Customer Reviews

Cheap Eats in Italy '99 Ed

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

My wife and I have used this book for all three cities - Rome, Florence and Venice. You should not go to any of these cities without this book - we relied on it 100% - there is no peer. My only criticism of the book is the title - the book should really be titled - "Great Eats at reasonable prices". We ate at well over 15 of the restaurants recommended and only one had changed from the description given in the book. Our immense thanks go to the author - not only did she save us money, the restaurants we dined at will live long in our memory and greatly contributed to the enjoyment of our vacation.

My friends and I recently went on spring break to Rome and Florence and we took along the cheap eats book. We had the best food of our lives on a college student's budget. Everything in the book was accurate, in our experience, and even the picky eaters among us were satisfied. We knew exactly what to expect at each place we went, which made things much easier. We actually met Sandra Gustafson at a restaurant in Florence where she was updating her entries for a new edition!

This book is awesome. Good eats every darn time. Don't hit Rome without it.

We just returned from Florence, Venice and Rome. Everyone in our group raved about Cheap Eats recommendations. The food was always good and the price reasonable. The added bonus was a more comfortable setting and local atmosphere. We are more at ease with a casual, friendly atmosphere rather than stuffy, overly formal environments.

My wife and I have used this book in Rome on two occasions and were extremely satisfied both times. I believe there is now a revision appropriately entitled "Great Eats in Italy". Both books cover Rome, Florence, and Venice. The book is fairly accurate about the menus so you know what to expect (where to go or not to go based on your preferences). The meals are not cheap. They are reasonable. I think the author does herself a diservice but using "cheap eats" in the title of the book. Cheap is not relevant with this book. These are very good places to eat at reasonble prices. You can a vacation just sampling her recommendations. We let other people borrow this book from us when they go to Italy... I bought her other books for Paris, and Spain (Barcelona, Madrid, and Seville). She has another one for Prague, Vienna, and Budapest. Keep 'em coming!!!

Going to Florence, Rome, or Venice? Like to eat well without breaking the bank? Buy this book. Went on my honeymoon to all three. Brought this book along, and we ate like kings, but paid like paupers. You can't go wrong with any of the restaurant,cafes, etc. suggested. Be aware, however, that the maps are hard to follow for Venice (probably because Venice is such a maze).

I travel to eat and, with this guide in hand, I ate memorably in a different restaurant or trattoria every night for three weeks in Venice and Rome. The author's listings are, for the most part, unique to this book and evaluate an establishment's menu, service, ambience and location. (All locations were easy to find.) Her reviews are well written and reliable: she has eaten repeatedly at every restaurant that she lists.

This book allows those with discerning palettes to dine well in the company of in-the-know natives. Friends who live in Rome were so impressed by the author's reviews of the restaurants already known to them that they were eager to try several others from the book and asked for my copy when I left Italy. (I gave it to them, of course.)

Note: The author's "Cheap-Sleeps" series is just as accurate in its descriptions of different levels of accommodations, the best of which need to be booked months in advance.

Best take out: Sisini in Trasteverte three blocks from Ponte Cavour. Best,astounding pizza, pasta. No drinks. Busy all day and night. Friendly, fast, very cheap. Try pizza with arugula.
This is not in Cheap Eats but should be.
Best pasta: L'Archetta near Pantheon, on east side of Via Corso near Trevi Fountain. Magnificent spaghetti.

see kosher bakery by main synagogue. Delicious baked goods-ask for 'pizza' a soft biscotti filled with crystallized fruit.