Italy trip food suggestions
I will be travelling through Venice, Florence, Tuscany/Umbria, Pisa, Rome, Naples in October and was looking for suggestions for restaurants/eateries as I've usually found the places mentioned in guidebooks+tripadvisor to be unsatisfactory. I live in New York, and although I'm aware Italian food in Italy will undoubtedly be better, I'd like to try new things and more local options that I cannot access in NYC.
Typically looking to spend 10-30 Euros per person for casual meals and about 50-60 Euros for a few higher end options.
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So I have something now, please feel free to comment or suggest any from my list. If there is anything on here that is expensive (for my modest wallet that is more than $100 per person) please let me know so I can avoid it.
VENICE ( will be staying in Cannairegio, arriving by flight at lunch time):
Lunch: Caffe dei Frari, La Cantina, Bancogiro, Alla Vedova, Alla Frasca, Bea Vita, Antica Mola, due Gondolette, Al Timon, Deluca e Fred, Oniga, Osteria a la Campana, Al CovoCiccheti: Cantina Do Mori, Enoteca Cantinone, Bancogiro, Al Mercà, Cantina do Mori, Bar all’Arco, Osteria ai Storti, Cantina Do Spade, Alla Vedova, La Cantina, Alla Bomba, Al Prosecco, Vini Padovani, Cantinone gia Schiavi, Ruga Rialto, Cavatappi, Da Alberto, Vivaldia, Al Bacareta, Alla Vedova, Ai Promessi Sposi, Vecià Carbonara, Maddalena in Cannaregio, El Sbarlefo, Promessi Sposi
Dinner: Boccadoro, Alle Testiere, Antiche Carampane, Da Fiore, Trattoria Olivanera, da Pinto, Al Botte, Al Portego, Alla Frasca, ai Promessi Sposi, Fiaschetteria Toscana, Da Rioba, da Alberta, La Bitta
Bar: Skyline Bar at the Molino Stucky for views
ER:
Plan to spend a day in Bologna, then go to Parma, rent a car and spend 1-2 days driving around the areaBologna: Trattoria del Rosso, Caminetto d'Oro, Al Cavallino Bianco, All'Osteria Bottega, Teresina, Serghei, Da Gianni or Ciccio e Giampi, Trattoria Anna Maria, Osteria Numero Sette, Osteria del Sole (drink), pizza at Belle Arti
Parma: Locanda Mariella, Trattoria del Tribunale, Ristorante Cocchi, Da Ivan, La Buca, Da Amerigo, Sapori di Bassa (lunch only), Salsamentaria Storica e Verdiana
TUSCANY:
Florence: La Buca d"Orfeo, Fiaschetteria Nuvoli , Del Fagioli , Trattoria Mario, Vini e Vecchi Sapori, Trattoria Sostanza, Trattoria Sergio Gozzi on Piazza di San Lorenzo (lunch), Mercato Centrale (lunch, Nerbone), Cipolla Rossa (dinner), Il Santo Bevitore (dinner), Le Volpi e L'uvaSome others:
La PIneta in Marina di Bibbona
Lorenzo in Forte dei Marmi
Garfagnana
Osteria Acquacheta in MontepulcianoAfter ER and Tuscany, going to Umbria.
Please feel free to suggest good spots in Umbria, particularly in and around Perugia and Lago Trasimero (thinking of an agriturismo). I am attracted to Umbria as it seems to offer what Tuscany has, yet is apparently and underrated and not as heavily touristed, and hence cheaper too.I will post Rome later as I have too much info I currently have to parse through.
