Finding Good Food in Italy, Possible?

Probably not. If you can't last that long, why didn't you pick up a snack - pannini perhaps - to tide you over until dinner time? You'd likely have the same problem in much of the rest of Europe. Where do you find good food in Calgary at 5:00pm?

We didn't eat very well in Paris. I think because of the time change and getting adjusted we always ate at the wrong time. We were to rushed and didn't plan our restaurants around RS suggestions. By the time we got to Italy we figured it out and never had a bad meal. My experience was, places stayed open till 14:30 for lunch. I planned meals based on where we would be and picked a RS recommended place. Restaurant planning became our top priority after we realized what we had been missing. My wife is still talking about the food.

It's difficult to find a decent restaurant open in Rome at 5:00 pm, but there are some other options. Tavola calda sell delicious food that time of day since Italians pick it up to take home for dinner. Some have seating, or you can take it back to your hotel. There are a few very good pizzerias open all day. Another option is to make lunch the main meal of the day and eat a lighter dinner.

Reposo, the Italian custom of shutting up shop after lunch until ???. Look at Rick's ETBD, he has some good restaurant picks, we have eaten in the places he has chosen and they have been very good. Also go off the beaten path, we find walking a few blocks in you will get real home cooking, not that tourist bilge.

Agree that eating later can be a real challenge for some people. Late-afternoon snacks are key, but some people just can't eat a meal that late and the key then is to eat a larger, good lunch and a very light meal at night. Many Europeans do that but it means planning and taking some time (2 hours) out of your day from sightseeing. But there are many really good restaurants to get amazing mid-day meals. I'm sorry you missed out. Snacks from street vendors (or gelato) are a great way to tide over till dinner or eat a light dinner. Most cafes and bars will have light food, the equivalent of tapas in Spain. Or better yet, buy some cheese, salami and wine from a shop and have a great snack on a park bench or even back in your hotel room. The options are there, you just have to know about them or be willing to look.

Kevin, It's unfortunate you were disappointed with the dining situation in Italy. That has never been my experience after multiple visits (which is readily evident by my somewhat "portly" size). I've found that during travels, one must be a "cultural chamelion" (to use Rick's terminology), and adapt somewhat to the local dining habits. Europeans typically have their evening meal later than we do here. In some places in France, it's difficult to find a restaurant open before 20:00. One method you might try is to have lunch later in the afternoon or have a late afternoon snack to "hold" you until supper. Hopefully you'll decide to give Italy another try at some point in the future. Should you be staying in the area around Termini station, here are some options to note: > For "emergency use", there's always McDonald's or Burger King. > There's a Panini shop on the main floor (close to McDonalds) as I recall. > Go one floor down from track level, and visit the Supermarket (turn right at the bottom of the stairs). They have LOTS of food there, and you'll be able to find some good choices! > If you want steaks or hamburgers and more of an "North American" restaurant, stop at the Roadhouse Grill at Termini. They serve chips & Salsa as an "appetizer" which I always enjoy. > Again in the Termini area, there's a restaurant called La Pretoriana at Via Vicenza & via Palestro. As I recall, their hours of operation were "longer". With adequate preparation and good information from the Italy or Rome Guidebooks, there's no reason at all you shouldn't be able to get a fine hot meal in Rome, even at 17:00!!! Cheers!

We asked for local advice in Italy (the owner of a toyshop nowhere near the restaurant he recommended). We went to the place he suggested and it was terrible. Overpriced, lousy food, AND they slapped a 15% service charge on top of everything.

The most overcrowded Italian cities do suffer with some side effects of their clientele. A suggestion is to shop in business-oriented areas, where chances are you are getting better food for the same price. Skip the overly typically Italian-decorated restaurant and try to look for some more modern places, which will serve Italian dishes and meals with a flavor of modernity.

To add to my previous comments, I usually ask the staff at the Hotel for recommendations, and have never been given a bad recommendation (so far). When I arrived in Rome last year, the staff at the Hotel suggested a place within easy walking distance, and I found a queue of both locals and tourists when I arrived. The food was great! I went there again the following night, and the place was so crowded I ended up sharing a table with a couple from the U.S. Crowded restaurants are often a good way to meet nice people! Cheers!

I guess I am a lucky guy as I have had no horror stories about my meals in Italy. I guess that Rick Steves book was really worth the money!

Is it possible to find good food in Italy? Are you serious? Is this a joke? The problem is finding a bad meal in Italy!

Kevin, " In 1 week, the only decent food I ate was on the plane coming and going, and I flew economy class" I certainly agree with you and often travel abroad just for this special dining treat. You can never go wrong with a mouthwatering US Air dinner selection!

I had a somewhat similar experience in Rome. Whenever we were starving and had to eat something, we went to the first place we saw. Eating on the tourist thoroughfares wasn't special, almost without exception the food wasn't good, the service poor and the atmosphere not much above McDonalds. On the other hand, when we took time to ask for a recommendation, we found great places (usually walking distance from tourist areas) with excellent food, service and ambiance. These weren't fancy places, they were small restaurants owned and operated by a family. The most surprising thing, the price was the same or a little lower at the good restaurants but quality (and quantity), service and atmosphere were much better.

