As we approach our upcoming trip, it's time to look for some restaurants so Tracy, Kim and Mary have some good sustenance to keep them in shape for our daily rigorous routine. I've got the sights want to see fairly nailed down, but would be interested in dining experiences in any of these three cities.

We are not fine dining aficionados (although we do have a pretty great restaurant set up in La Morra). Looking for places that don't break the bank (around 70 - 75 euro a couple ... of course, with wine we can easily run up a heftier tab. We'll be there in late September and early October so hopefully we'll get some of those white truffle dishes. Off the beaten path is fine, too. All suggestions welcome. My pasta genes are heating up. Thanks heavens we walk a lot. Thanks.

We enjoyed Antico Ristorante Porto di Savona (right outside in the square for dining!) and Le Vitel Etonne in Torino. Both would match your price point and the food at both places is authentic to the city/region.

I can't recall the Bologna restaurants we ate at, but honestly every place we chose in Bologna was absolutely amazing (its probably my favorite food city). I remember asking the waiters what to order to make sure we got the best & authentic regional cuisine...they never steered us wrong.

As for Milan, we found the best places to be off the beaten path (meaning no where near the Duomo area). Milan is an interesting food city, as it doesn't have a lot of its own original foods (minus risotto milanese)...but again it was all quite good. We had some good meals near the Navigli area (canals).

I will follow this thread with interest, as I hope to be in both Turin and Bologna in Late September /Early October.

From other travel boards I have found recommendations for Piazza dei Mestieri in Turin, and Trattoria del Rosso in Bologna, but I am keen to add to my list of places to try.

I was in Turin and Milan last month. I enjoyed Scannabue, L'Oca Fola and...I can't remember the third place. I'll have to look it up. All were excellent and should be within your price range. I have a vague sense that the third place was more expensive but I'll check.

I had a good pizza and drinks at Dry in Milan.

Haven't been to Bologna in 3+ years but in the center I enjoyed Twinside Trattoria (more casual than its sister restaurant Caminetto D'Oro, next door). I also had a good lunch at Gianni. I just asked the waiter for his recommendations and everything was excellent. My Italian is okay so that made things easier, though they likely spoke perfect English.

Have a great trip.

It’s been awhile since we’ve been to Turin, and I don’t know if all these places are still around, but we loved going to them for apertivo hour(s):

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2...od-drink-italy

Have a great trip!

One of our favorites in Bologna is Trattoria Serghei, small, simple and simply delicious. It is near the University, very popular with the professor crowd at lunchtime. Also da Gianni.

No help for Milan, Tom but DH and I were blown away with these two. My TRs are getting more and more dated so do double check:

Turin: Osteria La Capannina
After discussing what we like and don’t like, we put ourselves in the hands of the waiter. You can’t believe all the food they gave us.
Red wine-Barbera d’Alba Roche di Ferrero alba 2003
Course 1: Thinly sliced meat (veal?) with a light white sauce; Bresaola, sliced cured beef
Course 2: Plate of saut�ed zucchini, eggplant, pumpkin, red pepper, small cheese crepe, and coin sized polenta
Course 3: Risotto al barola-rice in wine
Main Courses: Veal with artichokes and Veal with Mushrooms-sliced meat with light cream sauce. Creamed spinach and French fries came with it
Dessert: Tiramiso and a digestif called Amaro (from spices?)
And then they brought a plate of cookies! Lingua di gatto (choc. Covered tongue shaped cookies) and Torcetti (L-shaped cookies-almond?).
https://www.lacapanninatorino.com/

Bologna: Da Bertina
This is a family place with granddad, a glass of water in had, slowly shuffling the 50 feet from the front of the place to the kitchen. You could see each person he passed get ready to catch him, or the glass, if his next totter was unsuccessful. Everyone else there waiting on us at one time or another and look what we had for our last meal in lovely Bologna.
� Lambrusco (still fizzy) and Cerelin acqua, and a plate of olives to start.
Waiter suggests sampling from the boiled and grilled meat trolley (we had seen this in Turin also). We are brought a green sauce “for the boiled”. Boiled is veal tongue, beef, cotecchino (?), pork and veal cheek. This was served with potatoes, fagioli, onions and stewed tomatoes. The grilled is proscuitto, veal, pork and galantine. It was served with potatoes, fritters (apple and cream) and a cauliflower that tasted like scalloped potatoes.
While we laughed uproariously at the thought of dessert, an Italian group near us had a plate of candied fruit the size of apples in addition to their meats! Another group had the meats and pasta and dessert!
Da Bertino

FWIW, here’s the TR. Spoleto hotel had an amazing dinner. Turin, Spoleto, Bologna and Bellagio TR

"very popular with the professor crowd"

I should fit right in

We were in Bologna earlier this May : because it was a Monday we missed dining at www.trattoriadiviaserra.it - a restaurant that had been highly recommended to us. We did however enjoy the fantastic panini at StreeToast and the pasta at Sfoglia Rina.

Any others? ANUJ, Sfoglia Rina looks terrific!

Tre Galli in Torino. Supberb.
Ristorante Tre Galli - Torino

In Miilan, Nabucco is a steady favorite in the Brera neighborhood. On via Fiori Chiari, one of a cluster of attractive and lively side streets between via Brera and via Mercato (just before it turns into Corso Garibaldi). www.nabucco.it

Ger's Trip to Rome & Bologna

There are some restaurant recommendations for Bologna at the beginning.

regards