Below are a list of restaurants we’ve personally visited in Italy and can recommend. All reviews were as of the time we visited.
Bologna
- Trattoria Leonida – On our first trip to Bologna, in 2021, our first meal was at Trattoria Leonida, and it was excellent! The restaurant has been open since 1938. You can read more about our visit in this post.
- Fra Diavolo – This is a pizza chain in Italy, but one we learned is frequented by locals, so you know it’s good! You can read more about it in here and here.
- Sfoglia Rina – A wonderful pasta restaurant (and store – they sell fresh-made pasta in the front). The line was out the door, but well worth the wait. You can read about our experience here.
- Enoteca Storica Faccioli – Wonderful wine shop serving organic wines and cured meats, cheeses, and focaccia. You can read more about it here.
- Italian BreakPast – Primarily a fresh-pasta restaurant, they also serve wonderful pastries for breakfast. Read about our visit here.
Cervo
- Taverna Mandragola – Wonderful little spot in Cervo, along the Ligurian coast. Fresh food, friendly staff. Teresa said they had the best Caprese salad she’s ever had. More here.
Florence
- Caffè degli Innocenti – Small cafe across from our hotel. Pastries and cappuccini were both good. Don’t go out of your way to go there, but if you’re in the area and want a coffee or pastry, it’s a solid choice. See photos of our visit here.
- Trattoria 4 Leoni – This restaurant was recommended by my cousin Barbara. She and her husband Jim stay in Florence for a month every year, so their recommendations are always good – and this was outstanding! As an added bonus, it’s directly across from our favorite gelateria (see next item on the list). Read more about our visit, and see photos here.
- Gelateria della Passera – Our favorite gelateria in Florence! Very small, with only a few selections, but everything they make is outstanding. Real, made in-house, gelato. Read more about our visit here.
- View On Art – A rooftop bar with a spectacular view of Florence. It feels like you can throw a rock and hit the Duomo! (Don’t throw things…) Warning: it’s popular – try to go during an off-time for less wait. Also, the drinks are nothing spectacular, but they’re not bad, either. You’re going to pay tourist prices, but you’re paying for the view. Worth it if you want a short rest with a view. Read more about our visit here.
- SimBIOsi Organic Cafè – This one gets mixed reviews, so your mileage may vary. We found the location charming, and had a wonderful mid-day snack. See some pics here.
- Vivaldino Bistro – While we didn’t eat here, their limoncello spritz was delicious and refreshing! We had a reservation a few doors down, but will maybe try the food here next time. See some pics here.
- Osteria Pastella – Delicioius pasta, and give the house wine a try – it was so good we bought 2 bottles to bring home! (Note: they didn’t make it home, as we drank them later on the trip.) More about our visit here.
- Manifattura – One of the coolest bars in Florence. They only serve Italian spirits and only play Italian music. The decor is very cool, too. Read more here.
- Fermento 1889 – One of the best pizzas we’ve had in Italy. They do a 48 hour ferment, resulting in a pillowy-soft dough. Definitely worth a try (and not far from Manifattura, so you can visit one of the best bars before or after eating one of the best pizzas!) More here.
- Osteria Belle Donna – A restaurant with one of the famous wine windows! Read about the wine window here and dinner here.
- Vivoli Gelateria – Our second favorite gelateria in Florence. Be prepared for a long line (although it moves pretty fast).
Genoa
- Tralalêro Trattoria Genovese – Attached to the Grand Hotel Savoia, this is a wonderful little trattoria. We liked it enough to visit again. More here and here.
Milan
- Obicà Mozzarella Bar – Good food and drinks. We had tortellini as well as trofie pesto pasta. More here.
Modena
- Francescana at Maria Luigia – This is the second location of Massimo Bottura’s 3 Michelin Star restaurant, Francescana. This was an incredible experience, but one you must book well in advance. You can read about our experience here.
Rome
- Il Chianti Osteria Toscana – This is in a very crowded area, but is a better bet than most. It was recommended to us, and it didn’t disappoint. Definitely less touristy than the location would have you believe.
- Emma Pizzeria con Cucina – Fantastic Roman style pizza. When a local asked us where we’d eaten so far, and we mentioned Emma, she exclaimed “That’s not a tourist spot, that’s a local spot! We eat there all the time!” More here.
- Fatamorgana Chiavari – Fantastic gelato, with some very interesting and unique flavor combinations. They have multiple locations in Rome. The link is to the Chiavari location. We passed by one in Trastevere as well. Check Google Maps for all the locations. More here.
- Piccolo Arancio – Good, but not spectacular. Central location, not far from Trevi Fountain, but on a side street, so a bit less busy. More here.
- Sora Margherita – A no-frills trattoria in the heart of the Jewish Quarter that we later learned is a local favorite. More here.
- La Cabana – Hidden away in an alley across from Piazza Venezia, so there’s a good chance of getting a table. Decent but unspectacular. Worth it if you’re in the area and don’t have a reservation anywhere. More here.
- Oro Bistrot – If you want one of the best views in Rome, go here. If you don’t have a reservation, they’ll tell you they’re booked, but will likely “find” a table after a bit. The appetizers were delicious (especially the steak tartare), and the view is fantastic. More here.
- Fra Diavolo – Yes, it’s a chain (we first ate at the Bologna location), but it’s one favored by locals. We stopped for lunch, and it was full of Italians on their lunch breaks. More here.
Venice
- Bacaro del Gelato – Venice is known for tourist traps, but don’t despair, there are plenty of good spots if you know where to look. This is one of them. More here.
- Vino Vero – Nice little wine bar with a good selection of cicchetti (small bites – a staple of Venice). Read about our visit here.
- Bar Al’Arco – My favorite cicchetti spot in all of Venice (even before Stanley Tucci visited and made it even more popular!) If they have beef cheek cicchetti when you visit, consider yourself lucky – I still dream about that beef cheek!
- Caffè Florian – While we try to avoid obvious tourist spots, we do make exceptions, and this is one. It’s one of the oldest coffee houses in the world, and the oldest in Italy. It’s on Piazza San Marco, so it *busy*, but have patience and you’ll get a seat. More here.
- Harry’s Bar – Another tourist spot, but with a rich history. Expensive drinks, but worth stopping in for a round to say you drank at Earnest Hemmingway’s favorite Venician bar. More about the rich history (and drinks) here.
- Lineadombra – Fantastic restaurant on the water in the Dorsoduro district. It’s Michelin listed, and not cheap (lunch is a better bet than dinner), but we both agreed the food and view were worth it. More here.
Verona
- Café Carducci – Absolutely delightful café. Excellent fresh pastries, perfect caffè latte, fresh squeezed orange juice, lovely omelettes – we ate here every morning. Photos here.
- Jurri/L’arte del Gelato – Very good gelato! Photos here.
- Ostregheteria Sottoriva 23 – Traditional food from the region (try the guancette di maiale brasate in salsa all’Amarone!) Photos here.