Late September-- Venice-Genoa-CT-Siena/Florence-Rome-Sorrento

[zgold10]

Hi all,

We are two young professionals from Boston who love to eat and drink. We are taking following the below itinerary for the last two weeks in September.

Since this will be our first time in Italy, we would love dining suggestions in each location from fellow CHers. I think we will keep lunch light during the day--except maybe for the cicchetti in Venice--and are looking for good values for dinner without sacrificing quality. Food is slightly more important than a great wine list. I think we would also be willing to splurge for an amazing meal one night in each location.

Any and all suggestions are welcome, we are so excited. Thanks in advance.

Venice-2 nights

Genoa- 1 night (note: it is a sunday night)

Cinque Terre- 2 nights (we are staying in Monterosso)

Siena- 3 nights, with a day trip to Florence

Rome-- 3 nights (staying in the Trastaverde)

Sorrento--5 nights

Flying home from Naples.

[MLeonardicattolica]

They open at 7:30 am until 1, then close for lunch and reopen at 3:30 to 7:30 every day but Sunday. The fish stalls probably won't be open on Monday, but everyone else will be there.

[zgold10]

That sounds fantastic, thanks so much.

[MLeonardicattolica]

By the way, if you're here on Monday, be sure and check out the Mercato Orientale. Quite an amazing indoor marketplace on via Venti Settembre in the heart of the city.

[zgold10]

Yes, thank you, we're definitely going to try to check out the Mercato before we head down to the CT. Do you happen to know what time it opens?

[MLeonardicattolica]

Since you're only going to be in Genova for one night, I can give you a couple of recommendations. First of all, while fish is an important part of the local diet, Ligurian food is predominantly vegetables, so you might want to get away from the Porto Antico and try someplace that the locals frequent. One of our favorites is Maniman. It's in a great location in the upper city and the food is consistently good. Another favorite is Ristorante Galletto al Mattone in Piazza Alimonda. It's a little more upscale than Maniman, but the food is outstanding.

[zgold10]

Thank you very much for the recommendations. Maniman sounds exactly like what we are looking for. Much appreciated.

[barberinibee]

You'll probably get better answers if you elaborate a bit on your food preferences. For instance, if you are not seafood lovers, it doesn't make sense to spend your "splurge budget" on restaurants in Genova or Venice. They will almost invariably be seafood places. If what you really look forward to in Italy is rich cheesy dishes or outstanding meats, then best to go low on the coasts and high in Tuscany and Rome (by the way, it is spelled Trastevere).

Almost every restaurant recommended by Chowhound's Italy board posters, unless otherwise specifically noted, is fairly priced. But that may not mean it's your idea of affordable! (Many are not for me.) Many eateries recommended here are inexpensive but marvelous meals. But do note that good fish and seafood is pricey almost anywhere you go in Italy, and a special meal in Florence or Venice often commands a premium price. So my advice is to state what is your uppermost euro limit is for full meal for 2 people with wine and coffee.

Plus, you should also do a search of these boards for Trastevere, Florence and Venice. There are multiple recent posts with recommendations for just what you are looking for.

[zgold10]

Thank you for the thoughtful response, sorry for the delay in getting back to you. I have taken a look at many of the other Italy threads and have accumulated many great suggestions for Venice, Rome, Florence.

I would still be interested in suggestions for a great restaurant in Genova that is open Sundays. We love seafood, but would be open to anything delicious. Something in the 25 euro/person range would be great. I believe you mentioned La Berlocca in an earlier post as being open on Sundays, but any other suggestions would be welcome

I would also be looking for recommendations in Siena. Same price range or a little higher would work. I have these as suggestions so far:
-Antica Osteria da Divo
- Trattoria Pape

We are staying in Monterosso for two nights and am still researching suggestions for the CT

Any additional comments or suggestions would be great. Thank you so much in advance for your help.

[barberinibee]

If you love seafood, you might not want to pass up your chance to eat it in Genova. While I agree that vegetables share equal pride of place with seafood in Ligurian cooking, Genova itself gets so few tourists, I don't worry too much about locating restaurants where the locals eat, even right near the port. About the only places I remember being cruise-ship "touristy" in the port are I Tre Merli and Eataly.

Someone reported back that La Berlocca is now closed on Sundays. But Trattoria della Raibetta, in Vico Caprettari, 10-12 R, is open on Sundays. The space is several centuries old; the food is authentically old school Liguria to the max. If you go there, note when you enter the alleyway where it is located a faded stencil on the wall, dating from WW2, that reads (as I recall): "Off-limits to U.S. Military personnel."

Here's the menu at Trattoria della Raibetta:

http://www.trattoriadellaraibetta.it/...

Your dinner bill might tick up beyond your 25e pp limit, especially if you go for fresh fish or seafood and tack on dessert and coffee. (Desserts in restaurants in Genova are very rarely worth the price or calories.) But some of the other restaurants suggested to you might cost you a taxi ride to and from, depending on where your hotel is.

Can't help you with Siena, but Miky in Monterosso al Mare holds on to its reputation as the best place to eat. They now have a less expensive "cantina" that you might want to check out as well to stay within your budget.

I heartily endorse the recommendation to visit the Mercato Orientale and its neighboring streets (the via Galata in particular for sweets and cofffes). Even if you don't buy the incredible offerings, the smells alone are fantastic.

[zgold10]

Thank you, I have seen other recommendations on the boards for Trattoria della Raibetta, and it sounds fantastic. Should be a good fit for us. Our hotel is right near the Mercato Orientale, which we plan to check out a Monday morning. Thank you very much for the Monterosso tip as well.

[barberinibee]

There is a little tiled trattoria not far from the Mercato Orientale called Ugo e Uga, but my gut instinct is that it is not open on Sunday nights. You can ask your hotel to call. The number is 010540032.

It is quite cheap, and I think quite charming. It is not destination dining, but it is terrifically homey, with all the Genovese classics (you will find those at Trattoria della Raibetta as well). But I've tried looking online, and really can't find any reliable info about when it is open or shut.

[zgold10]

That also sounds great, I will definitely look into it. Thanks so much for the info. I have also heard good things about Enoteca Infernotto, which I beleive is open Sundays. If you've been, how would you say it compares to the other Genova restaurants you've recommended? Any info would be great thanks.

[barberinibee]

I've not been to Enoteca Infernotto. I think part of its "visibility" on the traveler's radar scope is that it has been talked about by Mario Batali. But here's what he had to say:

"Enoteca Infernotto (via macaggi, 64, tel [phone]) is more of a snack place in a great downtown location with grissini and focaccia worth the trip alone, but also has a discreet list of local salume and wines including the mythic and hard to find sciacchetra from Rollandi by the glass. "

I actually am not a fan of sciacchetera, but even if you want to sample it, you ought to be able to do that in Monterosso al Mare, which is where the wine is from.

Here is the menu for Enoteca Infernotto, and most of the dishes are not classically Ligurian, and the ingredients are not local:

http://www.mangiareinliguria.it/infer...

If you get to Genova and really don't want a full meal, Enoteca Infernotto might be the right solution, because you will certainly have an opportunity to sample true Ligurian fare in le Cinque Terre. But if you opt for Enoteca Infernotto (it is convenient to your hotel), ask them to help you select the best regional treats. Genova is the home of very good (and garlicky) dry salami, nice breads and tart cheese, some interesting pastas, anchoives, olives, etc. Even if you just want to snack, don't reach for non-native plates of mozerrella or proscuitto, or meat dishes from Piemonte. The local stuff, gussied up with the local olive oil, is the way to go.