withymoon

My husband and I are spending our honeymoon in Italy in a couple of weeks and I'd love some recommendations for coffee spots, wine bars, and restaurants to have in my back pocket. We'd love to focus on small local restaurants that are not too touristy. Our budget is about 175 euro/day for both of us. We're staying in apartments the entire trip with working kitchens, so we'll probably shop the local markets here and there and cook a few meals at home. Here is our Itinerary:

September 26 - arrive at Venice airport at 1:30pm
Sep 26-29 - Venice (staying in Cannareggio near the Murano dock)
Sep 29-Oct 2 - Bologna (staying in the city center)
***9/30 day trip to Ravenna
***10/1 my birthday and would love to book a special dinner
Oct 2-5 - Montepulciano (staying near the Piazza; likely day trip to Montalcino)
Oct 5-7 - Siena (staying near the Piazza)
Oct 7-11 - Florence (staying in Oltrarno, just east of the Pone Vecchio)
October 11 - Early morning flight

Looking forward to hearing your favorite spots. Thanks!

ekc

If you have an iPhone, the app Eat Italy by Elizabeth Minchilli is really great and has lots of suggestions for Venice and Florence.

Some of our favorites in Florence are lunch at Trattoria Sostanza or at Da Rocco in the market and prosecco and a snack at Procacci near the Ferragamo shoe museum.

ElendilPickle

I have recommendations for Siena and Florence in my trip report, if you're interested.
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...y-may-2015.cfm

Lee Ann

sandralist

For Bologna, since you are staying in apartments with kitchens, make this the premier city to use that kitchen, even if eat excluseively in restaurants elsewhere. Very few restaurants in Bologna will offer you fresh pasta that surpasses the pasta sold in the fresh pasta shops in the markets. You merely need to take the pasta home and boil it (always ask the vendor how many minutes) and then dress it with butter and cheese, or serve it in broth with cheese (the vendor will sell you the broth) or most often the same shop selling you fresh pasta also has meat sauce you can take home and heat up. It can be fantastic.

You should ask your landlord where to shop in your neighborhood, but if you are staying near the via G. Oberdan, my favorte place for fresh pasta and many other prepared dishes is Bruno e Franco. There are also excellent fresh pasta shops in the historic market area. In October, you should be sure to try pasta stuffed with pumpkin, often made in the "Ferrarese" style, with a bit of chutney-like mostarda to give it both sweetness and spice. All it needs is to be cooked and dabbed with butter.

For your special celebration dinner in Bologna, if Bolognesi food is totally the focus of what you want from your experience, and if you are committed meat eaters first and foremost, reserve well-ahead at All'Osteria Bottega. If you actually get quite tired of meat after a day or two (which is very easy to have happen in Bologna), then reserve at Teresina, which has a warm and lovely space (not super-special, but intimate) plus an excellent fish menu and a meat menu.

If you are hoping for a special wow setting for this celebration and don't mind a high price tag (and possibly not Bologna's most outstanding food) than I Carrarci in Bologna is hard to beat for visual wow.

For Bologna's best cup of coffee, go to Terzi on the via G. Oberdan. For its swankiest see-and-be-seen cafe for prosecco or an expresso at the zinc bar, it's Zanarini. For a marvelously fun unique atmospheric setting with well-made cocktails and free snacks, go to Le Stanze (although the music is usually to loud to converse). Wine in Bologna is not special, so I would save your wine experiences for Florence (I repeatedly hear that Pitti Gola in the Oltrarno is good.)

I don't know where your apartment is in Rome, but my favorite Roman market is Trionfale. That said, you should go to the ones closest to you. But one food shop that is extraordinary if you like cheese is Beppe i suoi Formaggi quite near the Campo de'Fiori.

withymoon

eck - thanks for the iPhone app tip...I'm always looking for good app recommendations!

Lee Ann - thanks so much for linking your trip report. I enjoyed reading all the details! And how funny, Grotta di Santa Caterina da Bagoga is a block from our apartment, so we will definitely check it out!

sandralist - thank you so much for the Bologna recommendations. We were definitely planning on cooking while there, and the market suggestions and tips are very appreciated! We love food (and are meat eaters) and I love your recommendations for restaurants. I've read about All'Osteria Bottega and it sounds exactly what I had in mind. When you say well in advance, are you thinking weeks, a couple days? I also can't wait to try Terzi, just what I was looking for! Unfortunately, we're not going to Rome this trip, but I'll store that tip away for next time!

sandralist

For All'Osteria Bottega in October, I would make the reservation now, and wouldn't be shy to let them know it is your honeymoon and your birthday.

withymoon

Turns out my landlady knows Daniele, the man behind All'Osteria Bottega and is going to arrange a reservation and introduce us personally. Thanks again sandraslist for the recommendation