eating in italy

Florence - Nerbone. It's in the Mercato Centrale. If you enter from Via dell Ariento, turn right and go to the end and turn left, it's right on the corner. I eat there at least twice a week. Simple, cheap, everyday AMAZING food. If you want to taste what the locals eat..get the cow stomach sandwich. it must be good, every time I go they're almost sold out. Great pasta's and panino arrosto (turkey, pork, beef, or roast beef).

Florence - La Giostra - while some call it touristy, lame because Sting and other famous folks have been there, I find it wonderful for a special occasion dinner. It is on the pricey side (2 ppl it was 140E and that included wine & 3 courses). Great atmosphere, great service, and amazing authentic Italian cuisine. www.ristorantelagiostra.com

Rome - Il Gabriello is a great bar for good aperetivo hour located on Via Vittoria, 51. Very close to the Pantheon. It's a great concept, it's a wine bar and a library, building dates to the 15th century. very cool bar, huge leather sofa's that you can lounge on, and a great book selection to look over while enjoying great wine.

Jane--you're in Italy--they're all neat places to eat. I think part of the fun is searching for places while you're there. There are numerous fresh pizza/sandwich take-away places--you'll see them all over. One place in Florence: Ristorante Cafaggi at Via Guelfa 35/R and in Rome: Trattoria Della Torre Argentina at Largo do Torre Argentina 15 (across the street from "Area Sacra", and two minutes away from the Pantheon). Keep in mind, better prices will usually be found at restaurants just 2-3 blocks away from the popular tourist attractions. Even gelato prices are less, 2-3euros for 1 scoop at places that are next to the Trevi Fountain---one block away the scoops are 1euro. To save some money, I ate some meals in my room and picniced at parks. I really enjoyed going to the small family owned markets and keeping my fridge stocked with my favorite Italian flavors--sun-dried tomatoes, cippolini onions, olives, arugula, fresh mozzarella(sp?), a bottle of balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

Stay away from places close to tourist sites( as noted by Michelle) , not all food in Italy is good, unless you like reheated pasta and wilted salads for twice what you'll pay a few blocks away.. this is the best advise you will ever get.This in fact applies to other places besides Italy ,, but , we are discussing Italy here. I had my worst meal ever,, in Rome.. but it was my bad choice.. ( too close to St Peters square and menu in english posted on a sandwich board on sidewalk,,like hey come here hungary desperate tourist we will take your money and give you crap ...LOL ). My next best tip,, don't wait till starving to find a place to eat,, um,, like I often did, thats when bad choices happen, LOL

Be especially careful in Venice,, I had one very good meal in Rome,, ( along with a few duds) but in Venice,,I had no such luck at all, I wasn't there long, but this is a place that does not attract people because of the food( lets face it we'd all still want to visit Venice even if all they had were Burger Kings,, LOL ) .. where as I am sure Rome does have some very good places if one looks around better then I did.

If you don't get enough specific replies here , try tripadvisor.com Italy forums.. they are quite active and you can search for each city individually.

Good luck and enjoy your trip,, I think you are going at a great time,, no summer heat and crowds,, lucky you!

Pat mentions "reheated pasta and wilted salads". I've been to Italy several times and never was served reheated pasta, though I do reheat my own pasta from time to time and find it perfectly acceptable. I trust, Pat, that you sent the wilted salad back to the kitchen without your compliments.

Pat makes a very important point---don't wait until you're starving to find a place (that's why had back up food in my fridge). Also, eat a big, big lunch (or extra gelato) because dinner isn't served until 7-8pm. The two restaurants I went to in Venice were only so-so, and expensive. I spent most of my time on Murano. There are usually only 2-3 places open for dinner on these islands, and you have to search for them. On Sunday night--only one place was open. On Murano, "B" had fabulous food--and very,very handsome waiters, the others included Trattoria 29,and Trattoria Al Corallo both of these are family owned and operated with good food and friendly service.

It's always good to have restaurant recommendations, but I've almost never managed to hit any of them after researching and researching them in guidebooks. When you are there you pretty much have to eat at places in the vicinity of where you are when you get hungry, that look good. In Italy I have been very fortunate in this, can't really say I've had a bad meal in several trips.

Walk around and follow your nose or your ears to the places that are "Neat"

In Venice 2 of the top ranked Gelato spots are in touristy spots.

We always rent apartments and just walk around the area and stop at what smells/looks/sounds like a nice place, just like here some times disappointed but still fed.

