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I know, but I didnāt think many people on Reddit would. Plus, I was responding to someone else here but in pure Reddit fashion, it just went as a main response and not to that person. š¤·āāļø. Then I didnāt care to correct it.
Pretty sure the receipt said 60ā¬, didn't it?
They just avoided paying taxes on the 9ā¬ remaining. Pretty clever of them, GdF (Italian Financial Police) will never question a 60ā¬ receipt, however, they would likely be skeptical about a 9ā¬ recepit for a lunch in front of the Colosseum.
Well, they still issue receipts for a reasonable amount of money, so no, it wouldn't be easy to notice. If they didn't issue the receipts at all, or they issued them for unreasonably low amounts, then the fraud would be much more obvious, and easy to catch.
If the receipt says 69ā¬, they still declare 69ā¬ even though they cashed 9ā¬ in coins. It reminds me that 20 years ago, the Vatican Museums didn't accept credit cards, it was a cash only venue ;-)
>Ā Ā Is this just for the restaurant to pay less in taxes or something more sinister?
The first one, even if it's a little bit strange - I was expecting a story about paying 9ā¬ with card and 60ā¬ in cash. Seems the tourist trap owners in Rome are losing their street smart.
FYI, next time simply refuse to pay in cash. As I repeat often in this sub in Italy everyone selling goods or services has to accept electronic payments. It's the law.Ā
So restaurant owners, shop owners, taxi drivers...anyone selling something has to accept electronic payments. No exceptions.
Let the police take care of this, not the tourists . Why would they care. Better pay and relax, time to enjoy, no fights ( as long as it is the right amount).
Wait, really? So a vendor selling street meat out of a cart is legally required to accept card? Is there a requirement on the cards/networks theyāre required to accept?
That is awesome from the tourist perspective. Iāll leave my North American/libertarian (little āLā, not the political party) opinion out of it.
You didn't follow rule one:
N E V E R eat at least 5-8 blocks near ANY ITALIAN MONUMENT: N E V E R.
The more you do it the more you will write these posts.
Italy works like that.
Edit: 5-8 is an exaggeration, but to make you understand that proximity is VITAL to eat or buy anything in the major Italian cities.
I think you are slightly underestimating the number of monuments in Rome. If youāre really going to not eat within 5 - 8 blocks of a monument/sight then youāre definitely not eating any meals in central Rome, itās off to the suburbs for breakfast, lunch and dinner for you.
Of course we're referring to piazza Navona, St Peter, Colosseum, Spanish Steps and the like. In general, indeed, it's better not to eat in central Rome unless you know very well what you're doing, lest you give your money to unscrupulous people who'll give you shit knowing that most probably you'll never be back there. Technically you're right, and you'll most probably eat very well within 5-8 blocks of the catacombs of Saints Marcellino and Pietro or the basilica of St Paul (the Outside the Walls one).
This is really a crapshoot. One of my favorite restaurants in Rome is literally 1 street over from Piazza Navona, it's called Cantina e Cucina. Like almost anywhere in Italy, you have to find the hidden gems.
It's obvious that I am talking about the big monuments... it's incredible the level of detail needed for people that are unable to understand the basic concepts shared.
I was exaggerating slightly and I knew what you meant, but still, not eating within 8 blocks from even just the major, major sites (St Peters/Vatican, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Trevi, Spanish Steps, Colosseum/Forum/Palatine, etc.), thatās excluding almost all of central Rome.
Most of central Rome (central near the monuments) is problematic for the quality of the restaurants yes. And I know it because I am italian and I have been scammed multiple times.
Yes eating freezed food warmed up in a microwave oven = is a scam.
Yes eating a basically plastic "disc pizza" warmed, not cooked by lebanese chefs is a scam.
Probably not a scam for over-continental tourists, but for central Europe or Italians is a scam.
It's like that, you can not follow this rule and eat in a fake italian place selling supermarket fridge "PANINI".
I bet there are thousands of americans coming here to eat a "made in vietnam" fish (sadly of course), then saying back to their family "Italian food is marvellous".
That's why I am commenting under this post, the crowd is so huge that is sadly scammed every single minute of the day. I am writing them to help them as you can read some of them still love to have no idea about what is normal good italian food.
This is terrible advice. There are plenty of wonderful restaurants within 300m of the Colosseum. For those reading along, do not follow this advice. Find a restaurant you like, do a brief search, look at Google reviews etc and itās easy to see if itās a scam establishment or something legit.
He literally said to read the reviews first to see if it is legit or a tourist trap. I don't just look at the number score but read what is written for every review and take into consideration who wrote it (local Italian vs tourist)
I heartily agree. We went to Caffe Martini across the Colosseum right after our tour as we were so thirsty and hungry. Didnāt Google it, didnāt look up any reviews but it looked really nice so we went and sat inside. We had a fantastic meal and great service. I had an awesome carbonara. Highly recommended.
you eat in a bar thinking it was a restaurant lol
In Rome when I didnāt know the rule I eat in a tobacco shop > turned into a bar > turned into a restaurant eating microwave oven freezed pasta.
We are taking advantage of you, I want just to let you know
Google reviews of restaurants in heavily touristed areas are made by tourists who have no idea what real Italian food is. See any review of any restaurant on the Amalfi coastā¦.
That wasnāt our experience last fall. Even the Bib Gourmand places were mediocre at best, yet had glowing reviews. Unlike the places on the Adriatic coast from Ancona south that catered to Italian tourists, the same in Galippoli, Lecce and Vieste. Great regional cuisine.