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Trattoria del Tribunale
Vicolo Politi, 5, Parma, PR 43100, ITRistorante Cocchi
Via Gramsci, 16a, Parma 43100, ITLa Bitta
Dorsoduro 2753A, Calle Lunga San Barnaba, Venezia 30123, ITSapori di Bassa
via Pietro Balestra 3, Busseto, Emilia-Romagna , ITAl Cavallino Bianco
Via Sbrisi, 2, Polesine Parmense, Emilia-Romagna 43010, ITLa Buca
via Ghizzi 6, Zibello (PR), Zibello, Emilia-Romagna 43010, ITDa Ivan
via Villa 73, Roccabianca di Fontanelle, Emilia-Romagna 43010, ITAntiche Carampane
Calle de la Carampane, 1911,San Polo, Venice, Veneto 30125, ITDa Rioba
Fondamenta de la Misericordia, Cannaregio, 2553, Venice, Veneto 30121, ITBancogiro
Campo San Giacomo di Rialto, San Polo 122,, Venice, Veneto 30125, ITAl Covo
Campiello della Pescaria,Castello 3968, Venice, Veneto 30122, ITFiaschetteria Toscana
Cannaregio, 5719, Venice, Veneto 30131, ITAl Prosecco
Campo San Giacomo dell'Orio, Santa Croce 1503, 30135, Venice, Veneto 30135, ITCantina do Mori
San Polo 429, Venice, Veneto , ITDo Spade
Sestiere San Polo, 860, 30125 Venezia, Italy, Venice, Veneto , ITCaminetto d'Oro
Via de' Falegnami, 4, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna 40121, ITDel Fagioli
Corso dei Tintori, 47R, Florence, Tuscany 50122, ITSostanza
Via della Porcellana, 25, 50123, Florence, Tuscany 50123, ITTrattoria Mario
Via Rosina, 2, Florence, Tuscany , 50123, ITIl Santo Bevitore
Via Santa Spirito 64r, Florence, Tuscany 50125, ITVini e Vecchi Sapori
Via dei Magazzini, 3, Florence, Tuscany 50122, ITTrattoria del Rosso
Via Righi 30, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna 40126, ITSerghei
Via Piella, 12, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna 40126, ITTeresina
Via Guglielmo Oberdan, 4, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna 40126, ITTrattoria Anna Maria
Via delle Belle Arti, 17, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna 40126, ITNerbone
Via dell'Ariento, 87r, Florence, Tuscany 50100, ITBea Vita
Cannaregio 3082, Venice, Veneto , ITBoccadoro
Campiello Widmann,Cannaregio 5405a, Venice, Veneto , ITLa Cantina
Campo San Felice, Cannaregio 3689, Venice, Veneto , ITOniga
Campo San Barnaba, 2852, Venice, Veneto , ITVini Padovani
Dorsoduro, calle dei Cerchieri,1280, Venice, Veneto , ITAll'Osteria Bottega
Via Santa Caterina, 51, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna , ITOsteria Numero Sette
loc. - Rastignano ,Via Andrea Costa 7, Pianoro Bologna, Emilia-Romagna , ITLocanda Mariella
localita Fragnolo,Strada Provinciale 61, Calestano, Emilia-Romagna 43030, ITCipolla Rossa
Via de' Conti,53, Florence, Toscana 50123, ITda Pinto
Sestiere San Polo,367, Venice, Veneto 30125, ITAlle Testiere
Calle del Mondo Novo,Sestiere Castello,5801, Venice, Veneto 30122, IT›20 Replies-
re: manny6
I suggest you do several different posts: Venice; Bologna, Parma, Emilia Romagna; Florence, Tuscany; Umbria; Rome. Two of the most knowledgeable people - PBSF for Venice and Mbfant for Rome - have posted in this thread and might look at it again, but Allende - for Emilia Romagna and coastal Tuscany - has not.
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re: zerlina
Thanks Zerlina:
ER countryside: Da Ivan where we had another really wonderful meal last Friday evening. La Buca; Locanda Mariella; and around Bologna, Da Amerigo. Leave plenty of time to find all of these. They are buried in the countryside.
