I have listed some places to eat that we have had wonderful experiences at. Many of these places we have been to multiple times and have become our favorites. It is impossible for me to list every place that we have been to eat in Italy. You can look at my suggestions and/or research your own picks on trip advisor There are many variables that go into to having a great time at a trattoria and I certainly hope any of the following are as good for you as they were for me! For the most part, we try to visit trattorias, osterias and hosterias. There have been some ristorantes and the ones I listed were very good too. There were a few, very few places we visited that I got up and left before ordering. Whether the wait was too long for service, a waiter with a bad attitude or something that just didn’t feel right and looking back, I never regretted leaving a restaurant and I always found a better place.
A friend of mine from Molfetta, Nicolo, told me a very long time ago to stay away from ristorantes and go to trattorias, hosterias, osterias where Mom, Pop and the family are in the kitchen with the freshest daily ingredients. Boy, was he right! I never had a bad meal in Italy. Stay away with some exceptions to ristorantes (high priced fancy pants frozen tourist food and avoid places to eat in the main piazza.
We will split a bottle of wine for dinner. If the prices look to high for a bottle, we will have the vino de casa and have rarely regretted it! Additionally, we drink an Aperol Spritz and make them at home especially in the hot summer. Aperol, prosecco, soda water or diet ginger ale, add a slice of orange.
Dinner starts later in Italy and many places to eat don’t open until 7:30 or 8pm. Get into practice of making reservations since some restaurants only have 8 tables or so. Also, share a pasta, appetizer, or a meat dish since portions may be large. You will get to try more delicious foods! We have made the mistake before, so split a food or a pizza.
I keep a list of restaurants that I have researched prior to the trip for every town visited. I also sometimes discuss my research with the front desk or owner of the hotel, but am inclined to stick to my lists. Make sure you note which if any day of the week a restaurant may be closed.
Trattoria
This place was a wonderful find for lunch walking distance from the Last Supper and Santa Marie de Grazie. I can’t remember the name but if someone finds it, let me know.
Grazia & Graziella
Fumasoni Biondi 5, 00153 | Phone: 39065880398
Giggetto (Closed on Mondays)
al Portico d’Ottavia 21/a 00186
In the Jewish Quarter (Ghetto)
Otello in Trastevere
da Otello Via della Pelliccia, 47/53
Phone: 06 58 96 848
Hostaria La Boticella
Vicolo del Leopardo 39/A | Phone: 065814738
Fiaschetteria Beltramme
via della Croce, 39 | Phone: 0669797200
Short walk from Piazza del Popolo and Spanish steps.
Email
Greve in Chianti
Castallana Restaurant in Montefiorale
Montefiorale is a 7 minute ride from the Greve parking lot.
Phone: 055853134
Go early and stroll the tiny village and search for the marked house where Amerigo Vespuci was born. The restaurant is run by the whole family. Please tell Tommaso and Asia that Mike and Jane say hello!
Podere Campriano
viale rosa libri 36 A | Phone: 0039055853688
For lunch or cooking class. You can also stay in the winery and do day trips! They are the best! We can’t wait to see them! Their wines are organic too! Elena knows a lot about food and wine! Tell Elena Jane and Mike say Hi!
Macelleria Greve Square
For meat, a cheese plate and a bottle of wine in the Greve square.
They have a lot of nice meets, cheeses and wines.
La Cantina (Open every day)
This is an old flour mill. Alessandro, the owner, is nice and accommodating. His family is always in the kitchen. Tell Alessandro that Mike and Jane say hello!
Osteria Bottega dell Abate
Go thru Castellina and make a right turn and you will pass the Cecchi winery. The Abate restaurant will be on your right side but be careful since you can easily miss it. It is actually in a small town called Castellina Scallo. Say Hi for us! Order Paperadelle with wild Boar sauce for lunch but anything on the menu is good.
Nuvolari Bar
Castellina in chianti
On the side of road from greve in Chianti to Castellina; You might drive right past it!
nice lunch; make sure you ask about the appertiff the owners make and try some! Almonds, grappa and wine, we bought some bottles! Pasta and wild boar sauce was great
Trattoria borgo “The Borgo” around the corner from center of Greve town
Tell Georgio and his wife that Jane and Mike say hi. Francesca is such a nice waitress.
via d. guiliotti, 5 greve 0558546150
Sienna
Pizzicheria De Miccoli
Via di Citta 95
This place to eat is down the hill from the Duomo. You could walk right by it and not notice the deli. Its a stand up lunch with meats and cheese but its cool. Antonio is the owner and is a serious teacher of many Tuscany chefs. Ask Antonio or his associate for a plate of meats and cheeses for lunch. Pick a bottle of wine, stand up and enjoy.
Also ask Antonio for panne de Santo (bread of the saints). He wont give you the 500 year old recipe but enjoy!
Radda in Chianti
La Vin Osteria
La Villa di Sotto. 16
This place is just outside of Radda in Chianti. We really like the food. Owner is great and his wife is in the kitchen
San Casciano val di Pisa
Antica Fiascheterria del Chiant
Piazza Pierozzi
Cute place, nice to sit outside in the center of the piazza
Volterra
trattoria il rifugio
lunch
piazza xx settembre,9
3289599536
Cortona
Fluvans
next to Hotel Italia; convenient for family lunch
Cortona
La Bucaccica
down from Hotel Italia
Nice Family; cantucci and vin santo!
Gubbio
Taverna del Lupo
tavernadellupo.it
390759273291
We have eaten here many times and it has been wonderful! There is a parking lot near by
Montalcino
San Georgio
via s. saloni 10-14
0577848507
Strazzopretti (in Brunello sauce (please look up legend of strazzopretti and choke the priest); paperadelle with chingale (wild boar sauce); everything on the menu is good! Have a bottle of Brunello too!