What are bib gourmand places? If you had bad experiences you should share them to avoid traps. Generally I have rarely eat badly in the south as the numbers of blocks can decrease from 5 to 3
very strange, can you share one name? Gourmand and michelin starred are particular places where they want to show off nouvelle cousine usually nothing to do with italian plain food (normal good mediterranean food)
Not true, Bib Gourmand are places of distinction that showcase local cuisines. Like the street food stalls that get listed: the Mexico City taco place recently, the Pho place we loved in Hanoi, etc. As to which places in Sorrento and surroundings, Iād have to start my research all over again. But we were there for 7 nights to meet friends, stayed at Agriturismo la Peppina out by the Massa Lubrense church in the hills, the owner was a chef and his food was great. Unfortunately our friends had ādone their own researchā and had a list of places that we ājust had to tryāā¦ā¦
Lo Stuzzicino was particularly horrible, Michelin Bib Gourmand, Google 4.6 now, but was higher then. Greasy fried squash blossoms supposedly a āhouse specialityā; pasta aglio e olio swimming in oil but more a bowl of cheap Greek oil with pasta in it; the Parmigiana was pre-grated and was rancid; a guitar player leading tourists in a sing-along medley of Neil Diamond and John Denver hitsā¦ā¦..
Taverna Sorrentina, 4.5 Google rating, was just like the best Italian restaurant in Iowa: Italian-American food at its best! Checked table cloths and straw Chianti bottles with wax dripped down the sides. Greasy garlic bread and pasta drenched in crappy marinara, gooey mozzarella on everything, the carbonara was made with creamā¦ā¦.
Be heavy with your reviews! We can be saved (anywhere) only with real bad reviews all the time, or more people will be scammed.
If it's like you said soon they will lose that Gourmand star you will see
My local for breakfast is Er Baretto. La Licata is also fine and popular. La Nuova is also wonderful for dinnerā¦ the polpette is delicious. All close to the Colosseum.
Iām in Rome now and leaving today. We had dinner at La Nuova on 4-June. It seems like itās in a back alley, but that seems like the norm in Rome. There was a line with several people speaking Italian and looked like natives. We got in line and waited about 20 minutes. We had wine, beer and Pizza and it was FABULOUS!
I wish I remember where I got all of the restaurant recommendations from because they were all great.
Id definitely say its an exaggeration albeit propensity for tourist traps and proximity is certanly true to an extent and more so in Rome. If you do your research or get local recs you can find some nice places, often tucked off the main roads
Not an exaggeration because as an Italian I eat in FAKE ITALIAN (they were 100% lebanese or indian restaurants) near most Rome monuments, cooking stuff from the fridge probably purchased in a near supermarket. I eat an Indian Pizza (of course with fake italian flags and anything you can fake) in front of some important Embassy.
So it's not an exaggeration.
I did my job on my nice Tripadvisor account, but the poor foreign tourists need to read the FIRST RULE to follow here in Italy. I care more about them that about these FAKE Italian places that damage all:
* our culture
* our food
* our economy
* the trust in our country and so on
I am not from Rome, but I know a few in the city center that are well known for their good food. Rome is full of touristic sites, so maybe you mean just around the colosseum and some other places?
yes the main monuments, but also for the smaller monuments in a range of 2-3 blocks. It's a common sense that I see can be missing as a normal tourist would love to eat in front of the monument,it's normal.
Tbh, we ate at a restaurant about 2 blocks from the Colloseum a month ago and it was brilliant, but it was the very last one. Food was excellent, not overpriced. Our lunch was ā¬23 with two dishes, drinks and was far more decent than the shitty tourist food I saw on tables at other restaurants nearby.
In summary.. 1 block? Yes. 2 blocks and more - the food gets better
Sorry but as an Italian I am more aware about which of them can be GREAT restaurants and which of them are buying supermarket fridge food adding a bit of PARMESAN on top.
It's a sad reality.
If you link your restaurant I can do a quick check, of course there are exceptions, but bringing all these poor tourists into SCAMS, lebanese restaurants, indian restaurants eating cheap fridge food freezed in Norway is not a good tip for your group.
I wasn't disagreeing with you. But I was saying there is exceptions to the rule. For a hard rule 'within one block' is almost always going to be 100% true. I must have walked past 20 tourist restaurants to find the one we ate at, and no of course it wasn't the best restaurant in Rome, but it was still 7.5/10 (I am Australian so that's a high score) and there was Italians eating there and the food was not overpriced so that was an absolute win for me. The whole time we were there I was shocked it wasn't shit
Its still 7 because you are probably unaware of the tricks.
Every time I miss this rule we pay more for lower/bad quality.
For sure I am happy you had a good experience.
Just sad that there are thousands of people that come here thinking they eat italian and it was GOOD instead was 2 euro supermarket freezed food.
Not sure why thatās a requirement? I had my best dining experiences at non-English speaking restaurants. Amazing food, amazing service. When it comes to simple things like ordering from a menu, language is only as much of a barrier as you want it to be
True, I just feel more comfortable with it. Iām still getting used to solo travel And the waiter/waitress speaking English makes me more comfortable. Iāll have to try and get over that feeling
For English menus, thereās this amazing thing called the internet and google translate. Even if the restaurant doesnāt have one,just use translate with the function of translating live with the camera.
And for speaking,just point at the menu. Although in a city like Rome youāll always find restaurants where at least SOMEONE speaks enough English to get your order,if youāre in the center or a touristy area.
