Food

[Cruiseaholic07]

I am going to be that person with the vague question.  We will be in Rome for 4 days, Venice 2days, and Florence while in port. Where are some good not super fancy restaurants we should look for in each place?  Any recommendations for pizza? My wife is ecstatic for good pizza. For reference we are staying near the train station in Venice and Villa Borgheese in Rome. Any Gelato spots?  Thank you

[CruiserBruce]

There are pizza places, cafes, restaurants and gelato shops on every corner in the main tourist areas.

[dogs4fun]

13 hours ago, jcu1210 said:

We will be in Rome for 4 days, Venice 2days, and Florence while in port. Where are some good not super fancy restaurants we should look for in each place?  Any recommendations for pizza?

It is rather easy to find good, inexpensive food in Italy & there are many places from which to choose.

You might also check out these:

Rome: https://theromanfoodie.com/rome-food-blog/eat-under-e10-in-rome/

https://www.romewise.com/cheap-rome-restaurants.html

Florence: https://www.budgettravel.com/article/eat-like-a-local-in-florence_30702

https://budgettraveller.org/cheap-eats-guide-to-florence/ 

Venice: https://hostelgeeks.com/where-to-eat-in-venice-on-budget/

https://budgettraveller.org/cheap-eats-guide-to-venice/

 

[lisiamc]

1 hour ago, CruiserBruce said:

There are pizza places, cafes, restaurants and gelato shops on every corner in the main tourist areas.

I would look for pizza in Rome, and eat other things in Florence and especially in Venice.  I do think it’s possible to get bad pizza in Italy, and a touristy street corner in Venice would be top of my list of places to find it.  The people selling pizza to tourists in Venice just don’t care, and most of them serve absolutely dreadful, overpriced pizza.  I would eat cicchetti in Venice instead.  It’s little bites you get with a glass of wine in the evening, similar to tapas.  It’s easily possible to make a very tasty, not too expensive meal of cicchetti and wine, even in the more touristy areas.

[cruisemom42]

To add to Lisia's info -- Venice is definitely NOT the place to have pizza. It's more known for its seafood and for good risotto.

 

Pizza in Rome is good but it's very different from "NY Style" pizza or even from Neapolitan pizza. It has a very thin crust that should be on the crisp side, usually a bit burnt around the rim from being wood-fired. Toppings are not piled on. This is for the traditional Roman pizzas, not necessarily for the pizza that you buy by the "etto" in bars...

 

It's possible to provide some ideas for restaurants, but how much of a priority is it for you?  On a first visit, unless you are really a foodie, you are probably better off just wandering and looking for places that look good to you, based on your location.  Best food is usually not found right in the main tourist areas but a few blocks away...

 

 

[slidergirl]

Pizza??? 
Did someone say Pizza???? 😉

Bonci Pizzarium!  Just outside the Cipro Metro station on Via della Meloria.  Absolutely the best pizza al taglio in Rome.  It's not you mamma's pizza, either.  Usually no more than 3 items on the pizza, but combinations of very unique ingredients.  I'll refer to you look at the photos of the product on the TripAdvisor page for it.   No real place to sit and eat - a few bar chairs - so be ready to eat standing up.  If you're doing a Vatican day, it's maybe a 10 minute walk from the Museums entrance.  Otherwise, take the Metro.

If you want a more "sophisticated" place for your pizza, try Emma over in the Campo de Fiori area.  Good sit-down restaurant.  Wood-fired pizzas with more than pizza, good pastas and entrees also.  The pizza flour and bread if provided by the Roscioli family.  You MUST make reservations for it!  

Another little joint for pizza is Antico Forno Roscioli, in the Campo area, too.  Be sure to grab some of their yummy pastry or cookies to eat for dessert on the go.  Buy some of the luscious bread they bake, too - they provide quite of the high-end restaurants in Rome with their bread.

 

For gelato, I have 2 places in Rome.  Carapina.  It's literally a block from Emma.  Literally a hole in the wall.  Small selection, but sooo good. They have a location in Florence, too.   Then there's the Gelateria Artigianale Corona.  Near Largo Argentina.  They have some photos of their offerings on their Facebook page.  I've had the Basil/Lemon and the Rice/Raspberry Gelato there - Oh My!  The basil/lemon was so totally refreshing and nice to have as a gelato rather than the usual sorbetto.  The Rice/Raspberry was an unexpected pleasure - it was like lapping up frozen rice pudding!!!  

 

Florence:  for gelato, hit up Carapina.  And, then cross the Arno at the bridge up from the Westin.  There is a place called Gelateria La Carraia.   The prices are definitely less than the tourist spots.  Never been disappointed there.  I also had Riso (rice there) and it was excellent.  A friend of mine turned me on to the place.

 

Food.  Hmmm.  definitely not pizza.  But a few places I'll recommend.   First, go the Mercato Centrale - a fantastic indoor food market.  Walk around and pick out what calls to you.  Or, go to Da Nerbone stand and get a sandwich or soup.  If you're adventurous, get their famous lampredetto sandwich (tripe).  But, they have other goodies, too.  I got the porchetta sandwich.    Another place to pop into is La Prosciutteria. It's a deli, but really a little restaurant (doesn't have their restaurant license).  Great sandwiches and charcuterie boards and wines by the glass.  I got one of the boards one day and then want back and got a custom veggie sandwich.  It's over in the Ufizzi area.  Trip Advisor will have good photos.  My other place in Florence that I'd do is Trattoria Sostanza, but you have to call (or have a concierge) make you a reservation far in advance. It's another very tiny place. Sometimes if you get their right before lunch, you can get in.  If you aren't afraid of communal tables and 2 settings per night (sounds like a cruise ship) and love butter, go there!  The  butter chicken is to die for!!  The artichoke omelette is very light and fluffy.  And, cheap quartos of wine!!!  Cash only!!!   Trip Advisor has some photos and Elizabeth Mincelli's website also has a nice article on it.    If you are there on evening, Go hit up Sesto, the rooftop bar at the Westin.  Expensive, but really good cocktails and it overlooks Florence - if it is warm, sit outside.  

