Finding Nonna: taking mother and daughter to Italy

Don’t have any restaurants recommendations but you can order whatever and however you like

We rarely order dessert, we often just each order 1 secondo or 1 primo/ 1 secondo or really whatever we like

We enjoyed Ristorante Rosa Rossa in Venice near San Marco. It was about a 7 min. walk. I eat “like a bird!” and appreciated the variety of the menu. In Rome we like having lunch in the Jewish Ghetto. Enjoy your journey!
https://devourromefoodtours.com/blog/jewish-ghetto-rome-restaurants/

Is it bad for 3 people to order one primo, one segundo, and one dessert to split?

Yes. (Anyway, it’s secondo in Italian.)

Kim Is right, you'd be occupying a table for 3 while eating for 1.

Getting 5 or 6 Dishes shouldn't be a problem: the 2 birds can have 1 starter and 1 dessert each, while you can order 2 dishes.

You'd better stay away from restaurants close to the attractions you listed in Venice and Florence, but you must avoid like the plague all places selling food close to the Vatican in Rome.

(Kim's spelling is right, too)

We were just in Italy. We never ordered all three dishes but always ordered a primo for each person. We then would order salads or vegetables for people to split (we had seven people). Only on our last night did we order desert. And only once did we have secondo dishes--and that was two for the table to share. It was just too much food and we do not have delicate appetites.

I do think you need to order a dish per person at a minimum (and that doesn't include desert). And in our experience the antipasto dishes are not necessarily smaller-one night one of our party ordered it for his dinner and it was absolutely huge--more food than the primo dishes actually.

Another alternative is to order take out and then you can have as little as you wish.

Yeah, I’m not saying that you have to order all three courses for each person.

But ya gotta order more than three dishes total for three people. How is a restaurant owner supposed to make a living — and pay his or her employees — if you don't order something reasonable.

Again, I agree with Kim. Today Hardly anyone orders the "three courses & desert" meal every time they dine out. Nevertheless a table of three ordering three dishes any given night would be quite ridiculous. Sooner or later it would be frowned upon.

Three starters and three deserts plus water and wine would be ok.

Beth I don't think "anti pasta" means what you think.

What if you don’t eat dessert?

Thanks for the advice
Yes, Secondo.

Also I would never want to offend any restaurants, but my depression era mother will take food back to the room, no waste. Looking for restaurants with small portions.

Might do some meals during aperitivo with drinks and snacks - cicchetti.

Any good restaurant suggestions for Padua and Florence?
Thanks,
Hoping we don’t have to cancel for second year.

What if you don’t eat dessert?

Pick something else as your "other" dish. Starters and deserts are usually the smaller dishes, but you can have a starter and a side dish, or two starters or... your choice.

I would never want to offend any restaurants

It's not a matter of offense, it's a matter of not loosing money with 3 people eating like one at a table for three.

Looking for restaurants with small portions.

Do not expect the "Walmart sized" portions of US restaurants.

Well sorry
But I am not about to order food I know I can’t eat
That is wasteful
2 people, 2 dishes, water and wine

Dario-is it antipasto instead of antipasta? I looked up anti pasta and antipasto came up as meaning small dishes that start an Italian meal!

Which of course was what I was intending, except we didn’t find them so small!

You can also try doing one restaurant meal a day which would be very Italian of you. So have no breakfast or a small breakfast, good lunch, and go for a before dinner aperitivo with couple of plates to share. Then stop for a gelato or crepe later in the evening or maybe a focaccia or pizza to share if you are all still hungry. Maybe your hotels will have a balcony or somewhere that can serve as a picnic area for you.

You may also find everyone is hungrier than normal if you consider you will all be on your feet a lot touring during the day, the fresh air, and the amazing food.

If you don't think this would work for you, then my advice is to eat a little earlier and/or not at a crowded restaurant. Be honest with the staff before you sit down "we would like to eat but aren't very hungry and will just be sharing a couple of things, do you have a table for us?". If they are expecting a crowd, they will politely tell you they are full for the night. If they aren't, they will probably be glad to have you rather than an empty table. And if you are turned away but you really want to try that restaurant for some reason, ask if there would be a better day to return.

I have never eaten like a bird so can't relate to the portion size issue but I do travel solo a lot. And I am mindful that busy

restaurants will be hesitant to give a table to one that could be a table for 2-4. So I stick with the above plan and I don't dawdle. I eat at a comfortable pace but I don't linger too long at the table so they have a chance to turn it over.

I have faith you will be able to enjoy your trip. I am also crossing my fingers for myself for a late September departure.

If you can deal with cafeteria-style ambience, we love Florence's Self-Service Leonardo (fairly close to Duomo) -- you can point to what looks good, only take the courses you want and feel you can eat. And go back in line if something calls out to you.