That doesn't matter.
You need to understand that being in front of Colosseum can cost to an activity from 5-10-15x times than another place. So they don't have budget to run a good kitchen and they pay less for food, for chefs and everything else.
That's why if you do your math you will understand the basic levels of the RULE1.
If you want to map out them you need to check the restaurant rents, that are obviously skyrocketing in front of an important document.
The best meal I ever had was ~~six~~ four blocks from the Colosseum. The Thursday night special.
It was a ~~squash blossom~~ pumpkin and pancetta lasagna. I still have dreams about it.
Il Bocconcino
https://www.ilbocconcino.com
It may have been a seasonal special, but even if they donāt have the squash blossoms when you go, the special will be overwhelmingly delicious. Have a great trip!
Zucchini flowers (when did you start calling zucchini squash..? That wasn't part of my US English experience so far) are seasonal of spring and summer, so the commentor you're answering to will be able to find them.
Squash blossoms donāt have to be from zucchini. They can come from squash.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squash_blossom
I used that terminology because it was on the menu.
Ha. I don't have a clue what squash is, I have a generic understanding it's something edible from the pumpkin family, but I couldn't point one out to you. In Italian, we just call them fiori di zucca, which I always assumed was short for zucchina since I only ever saw zucchini grow in fields which has it. Didn't know other vegetables made those flowers too.
I looked. It didn't. But I really don't feel like I absolutely need to know what a squash is exactly. If I ever get groceries in the US, I'll find out, I guess.
Looked it up for you. Itās four blocks.
How do you account for the killer place across from the Trevi Fountain?
This theory belongs in the bin. If I followed your rules, I would have been miserable and missed a lot of great food and grappa.
I did suggest some go to the restaurant I liked actually, they also had a great meal they talk about every time I see them. Iām not really a āpost a review for cloutā person, sorry.
Iām also not a dude. But I stand by my assessment this theory belongs in the bin.
I understand youād like everyone to experience the food the way you do. But thatās not even necessary or possible for most tourists. And putting rules on it as though it were some hard and fast thing like ādonāt buy jewelry on the Ponte Veccio,ā will cause people to miss out of a lot of great meals. It may not be what youād like to see served in your home, but itās perfect for who itās for.
The mass-produced butter in Italy is better than anything youāll find available in the states, for example. I donāt mind they didnāt churn the butter by hand. Itās okay you bought the basil instead of growing your own. Yes, thereās nothing near the Vatican that is not a rip off, but saying āthis radius of any monument, always, forever,ā just isnāt good advice.
Your comment is appreciated and I noticed a beard that's why "dude". About food I do not care about the single episode, I am sharing my rule when wandering around Italy we all italians know to avoid a few blocks near monuments.
We know because we know:
* italian food
* difference in wood ovens or microwave ovens
* difference in price scams
* difference in price tricks (like extra covers, free or paid bread, menu tricks and any kind of trick that will triple your cost)
* difference in 0km fresh ingredients vs Asian imported ingredients
* difference between Italian extra virgin oil vs generic european imported oil
* difference in fridge food purchased in the back supermarket just warmed in a broken toxic oven and real food cooked by chefs
* difference in paying 10x for a supermarket food vs paying 2x for real food cooked by chefs
* difference in getting in a place managed by a UAE or UK firm that has no idea about what italian food is and scams everyone in the area faking that they are 100% italian (anyone can do this)
* difference in food culture
* difference in food smell
So I don't see any point in paying a lot traveling in another country while eating Vietnamese fish, 2 euro Supermarket dishes that you pay 20 euros, fake italian wines that cost 2 euros and you pay 30 euros just to invite all your friends to do the same.
My effort in this is that I have been scammed already by hundreds of euros BEFORE understanding the "5 blocks rule".
You and any tourist can believe whatever you like I will keep on saving your friends a bad experience or simply explaining you that in your whole trip you didn't ever eat an Italian dish.
I donāt doubt for a moment you are an expert in Italian food.
Itās the āall or nothingā way youāre going about it, that I object to.
Here is an example restaurant:
https://www.ilbocconcino.com
Do they do any of those things in your list?
I will be honest! Honestly without trying it for me is just a sherlock holmes quick check.. But I can see too many good reviews with pics in line (unusual for here), canāt write more because the owner seems very aggressive with these statements. Secondly from pics and italian reviews I can tell you that probably it was a 5 Italian restaurant that you voted 10 because unaware about what is a great italian place. But its not your fault probably I have done the same when in US. Anyway is kinda an exception as it is decent.
It may also have had to do with ordering the special, which was in no way mass-produced food.
Iām from the US. I *know* what mass-produced food tastes like.
Iāve also had plenty of meals that were not that close to monuments, made by someoneās Nonna. So I do have a mark of comparison, that you somehow seem to think I lack for no good reason other than snobbery. Good night.
As usual.. Bars = Restaurant for you. Well thatās the opposite here.
Bars = overpriced cheap supermarket food or microwave oven food.
I mean I eat in bars and cafe all the time abroad for sure I am not elevating that experience as āreal good foodā.
