Dear Fodorite friends:<BR><BR>Exactly 4 weeks and counting! The flights, hotels and tours are booked. The itinerary is planned. Now, barring something unforseen, all that is left to do is consider where we'll eat (and drink wine, of course!)<BR><BR>I will LOVE for you well seasoned Italian travelers to give me your top 3 restaurants, trattorias, enotechas... for lunch or dinner, in the following areas: Rome; Southern/Central Tuscany; Florence; Venice. If you think reservations are required, please let me know this too.<BR><BR>As always, thank you kindly for all your responses. I believe this will be our best trip yet, due in large part to your input.

are you thinking about the top restaurants (expensive) or budget-minded? Do you have a price range in mind?

Have fun and report back. here is my list for Toscana--Elaine knows Venice.<BR><BR>GOOD EATS IN TOSCANA !<BR><BR><BR>I have never been labeled as “ BOB THE GOURMET”. However, here are some of the best places to eat in Tuscany based on feedback from my clients and others. Reservations are suggested for most:<BR>* inexpensive ** moderate *** expensive<BR>_____________________________________ _________________<BR><BR>FLORENCE: Osteria del Cinghiale Bianco ** Borgo S. Jacopo 43<BR><BR>SIENA: Osteria le Logge * Just off Il Campo—great for lunch<BR> Cane e Gato *** A fixed menu feast that takes 3 hours<BR><BR>LUCCA: Buca di San Antonio ** Near San Michele—very pleasant<BR> Il Giglio ** Piazza del Giglio—a favorite with locals<BR><BR>COLLE VAL D’ ELSA: Arnolfo *** Excellent gourmet cuisine<BR><BR>SAN GIMIGNANO: Le Vecchie Mura * Good Tuscan fare—not fancy<BR><BR>MONTERIGGIONI: Il Pozzo ** Rustic taverna in ancient fortress<BR><BR>MONTEFOLLINICO: La Chiusa *** Creative Tuscan cuisine <BR><BR>MONTEPULCIANO: La Grotta ** Excellent—near San Biagio Church<BR> Osteria Acquacheta* In the village—for lunch <BR><BR>PIENZA: Latte du Luna ** Best choice in this lovely village<BR><BR>SAN QUIRICO: Trattoria al Vecchio Forno * Authentic Tuscan fare<BR><BR>MONTALCINO: Boccon di Vino** Excellent—fixed menu at lunch<BR> Grappolo Blu * You will find the locals here<BR><BR>PITIGLIANO: Osteria Il Tufo Allegro * A treat in this ancient village <BR><BR>__________________________________________ ____________<BR><BR><BR><BR>

Elaine, <BR><BR>Since we're traveling with our son, I doubt we'll be undertaking many &quot;fine dining&quot; experiences. Although he's well behaved, he is a child, sometimes a bit loud, and I am mindful that many patrons of fine dining establishments do not appreciate chidren in the dining room at night. That being said, we do enjoy great food and wine and it is our vacation too! I suppose I should focus in the moderate range, but don't hesitate to toss in an expensive (and inexpensive) gem or two!<BR><BR>Bobthenavigator,<BR><BR>Thank you for your input. I already owe you some Brunello for your hotel recommendations. What's the tab for this?!

Hi,<BR>In Rome, try Buca di Ripetta at 36 via di Ripetta. Also try Otello alla Concordia on via del Croce, and Nino at 11 via Borgognona. If you go to Nino on a weekend, you may want to reserve. If you go to the Buca di Ripetta on Sunday, they're only open from about noon until 3pm, and they only have 15 tables, but your table is your table for as long as you want &amp; need. Your youngster will be suitably &quot;wowed&quot; at Giolitti for gelato, of course, but you might want to try Tre Scalini, right on Piazza Navona for a meal, and get some food into him before letting him dive into their gelato.<BR><BR>In Florence, try Il Cavallino at 4 r via delle Farine.<BR><BR>Buon Viaggio &amp; Buon Appetito,<BR>BC

Hi<BR>Let me recommend a small yellow pocket-sized book called &quot;Time to Eat-Venice&quot; published by Thomas Cook. Amazon sells it. It has brief, pithy desciptions of many restaurants in all price ranges, by neighborhood. Even has suggestions for picnics.<BR><BR>I don't know where you are staying, but here are some places that come to mind.<BR>For more info on any or all of them, you can look at Venice Restaurant Rants and Raves comments elsewhere here at fodors.com, or do a search on this message board.<BR><BR>Trattoria San Toma, 2 minute walk from San Toma vaporetto stop.<BR>Outdoor dining in fine weather.<BR>Everything from pizza to more substantial food, prix fixe menu or a la carte. Good desserts. Moderate to inexpensive depending on what you order.<BR><BR>Da Rafelle<BR>attached to the Do Pozzi hotel, 5 minutes from the Piazza San Marco. Moderate prices (but more than the San Toma place), costs more if you order fish or meat, less if you order just pasta.<BR>Well known to tourists, but not at all a tourist trap. Situated along a small canal, also outdoor dining in good weather. Calle XXIII Marzo where it hits the Ponte de Ostreghe. I love this place for a first night when I'm tired and want a place near my San Marco-located hotel. It's not that food is so remarkable, but it's reliable, and welcoming.<BR><BR>Another place I haven't tried but will next time is Trattoria San Trovaso.<BR><BR>I also like Sempione, north of the Piazza, if you leave the Piazza via the Mercerie (street.) It is casual.<BR>They get plenty of tourists; more locals after 8:30 pm. Large and varied menu, printed in several languages which in other places is a warning for a<BR>possible tourist trap, but this isn't one. If you like the Venetian specialty of liver with onions, have it there for sure. Plenty of other food choices. Hectic, not elegant, but pleasant and good value.<BR><BR>I have a file on Venice and on Rome and on Florence. If you'd like to see them, email me.

