Rome recommended restaurants...credit cards?

Italy is primarily on a cash-only system. If you find a restaurant that takes credit cards, you may have found a "tourist" restaurant that is expensive or overcharges. Use cash if at all possible. The same goes for hotels. Some have a credit card gizmo on the desk, but unfortunately it "isn't working."

Rome was our last stop also, and I had the same objective, wanting to spend down my euros... I came home only with coins and my wife later found a 10 euro note in her personal stuff... pretty good considering that we left with a 10 euro note given to us at a bon voyage party...

When dining, I simply asked up front whether credit cards were accepted. Apparently I only ate at tourist type places, as all places we ate at in Rome accepted credit cards. Venice was a different proposition and we very rarely could use credit cards there. Our experience.

Our experience doesn't match Swan's. Most restaurants in Rome, even the small family run one, take credit cards. Mostly likely there will be a logo sign posted on the front indicating which cards are accepted. Same for hotels. However, have found that most hotels will offer at least a 5% discount for cash. We tend to use cash almost all the time but taking a credit card does not mean that it is tourist restaurant.

I have to agree with Frank-I have been to many of Rick's suggested places-Some are only cash, and some do take credit cards and your not at a "tourist" restaurant-My only suggestion is if you feel like leaving a tip( a few extra euro) beyond the service charge etc-leave that in cash for your waiter

Yes, typically they do but Visa and Mastercard are more widely accepted than Amex.

We didn't have any problems at all using a credit card (VISA) at any of the restaurants we ate at in Rome in May.