good restaurants on a budget - Italy
 

We're going to Italy next month and I'd love to get your personal recommendations for budget eateries. By "budget" I mean dinner for two for $50 or less. Most of the postings I've seen are for five-star restaurants which will definitely be out of our range (sigh!). <BR> <BR>Here are the cities we're visiting: <BR>Venice (3 nights) - maybe brunch on Torcello, if not too expensive <BR>Florence (2 nights) <BR>Siena (1 night) <BR>Positano (2 nights) - we may stay for dinner at a neighboring town (Capri?) <BR> <BR>Thanks for your help!

Prices may have gone up in Venice and Florence during this Jubilee Year ... anyways, we didn't pay more than $50 in the following: <BR> <BR>Venice: <BR>L'Incontro (Rio Terrá Canal, Dorsoduro 3062; tel. 041/5222404; closed Monday) <BR>San Trovaso (Fondamenta Priuli, Dorsoduro 1016; tel. 041/5203703; closed Monday) <BR>Rosticceria (Calle della Bissa, San Marco 5424; tel. 041/5223569; closed Monday) <BR>Al Mascaron (Calle Lunga Sta. Maria Formosa, Castello 5225; tel. 041/5225995; closed Sunday) <BR> <BR>Florence: <BR>Il Cinghiale Bianco (Borgo San Jacopo 43r; tel. 055/215706; closed Tuesday & Wednesday) should this be full, you may try the Mamma Gina or the Cammillo in the same street across the Arno. <BR>La Maremmana (Via Macci 77r; tel. 055/241226; closed Sunday) <BR>Le Mossacce (Via del Proconsolo 55r; tel. 055/294361; closed weekends) <BR> <BR>For lunch, try Mario near the central market (Via Rosina 2r; tel. 055/218550) <BR> <BR>Siena: <BR>Da Guido (Vicolo Pier Pettinaio; tel. 0577/280042; closed Wednesday) If you get the bistecca you'll spend more than $50! <BR>Da Bagoga (Via della Galluzza 26; tel. 0577/282208; closed Sunday & Monday) <BR> <BR>Paulo <BR> <BR>

I can vouch for San Trovaso in Venice. My husband and I enjoyed a very good meal back in May 1998. I have posted a photo of the place on my travel page at http://sites.netscape.net/monicapileggi/travel It's in my Italylogue.

In Venice we went to Alla Vedova, and had excellent food plus a bottle of prosecco for about $60. A little more than your budget, but really good and worth every penny.

For Venice, I give thumbs up to: <BR> <BR>Ai Falciami Birreria - a surprisingly pleasant value with food everyone enjoyed - - all the more surprising since it is less than 200 yards fom the front door of Basilica San Marco (off the little Piazzetta to your left and "back" (as you face the Basilica) <BR> <BR>and <BR> <BR>Al Peoceto Risorto - no website presence that I know, but you can find it just about three "blocks" north (? - or is that west - head towards the direction of the train station) from Ponte Rialto. You can pick up the business card for this restaurant (with nice clear picture directions) at Hotel Marconi, which you can't miss - - right on the Grand Canal near Ponte Rialto itself, opposite side from the vaporetto stop. <BR> <BR>Best wishes, <BR> <BR>Rex

How about any budget restaurant in Rome? <BR>We will be there last week of May. <BR> <BR>thanks.

Re Rome restaurants: There are literally hundreds of budget restaurants in Rome. Around Termini station we never paid more than $15-20 for two with wine.

WOW! Thanks for all the great recommendations! Paulo, as usual, you are a fountain of wisdom and I salute you. I'll be sure to give a full report when we return! <BR> <BR>I suppose there are no budget eateries on the Amalfi coast? I've heard of Buca di Bacco (sp?)in Positano, which is probably easier on the wallet than the famed Sant' Agata, but has anyone eaten there?

<BR>Just got back from Italy yesterday. Highly recommend the book Cheap Eats in Italy by S. Gustafson. We ate in at least ten of the restaurants she recommends, and all agreed she has never steered us wrong. Most of the places were filled with locals. Have fun!

Hi Jane, <BR> <BR>Just got back three weeks ago and I must say I could not get over how cheap it was to eat in Italy. We ate in Torcello at a place called il Trono di Attila. If you have never been to Torcello don't get nervous when you get off the boat. It appears deserted till you walk around a bend about a 1/2 mile. The restuarant is there on the left side. While there look at their square for some great glass. Less than 1/2 of what it was in Venice.In florence we found this great place for pizza, that's called La Dantesca near the train station. Phone 055-212287. In Rome we found two we enjoyed, they are La Cantinola and La Pecora Nera, both on Via Calabria. Their phone # are 06-42820519 and 06-42826069. Email me if you want any other info.. Enjoy your trip.

Buca de Bacco in Positano is not above the range you set. If you eat high up, above Positano near the bus station and church you'll find the best values. I've found that even the basic little roadside restaurants on the Amalfi coast had good, fresh food. Ask your hotel where the locals eat and in Italy you'll be safe, and under $50 for 2.

Check out Rick Steeve's book 2 and 22 for some good recommendations of cheap eats. We did his pub crawl through Venice and had some great plates of local food (we really liked Oscar's Osteria).

Jane, It is hard not to eat well in Italy for your budget but the magic word <BR>is " trattoria" and not "ristorante". <BR>The difference is about 20% on the bill <BR>and some fancier ambiance but I cannot <BR>tell the difference with the food. <BR>Ask the hotel about local trattorias. <BR>Checkmout the " coperto" on the menu <BR>before you sit down. That is the cover <BR>charge and is usually about 3000 [$1.50]

Jane, <BR> <BR>Don Alfonso in Sant' Agata is a 5-star ristorante and VERY expensive, but spectacular food, service and presentation. In Positano, try Il Mulino, down a flight of stone steps near the main bend in town. We've eaten there often and always had very good meals. Da Vincenzo is my favorite place -- fresh, creative cooking and an owner who's a character. Careful ordering will keep you within budget. Buon Viaggio!

For good restaurants in Rome check out my websight. It not completely finished but the Rome path is ready. <BR> <BR>http://home.earthlink.net/~richardab/ <BR> <BR>Follow the path Enter&gt;Fly&gt;Europe&gt;Rome <BR> <BR>Let me know what you think.

Richard, what a beautiful website! I checked it for the Rome information but have bookmarked it so that I can go back later when it is finished. Great job!