Just want to give shout outs to a few fav spots we found in Rome and Venice...
Cremeria Don Pepe gelato, on via San Giovanni in Laterno (#40), right near Colosseum, little hole in the wall place (before via Ostilla) - wow - we were staying in an airbnb in the building above where this is - OMG - I am so upset we walked by it the first two nights. First visit I had the coconut and dark chocolate and second visit I had black cherry and crème. Hubby stuck to mint and chocolate. By far my fav gelato place (and we went to lots in Italy) - the black cherry was the best. I liked it way more then Old Bridge over by Vatican...just sayin...
Ris Café over near the Vatican (actually, close to Old Bridge) - after eating so much pasta and pizza for 10+ days, I needed protein. The hamburger did not disappoint. And my mom's Caesar with a lovely chicken breast was huge and made me wish I had ordered the salad. Hubby had...pizza. Price is mid range - I think for 3 of us (no alcohol, shared a bottle of water) it was about $50 (on the credit card bill).
Venice - http://wineshop.allamarone.com/
I find most of the food interchangeable in Venice, but we ate here our last night. We were staying in an airbnb nearby and the other few restaurants in the square (campo San Aponal) were very much what we've seen elsewhere, and high prices. Spotted this place down an alley, glad we went in. Near San Silvestro (not too far a walk from Rialto). I went for the Caesar, as did my mom. Hubby had Bolognese. Nice portions - not too much, not to skimpy. Nice basket of bread as well - warm focaccia. The pasta had a nice sauce, the Caesar was really good, even the soda prices weren't astronomical like some places. They have a lot of wine to choose from (we don't drink wine, so it's lost on us), and do tasting if you like that kind of thing. When I convince hubby to return to Venice again (this was our 4th time) this place is def on the return to list.