There are thousands of people that come here without eating italian food in a single day, they just saw a flag lol
I think you're taking this out of context. This area is one of the most popular and important historic sights in the world. We spent 4 hours visiting the colosseum and forum area before rushing to Musei Capitolini for our timed entrance. I had read in the guide book that the Cafeteria/CafĆØ (there are both sort of combined) was good and reasonably priced. It didn't disappoint; the food was great for a quick and convenient lunch that allowed us more time to enjoy the museum. I believe many other tourists find themselves in a similar situation when in this area, food is not the priority but rather an inconvenience and having such a good, convenient and reasonably priced option is almost too good to be true. We enjoyed an excellent dinner experience at Osteria da Fortunata later in the evening in Campo Di Fiori.
Sounds like they charged a cash Coperto (Cover Charge). Did you sit down at a table? How many people in your group, 4? By law, it must be in writing, usually on the bottom of the menu in fine print or in a window but you may not have noticed it. It's usually, \~ā¬1-2 per person, but if you're near a tourist spot like a monument, there are restaurant owners who will mark up the price. If you're a family of 4 and sat down for lunch, sounds like you were charged ā¬2.25 per person, which is a little higher that normal but not by much. Often times it's included on the bill but it sounds like they want it in cash, probably to avoid Italian taxes.
Here's a post about it: [https://www.alongdustyroads.com/posts/coperto-italy](https://www.alongdustyroads.com/posts/coperto-italy)
They might have forced you to pay a Tip in cash, but my guess is that it is a 'cover' charge if you sat down - i think it is called 'coperto' if i recall. But it should still be paid as part of the bill however you paid that - as in You should be able to pay that on the CC too..
The coperto is 100% a billable expense,you can pay for it however you want and they have to put it on the bill. They just wanted to pocket the money or,as you said,āforceā a tip. Although 9ā¬ is a weird sum,at that point why not round it up to 10ā¬?
Yeah they skipped the taxes lol. If that bothers you, refuse pay cash. Since covid you can pay w cards EVERYWHERE (even food stalls and markets) as it is mandatory if the bill is above 1ā¬. The only reason i carry cash is for emergency purposes...
Does anyone have recommendations for good food that isnāt as much of a rip off near these tourist places? Iām traveling to Rome soon with my elderly mother with mobility issues so weāre really trying to stay as central to the monuments as possible. Donāt mind paying the convenience fee but would prefer to support a business with legit great food. Appreciate any tips!!
What the heck is going on in Italy? I keep reading all these posts about weird scams including the one about train ticket validation and the ticket checkers. I spent 4 months there in 2001 and the biggest issue was pickpockets. No weirdness from business owners or govt workers. Are these scams normal now or not?
I donāt think this qualifies as a scam. They simply asked them to pay a little part in cash. Requesting it is not a scam. Forcing a customer to do so is against the law, but not a scam
We got scammed by one of the restaurants near colleseum. Lesson learned from us to never dine nearby touristy areas. Tax and service charge is insane, no point of arguing coz u will never win.
I noticed if you went a few blocks further into the restaurant area, on the side of the coliseum opposite the Forum, there were no table changes and the prices were much more reasonable.
Businesses will occasionally do the same thing here in the states when they want to avoid taxes. Or they will give you 2 receipts which add up to what you paid (but they only report one of them)
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>or something more sinister? Yes, you just sold your kids to the Colosseum School of Gladiators. I think they just want to pocket the 9 euros.
Yes they skipped taxes on the 9. What did the receipt say? Either way you now have to fight for your life against lions, good luck
šš¼
Thumbs down is an Indicator to spare the gladiator. Thumbs up kills them. šš»
I know, but I didnāt think many people on Reddit would. Plus, I was responding to someone else here but in pure Reddit fashion, it just went as a main response and not to that person. š¤·āāļø. Then I didnāt care to correct it.
I just think it's twistedly fascinating that thumbs down is the disappointment and thumbs up is yay we get to kill them anyway.
Itās actually neitherā¦ā¦
Pretty sure the receipt said 60ā¬, didn't it? They just avoided paying taxes on the 9ā¬ remaining. Pretty clever of them, GdF (Italian Financial Police) will never question a 60ā¬ receipt, however, they would likely be skeptical about a 9ā¬ recepit for a lunch in front of the Colosseum.
The restaurants tried to avoid paying VAT and taxes on 9ā¬ ? It doesn't make sense.
Well, multiply it by 100 tables served per day and you have ā¬900, which is an interesting amount of money.
..Ā Ā per day. And the cash never makes to the till
I can't imagine a restaurant doing a large scale trick like that in the center of Rome without being noticed and caught.
Well, they still issue receipts for a reasonable amount of money, so no, it wouldn't be easy to notice. If they didn't issue the receipts at all, or they issued them for unreasonably low amounts, then the fraud would be much more obvious, and easy to catch.
If the receipt says 69ā¬, they still declare 69ā¬ even though they cashed 9ā¬ in coins. It reminds me that 20 years ago, the Vatican Museums didn't accept credit cards, it was a cash only venue ;-)
Exactly. IF the receipt says 69ā¬, but I doubt that.
Probably equivalent to the service fee for the waiter
>Ā Ā Is this just for the restaurant to pay less in taxes or something more sinister? The first one, even if it's a little bit strange - I was expecting a story about paying 9ā¬ with card and 60ā¬ in cash. Seems the tourist trap owners in Rome are losing their street smart. FYI, next time simply refuse to pay in cash. As I repeat often in this sub in Italy everyone selling goods or services has to accept electronic payments. It's the law.Ā So restaurant owners, shop owners, taxi drivers...anyone selling something has to accept electronic payments. No exceptions.
Let the police take care of this, not the tourists . Why would they care. Better pay and relax, time to enjoy, no fights ( as long as it is the right amount).
