ITALY Readers's Tips - Hopefully people will add their own comments and recommendations, however for me the specialist book "Italy for the gourmet traveller" by Fred Plotkin is a fantastic book for what you're asking.here's been a recent update, so look for the book in a maroon colour, rather than black. We've tried a number of his suggestions and have occasionally been a little disappointed (if nothing else by the high turnover of establishments causing some redundancy, however there have been more than a few instances where he's highlighted a very dicreet gem of a place. Slowtrav web site is also good, and to be fair to Cheap Hotel Guide, they're no mugs at this game either In Cinque Terre, the market in Monterosso is pretty good. The walk up to the restaurant near the sanctuary above Riomaggiore is relatively long (and one of the two routes is very exposed.orth booking, but we couldn't get through and when we got up there it looked to be opening late, so can't actually recommend it, but we'd been recommended it ourselves. Also in Riomaggiore, the restaurant on the right a very short way on the walk up the hill (quay end of the tunnel, rather than railway station end that's partly carved out of rock (IIRC it might have cave"grotta" in the name was surprsingly good, as it looked a little too well placed for tourists.he one by the quay was impossible to get a table at, which might be a good sign.he restaurant on the left facing up the hill (but right by the tunnel was poor without being awful.isappointed to see simple dishes cooked badly there. In general we set expectations quite low for food in Cinque Terre, but it was actually pretty decent (without being stunning on the whole. If in season, try the orange (apricot looking fruit called nespalone.t's a treat peeled and chopped with yoghurt for breakfast, but in general is very refreshing. Best food we had in Cinque Terre was at a small wine bar in Portovenere, which (as with many Italian wine bars did simple food, simply prepared, but from top ingredients.n fact Portovenere looked pretty good for food. Evening passagiata in La Spezia is really vibrant and well worth a trip to this otherwise relatively unremarkable town.t's also a chance to escape to Italian, rather than tourist life. regards Ian

One of our best experiences in Florence was the full day market trip and cooking lesson.There was a flyer in our villa with the phone number for the agency I don't remember the name, but you might find it with a web search.We were taken through the big market, picked out what we wanted to eat.Then we walked to an apartment stopping for tastings of mozzarella and olive oil on the way.We made our own pasta, rabbit with asparagus and dessert under the direction of a very nice young man.hen we sat down and ate it It was a fabulous day and not outrageously expensive. We are planning to go to Sicily for 6 days in October and would like input as to which places you'd cover in that amoun

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