Trip Planning: Restaurant Feedback (Orvieto, Montalcino, Castellina, Bologna)

[BernieBrewer]

My wife and I will be in Italy in September, and I've narrowed down our potential restaurants in several cities to the list below. I would appreciate any thoughts that anyone has on these restaurants, or any that I may have missed. Thanks!

Orvieto – La Volpe e l’Uva; Trattoria La Grotta; Del Moro; Trattoria dell’Orso; La Pergola
Montalcino (Lunch) – Ristorante Boccon Divino; Trattoria Sciame; Grappolo Blu
Castellina-in-Chianti Area – Trattoria Le Panzanelle; Il Pestello; La Toppa (San Donato); Osteria alla Piazza
Bologna – Meloncello; Gianni’s; Trattoria Tony

[newhaven maven]

Oops--a typo. I meant, of course La Volpe e L'Uva in Orvieto.

[newhaven maven]

Just now saw the post---it may be too late for your September trip. But I wanted to sing the praises of La Volpe e Lupa, one our favorite modest trattorias in Orvieto. They do all the classics right--and are very welcoming. Their Umbrichelli (the local fat spaghetti) with truffles is terrific. Unfortunately, Asino d'Oro is closed, replaced by a new place we've not yet tried. I also like Etruca, but La Pergola, and La Palomba are better, I think--the food fresher and more fully flavored. And both are filled with locals, families especially, having a good time. We had a really good meal recently at Trattoria La Grotta---and the service couldn't have been more friendly. We were dining with my wife's 85 year old mother, and they treated her like a queen. Don't miss Pasqualetti for wonderful gelati---two shops one across from the Duomo and one on Corso Cavour, the main street of Orvieto.Try the pink grapefruit gelato--amazing!

[mommabear]

Orvieto this past spring - LaPalomba was sooooo good. Don't expect anyone to speak English, and that's fine by me. Excellent wine-braised boar, fresh pasta topped with truffle that the genial host just kept shaving and shaving!! Another authentic place is Trattoria Mezzaluna, a great place for a hearty lunch of fresh pasta and house wine. Mmmmm. my mouth is watering!

Last year in Orvieto, I had lunch at Trattoria La Grotta and it was delicious too. Can't remember too many details from last year, but I remember the pasta with truffles!

[mbfant]

In Orvieto we like La Pergola very much, a nice family-run restaurant, also the simpler La Palomba and the fancier Giglio d'Oro. We also like Trattoria Etrusca in via Maitani (opposite Duomo). There is at least one other place with Etrusca in the name.

[intrepid]

hi maureen, yes we are speaking of the same Tratt etrusca-see below-thanks

http://www.argoweb.it/trattoria_etrus...

[kirk in NY]

i would recommend L'Asino d'Oro in Orvietto -- its been 2 or 3 years since i was there, but it was one of the very best meals I have ever had in Italy (not quite as good as Giusti and of course different from Le Calandre), and clearly the best we had in Umbria.

In Bologna, Meloncello is very good; Gianni was disappointing.

[DaleJ]

I Sette Consoli in Orvieto Alto is my favorite restaurant in all of Italy.

[BernieBrewer]

Thanks, DaleJ. Sadly, they're closed the night we're having dinner in Orvieto (Wednesday)

[intrepid]

im a fan of ETRUSCA in orvieto, very close to the duomo, also close to duomo is a deli called FRATELLI , and a gelato place right next to the duomo, all very good, if you have time, go check out la badia, quite fab heres link to etrusca

http://www.argoweb.it/trattoria_etrus...