Tuscan Coast: La Pineta in Marina di Bibbona; Lorenzo; and the newest one La Perla del Mare in San Vincenzo, but it runs a distant third to Lorenzo and La Pinetta.-----
La Buca
via Ghizzi 6, Zibello (PR), Zibello, Emilia-Romagna 43010, ITDa Ivan
via Villa 73, Roccabianca di Fontanelle, Emilia-Romagna 43010, ITLa Pineta
via dei Cavalleggeri Nord 27, Bibbona, Tuscany 57020, ITLocanda Mariella
localita Fragnolo,Strada Provinciale 61, Calestano, Emilia-Romagna 43030, IT-
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re: zerlina
Shouldn't be a problem. Depends, of course, on what price wine you order (Luciano has a great list, but there are many, many bottles that are moderately priced).
Fish and seafood, as you well know, is very expensive in Italy (unless it is not of top quality), and it is very expensive at La Pineta, but there should be no problem.-----
La Pineta
via dei Cavalleggeri Nord 27, Bibbona, Tuscany 57020, IT-
re: allende
Thanks Allende. I might not be able to make it to Locanda Mariella or La Pineta. But I plan to have lunch at La Buca and then dinner and stay the night at Da Ivan. Any idea if one needs a booking in October for a room + dinner or can we just show up?
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La Buca
via Ghizzi 6, Zibello (PR), Zibello, Emilia-Romagna 43010, ITDa Ivan
via Villa 73, Roccabianca di Fontanelle, Emilia-Romagna 43010, ITLa Pineta
via dei Cavalleggeri Nord 27, Bibbona, Tuscany 57020, ITLocanda Mariella
localita Fragnolo,Strada Provinciale 61, Calestano, Emilia-Romagna 43030, IT-
re: manny6
No problem eating without a reservation (normally), but staying, I'd get a reservation. Da Ivan has only two or three rooms so on any one night, there might be a problem.
I think it is a mistake to go to Da Ivan at dinner and La Buca at lunch. They are very close to one another, about 10 km. The food (basic products and dishes) is basically the same, although prepared very differently.
My recommendation would be to go to Locanda Mariella for lunch (the food being very different from Da Ivan even though they are only 35 or so km. away; that's really what Italian regionalism means) and then go to Da Ivan for dinner and the night.
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La Buca
via Ghizzi 6, Zibello (PR), Zibello, Emilia-Romagna 43010, ITDa Ivan
via Villa 73, Roccabianca di Fontanelle, Emilia-Romagna 43010, ITLocanda Mariella
localita Fragnolo,Strada Provinciale 61, Calestano, Emilia-Romagna 43030, IT
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re: manny6
PBSF
Oct 6, 2011 03:07 PM
Unless your stay is for couple of weeks in each cities/areas, my advice is to start editing. It overwhelms you as well those who wants to reply to your thread. How long are you planning to stay in each particular city/area?
Venice: it is a hodge of a list, therefore, it is difficult to pin down what specifics you are looking for; it has just about every place that had been mentioned on this board. Only Osteria da Fiore will exceed your budget.-
re: PBSF
I was hoping CH'ers would help me edit! I've never been to these places of course but I am generally looking for some strictly local cuisine, sticking to a modest budget (10-30 EUR per person for lunch, 20-50 EUR per person for dinner) and having some some backup places. I plan to spend 3 full days in Venice, 3-4 days in ER, 3 days in Tuscany, 3 days in Umbria. In Venice I will have 3 lunches, and 3 nights for dinner/cicchetti.
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re: manny6
PBSF
Oct 6, 2011 03:51 PM
Venice: if your budget is 20-50 euro pp rather than the $100, places such as Al Covo,
alle Testiere, Antiche Carampane, Fiaschetteria Toscana will test your upper limit. And that is before ordering wine, etc.
