and get your ticket before you head to the counter.

• Piazza Sant'Eustachio 82. +39 06 68802048, santeustachioilcaffe.it. Open daily.

2. Lunch

The standard menu at neighbourhood favourite La Taverna dei Fori Imperiali offers reasonably-priced, classic dishes such as gnocchi and saltimbocca alla romana, though regulars know to always ask about the day's specials for delicacies like home-made pasta with white-truffle ragu. The food at this family-run affair in the Monti area near the Colosseum has been described by former New York Times food critic Frank Bruni as "sensational", and it's all cooked by chef and owner Alessio Liberatore, whose children Aldo and Claudia serve diners nightly at the red-and-white checked tables. You'll need reservations for dinner, so come at lunchtime, after seeing the Forum and Colosseum.

• Via della Madonna dei Monti 9. +39 06 6798643, latavernadeiforiimperiali.com. Closed Tuesdays.

3. Gelateria

Lots of gelaterias claim to be "the best" in Rome, and the debate can keep Romans arguing for hours. One that never fails is Ciampini, located halfway between Piazza Navona and the Spanish Steps. It's where well-heeled locals go to sip drinks on the piazza and, of course, order gelato, with flavours ranging from the classic (rich dark chocolate) to exotic (chestnut, and peach-and-pinenut). At €2.50 for a small cup, it's not Rome's cheapest gelato, but it's a small price to pay for a taste of heaven.

• Piazza San Lorenzo in Lucina 29. +39 06 6876606. Open daily.

4. Cakes and tiramisu

To get the veins buzzing, head to Pompi at Piazza dei Re di Roma, one metro stop from San Giovanni. Pompi is a cafe, gelateria, and pastry shop – but Romans flock here for its tiramisu. Enjoy the creamy, espresso-laden dessert, which means "pick-me-up" in Italian, in any of Pompi's three flavours: banana, strawberry or classic. Pompi also boasts Italian pastries such as bigné, cassata siciliana, pannacotta, and cannoli. And, rare for Rome, it's open until 1:30am, making it a great spot for a late-night snack.

• Via Albalonga 7B/9/11. +39 06 7000418, barpompi.it. Closed Mondays.

5. Aperitivo

Rome imported aperitivo – the 8pm spread of food that whets the appetite – from northern Italy. Even Romans, therefore, tend to admit that their city hasn't really figured it out yet. But they agree on one exception: Freni e Frizione. Housed in a former garage in Rome's trendy Trastevere neighbourhood (hence the name: "Brakes and Clutches"), it's always crammed with the city's young and hip, taking advantage of its buffet offerings such as hummus and couscous, not to mention its top-notch mojitos.

• Via del Politeama 4/6. freniefrizioni.com, +39 06 45497499. Aperitivo from 7pm-10:30pm, drinks from 6:30pm-2am. Open daily.

6. Cucina romana

Located in the gritty, graffiti-daubed neighbourhood of San Lorenzo, Il Pommidoro has been run by the same family since opening in 1926. It dishes up real Roman food for real Roman prices, such as pasta carbonara for €8. With such hearty local dishes as pappardelle with wild-boar ragu, grilled sweetbreads, or pajata (the cooked intestines of milk-fed calves), it's not one for vegetarians – or the squeamish. (It does, however, offer a lengthy list of fish dishes). Instead, Il Pommidoro is the place to try authentic cucina romana without emptying your wallet – or hearing a word of English spoken.

• Piazza dei Sanniti 44. +39 06 4452692. Closed Sundays.

7. Pasta

Trastevere's Roma Sparita serves excellent fritti, pizza, and meat and fish, but it's most famous for its traditional Roman dish of cacio e pepe (pasta with pecorino romano sheep cheese and black pepper). And with reason. Don't let the simplicity of this dish fool you. Done Roma Sparita-style and served in a fried parmesan basket as the final flourish, you'll be dreaming about it long after you've left the city. This restaurant, overlooking one of Trastevere's pretty piazzas, is always packed with Romans – tourists have yet to discover it. That makes its name particularly apt: "Roma Sparita," which used to be a nickname for all of Trastevere, literally meaning "disappeared," or undiscovered, Rome.

• Piazza Santa Cecilia 24. +39 06 5800757, romasparita.com. Closed Sundays for dinner and Mondays all day.

8. Regional cuisine

When locals want a taste of Lazio beyond Rome's borders, they flock to the Spanish Steps' Palatium. The restaurant is a chic change from Rome's traditional, checkered-tablecloth trattorias. It's also slightly pricier (pastas are around €10, mains €15), but justifiably so: run by the Lazio Regional Authority, Palatium showcases more than 1,000 Lazio products in delicious, traditional dishes with a twist, such as ricotta-and-mint ravioli. Book in advance.

• Via Frattina 94. +39 06 69202132, enotecapalatium.it. Closed Sundays.

9. Pizzeria

Sure, you can get good pizza in the city centre at guidebook favourites Da Baffetto or La Montecarlo. But to eat top-notch pizza without other tourists crowding your table, head to San Lorenzo's Formula Uno, where the crust is thin and crispy and the prices are dirt cheap (where else can you get an ingredient-laden pizza capriciossa for €6?). A bonus: unlike most pizzerias, Formula Uno – whose name and decor pay homage to the Italians' love affair with car racing – is open for lunch, too.

• Via degli Equi 13. +39 06 4453866. Closed Sundays.

10. Wine bar

To taste wines from across Italy (and France) in a beautiful, local setting, you can't beat Il Goccetto. Tucked just around the corner from Campo dei Fiori, Il Goccetto has a lengthy wine list (owner Anna Sbarro says she has more than 300 bottles in her collection), a lovely setting (a 17th-century palazzo designed by Antonio da Sangallo the Younger), and a local clientele. The atmosphere is relaxed and intimate, and it's not uncommon to see patrons or even the workers themselves reading a newspaper or playing chess on one of the wooden tables. Look up, too: the ceiling was painted in 1700.

• Via dei Banchi Vecchi 14. + 39 06 6864268. Closed Sundays.