Good places to eat in Venice, Florence and Rome

[Cuddleczar]

Departing on Thursday for my first post-DC/adult type holiday in about 20 years (how did that happen???). We're going to Venice, Florence and Rome and have flights, transfers and hotels booked. But I want to avoid that thing that you (or at least I) do where you walk for about 90 minutes searching for somewhere good to eat your evening meal, only to retrace your steps to find that place that looked only half decent that you saw earlier. I've seen some threads on these cities on Mumsnet, but all are quite old so--any recommendations for good places to have lunches and evening meals in Venice, Florence or Rome? Not interested in fancy restaurants, just good food that is value for money. Thank you!

I felt all the restaurants were high quality. We used trip adviser recommendations for restaurant near us now and where never disappointed.

The app even directs you in the right direction

Enjoy!!

Oo we ate in a lovely restaurant in venice. It was on a tiny back street but was the place all the locals recommended. The food was gorgeous and it was full of movie stars since it was the film festival (which meant the view was rather good too!). Popping out in a minute but will try to find the card when I get back.

Trip advisor and the rough guide re our gurus. We always try the " cheap eats" if we can from the rough guide. Not had a duff one yet.... Thry are generally off the beaten track so you see more of the place too.

Florence - the trio of gusta pizza , gusta trattoria and gusta panini are amazing- especially gusta pizza. As it says in the guide be there at the momen of opening for gusta pizza or you'll wait ages - the trattoria takes bookings and the sandwich shop operates in the day and is just that. They are all across the river from thr main attractions but an easy walk.

Rome - been very recently as dd studied there for 2 months. She only really ate in trasevere ( again across the river- at the end if the island ). She took me to da poeta ( we were lucky to get a table but as there were only 2 of us they fitted us in) and the amazing da enzo ( also a rough guide cheap eat recommendation ). If you want to go to da enzo I highly recommend you go the evening before and try to book in person. It was a slight annoyance - they do take bookings and were fully booked for 7.30 when I wandered in a half hour begore thry opened, yet I couldn't get an answer on the phone! Anyway we stood and waited and after the prebookers who were there at 7.30 were accommodated they took a list of names and fitted the free tables up. We were lucky. Don't book and be 10mins late your table will go!

We also ate somewhere near St giovanni in laterno that i booked on " the fork" app. That was good but not as memorable. Highly recommend the fork app. Used it in Rome to solve a crisis on a busy evening and also in Paris - you can read trip advisor type reviews and book a table from the app so no language issues. Best of all should you, as we do, when we don't know we're to eat, use price as a possible decider, it offers many percentage off type things ( usually for quiet times or quiet evenings I think) so two people ate a " pasta taster menu" till we were stuffed with wine and bread for 23 euros!

Btw my taste in food abroad might not match yours - I try for " what the locals eat " rather than posh touristy- so packed elbow to elbow at wobbly tables wine tumblers ( or at gusta puzza plastic cups :) ). Not Michelin starred but great food ( we did eat at Helene darozze in Paris at easter after the rough guide recommended the 28e lunch and it was fab though!)

We had a decent takeaway lunch from Rivoire in Florence, opposite Palazzo Vecchio, and good value meal at Gilli in Piazza della Repubblica. In Rome (18 years ago!) we had a great meal in a restaurant with frescoes but trying to check which one it was! It didn't take credit cards and we had to return next day with cash

Ristorante Vecchia Roma on Piazza di Campitelli, near theatre of Marcellus.

Rome you HAVE to fo to Cantina Lucifer. It is absolutely amazing. We had our silver wedding anniversary meal in this tiny restaurant and it was the best meal I've ever eaten. here

Isn't half the fun wandering the streets to find those undiscovered gems for yourself?

Good food at good value, you can't go wrong in the Trastevere area of Rome.

Undoubtedly we used to think that, but maybe it's old age and lack of stamina it's easier to plan ahead ! We do fear we will wander past somewhere and think Yep there , and I'll be full.

We also learned a lesson in albi ( southern France) as we were late and it was raining - dashed with primary age offspring into the only open looking place, to end up in an offal restaurant - actually it was fine- I had lovely liver and they had the " dish of the day"- yes dear it's a stew of some sort with fried potatoes you'll like it" . And they did. We we did tell them after that it was duck hearts in the context of " well if you are eating animals you shouldn't waste good meat" , and it was very tasty , but if they'd have been picky ....

Thanks for the trip advisor recommendation, Gumnast2014--I'm never sure whether good reviews on there are genuine but it's reassuring to hear that you were able to trust them. Hope you've found that card, prepperpig, that place sounds lovely! Anyone else found any gems?

I was in Rome a few weeks ago and stayed in the Trastevere area and at night I would go out for a wander and eat where ever it took my fancy. I didn't have one bad meal but my favourite was the night I did the 'slow food' tour and we ate and sampled specialities at family run shops and restaurants.

Was also in Florence and again just had a wander before deciding - this place looks good.

Ok, so I found the names of the places I liked and it was

Enoteca Ferrara in Trastevere. I had actually had dinner there one night and I laughed when I was taken back on the 'slow food' tour.

Also Spirito Di Vino and not just for the fabulous history of the place.

Then for a Gelato Fatamorgana

I also recommend the trastevere area in Rome. It's a little bit less touristy (for now!!) and I don't think you can go wrong.

The market in Florence is amazing but it's a bit off the beaten track and only open on certain days. But if you can, find the staff that makes pork buns dipped in jus. Amazing.

Really, it's hard to go wrong!!

Thanks Wee for the tip of slow tours, I am off to Rome next week and it sounds likes fabulous idea.

Goodie, this is how the 'slow food' movement started and you can tell if an eating place promotes the slow food way of doing this if there's a signpost with a snail on it outside the restaurant.

It all started in Italy and was a protest against fast food.

This is the company I used. It was great night and we had a fabulous mix of people on board.

www.eatingitalyfoodtours.com/twilight-trastevere-food-tour/