Bacari are inexpensive but it still comes down to what you order. A excellent seafood antipasti will be expensive regardless where you order it but one can have a small plate of saor, fried sardines, squid at do Spada for 2.5 euro or small sandwiches at L'Arco or Al Merca for 1.5 euro. Keep in mind that it takes a few to make a lunch. Local wines starts at about 2euro for an ombra.-----
Antiche Carampane
Calle de la Carampane, 1911,San Polo, Venice, Veneto 30125, ITAl Covo
Campiello della Pescaria,Castello 3968, Venice, Veneto 30122, ITFiaschetteria Toscana
Cannaregio, 5719, Venice, Veneto 30131, IT-
re: PBSF
Well I can go up to $100 per person or any amount for that matter, but I'd rather stick to about 20-50 euro. I generally find diminishing returns with food as prices go much higher, and having had the privilege of eating all over the world in all price ranges, I am personally usually happiest spending a modest amount, similar to what middle class locals would spend on a meal. You do get what you pay for, but I find there is certainly a sweet spot where you can be very happy with the food, ambiance and company for a modest amount of money. There are of course exceptions, so I would not mind trying 1 of these places. Of the 4, which would be a truly delicious Venetian experience: Al Covo, alle Testiere, Antiche Carampane, Fiaschetteria Toscana.
I really like the idea of trying small good eats at various bacari, I have a feeling this is what I will end up doing for dinner most of the time.-----
Antiche Carampane
Calle de la Carampane, 1911,San Polo, Venice, Veneto 30125, ITAl Covo
Campiello della Pescaria,Castello 3968, Venice, Veneto 30122, ITFiaschetteria Toscana
Cannaregio, 5719, Venice, Veneto 30131, IT-
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re: manny6
Venice is not like most cities. It receives 21 million visitors a year (the last time I looked) and has a resident population of about 60,000 in the historic center. Also, middle-class locals don't eat out that much, and when they do, they may be charged on a different price scale than visitors. It's illegal in theory but not unknown in practice. Visiting "regulars" also get discounted prices sometimes, but a three-day visit is not going to make you a regular.
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re: manny6
jen kalb
Oct 7, 2011 03:17 PM
you are theorizing again! I think if you go to most of the places on your list that have been reccomended by PBSF etc. and that are away from San Marco and other tourist hotspots, and focus on the local dishes rather than generic italian that you will eat pretty much what locals eat , not pay an exorbitant amount and a lot of times sit next to them. Locals in italy still mainly eat their local food tho that is changing a bit. The 4 or 5 prominent placeshigh ticket places that are talked about on every food board, including this one are a different story.
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re: manny6
PBSF
Oct 8, 2011 09:02 PM
If you subscribe to your theory of 'diminishing returns with food as prices go much higher", my advice is to by pass the 'expensive' places such as Al Covo, Alle, Testiere, etc. You will probably find them not worth the cost.
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Al Covo
Campiello della Pescaria,Castello 3968, Venice, Veneto 30122, IT
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re: manny6
Regarding Bologna, unless you speak some Italian, and have a ready knowledge of the classic Bolognese menu, you might not get the best meal at Serghei only because there is no printed menu, and the owner tends to sort of whiz through the offerings, expecting you to interrupt him with what you want. He sometimes stops short of giving the whole list, feeling he just has to prompt you with a few items, and you'll know to ask for what you want, even if he hasn't mentioned it yet. If you are not deterred by that, it is a good choice.
Osteria del Sole is almost like an indoor picnic area, with a bar. The idea is that you bring your own food and you get the use of the table for the price of a drink. It's really not a place to just go in and have a drink, although I doubt anybody would really care, and it is a very atmospheric old corner of the markets.
Al Cavallino Biano is not in Bologna but near Parma.
I wouldn't bother to eat pizza at Belle Arti if you are only in Bologna for a very short time.
Teresina is a very nice upmarket restaurant, in a lovely space, with a solid reputation for consistency. But if you are in search if truly representative food of the city, I think it's not quite what you are looking for, even though you will eat well. The same is partly true of Caminetto d'Oro, which is even more upmarket (and pricier), but if you are deliberately in search of tagliatelle al ragu, this is a fine destination for that.
Da Gianni, Giampi e Ciccio and Trattoria Anna Maria are all fine places to try delicious homemade pastas, especially filled/stuffed pastas at Anna Maria. Each is a bit touristy in its own way, Trattoria Anna Maria the most, but they can be warm and friendly nonetheless. Trattoria Anna Maria has the least satisfactory secondi in my experience.