 

There you go...

[Cruiseaholic07]

5 hours ago, slidergirl said:

Pizza??? 
Did someone say Pizza???? 😉

Bonci Pizzarium!  Just outside the Cipro Metro station on Via della Meloria.  Absolutely the best pizza al taglio in Rome.  It's not you mamma's pizza, either.  Usually no more than 3 items on the pizza, but combinations of very unique ingredients.  I'll refer to you look at the photos of the product on the TripAdvisor page for it.   No real place to sit and eat - a few bar chairs - so be ready to eat standing up.  If you're doing a Vatican day, it's maybe a 10 minute walk from the Museums entrance.  Otherwise, take the Metro.

If you want a more "sophisticated" place for your pizza, try Emma over in the Campo de Fiori area.  Good sit-down restaurant.  Wood-fired pizzas with more than pizza, good pastas and entrees also.  The pizza flour and bread if provided by the Roscioli family.  You MUST make reservations for it!  

Another little joint for pizza is Antico Forno Roscioli, in the Campo area, too.  Be sure to grab some of their yummy pastry or cookies to eat for dessert on the go.  Buy some of the luscious bread they bake, too - they provide quite of the high-end restaurants in Rome with their bread.

 

For gelato, I have 2 places in Rome.  Carapina.  It's literally a block from Emma.  Literally a hole in the wall.  Small selection, but sooo good. They have a location in Florence, too.   Then there's the Gelateria Artigianale Corona.  Near Largo Argentina.  They have some photos of their offerings on their Facebook page.  I've had the Basil/Lemon and the Rice/Raspberry Gelato there - Oh My!  The basil/lemon was so totally refreshing and nice to have as a gelato rather than the usual sorbetto.  The Rice/Raspberry was an unexpected pleasure - it was like lapping up frozen rice pudding!!!  

 

Florence:  for gelato, hit up Carapina.  And, then cross the Arno at the bridge up from the Westin.  There is a place called Gelateria La Carraia.   The prices are definitely less than the tourist spots.  Never been disappointed there.  I also had Riso (rice there) and it was excellent.  A friend of mine turned me on to the place.

 

Food.  Hmmm.  definitely not pizza.  But a few places I'll recommend.   First, go the Mercato Centrale - a fantastic indoor food market.  Walk around and pick out what calls to you.  Or, go to Da Nerbone stand and get a sandwich or soup.  If you're adventurous, get their famous lampredetto sandwich (tripe).  But, they have other goodies, too.  I got the porchetta sandwich.    Another place to pop into is La Prosciutteria. It's a deli, but really a little restaurant (doesn't have their restaurant license).  Great sandwiches and charcuterie boards and wines by the glass.  I got one of the boards one day and then want back and got a custom veggie sandwich.  It's over in the Ufizzi area.  Trip Advisor will have good photos.  My other place in Florence that I'd do is Trattoria Sostanza, but you have to call (or have a concierge) make you a reservation far in advance. It's another very tiny place. Sometimes if you get their right before lunch, you can get in.  If you aren't afraid of communal tables and 2 settings per night (sounds like a cruise ship) and love butter, go there!  The  butter chicken is to die for!!  The artichoke omelette is very light and fluffy.  And, cheap quartos of wine!!!  Cash only!!!   Trip Advisor has some photos and Elizabeth Mincelli's website also has a nice article on it.    If you are there on evening, Go hit up Sesto, the rooftop bar at the Westin.  Expensive, but really good cocktails and it overlooks Florence - if it is warm, sit outside.  

 

There you go...

This is amazing information, thank you very much. I just want good food in general, wife is the big pizza lover 

[cruisemom42]

17 hours ago, slidergirl said:

Pizza??? 
Did someone say Pizza???? 😉

Bonci Pizzarium!  Just outside the Cipro Metro station on Via della Meloria.  Absolutely the best pizza al taglio in Rome.  It's not you mamma's pizza, either.  Usually no more than 3 items on the pizza, but combinations of very unique ingredients.  I'll refer to you look at the photos of the product on the TripAdvisor page for it.   No real place to sit and eat - a few bar chairs - so be ready to eat standing up.  If you're doing a Vatican day, it's maybe a 10 minute walk from the Museums entrance.  Otherwise, take the Metro.

 

 

Bonci also has a place at the Mercato near Termini station. I am hoping to try it on my upcoming trip.

[slidergirl]

2 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Bonci also has a place at the Mercato near Termini station. I am hoping to try it on my upcoming trip.

oooh.  That's a good addition to the area!  The Mercato could be a place to recommend to CCers who are staying in the Termini area.  I know it's at Termini, but with Termini being so large, I'm wondering just where in the area - I've never had to take the train to Civi, but everyone says it's a mile walk...  I can see it on Google Maps but I can't figure to which is the Civi lines are...