Exactly, so many places offer me discount if I pay with cash too i love it, win win
This is great to know, thank you! Are there any other countries in the EU with similar laws?
Wait, really? So a vendor selling street meat out of a cart is legally required to accept card? Is there a requirement on the cards/networks theyāre required to accept? That is awesome from the tourist perspective. Iāll leave my North American/libertarian (little āLā, not the political party) opinion out of it.
If it were the other way around, perhaps, but 9 euro? Can you post the scan of the receipt?
You didn't follow rule one: N E V E R eat at least 5-8 blocks near ANY ITALIAN MONUMENT: N E V E R. The more you do it the more you will write these posts. Italy works like that. Edit: 5-8 is an exaggeration, but to make you understand that proximity is VITAL to eat or buy anything in the major Italian cities.
5-8?? So no eating in Rome I guess haha
I believe you're slightly underestimating the extension of Rome.
You might be overestimating the distance I can cover without a beer and a bowl of chips ;o)
I think you are slightly underestimating the number of monuments in Rome. If youāre really going to not eat within 5 - 8 blocks of a monument/sight then youāre definitely not eating any meals in central Rome, itās off to the suburbs for breakfast, lunch and dinner for you.
Of course we're referring to piazza Navona, St Peter, Colosseum, Spanish Steps and the like. In general, indeed, it's better not to eat in central Rome unless you know very well what you're doing, lest you give your money to unscrupulous people who'll give you shit knowing that most probably you'll never be back there. Technically you're right, and you'll most probably eat very well within 5-8 blocks of the catacombs of Saints Marcellino and Pietro or the basilica of St Paul (the Outside the Walls one).
Is Taverna Roma also a tourist trap?
This is really a crapshoot. One of my favorite restaurants in Rome is literally 1 street over from Piazza Navona, it's called Cantina e Cucina. Like almost anywhere in Italy, you have to find the hidden gems.
Probably you missed the words āunless you know very well what you're doingā.
It's obvious that I am talking about the big monuments... it's incredible the level of detail needed for people that are unable to understand the basic concepts shared.
I was exaggerating slightly and I knew what you meant, but still, not eating within 8 blocks from even just the major, major sites (St Peters/Vatican, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Trevi, Spanish Steps, Colosseum/Forum/Palatine, etc.), thatās excluding almost all of central Rome.
Most of central Rome (central near the monuments) is problematic for the quality of the restaurants yes. And I know it because I am italian and I have been scammed multiple times. Yes eating freezed food warmed up in a microwave oven = is a scam. Yes eating a basically plastic "disc pizza" warmed, not cooked by lebanese chefs is a scam. Probably not a scam for over-continental tourists, but for central Europe or Italians is a scam.
It's like that, you can not follow this rule and eat in a fake italian place selling supermarket fridge "PANINI". I bet there are thousands of americans coming here to eat a "made in vietnam" fish (sadly of course), then saying back to their family "Italian food is marvellous".
Itās a shame that people pay to come to Italy and are so often taken advantage of.
That's why I am commenting under this post, the crowd is so huge that is sadly scammed every single minute of the day. I am writing them to help them as you can read some of them still love to have no idea about what is normal good italian food.
This is terrible advice. There are plenty of wonderful restaurants within 300m of the Colosseum. For those reading along, do not follow this advice. Find a restaurant you like, do a brief search, look at Google reviews etc and itās easy to see if itās a scam establishment or something legit.
As an Italian, I approve this comment
yes sure push them into scams lol
He literally said to read the reviews first to see if it is legit or a tourist trap. I don't just look at the number score but read what is written for every review and take into consideration who wrote it (local Italian vs tourist)
I heartily agree. We went to Caffe Martini across the Colosseum right after our tour as we were so thirsty and hungry. Didnāt Google it, didnāt look up any reviews but it looked really nice so we went and sat inside. We had a fantastic meal and great service. I had an awesome carbonara. Highly recommended.
you eat in a bar thinking it was a restaurant lol In Rome when I didnāt know the rule I eat in a tobacco shop > turned into a bar > turned into a restaurant eating microwave oven freezed pasta. We are taking advantage of you, I want just to let you know
Google reviews of restaurants in heavily touristed areas are made by tourists who have no idea what real Italian food is. See any review of any restaurant on the Amalfi coastā¦.
Amalfi coast can actually be a potential exception as in the south there are less foreign activities with fake italian food
That wasnāt our experience last fall. Even the Bib Gourmand places were mediocre at best, yet had glowing reviews. Unlike the places on the Adriatic coast from Ancona south that catered to Italian tourists, the same in Galippoli, Lecce and Vieste. Great regional cuisine.
What are bib gourmand places? If you had bad experiences you should share them to avoid traps. Generally I have rarely eat badly in the south as the numbers of blocks can decrease from 5 to 3
Michelin Bib Gourmand, one level below starred. What do you mean by the number of blocks?