Never have eaten at Trattoria della Rossa, Osteria Numero Settte or all'Osteria 'Bottega, although the last is very high on my list, and has been recommended to me by locals as well as appearing in knowledgeable food guidebooks.
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Caminetto d'Oro
Via de' Falegnami, 4, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna 40121, ITSerghei
Via Piella, 12, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna 40126, ITTeresina
Via Guglielmo Oberdan, 4, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna 40126, ITTrattoria Anna Maria
Via delle Belle Arti, 17, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna 40126, ITGiampi e Ciccio
Via Luigi Carlo Farini, 31, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna , IT-
re: barberinibee
PS: I went looking to see if I could find a menu for Serghei on the internet, and this blog points out that it is posted outside the restaurant. So you can decide what you want before you go in, no problem.
http://tasteforbologna.blogspot.com/2...
I would skip dessert in Bologna anywhere you go with the possible exception of Da Gianni.
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Serghei
Via Piella, 12, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna 40126, IT-
re: barberinibee
jen kalb
Oct 7, 2011 08:58 AM
adding links - in connection with your last note about dessert bb there is an amusing comment from Gualtieri Marchesi quoted in the second review of Osteria Numero Sette on this page (I love the googletranslate glitches too, but that wont bother you.) to the effec that your meal in Bologna should be antipasto, primo and dessert. I get skipping the secondi, so often disappointing. But I am usually also disappointed by Italian desserts - could he be indicating that Bolognese desserts are better than other places?
http://www.2spaghi.it/ristoranti/emil...
Sine OP has a car, he can get out to visit some of these more remote places - I would love to get a report since this is on my list of interesting restaurants around Bologna
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All'Osteria Bottega
Via Santa Caterina, 51, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna , ITOsteria Numero Sette
loc. - Rastignano ,Via Andrea Costa 7, Pianoro Bologna, Emilia-Romagna , IT-
re: jen kalb
Just so there is no confusion: All'Osteria Bottega is in central Bologna, in the centro storico.
I would certainly agree on skipping the secondo in most Bolognese restaurants. I really enjoyed my secondo of turkey at Serghei, and saw other plates going to other tables that I would have tried. But my experience of secondi in other Bolognese restaurants has been terribly discouraging.
Plotkin recommends bollito misto at Giampi e Ceccio in winter -- which may be too early for manny6.
If manny6 has a car, I would encourage him to stay outside Bologna near one of the recommended countryside restaurants and only come into Bologna to see the morning markets and buy some food, and treat himself to a sitdown at Osteria del Sole, which would really fit his budget (even if parking is expensive).
But if he is staying in Bologna, experiencing what's left of the best of the classic places can be enjoyable.
My limited experience of Bolognese restaurant desserts is that they are are too eggy or too jammy, or too ice-creamy. I find Bolognese pasta exceptionally rich, and after eating them, dessert has little appeal. That said, I am extremely fond of baked goods filled with Bolognese mostarda, but I don't know if the Bolognese eat them for dessert or for breakfast or teatime. Tamburini sells the best version I've tasted -- a calzone/streudel-like cake called "pinza" -- but last time I was in there they refused to sell it to me by the slice (as they had previously), only in gift-wrapped packages.
Here's a picture and recipe
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4zpRkppN0Ao/TQT4QQT0VfI/AAAAAAAAB08/WBCwe6aY8C0/s1600/P1010191.JPG
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re: barberinibee
jen kalb
Oct 7, 2011 11:48 AM
lots of great info bb
Its a pity that this thread and list is so sprawling that all the restaurants wont map[. I guess OP can click on one of the Bologna restaurants and then the loption to see nearby restaurants to see where they are vis a vis each other.