Jane with our friends MARA and the brothers at San Georgio!
Trattoria l’Angolo
via ricasoli 9
0577848017
chef Tucci
Mara is the owner of this restaurant and Pizzeria San Georgio. We have eaten here many times and never had a bad meal. We know all the bothers who work in the 2 restaurants and they treat us very well!
Sant’Angelo in Colle, near Montalcino, Italy
Trattoria il Pozzo
Franca and Paola Binarelli
39 0577 844015
love this place for lunch after a La Fortuna/La Fornance wine tasting!
visit the Abbey san Antimo (a must!) . Eat outside.
If closed for some reason, go to il Leccio across the street
iL Prato
piazza cavour
Get a drink in the public park up the hill from the hotel dei Capitani
Cafe Alle Logge
Lunch under clock tower Montalcino
Pici with cheese and pepper
San Querco d’Orcia
Taverna del Barbarossa
loc. Casanova s p 146
Like the view and food
Pitigliano
La Magica Torre
Liked this little place for lunch. The Pici with pepper and cheese was one of the best!
Montepulciano
Trattoria di Cagnano
top of the main street hill
eat outside
More e Macine osteria
via settembre 18
0173500395
Osteria Pizzeria Per Baco
Via Roma 30
39017350609
Great wood fired pizza oven!
La Morra
Mange
via Roma
Santa Maria de la Morra
l’osteria del vignaiolo
017350335
La Morra
Vinarteria
via umberto
0173509594
nich lunch, pick a bottle of wine off the wall (couple of euros charge to open the bottle at the table)
First place we go to after checking into Rocche Castamagna
Saluzzo
ciccio pasticcio
Nice meal outside
Alps mountains in the background!
Diano d’alba
Locanda i batista cafe
Like this place a lot!
Alba, Italy
Osteria del Sognatori
via Macrino 8; closed Tues
wonderful in Alba!
Cherasco, Italy
Osteria La Torre
via Dell’Ospedale 22
Trattoria alla Madonna
calle della madonna s polo 594
390415223824
San Pietro fish, grilled razor clams, stuffed spider crabs. Just great!
Dominico, waiter
Osteria ai promessi sposi
calle dell’oca 4367 cannaregio
0412412747
Trattoria Bar Pontini
Cannaregio, 1268 closed Sun
Make reservation; lines form fast!
Sorrento
da Emelia seafood!
Sophia Lauren and her family like this place; me too!
love this place!
Positano
Bruno’s
via Cristoforo Colombo, 157
sit outside on other side of the street; nice view
always a good time and food for us!
Waiter found me razor clams!
Positano
Trattoria C’era una volta
free shuttle from hotel
Via G. Marconi, 127
089811930
lobster and pasta!
Positano
Constantino
free shuttle
Positano
Trattoria Caprici
via Regina Giovanna 12
for a nice lunch; this maybe the best octopus salad I have had in all of Italy!
Sulmona
Hosteria dell’Arco
via M D’Eramo 60
0864210553
nice antipasta table; lamb and pasta!
Laura the waitress is the best!
Very nice, only locals
Scanno
Nice Trattoria
Good food
Don’t get the house wine; awful (maybe the only time I ever said that); get a wine bottle and the food was really good
Puglia
Monte San Angelo
Osteria del Corso
Via Belvedere 11
3932971491
Nice owner and wonderful lunch!
We visit Padre Pio in the morning and get to Monte San Angelo for lunch. Then walk down the block after lunch and see the church
Email
Matera
Osteria Al Casale
Via Casale 24, 75100 Matera
39 0835 1652525
You have to be a good walker to get here but worth it; just a great lunch!
Alberobello
trattoria la perla dei trulli
via duca d’aosta 14/18
0804342057
Orchiette in a Truli!
Molfetta
la tavernetta
via d. picca n 5
0803348810
Chalet del Soul
Great Cugina Party!
We liked this place
iL Vecchio Casello
via Emporium snc
3283831386
nice swordfish!
Turkish steps
Lido Scala dei Turchi
Pizzeria
Ragusa
Al Borgo
lunch
pizza
Lumi trattoria tipica
Gabriella owner is a great host!
Trattoria La Bettola
Largo Camerina 7
Noto, Sicily
La vecchio Fontana
sr corso v. emanuee 150
Castelmola (village above Taormina)
Taverna dell’ Etna
39094228868
view from restaurant
Taormina
Castelluccio
094221199
pasta and sardines; fresh fish
pick a fresh fish just brought by the fisherman!
ate here twice for the pasta and sardines!
Santa Marguerita Ligure
Trattoria del Pino
via Jacopo Ruffini
Great Trattoria! Great owner!
Monterosso al Mare
l’osteria
via vittorio emanuele n 5
0187819224
We like this place in old section! Great food!
Stella marina beach bar
for lunch
Trattoria de Nicola
piazza garabaldi 27
0187967340
Lerici
zupa nicola just wonderful! seafood salad, wow!
La Ancona di Lerici
Piazza Garabaldi
0187966229
Lerici
Nice fresh Bronzino!
Trattoria Del Castello
Piazza Giuseppe Mazzini 1, 00062, Bracciano, Italy
+39 06 9980 4339
Wonderful lunch outside near the Castle
Da Pippo
razor clams!
Ate here twice. Nice food!
Owners dad started the place
Cristoforo Colombo 17, 89058, Scilla, Italy
+39 347 332 9009
