Rome / Florence / Venice Restaurant Suggestions

I recommend seeking out the websites and Instagram accounts of food writers/tour operators mother & daughter team, Elizabeth and Sophie Minchilli. Both live in Rome and Sophie has restaurant suggestions on her IG account. Our last 2 visits in Rome we stayed in the Prati neighbourhood and found the restaurants there to be less touristy and filled with locals.

Katie Parla has a great website with city guides for Rome, Florence and Venice. We have made several reservations based on her recs for our trip in September. We actually also booked a food tour with her in Rome.

I can give you a few of my personal favorites from the time we lived there, but it has been a few years, so double check reviews on Google Maps or somewhere you trust. These are places we went to over and over again.

• SiciliainBocca in Prati for great Sicilian food
• Taverna Rossini in Parioli, a very interesting place with a fancy, more formal, fish restaurant, a trattoria/pizzeria, and a lovely outdoor space.
• La Pratolina in Prati, one of the most unique pizzas I have eaten
• Pizzeria Remo da Testaccio; no website, no reservations, just go early and plan to wait a bit. They are on Facebook.
• QuarantaQuattro for a fine dining experience not far from Via Veneto and the American Embassy

Most take reservations online now, and I highly recommend you do make a reservation except at Pizzeria Remo.

I am salivating! Now I need to go spend a couple of weeks eating my way through Rome!

In Florence, check out Giglio Rosso located at 35 via Panzani. Their web site is https://www.ristorantegigliorosso.com/en/about/. We also enjoyed dining at Olio & Convivium Gastronomia Restaurant. It's on the Pitti Palace side of the river on Via di Santo Spirito. The web site is (or was) https://oliorestaurant.it/. A bit pricey at lunch and more so at dinner, but excellent food, good ambiance, and fine wine,

As a general rule, we avoid canal side places in Venice as they are usually overpriced and under quality. There is an exception, however. You might want to try Trattoria Da Giorgia ai Greci. It is very close to San Marco and an easy walk to get away from the crowds. A bit pricey, but most places in Venice are, and the food is really great. If you are in the Rialto Bridge area at lunch time, consider Trattoria Da Marco Valla Fava on Calle Stagneri. Some of the best sea food ever!! It is definitely pricy so lunch is much easier on the budget. Try to eat inside rather than outside. The place has been around at least 50 years so they must be doing it right.

In Rome, if you are near the Panteon at lunch, check out a place called Miscellanea. It is on Via della Palombella which is a small side street near the back of the right side of Panteon when facing the building. Nothing fancy, but great for a quick lunch. For dinner, there are too, too many choices from which to chose. We usually ask at the hotel and have always wound up at local places with great food.

You should be able to google all of them (including menus) and see if you want to try them. If so, using Google Maps you can zero in on the locations.

Thank you all for your suggestions! I have started combing through all of your wonderful ideas!