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Gianni a la Vecia Bulagna (aka Trattoria da Gianni)
Via Clavature 18, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna 40100, ITDa Amerigo (Amerigo dal 1934)
Via Marconi, 16, Savigno, Emilia-Romagna 40060, IT
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Thank you for all the links. I'm in the process of putting them together in a document for me to take with me on my trip. From what I've figured so far, I should be seeking food in and around Bologna (ER countryside) and Tuscany/Umbria countryside. In fact I think those areas may actually be nice to be in generally. I get the impression that the big cities I was planning to visit with the exception of Rome are best for visiting sights more so than looking for great food.
Slightly off topic, but if I wanted to spend about a week driving around the countryside in some combination of ER, Tuscany, Umbria, where should I rent a car and stay?›4 Replies-
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re: manny6
If you're as serious about this as you seem, bear in mind that *what* you eat is as important as where you eat it. "Italian cooking" doesn't exist; it's all regional cooking. Fred Plotkin's Italy for the Gourmet Traveler, which is not about high-end dining, has good introductions to the cooking of each region and a comprehensive index of regional dishes.
50-60 Euro per person is the middle range that many restaurants fall into, and there are also many in the 35-50 Euro range. If you eat lunch for 10-15 Euro (e.g., pizza al taglio in Rome, boiled-beef or tripe sandwiches in Florence, cicchetti in Venice), you can go to 35-60 Euro for more of your dinners.
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re: manny6
manny6,
There was a long chowhound thread about best eating regions in Italy, and the person who started it recently returned from his trip and wrote what was to me an interesting summary. Here are his most recent posts
http://www.chow.com/profile/1201359/activity
And here is the whole thread, only some of which might be of interest to you
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/739165
I also encourage you to obtain Fred Plotkin's book. Just the other day I was looking at another highly regarded Italian restaurant guide to Italy, and it was interesting to see how many of Fred Plotkin's recommendations overlapped for quality but not-break-the-budget dining, and Plotkin's book has the added virtue of being a solid education in regional cuisine.
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re: manny6
jen kalb
Oct 4, 2011 01:09 PM
Unless you make choices and economize for some of your meals, many of the best places in the countryside, however, will be outside your price range. The Gambero Rosso mangiar bene lowcost publication bb mentions and The Slowfood Guide (note, there is some overlap, understandably) are resources you can use to locate appropriately priced restaurants inside and outside cities. And, there is delicious food in both places. generalizations will only take you so far.
As Zerlina notes there are distinct regional and local cuisines so you should be able to try a range of different dishes, for example in the mountains with cuisine using lentils, farro, game, mushrooms, sheep cheeses, say and then in the rich agricultural lands of E-R with their delicate, rich pork and pasta specialties.. Because Italy is so regional, you will not get seafood in inland areas, except in luxury restaurants. If you want seafood and sea fish you need to travel to the coast, or you can also enjoy lake or river fish in areas like Lake Trasimeno, some other areas of Umbria where there are trout, or in the Po plain, where there are river fish, etc, fresh water shrimp, etc.. there is really a fascinating diversity.
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PBSF
Oct 3, 2011 02:13 PM
You might find the following recent links helpful for Venice:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/806577
The Venice part of the post might helpful for inexpensive places
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/808158
Eating ciccheti in Venice
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/778455
More for general reading re to eating in Venice
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/808613 -
When you get to Italy, you might want to pick up a copy of a restaurant guide published by Gambero Rosso called Mangiar bene LOW COST, recommending places to eat for between 10 and 30 euros, all over Italy. It is an orange book that looks like this:
http://www.gamberorosso.it/index.php?...
I've not used this book personally, but Gambero Rosso's comprehensive yearly guide, which covers food in all price ranges, is highly regarded and consulted by many food-savvy people.
The book is in Italian but you won't have much trouble deciphering the essential information you need.
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PLEASE be sure to take 15-20 minutes to both scroll thru the many prior posts that are already here (see below) and to also do searches (go to the upper right-hand corner of this page) for each of the cities/regions you are thinking of visiting. Eating/dining in almost all of the places on your list has been discussed here repeatedly. You will find hundreds of helpful suggestions already here for you to review.
Here is current thread that should be of interest:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/807690
This one as well: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/809084