"...Is it possible to find good food in Italy? Are you serious? Is this a joke? The problem is finding a bad meal in Italy..." I've had lots of bad food in Italy especially in touristy places like Rome and Venice. I know in a perfect world smart travelers should always ask for local advice, and use recommendations in guidebooks, but sometimes when I'm really hungry I don't think straight, and I eat at these touristy eateries with big english menus just to fill my stomach:) Without exception the food at these places is mediocre at best, and quite often bad. Of course these types of restaurants can be found in lots of other locations across Europe, but IME some Italian restaurants take bad food to shockingly cynical level of suckiness:) In fact several years ago the NY Times travel ran a lengthy investigative piece about restaurant rip-offs in Italy, and it was alarming. Off-the -record may proprietors of these restaurants freely admitted to serving dishes to tourists with inferior ingredients (compared to what they serve to locals), and often giving them leftovers from the previous day! There are actually laws in Italy prohibiting this, but it's obviously unenforceable. Bottom line if you want good food in Italy seek it out....it won't find you:)

" On the other hand, when we took time to ask for a recommendation, we found great places (usually walking distance from tourist areas) with excellent food, service and ambiance. These weren't fancy places, they were small restaurants owned and operated by a family." What he said! This always seems to work for us. Perhaps just dumb luck on our part.

Kevin, Do as we do, find a salumeria (delicatessan), choose what you like and take it for later.

We also often run into bad food in Italy, even on our latest (third) trip. I've yet to find the surefire signal that guarantees that a restaurant in Italy will be good. I've had outstanding meals at restaurants with the menus printed in four languages including English and I've had really lousy meals at restaurants packed with Italians. Here are the red flags and green flags that I've gathered over our three trips: Red flag: Someone outside trying to get you to come in and sit down. An empty restaurant when others are full. (Obvious, I know, but sometimes you're just tired and want to eat. Watch out for these.) Right on a major tourist spot. Tour groups at large tables (esp. if German). Any percentage service charge printed in English on the menu. Recommended by your hotel. (Caveat - I'm sure that there are exceptions to the above red flags.) Green flag: Busy. A lot of Italian spoken by the customers. The complete absence of a printed menu.
Recommended by your host if staying at a small B&B or renting an apartment. We seem to bat a little better than .500 when it comes to dinners in Italy. Each time I think we learn a little more. But remember, just because you have a dish you don't like, doesn't necessarily mean the restaurant is bad. There are dishes served at my favorite restaurants in the US that I would NEVER order. Happy travels.

Living in Rome, we ALWAYS planned our day around WHERE we would eat lunch or dinner. We knew different spots in different parts of town and would work our schedules accordingly. Moreover, you learn to get in the mode of the local cuisine. In Italy, that meant no breakfast (caffe' and cornetto), a later lunch (starting about 12:30) and a late dinner - starting after 20:00. Yes, if you wait after 14:00, you will get shut out of restaurants and end up eating at tourist locations... with other tourists. To those of us that lived in Rome, those places were not serving "Italian food" because no Italian was eating at 3, 4, or 5 PM and these locations catered to the palate of the tourist community. You learn quite early to build your day around your meal.. or you'll be eating at a Tavolo Caldo! When I was touring with folks, other than working around what they wanted to see, I ALWAYS tried to figure out where we would be a lunch time and what restaurants were in that area. To tie-yourself-over until the late dinner, get a granita or a gelato! You're not in Kansas (or Calgary) anymore. The "good" restaurants (where locals are eating) are probably open from 12:30 -14:30 and maybe 19:30 - 23:00 or so (hours vary and that's a general approach). You have to adjust accordingly. Or you'll be eating at those places that cater to folks who don't adjust and then you'll be complaining on a travel board.

Living in Italy, we adapted quickly to Spain and Greece when we traveled. We struggled in our visits to the US as everyone was eating at 17:30! And everyone ate in a hurry! Our "average meal"in Italy was easily 2-3 hours (lunch included). Like most cities, there's great food and terrible food in Rome but you have to search out both! You might read this article for some info on different Roman dishes.

We have had very good luck finding very good food in Italy. First, afternoon gelato to tide you over until later evening. Second, ALWAYS wander a minimum of 3-4 blocks away from the major tourist routes. The third part is partly luck and involves following your nose and checking menus before entering, have a good idea of what foods are in season is a big help here, those are your best bets. Food is one of those very subjective things so recommendations even from someone you trust need to be taken with a grain of salt. We also would stock up on local cheeses, breads and salumis to munch on mid afternoon if we got a bit peckish to tide us over or to have with a nice glass of wine before heading out to find the evenings restaurant of choice. We would typically head back to where we were staying and drop off non-essential stuff and rest our feet for a little bit before our evening wander so this worked well for us a lot! Searching for food when you are starving is when you are most likely to settle and find the traps with the bad to mediocre and at very high prices food.