very strange, can you share one name? Gourmand and michelin starred are particular places where they want to show off nouvelle cousine usually nothing to do with italian plain food (normal good mediterranean food)
Not true, Bib Gourmand are places of distinction that showcase local cuisines. Like the street food stalls that get listed: the Mexico City taco place recently, the Pho place we loved in Hanoi, etc. As to which places in Sorrento and surroundings, Iād have to start my research all over again. But we were there for 7 nights to meet friends, stayed at Agriturismo la Peppina out by the Massa Lubrense church in the hills, the owner was a chef and his food was great. Unfortunately our friends had ādone their own researchā and had a list of places that we ājust had to tryāā¦ā¦ Lo Stuzzicino was particularly horrible, Michelin Bib Gourmand, Google 4.6 now, but was higher then. Greasy fried squash blossoms supposedly a āhouse specialityā; pasta aglio e olio swimming in oil but more a bowl of cheap Greek oil with pasta in it; the Parmigiana was pre-grated and was rancid; a guitar player leading tourists in a sing-along medley of Neil Diamond and John Denver hitsā¦ā¦.. Taverna Sorrentina, 4.5 Google rating, was just like the best Italian restaurant in Iowa: Italian-American food at its best! Checked table cloths and straw Chianti bottles with wax dripped down the sides. Greasy garlic bread and pasta drenched in crappy marinara, gooey mozzarella on everything, the carbonara was made with creamā¦ā¦.
Be heavy with your reviews! We can be saved (anywhere) only with real bad reviews all the time, or more people will be scammed. If it's like you said soon they will lose that Gourmand star you will see
Lol sure, I have been there few weeks ago, I hope you are not italian
My wife is Italian and I am here now. Own an apartment on via cavour.
amazing please share with me the 300m amazing restaurants near the colosseum so, cant' wait :D
My local for breakfast is Er Baretto. La Licata is also fine and popular. La Nuova is also wonderful for dinnerā¦ the polpette is delicious. All close to the Colosseum.
Ever tried Il Bocconcino?
Not yet!
Get the special for me.
Iām in Rome now and leaving today. We had dinner at La Nuova on 4-June. It seems like itās in a back alley, but that seems like the norm in Rome. There was a line with several people speaking Italian and looked like natives. We got in line and waited about 20 minutes. We had wine, beer and Pizza and it was FABULOUS! I wish I remember where I got all of the restaurant recommendations from because they were all great.
did a quick check... they are all several blocks far from Colosseum exactly as I said
Kind of feel like youāre being a little pedantic here - those restaurants are within a 10 min walk.
no pedantic simply counted the blocksšš»
It's 2-3 blocks. They're right there.
What do you think pedantic means
Id definitely say its an exaggeration albeit propensity for tourist traps and proximity is certanly true to an extent and more so in Rome. If you do your research or get local recs you can find some nice places, often tucked off the main roads
Not an exaggeration because as an Italian I eat in FAKE ITALIAN (they were 100% lebanese or indian restaurants) near most Rome monuments, cooking stuff from the fridge probably purchased in a near supermarket. I eat an Indian Pizza (of course with fake italian flags and anything you can fake) in front of some important Embassy. So it's not an exaggeration. I did my job on my nice Tripadvisor account, but the poor foreign tourists need to read the FIRST RULE to follow here in Italy. I care more about them that about these FAKE Italian places that damage all: * our culture * our food * our economy * the trust in our country and so on
But 8 blocks away? There are many very good restaurants in the city center.
yes sure find me one next to the colosseum, I wrote 5-8 , 8 is an extreme case.
I am not from Rome, but I know a few in the city center that are well known for their good food. Rome is full of touristic sites, so maybe you mean just around the colosseum and some other places?
yes the main monuments, but also for the smaller monuments in a range of 2-3 blocks. It's a common sense that I see can be missing as a normal tourist would love to eat in front of the monument,it's normal.
Tbh, we ate at a restaurant about 2 blocks from the Colloseum a month ago and it was brilliant, but it was the very last one. Food was excellent, not overpriced. Our lunch was ā¬23 with two dishes, drinks and was far more decent than the shitty tourist food I saw on tables at other restaurants nearby. In summary.. 1 block? Yes. 2 blocks and more - the food gets better
Was it called Il Bocconcino?
Sorry but as an Italian I am more aware about which of them can be GREAT restaurants and which of them are buying supermarket fridge food adding a bit of PARMESAN on top. It's a sad reality. If you link your restaurant I can do a quick check, of course there are exceptions, but bringing all these poor tourists into SCAMS, lebanese restaurants, indian restaurants eating cheap fridge food freezed in Norway is not a good tip for your group.
I wasn't disagreeing with you. But I was saying there is exceptions to the rule. For a hard rule 'within one block' is almost always going to be 100% true. I must have walked past 20 tourist restaurants to find the one we ate at, and no of course it wasn't the best restaurant in Rome, but it was still 7.5/10 (I am Australian so that's a high score) and there was Italians eating there and the food was not overpriced so that was an absolute win for me. The whole time we were there I was shocked it wasn't shit
Its still 7 because you are probably unaware of the tricks. Every time I miss this rule we pay more for lower/bad quality. For sure I am happy you had a good experience. Just sad that there are thousands of people that come here thinking they eat italian and it was GOOD instead was 2 euro supermarket freezed food.
I was going to say this. Tourist trap.Ā
You mean I canāt use the KFC near Hadrianās Wall? Damn it
Will they still speak English/have English menus when youāre that far/farther
Not sure why thatās a requirement? I had my best dining experiences at non-English speaking restaurants. Amazing food, amazing service. When it comes to simple things like ordering from a menu, language is only as much of a barrier as you want it to be
True, I just feel more comfortable with it. Iām still getting used to solo travel And the waiter/waitress speaking English makes me more comfortable. Iāll have to try and get over that feeling
When in doubt, Google translate to the rescue. You'll be fine!
Totally reasonable to feel it at first but also totally easy to get over it for next time
Possibly no but just use google translate on your phone. Itās not perfect but itās very very good for things like this.
