Product Description

Before You Sit Down To
One of the Best Meals in the World--
You Have To Find It First!

So you're going to Italy -- home to some of the finest food in the world. But the cozy, informal neighborhood trattorias -- the real discoveries -- can be hard to find, even in a country that has catered to tourists since the days when all roads led to Rome. Here's help -- in a guide as friendly and inviting as a fragrant plate of ribollita. In Trattorias of Rome, Florence, and Venice, food writer Maureen B. Fant tells even the least intrepid traveler how to find, order, and enjoy the most memorable meal in three favorite Italian cities.

Whether you are planning a trip to Italy or already enjoying one, Maureen B. Fant will guide you to the best trattorias, giving you

• Locations and contact information
• Prices
• Specialties
• Rankings
• And much more

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #985488 in Books
• Published on: 2001-05-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

About the Author
Maureen B. Fant lives in Rome and is an editor, translator, and food writer who contributes regularly to the New York Times. Her books include Eat Like the Romans and Dictionary of Italian Cuisine.

Customer Reviews

The Best Food Guide to Italy
Last year, my husband and I went to Italy on our honeymoon and half of the meals we ate were good using Frommer's and Eyewitness so when we went this year, September 2001 I was determined to make all the meals GREAT. With the help of this book I did. In Rome, we went to four restaurants, all were excellent, Trattoria Claudio al Pantheon (twice), Cul de Sac (a wine bar with light meals) around the corner from the Piazza Navona, a restaurant on the Campo dei Fiori Plaza, Nino's by the Spanish steps and an Enoteca by the Italian Parliment. In Florence, we went to Da Guido's and Trattoria Antellesi (sp.?) by the train station. This book was a MUCH more reliable source than any of our guide books and a fun read, Fant is rather opinionated, but so am I. If you are a foodie like me you won't pass this up, I just wish she'd do a book on more cities, Milan, parts of Tuscany etc.

My only advice is to call the restaurants in Rome first, if you want to go for lunch. Even in Septmeber, we found that some Roman restaurants around the Pantheon listed in the book were closed for lunch. Fant does include a list of restaurants open on Sunday and Monday, which is very useful because lots of restaurants are closed on those days.

Regardless, everywhere we went was excellent and Fant gives you tips on what to order, which were very helpful. ...

Bon Appetit!

Eating in Rome
Just before leaving for Rome, I searched Amazon for books that might be useful, and came across this book. I was able to get it just before my wife and I left on our trip, and it made a wonderful addition to our trip. Rome abounds with restaurants of every price range, and many are very good, and yet many can be quite mediocre. Thus, picking restaurants can be somewhat of a gamble. So, we decided to make selections from Ms. Fant's book and this turned out to be a wise decision. Every restaurant we tried that was listed in the book turned out to be every bit as good as described. The reviews are honest, and point out the very good and the less good in each restaurant reviewed. The recommendations about various dishes to try were always accurate. Moreover, we are certain that the reviews were written without the knowledge of the restaurants since at one restaurant we happened to show the book to the owner and his shock and delght was clear. Indeed, he ran off to the kitchen to show the book to the chef. In addition to providing well good restaurant reviews, Ms. Fant also provides a very useful introduction that talks about restaurants in general, Italien food, etiquette of eating Italien food, and lots of other information that would be useful even for people who don't follow the reviews. Our only 'complaint' is that the book does not have a map of restaurant locations and so it takes a bit of detective work to discover which restaurants are near one's hotel. However, each review does give major sights near the restaurants, and after getting to know Rome just a bit it is relatively easy to find places that are within walking distance or a short cab ride from most anywhere. In summary, this book is really wonderful, and helps guide one to some very fine eating in Rome. While we were not in the other cities covered in the book, our guess is that it would be every bit as useful in those cities. The book is well worth the price since it adds measurably to ones pleasure in a great city.

Great Recommendations!
We tried a number of recommended places and all were great. The recommended dishes were also great. A must have if you love to eat!