Oh, and if we are out and about and starving, we find a nice enoteca or bar, get a glass of wine and they usually have something to munch on (kind of a happy hour, tapas, cicchetti, small plates type of stuff) while you sip and this would usually get us past that "I'm starving!!! FEED ME NOW!!" stage. At 5:00 though you will be hard pressed to find good food for a dinner time meal in much of Southern Europe. Some of those happy hour set ups can fill you up though, so you have to be careful. At home we usually eat fairly early, but on vacation we've learned to pace ourselves and eat dinner later.

Nadine has the answer---the afternoon gelato is key.

I have had to clean out this thread twice now. If I've removed your post, review our Community Guidelines before posting again and stop badgering the OP. We all agree that it is unfortunate that Kevin didn't find good food in Rome. Either post something helpful or move on to the next post. Thank you.

I must say, I felt like Kevin the first part of my trip to Italy. We were on a bus tour (not Rick's) and lunches were mostly the paninis you pick out and they heat up for you. The first 2 or 3 were good but we were pretty sick of them after that and the included dinners at the hotels we stayed at were horrible. However, after the tour, we were on our own in Rome for 3 days and with Rick's guide book and our B & B's recommendations, we finally got some meals we still talk about to this day!

" Either post something helpful or move on to the next post." In a true sense of being helpful, I will repeat my earlier suggestions (which have been removed) that fundamental research into the customs of the destinations one will visit will reveal times of usual dining hours in that destination. It will also uncover good dining choices in the various locales. If one is willing to make adjustments to one's usual dining hour, e.g. 5:00 pm for dinner is a non-starter anyplace I've ever visited around the world, the abundance of good to excellent dining choices will be revealed, even in Rome, Italy. RS Rome is a good place to start. Frommers, Lonely Planet, DK are also good.

For Italian food in general, not just Rome, also see: http://www.slowtrav.com/italy/restaurants/index.htm http://www.parlafood.com/
http://chowhound.chow.com/boards/58

Kevin... my first trip to Europe I could not get on the eating schedule of dinner so late. My daughter and I (who did not need huge fancy meals) ate a good breakfast at our hotel and then we were good till lunch (which we made our main meal of the day) We ordered that as late as possible, and then would grab a little Caprese salad or pizza marguerita later in the evening... and of course followed by gelato. Recently in Spain, where dinner is even later, I found it almost impossible to eat a huge dinner so late (9 or 10) and then try to go to sleep. As Americans we are just not used to that, but I try to adjust as best I can, however I am usually falling asleep in my food (early riser) Despite the time difference I have been very lucky and had great food most every trip....keep trying and better luck next time!

GelatO in the afternoon! A must!

On a somewhat related note, in a hotel breakfast room in Rome I once overheard a woman complaining to her traveling companions that the food in Italy was not as good as Italian food back home - LOL! Guess she ate where Kevin ate... Advance planning is the key. Don't wait to find a restaurant when you're already starving and KNOW that any decent sit-down meal in Italy will be 2 hours. Can't tell you how many times I've seen people frantic to get a check before their meal is half eaten so they can race off to make their museum entry appointment...

We too found very good food in Italy.We ate a late lunch usually around 1-2Pm and found many greatplaces.Stay off the tourist routes and you will do very well.

Timing is everything. In our first trip to Italy, we realized we had to adapt to the distinct Italian rhythm to the day. There are limited times when shops and restaurants are open, and for those used to the accommodating convenience of modern US life, this can come as a surprise. It really helps to plan your day around meals if you like to eat well. Observe what the Italians do -- an espresso/cappucino and maybe a small pastry taken standing up for "breakfast", a multi-course lunch over several hours, then dinner 8pm or later. It's too darn hot during the middle of the day to be running around anyway :-) This is also why we like to have our own transportation -- adhering to the bus/train schedule can really make it very hard to eat well and take the time to see what you want without being rushed.

Food in Italy...I just returned from an 18 day visit to Italy (including 6 nights in Rome,) where I had many good...and just as many bad...experiences. Michael gave some excellent advice. Kevin, like you, I don't like to eat late, but when in Rome... We stayed in an apartment in Rome, so we usually went back for a wine and cheese break at around 4:30 pm. Then at 7:30, we'd head out for a walk before dinner, usually to the Trastevere area. (If you can't do something like this, a gelato break is a great idea.) We rarely tried to sit down for dinner before 8 pm and we always looked for places "off the beaten path." At this point I was never very hungry, so my husband and I often split one appetizer, one primo and one secondo. Sometimes the waiters weren't too happy about it, though. Vegetables are never included, so I often ordered grilled vegetables as an appetizer or got a salad as a side dish. I think you're treated with more respect when you make reservations and dress for dinner. If I were to do it over again, I'd do more research in advance, but there are no guarantees. I made reservations at two restaurants I read about on Parlafood.com...Le Mani in Pasta (excellent meal and service) and Roma Sparita (mediocre meal and service.) My husband and I usually dress up a bit for dinner, but we were traveling with another couple and he always wore shorts and flip-flops, so I suspect this may have affected the way we were treated. Another suggestion: after you finish a meal, wander around and look at what people are eating in nearby restaurants (outside.) When you see dishes that look especially good, write down the name of the restaurant and call for a reservation, or make one on the spot... When you're on vacation, you want every meal to be perfect, but unfortunately it's not always possible...