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Recs for Restaurants/Tours in these Italian Cities?
in Travel
Mostly looking for dinners...open to all price ranges.
We have:
2 nights in Venice
3 nights in Florence
4 nights in Montepulciano
4 nights in Positano
3 nights in Rome
We'll be in Rome for our anniversary, so that'd be most important to us/most willing to splurge. I'd say we are foodies, not afraid to try just about anything food-wise.
As far as tours/activities go, we'd be interested in stuff off the beaten path as well as more traditional. Right now, I've got a private boat tour around Capri with Gianni's boats. Any excellent tour guides, tours, activities are much appreciated!
Re: Recs for Restaurants/Tours in these Italian Cities?
Have a fantastic time!
When we stayed in Rome, our Roman hosts gave us this list:
Roma Restaurants
Vatican Area Center
Pizzeria Amalfi Der Pallaro
Via dei Gracchi 10/12 Largo del Pallaro 15
Tel: 06 39733165 Tel: 06 68801488
Neapolitan pizza Fixed price: 22 Euro
Open 7/7 (Good menu and house wine)
You can go till 11:30PM Closed on Monday
Da Vito e Dina Obika (Mozzarella bar)
Via degli Scipioni 50 Via dei Prefetti 26
Tel: 06 397232393 Brunch on Saturday and Sunday
Roman cuisine Southern Italy mozzarella top
Closed on Tuesday quality and great variety
You can go till 11PM
La Griglietta Canova Tadolini
Via Germanicao 170/c/d Museum Atelier Restaurant
Tel: 06 3211312 Since 1818!
Roman Cuisine Via del Babuino 150/A
Closed on Sunday Between Via dei Greci and Via di
You can go till 11PM San Giacomo
Tel: 06 32110702
L'Abruzzese Cafeteria located in the Atelier of
Via Catone 18 the sculptor Antonio Canova
Tel: 06 39733290 Closed on Sunday
Roman Cuisine
Closed on Monday
You can go till 11:30PM
Il Matriciano La Vecchia Roma
Via dei Gracchi 55 Piazza Campitelli 18
Tel: 06 6864604 Good variety of salads for a quick
Roman Cuise meal
Closed on Wednesday Tel: 06 6864604
You can go till 11PM Closed on Wednesday
Colosseum Area Trastevere Area
Aisha Da Giovannia
Name of the owner: Rosaria Via della Lungara 41/A
Via Emanuele Filiberto 195 Home cooking Roman style, cheap
11AM-6PM Good meals max 10Euro places
Tel: 06 70476000 Tel: 06 6861514
Closed on Monday Closed on Sunday
I Buoni Amici Marios
Name of the owner: Nino Via del Moro 53/55
Via Aleardi 4 Home cooking Roman style, cheap
Specialties: good variety of hors prices
d'oeuvre (a meal on its own), spaghetti Tel: 06 5803809
alle vongole Closed on Sunday
Tel: 06 70491993
Closed on Sunday
Valentino Testaccio Area
Name of the owner: Luciano
Via Cavour 293 Perilli
Roman home cuisine Via Marmorata 39
Tel: 06 4881303 Wholesome traditional Roman
Closed on Friday dishes: spaghetti carbonara,
pajata, trippa alla Romana,
Hostaria da Nerone ossobuco
Via delle Terme di Tito 96 Tel: 06 5742415
Roman home cuisine Closed on Wednesday
Tel: 06 4817952
Closed on Sunday
Morgana
Via Mecenate 19/21
Specialities: Grilled porcini mushrooms,
Roman style escargot
Tel: 06 4873122
Closed on Wednesday
Pizzeria Li Rioni
Via dei Santi Quattro 24
Tel: 06 70450605
Closed on Tuesday
Circus Maximus Area
Il Grottino da Rino
Viale Aventino 40
Speciality: Rombo (fish) con patate
Tel: 06 5750497 Closed on Tuesday
Newsweek
Barbie Nadeau's Favorite Restaurants in Rome's Jewish Quarter
Sora Margherita (Riazza della Cinque Scole +39 06 6874216)
There are few places left in Rome that embody the spirit of this city like Sora Margherita. There is no sign on the outside of the building, but you'll know you are there by the line to get in. The food, scrawled on a handwritten menu, is traditional Roman-Jewish cuisine, and they have the best (bar non) fried artichokes in the city. Make a reservation but get there early and prepare to wait since the locals get preferential treatment.
Al Pompiere (Via Santa Maria dei Calderari 38 +39 06 6868377)
For a slightly more upmarket experience in the heart of the quarter, climb the narrow stairway to Al Pompiere, a neighborhood favorite. The setting is great-frescoed walls and wood-beam ceilings, and the view out ontot he Piazza della Cinque Scole and quaint streets are great compliments to the food. The stewed oxtail with celery and tomatoes top the list.
Sora Lella (Via Ponte Quattro Capi 16 +39 06 6861601)
Smack on Tiber Island, just across the walking bridge from the quarter, is one of the city's most wonderful dining experiences. The restaurant is named after Sora Lella, famed actor Aldo Fabrizi's sister, who opened the restaurant during the height of the Second World War. The restaurant has since been a favorite among Rome's glitterati. The food is consistently good, and the best items on the menu are those laced with eggplant.
Spirito di Vino (Via dei Genovesi 31A/B +39 06 5896689)
Just across from the Tiber Island from the quarter is what locals refer to as the quiet side of Trastevere, far enough away from the bustling Piazza Santa Maria to escape the chaos, but still characteristic of this medieval district of Rome. The dining experience at Spirito di Vino in the heart of this area is about much more than food, which is never disappointing. The owner, Francesco, walks clients through the menu, discussing the history of the recipes and why they are on the menu. The best is the stewed pork, which marinates for days and is based on a recipe favored by Caesar. As if that's not enough, he will also take you down to the cellar, which sits in the ruins of an ancient synagogue and which now houses the extensive wine cellar.