Safe travels

I think the best advice would be to try and venture away from the tourist crowds. We have been to all your mentioned destinatons and never worry about having a list of places to eat at. It does depend on where you are when you get hungry, etc. On one of our trips to Venice we ate at a wonderful pizzeria away from the St. Mark Square crowdsnot far from Campo Santa Maria Formosa. We just happened upon it. My boys both ordered Mt. Vesuvius pizzas and they came to the table like a deep dish pizza with a top crust and steam coming out a hole in the top. Was so cool! We ate here 2x. Have a great trip!

No Norma I didn't send the garbage food back,,( I should have) daughter and I were starving( mistake) and ate somewhere very close to St Peters Square( second mistake) and it have a cheap tourist menu on a black board right out front, in english ONLY( third mistake) .. service was slow( should have gotten up and left, fourth mistake) ..

I paid badly for that meal Norma,, I never got to Florence.. I was violently ill for next 36 horus or so,, daugher was fine,, she only had reheated pasta( this had been reheated in a microwave,, hard and CRUSTED onto side of plate( not hard as in a la dente) ,, but I had the salad,, which must have been poorly washed, I was just so hungry,, I would have never eaten that here.

If you read back on my reports of that particular place I also mentioned at this place we were approached THREE times by beggers as we sat at our table,, I just wanted the heck out of there.

I suppose in a few more years I will have to give Italy a try again, hubby has never been and wants at least a few days in Rome,, hopefully by then I will have better luck and be better prepared to pick some better places.

makes me hungry reading all the reviews, thanks so much for all the INFO

...and now i see that jane has already left..but i'll say that i agree w/ 2 previous posts. BG: Once we looked forever to find a suggested resto, and after sitting and being ignored and being hungry we went to the one next door w/ good food, happy clients, charming staff..but not in the guide book (so far); however, we did have the adventure of finding the one where we didn't eat. And like DD we rent apts and if not cooking at home eat nearby..usually good, and as you mentioned "just like here, sometimes diappointed, but still fed."The worst insult i ever give is "i can cook better than this"....Anyhow..Here's my favorite..TEMPIO DI MECENATE, Largo Leopardi, 14/18, on Via Merulana between Santa Maria Maggiore and San Giovanni..for a good meal between churches...plus across the street is Ornelli gelateria with better prices than "downtown"

Here's a few clues on restaurants:

If you walk by and the waiters are outside beckoning you to come in--in English--keep walking.

If the menus are only in English, keep walking.

If only locals are eating there, give it a try. If just tourists, keep walking.

If lunchtime, and you're not sure where to eat, follow the office workers. They know which places are good and usually inexpensive.

Also ask around. Not just at your hotel or hostel. If in a shop, ask the people working there. Tell them you want a place the locals go and not a place catering to tourists. I always ask like this: "If you had a friend coming here for the first time, where would you take them to eat?"

Usually anything within eyesight of a major tourist site is going to be a restaurant catering to tourists.

You know who always knows where to eat well in the vicinity? The police. Ask a police officer "dove si mangia bene?" And they will tell you.
I'm still mystified about all these people saying they can't find a good place in Rome. Obviously around St. Peters is out, but really? In general one is spoiled by choice.

Claire....I never thought about asking the police. That's a good idea. What's Italian for "doughnuts?"

Ciambelle. But here they have a weakness for the brioche (or cornetto as they call it in Rome.) The police here care about eating well--it is one of the few perks of the job. (insert smiley face here.)

I hope you're having fun on your trip! just know that where ever you eat... you are going to have WAY more food than you can stomach!!! I often shared meals due to this exact reason!

Claire, I'm also mystified by the people that had bad meals in Rome. But I do understand it now. For me, it's unthinkable to go to the tourist joints. No wonder they had bad food!! I always take the time to find a good place, because having a good meal is part of the travel experience. But if someone has only a few hours in Rome, or anyplace, I understand there is no time to find a place. I know this is an Italy forum, but I just want to say, in Salzburg I had the best pumpkin soup in the Mozart Cafe!!! I had some of the best meals ever in tourist places in Salzburg! But it's very different in Italy. Rick Steves even suggests to eat in the local places. I sure agree with him and others that suggest the same thing!

Jane

In Rome,we found this great little place near the Trevi Fountain,on a little side street(Via di s. Marcello,19-Roma) It was called L'Antica Birreria Peroni-wonderful atmosphere,fabulous,funny waiters,full of locals and CHEAP-we had 2 antipasti,and 2 main dishes and 1 1/2 litres of house wine for 36 Euros.You should definately try to go here!

Have a great trip!