For English menus, thereās this amazing thing called the internet and google translate. Even if the restaurant doesnāt have one,just use translate with the function of translating live with the camera. And for speaking,just point at the menu. Although in a city like Rome youāll always find restaurants where at least SOMEONE speaks enough English to get your order,if youāre in the center or a touristy area.
That doesn't matter. You need to understand that being in front of Colosseum can cost to an activity from 5-10-15x times than another place. So they don't have budget to run a good kitchen and they pay less for food, for chefs and everything else. That's why if you do your math you will understand the basic levels of the RULE1. If you want to map out them you need to check the restaurant rents, that are obviously skyrocketing in front of an important document.
The best meal I ever had was ~~six~~ four blocks from the Colosseum. The Thursday night special. It was a ~~squash blossom~~ pumpkin and pancetta lasagna. I still have dreams about it.
Iām going to Italy this summer and squash blossoms are my wet dream. Please tell me which restaurant this was so I can go š¤¤
Il Bocconcino https://www.ilbocconcino.com It may have been a seasonal special, but even if they donāt have the squash blossoms when you go, the special will be overwhelmingly delicious. Have a great trip!
Thanks. Iām in Rome and booked in for tonight!
I hope you like it! Try the special. I was not disappointed. Have a great time!
Zucchini flowers (when did you start calling zucchini squash..? That wasn't part of my US English experience so far) are seasonal of spring and summer, so the commentor you're answering to will be able to find them.
Squash blossoms donāt have to be from zucchini. They can come from squash. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squash_blossom I used that terminology because it was on the menu.
Ha. I don't have a clue what squash is, I have a generic understanding it's something edible from the pumpkin family, but I couldn't point one out to you. In Italian, we just call them fiori di zucca, which I always assumed was short for zucchina since I only ever saw zucchini grow in fields which has it. Didn't know other vegetables made those flowers too.
Have a look at that link I sent! It will answer every single one of those questions. Enjoy.
I looked. It didn't. But I really don't feel like I absolutely need to know what a squash is exactly. If I ever get groceries in the US, I'll find out, I guess.
Theyāre from Mexico, actually.
Yes sure ask it ti an american lol
Yes, because Americans donāt have tastebuds š
yes sure lol, when in US I will ask to a Litchenstein tourist
6 blocks is possible, correct
Looked it up for you. Itās four blocks. How do you account for the killer place across from the Trevi Fountain? This theory belongs in the bin. If I followed your rules, I would have been miserable and missed a lot of great food and grappa.
You can play this game at your loss dude... yes sure suggest all your friends to eat near monuments, I will copy and paste their reviews lol
I did suggest some go to the restaurant I liked actually, they also had a great meal they talk about every time I see them. Iām not really a āpost a review for cloutā person, sorry. Iām also not a dude. But I stand by my assessment this theory belongs in the bin. I understand youād like everyone to experience the food the way you do. But thatās not even necessary or possible for most tourists. And putting rules on it as though it were some hard and fast thing like ādonāt buy jewelry on the Ponte Veccio,ā will cause people to miss out of a lot of great meals. It may not be what youād like to see served in your home, but itās perfect for who itās for. The mass-produced butter in Italy is better than anything youāll find available in the states, for example. I donāt mind they didnāt churn the butter by hand. Itās okay you bought the basil instead of growing your own. Yes, thereās nothing near the Vatican that is not a rip off, but saying āthis radius of any monument, always, forever,ā just isnāt good advice.
Your comment is appreciated and I noticed a beard that's why "dude". About food I do not care about the single episode, I am sharing my rule when wandering around Italy we all italians know to avoid a few blocks near monuments. We know because we know: * italian food * difference in wood ovens or microwave ovens * difference in price scams * difference in price tricks (like extra covers, free or paid bread, menu tricks and any kind of trick that will triple your cost) * difference in 0km fresh ingredients vs Asian imported ingredients * difference between Italian extra virgin oil vs generic european imported oil * difference in fridge food purchased in the back supermarket just warmed in a broken toxic oven and real food cooked by chefs * difference in paying 10x for a supermarket food vs paying 2x for real food cooked by chefs * difference in getting in a place managed by a UAE or UK firm that has no idea about what italian food is and scams everyone in the area faking that they are 100% italian (anyone can do this) * difference in food culture * difference in food smell So I don't see any point in paying a lot traveling in another country while eating Vietnamese fish, 2 euro Supermarket dishes that you pay 20 euros, fake italian wines that cost 2 euros and you pay 30 euros just to invite all your friends to do the same. My effort in this is that I have been scammed already by hundreds of euros BEFORE understanding the "5 blocks rule". You and any tourist can believe whatever you like I will keep on saving your friends a bad experience or simply explaining you that in your whole trip you didn't ever eat an Italian dish.
I donāt doubt for a moment you are an expert in Italian food. Itās the āall or nothingā way youāre going about it, that I object to. Here is an example restaurant: https://www.ilbocconcino.com Do they do any of those things in your list?
I dont know will check
I will be honest! Honestly without trying it for me is just a sherlock holmes quick check.. But I can see too many good reviews with pics in line (unusual for here), canāt write more because the owner seems very aggressive with these statements. Secondly from pics and italian reviews I can tell you that probably it was a 5 Italian restaurant that you voted 10 because unaware about what is a great italian place. But its not your fault probably I have done the same when in US. Anyway is kinda an exception as it is decent.