Le Mani in Pasta (Via dei Genovesi 37 +39 06 581 6017)
Easily the best restaurant in this part of Rome, Le Mani in Pasta (which translates as ?hands in pasta?) offers up some of the most innovative new Roman cuisine in the city. The best items on the menu are those the waiter suggests, and they are so proud of their chef, the kitchen is in full view behind a glass wall on the main floor of the restaurant. What's best when your food is served, he watches intently to see if you like it and you will. Try the fresh artichoke antipasti laced with paper thin mushrooms and shards of parmesan cheese-if it's not on the menu, ask them for it.
Not technically a tour but we had an awesome time during our cooking class in Rome with Cooking Classes in Rome.
In Venice I highly recommend the "offbeat" walking tour with Alessandro Schezzini. We also did his bar tour but enjoyed the offbeat walking tour more.
In Rome we enjoyed our meal at Cybo, which had excellent pasta dishes. The restaurant is located near Piazza Navona.
Venice- just leave the grand canal area and get lost.
Florence- we did a great cooking class. He walked us through the market first to pick out groceries. A foodie delight! http://www.florencecookingclasses.com/cookingclass-detail.php?id=49
Rome- walking food tour of a Roman neighborhood (sorry, can't remember the name-- it's a non-touristy, working class 'hood) This was a highlight of our Italy trip. It's great tasting real food, away from tourists, and learning cool things about the area. I can't say enough. http://www.eatingitalyfoodtours.com/tours/romefoodtours/
(sorry, no clicky links from Mac Chrome)
For tours, we really liked this tour in Florence:
http://www.italy.artviva.com/package/1/original_florence_in_one_day
and this Vatican tour:
http://www.contexttravel.com/city/rome/walking-tour-details/arte-vaticana-our-vatican-tour-including-sistine-chapel-and-st-peters-with-reservations
They were both Rick Steves recommendations.
I love il Forno on the Campo di Fiori for Roman pizza (more of a snack than a meal). I don't remember where else we ate, but that isn't to say that it wasn't fabulous. It is hard to not eat well in Italy.
Great trip!
Venice, I've yet to find a good restaurant
. But my must sees are St Giorgio (IMO the prettiest church in Italy... mind you it's just my opinion, I'm sure art historians would be horrified) and Frari (amazing art).
In Florence, I really enjoyed Florencetown.com's Market Tour/cooking class. They have all kinds of tours, I've only done the cooking one, but the organization/professionalism was great, so I'm sure all their tours are solid.
In Montepulciano, if you like beef, Osteria Acquacheta is not to be missed. They have non-beef options, but really you go for the bistecca. If you're driving (or hiring a car) and like wine, Boscarelli is an excellent winery just outside the city. Obviously there are tons of wineries, but Boscarelli is the real deal.
In Positano, Al Palazzo is beautiful for dinner al fresco (charming garden). Buca di Bacco has a great view... it's touristy (marked up), but believe it or not, the food is quite good.
In Capri (sounded like you were day tripping from Positano), I'd recommend making the time to visit Anacapri. In Capritown, Da Gemma is a pretty good choice for lunch-- it's not the best food in Italy (go figure), but the view is great and it's a little off the main tourist path, so isn't too crazy crowded in season. Plus, Graham Greene used to drink there, so there's that
.
In Rome, a very good restaurant in Trastevere (it's a little off the main tourist grid, but not much, it's walkable w/o much trouble and is pretty to see as it has a nice neighborhood feel) is Spirito di Vino. It's a smallish place, so a reservation is a good idea. Not super expensive (comparatively for Rome) but good food and a cool experience.
If it were me, I'd splurge for a sunset cocktail at the Hotel Eden's rooftop bar on my anniversary. It's insanely expensive (and I would not eat there waaaay over priced), but the view is beautiful esp at sunset.
Never enough time to see everything in Rome, but my favorite spots are the Pantheon and the Sacred Steps (Scala Sancta-- stairs brought from Jerusalem to Rome in 300(ish) by Constantine's mother. Regardless of religion, I find the history really interesting).
What a wonderful trip, not a miss in the bunch, you're going to love it!!
In Florence, Ristorante Perseus was recommended to us by our apartment owner. We had Bisteca Fiorentina (Florentine steak) and it was so good. If you go this route, show up hungry - the steaks are HUGE, but so good. The restaurant had mostly locals and was very quaint. There's a large meat/veggie counter inside, very colorful and lively.
In Positano, we had a really good dinner at Ristorante Max. They have a wonderful, quiet courtyard out behind the restaurant and the food was really good. I had a spinach ravioli that was to die for.
In Positano, we also had dinner at La Tagliata. They will come pick you up and take you to the restaurant b/c it's outside the city up on the cliffs. On Friday night, they have live music and all you can eat/drink (wine and limoncello included) for ~EUR35. It was a little cheesy, but we had a wonderful time and the food was amazing.
Gianni's boat is AMAZING. Hands down our best tour around Italy. Gianni is so nice, and he goes over the top to make sure you have an awesome time. I got stung by a jellyfish on the tour and he was so calm and helpful while I was freaking out. :-)
I've already forgotten the places we ate at while in Italy except for one, which is in Florence. H and I agreed that it was probably the best meal we had while we were there. It's called Trattoria Mario( http://trattoria-mario.com/index_english.html)
They had the juiciest steak ever! It was a Bisteca Fiorentina, you cannot go wrong with that. 1kg of deliciousness. They are also only open from 12-3pm and closed on Sundays. People line up for this place, they are THAT good. It's also communal seating.