I was going to recommend Otello alla Concordia and Tre Scalini in Rome, but bookchick already beat me to it.<BR><BR>Go to the Trattoria alla Madonna near the Rialto in Venice, and order the zuppa di pesce and a risotto...with some local vino, of course.

Iregeo, My trip is 7 weeks away and I wanted to ask you what tours you are taking for Venice? Do you have a website for the tour service? Thank you.

I think you can do better than Otello and Tre Scalini both of which are fairly mediocre and packed with tourists. My picks for Rome from most expensive to least: Checchino dal 1887, Alberto Chiarla (reservations essential at both)Ditirambo (reservations highly recommended)Tram Tram, Dar Pallaro, Osteria da Ada, Pizzeria da Baffetto, Il Filettaro di Santa Barbara. And for gelato: San Crispino, Alberto Pica and Giolitti.

I don't know of many people who stop in Chiusi (the centro is on top of the hill, the train station is below in the modern &quot;city&quot but we did on our first trip. A delightful restaurant where the owner and his wife take wonderful care of you is: La Solita Zuppa. You order a full meal -- you get three choices for each course, plus wine. It is comfortable and I think the place itself is interesting enough to keep a child interested. In Venice, have either lunch or dinner at Trattoria Al Cugnai...the waitresses make you feel like family. I can just see them taking good care of a child. In Rome, I think Orso 80 would be great for a family dinner. Just about 2 blocks from Piazza Navona (see Rants'n Raves for address. No reservation required) Order the mixed antipasti -- there will be about 12-15 different types of goodies, with more than enough to feed a family of four (let alone three.)<BR>

Thank you all for your input. Please keep it coming!<BR><BR>JenniferW - The only organized tours I have scheduled are in Rome through Scala Reale (www.Scalareale.org) We plan to explore Venice independently. Perhaps Elaine, the goddess of Venice, has some information on tour companies in Venice. How about it Elaine?

ROME &gt; LUNCH &gt; Lo Zozzone. Best piadina place on God's earth Nearby Chiesa Nuova.. just ask someone where Zozzone is, or follow the people with the sandwiches.

I think you will enjoy Venice more on your own than in a tour, but there is supposed to be a gondola tour that leaves from the American Express office in Venice that would probably be a hit with all three of you.

Uhoh_busted - that sounds great! Can you tell me a little more? Is this &quot;tour&quot; different from other gondola rides? Although we plan to take it easy in Tuscany for 4 (glorious)days,I'm sure that once we get to Venice, after serious sightseeing in Rome and Florence, we'll be ready for something relaxing like that.

Buon giorno Iregeo, The Amex Tour B costs 29E each and includes a nice walk thru neighborhoods and to the Frari church and ends with a :30 gondola ride.<BR>Good value ! If you want a personal experience with a true insider, contact Roberta Curiel at walksinsidevenice.com<BR><BR>You could do me a favor. I bought one of those black&amp; white car bumper stickers for Italy--you know, the BIG I.<BR>Well, it got lost enroute. I bought it from one of the cart vendors in San Marco. I would love it if you can find one. I will be happy to pay for it--it is not much--maybe $3.

Bob - You can count on it. It would be my pleasure!

Rome-Ninno

to continue Ninno is near the Spanish Steps. It's an easy resturant to visit especially if you are landing in Rome first. While they have an English menu..I say skip it..the Italian menu is easy enough to figure out and part of the fun. Reservations<BR><BR>Tuscany(Chianti) Osteria di Passignano<BR>Badia a Passignano 055 8071278 Some of the best food we had in all of Italy, it's in a tiny hamlet near the Antinori Wine Estate.Reservations<BR><BR>Agree with Osteria Logge in Siena; We had a wonderful lunch there.Reservations<BR><BR><BR>Venice: Agree with Alla Madonna would also suggest you check out A Covo. If you venture to Burano while in Venice definitely have lunch at Da Romano; The grilled shrimp still show up in my dreams! You will need reservations at Alla Madonna and at A Covo; you won't need them at Da Romano unless you are going at the height of the summer.

Last year our most wonderful dining event was at Gallo Papa's in Castellina in Chianti--roughly between Siena and Florence. Better make reservations, and I recommend you get there when the door opens for dinner--because you will be there the rest of the night.<BR><BR>We had the Chef's Tasting Menu--and it was utterly fantastic! We plan to go again this spring and order the same thing.

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