Restaurant Recommendations: Rome & Bologna

In Bologna, Ristorante La Colombina (Vicolo Colombina, near Piazza Maggiore).
In Ravenna, La Bella Venezia (next door to Hotel Byron Carlysle or Carlysle Byron, always mix the names up).
In Trastevere, Taverna Trilussa (near the river, dinner only, reserve).
In Rome, Isola della Pizza near the Vatican (much more than Pizza), and Cul de Sac on Via del Governo Vecchio, and Navona Notte near Piazza Navona.
In Ferrara, Ristorante Cusina e Butega (traditional specialties, across the street from the Duomo).

Taverna Trilussa is more of a splurge, but all of these are moderately priced.

If you are in Rome for Christmas Eve Antica Taverna does a feast of the "seven" fishes dinner. I say "seven" because that is the traditional number but I think in 3 or 4 course you actually get more than 7 fishes. Fixed price with wine was still only Euro 45 last year. We've eaten there 3 Christmas Eves in a row. Be sure to reserve, which you can do through email on their website.

Also in Rome Dar Poeta or Da Remo for pizza, Alfredo & Ada for a unique home-cooking experience. All 4 of these places are inexpensive.

For a splurgetry 44 and for nice Sardinian food at a modest price L'Isola d'Oro. At the latter, I highly recommend the seafood antipasto. Order one for two as it is HUGE. These last two places are a bit out of the center but worth the trip. At L'Isola you will find very few tourists or even ex-pats.

We enjoyed our meals at La Gardela in Ravenna. Well prepared, ample portions, and friendly and courteous service. This isn't a fancy or fussy restuarant. We returned more than once during our stay in Ravenna. It seemed popular with the locals.

In Trastevere, we really enjoyed Marco G. It's in the northwestern part of Trastevere, toward the Vatican. We enjoyed it so much in 2013 that we went twice. I would call it mid-range in price and very casual. Here are some photos I took there:
Marco G in Trastevere

It was empty the second night we went because we needed to show up early. It started to fill up by the time we were leaving. The first night we were there it was full.

Genie, here are some recommendations:
• Il Gabriello, Via Vittoria 51 (near Spanish steps)
• Roscioli, Via dei Giubbonari 21 (near Campo de Fiori) – this is a good place to get carbonara, amatricana, as well as burrata.

• Armando Al Pantheon, Salita dè Crescenzi, 31 (near Pantheon :) )
• Le Mani in Pasta, Via dei Genovesi 37 (Trastevere neighborhood)
• La Gensola, Piazza della Gensola (Trastevere) – known for their seafood
• Renato e Luisa, Via del Barbiere 25 (walking distance from Campo de Fiori)
• Good gelato franchise - Gelateria Fatamorgana
• Bakery Roscioli, Via dei Chiavari 34 (also near Campo)

We spend a week each May in Bologna and the place we always go for our Sunday lunch is Trattoria La Corte Galluzzi which is in the Corte Galluzzi You need to book to get an outside table on a Sunday. Some people find the owners a bit reserved but they have always been very kind to us. We share a pasta starter, each have a main and then share a dessert. The meat dishes are delicious, cooked to perfection and the roast potatoes are just how I like them ie very crispy.

We usually like to eat our main meals at lunchtime and, because we stay in an apartment, cook ourselves a light meal in the evenings. As an alternative to cooking we go out to places that serve a selection of canapes, included in the price, with our drinks and find that it is enough food for us.

Another money saving tip to is to eat the set price (about 10 euro) lunches you will see on offer in many places. They are not tourist menus as such but are provided for office workers who are given lunch vouchers by their employers.

Our friend who is from Italy recommended Checco er carrtierre and we really enjoyed it! And it's in Trastavere!

http://www.checcoercarettiere.it/

Bologna:

Ristorantino Il Tinello via dei Giudea
Trattoria da pietro via dei Falegnami
Trattoria Sergei on the corner of via Piella and via Bertiera, very small and recommendation are likely necessary
Tamburini via Caprarie, is a nice spot to get s plate of salumi, formaggi and vino and sit outside

Rome

Trastevere
Papa Re, via della Lungaretta, inexpensive and basic, but I like the place a lot

Z'umberto, Piazza di San Giovanni della Malva, people complain about the wait staff, they are not very gregarious, I don't care, reservations needed especially if you want to eat out side and eat after 8.

Ponte (I think)
Alfredo e Ada, via dei Banchi Nuovi, love this place, small, reservation are best, although the one time I ate there i only had to wait about 10 minutes or so.

Near Campo dei Fiori and Piazza Farnese

Osterria la Quercia, Piazza Quercia, I have been eating there since 1977, although it has changed ownership, still I go.

We were in Bologna in early November and ate ate the following restaurants:

Diana : via Indipendenza 24 This is a nice restaurant; we had the lasagna which we thought was very good. Maybe a splurge

Trattoria del Rosso : via Augusto Righi 30 This is a much more casual restaurant; the antipasti with the salume and cheese with the puffs are not to be missed.

And are there really too many places where a clean pair of jeans etc aren't ok

Good luck !

Thank you everyone! We love Dar Poeta and the walk there is great. Every other place suggested is new and we're looking forward to trying some.
Time to start packing :)