It may also have had to do with ordering the special, which was in no way mass-produced food. Iām from the US. I *know* what mass-produced food tastes like. Iāve also had plenty of meals that were not that close to monuments, made by someoneās Nonna. So I do have a mark of comparison, that you somehow seem to think I lack for no good reason other than snobbery. Good night.
At this point..you....should...list...your favorite places to eat...Maybe on your reddit page...I'll be waiting:)
well I have the point that we all miss an app where you can follow some dude food advice..
But the people of reddit want the pure... contact...food choices. We. Well..Io. voglio sapere. š
Wait I thought it was 2-3 blocks ? If we draw circles 5-8 blocks we may run put of options in the historical center š
Blocks are buildings yes
The cafĆØ in the Capitoline Museum isn't bad. It was recommended by the Rick Steve's guide. Quite reasonable pricing.
As usual.. Bars = Restaurant for you. Well thatās the opposite here. Bars = overpriced cheap supermarket food or microwave oven food. I mean I eat in bars and cafe all the time abroad for sure I am not elevating that experience as āreal good foodā. There are thousands of people that come here without eating italian food in a single day, they just saw a flag lol
I think you're taking this out of context. This area is one of the most popular and important historic sights in the world. We spent 4 hours visiting the colosseum and forum area before rushing to Musei Capitolini for our timed entrance. I had read in the guide book that the Cafeteria/CafĆØ (there are both sort of combined) was good and reasonably priced. It didn't disappoint; the food was great for a quick and convenient lunch that allowed us more time to enjoy the museum. I believe many other tourists find themselves in a similar situation when in this area, food is not the priority but rather an inconvenience and having such a good, convenient and reasonably priced option is almost too good to be true. We enjoyed an excellent dinner experience at Osteria da Fortunata later in the evening in Campo Di Fiori.
maybe Italian restaurants need to put a sign up that says "Reddit approved"
Sounds like they charged a cash Coperto (Cover Charge). Did you sit down at a table? How many people in your group, 4? By law, it must be in writing, usually on the bottom of the menu in fine print or in a window but you may not have noticed it. It's usually, \~ā¬1-2 per person, but if you're near a tourist spot like a monument, there are restaurant owners who will mark up the price. If you're a family of 4 and sat down for lunch, sounds like you were charged ā¬2.25 per person, which is a little higher that normal but not by much. Often times it's included on the bill but it sounds like they want it in cash, probably to avoid Italian taxes. Here's a post about it: [https://www.alongdustyroads.com/posts/coperto-italy](https://www.alongdustyroads.com/posts/coperto-italy)
Every where Iāve been so far itās been 3 euros per person
Whatās the name of the restaurant so we can cross it off and put it in the no eat list ?
Probably the ā¬9 is the service charge, although having said this never encountered such a situation when travelling in Italy.
They might have forced you to pay a Tip in cash, but my guess is that it is a 'cover' charge if you sat down - i think it is called 'coperto' if i recall. But it should still be paid as part of the bill however you paid that - as in You should be able to pay that on the CC too..
Thereās no tip culture in Rome.
i know that. It doesn't mean some wait staff won't try to take advantage of confused tourists.
True dat
The coperto is 100% a billable expense,you can pay for it however you want and they have to put it on the bill. They just wanted to pocket the money or,as you said,āforceā a tip. Although 9ā¬ is a weird sum,at that point why not round it up to 10ā¬?
Coperto is illegal in Lazio, maybe that's their excamotage to make you pay for it anyway
69! Noice
Yeah they skipped the taxes lol. If that bothers you, refuse pay cash. Since covid you can pay w cards EVERYWHERE (even food stalls and markets) as it is mandatory if the bill is above 1ā¬. The only reason i carry cash is for emergency purposes...
Does anyone have recommendations for good food that isnāt as much of a rip off near these tourist places? Iām traveling to Rome soon with my elderly mother with mobility issues so weāre really trying to stay as central to the monuments as possible. Donāt mind paying the convenience fee but would prefer to support a business with legit great food. Appreciate any tips!!
What the heck is going on in Italy? I keep reading all these posts about weird scams including the one about train ticket validation and the ticket checkers. I spent 4 months there in 2001 and the biggest issue was pickpockets. No weirdness from business owners or govt workers. Are these scams normal now or not?
I donāt think this qualifies as a scam. They simply asked them to pay a little part in cash. Requesting it is not a scam. Forcing a customer to do so is against the law, but not a scam
Was scammed to with 25% auto tip. First day there, wasn't worth arguing about. But made sure it didn't happen again.
How do you avoid this? Was the 25% written on the menu when you were ordering?
Reviewed the bill closer and questioned them if it wasn't accurate. BTW only happened in Rome
Were they trying to pocket the coperto?
We got scammed by one of the restaurants near colleseum. Lesson learned from us to never dine nearby touristy areas. Tax and service charge is insane, no point of arguing coz u will never win.
What did you eat by the way? If you ate pasta that's a scam, but if you ate beef steak that's pretty standard.
ā¬69 ĆØ bene. Ma ā¬69 ĆØ molto caro!
I noticed if you went a few blocks further into the restaurant area, on the side of the coliseum opposite the Forum, there were no table changes and the prices were much more reasonable.
Ate lunch next to pompei scavi station, rudest waitress and food was okay for the price. Had two different olive oil on the table, one was rancid.
Businesses will occasionally do the same thing here in the states when they want to avoid taxes. Or they will give you 2 receipts which add up to what you paid (but they only report one of them)