Recommendation for Specialty Shops in Rome or Florence

[Aspen1120]

My husband and I will be in Rome and Florence next week and I nearly forgot to research speciality shops while there. Can you recommend any speciality food and clothing shops in Florence and Rome? I would love to ship back pastas, meats and cheese (as well as clothes too)!

Thanks!

[DavidT]

There was a thread a few months ago here about the best chocolate shops in Florence.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/576031

I highly recommend Taddei, a small, one-man leather goods shop in Florence.

http://tuscantraveler.com/2008/floren...

[erica]

First of all, if you live in the US, I would not try shipping back meats.

Second, do not expect any bargains on household products.

Third, here is a good shop in Florence; one of my favorite Italian purchases is an olive wood salad bowl I bought there about 10 years ago. Price was over $100 US even then. As I said,good quality products are not cheap in italy.

http://www.dinobartolini.it/inglese/n...

[Aspen1120]

Thank you all for the recommendaitons.

Erica-I don't think I indicated that I was "bargin" hunting. Just looking for some quality household goods. Thanks for the link anyways!

[DaleJ]

Volpetti can be accessed via the Metro to Piramide and walking west on via Marmorata a few blocks.

In Florence there is a huge outdoor market just west of the train station. More leather goods than you've ever seen before.

[foodinrome]

In Rome definitely Volpetti (via Marmorata) and Castroni (near the Vatican). In Florence try QB-quantobasta.It's new and works also as a restaurant but it has great variety. what kind of clothes are you interested in?

[Aspen1120]

Thanks for the recommendations! I'm really interested in leather purses and shoes....what women typically love! I would also like to get some cermics (dishes, pasta bowls, etc.)...