Restaurants - Authentic vs. Tourist Trap

Lots of ways to tell...is the menu offered in multiple languages?
Is the restaurant right next to some major attraction? Check the prices...of a lot of restaurants...it's easy to do, if you are walking around the city, most restaurants post their menus and prices outside next to the entrance of the restaurant. You will soon be able to differentiate between the restaurants based on quality, and the prices. If they offer spaghetti and meat balls...flee from there......

I forgot to add that the really good dishes are not dishes that you have heard of here in the US (at least not in common use). So to really experience the native food, you have to be adventurous and try stuff you haven't had before.

Well, I definitely consider myself a food adventurer. And there isn't much I don't like except really bizarre things. So if the menu is in English, Spanish, French and Chinese it's good bet its a trap?

Absolutely. If it is just Italian and English you are probably safe. I went to several excellent places that had Italian on the left side and English on the right. The fun part was that only HALF of the menu was in English so the remaining items I just had to guess at!

Also, restaurants that have staff standing outside trying to entice you in are likely to be traps. If the restaurant is worth eating at, they shouldn't have to collect people off of the sidewalk.

Finally, ask your hotel for recommendations in the area.

Avoid restaurants that are on piazzas/canals etc. and go a block or two away for more authentic places. I found that places that featured local specialties rather than generic Italian food seemed more authentic - get lasagna bolognese in Bologna not Venice, order seafood in Venice rather than grilled meats, wait until you get to Florence for a big thick steak, etc. Italian food is still much more regional than in the U.S. In you are into strolling in market areas, be aware what is fresh in the markets and order daily specials written in Italian on a chalkboard at the entrance. When I was there last October, mushrooms were in season so I ate a lot of wonderful "pasta con funghi." I pretty much stuck to ordering the chalboard specials and had wonderful meals - it helps if you're not finicky!

If you have the time left, a good bookstore and a little money, Lonely Planet's World Food Italy book is a great investment - it has menu translations, articles on Italian food and tips for restaurants. It's quite small to carry and well worth it. Otherwise, I would follow the advice above as best as you can. Once you get acclimated, it's pretty easy to separate tourist traps from more local places. But the best ways are to walk a few blocks from tourist concentrations and ask your hotel to help you.

Use your gut, look at who is dining there. Is it locals or tourists?

Another good trick is walk about two or three blocks from a major site and typically you'll find a new locals place on a side street, especially in a place like Rome.

Linda, my suggestion would be go off the beaten path. My husband and I rarely eat in restaurants that are on main streets or near tourist areas. That way you get a real restaurant, although you might have a problem understanding the menu, its always fun to guess and enjoy whatever comes your way. Have fun in Italy! Its my favorite country and cannot wait until we return next year!

The theme seems to be walk a couple blocks in any direction from the main sites. This is ideal since I do want to see the historic sites, but I also want to get some real Italian experience. Thanks, everyone!

Ciao

Good advice you've gotten. And always order one of the specials, if they're available. They'll be made out of the freshest ingredients. We rarely went wrong with that.