In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
If I'm just out for a drive and not to visit a specific restaurant I will always look for the 'self service' sign. You're quite right :yes: they ususally [I]are[/I] packed and noisy - but hey... that's no hardship when you get a wide choice of freshly cooked and always reasonably priced food is it?
Up here in Lombardia there are quite a lot of places like this - they can usually be found in 'industrial' areas - they cater for the factory and office workers on limited time for their mid-day break...
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
Our first pleasant surprise when searching for a house in Italy, was Autogrill....we had been apprehensive intially, because we would never ever eat at an English motorway services but we have now travelled all over Italy and at lunch time when on the road that's where we dine!
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
[quote=Noble;97189]Our first pleasant surprise when searching for a house in Italy, was Autogrill....we had been apprehensive intially, because we would never ever eat at an English motorway services but we have now travelled all over Italy and at lunch time when on the road that's where we dine![/quote]
Yes - Autogrills are pretty good too - but they charge motorway prices. If you can find 'self service' on state roads or anywhere but motorway, don't hesitate, give 'em a try... and much less expensive!
My local hypermarket (Iperal) has a self service restaurant. Starter, main (meat) course with contorno (side veg), Or a large seection of other non meat dishes, plus 250cl wine or water and a roll. (paper plates and plastic cups only though). All freshly cooked and piping hot...€5.50!!!
Beat that...
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
[quote=Noble;97189]Our first pleasant surprise when searching for a house in Italy, was Autogrill....we had been apprehensive intially, because we would never ever eat at an English motorway services but we have now travelled all over Italy and at lunch time when on the road that's where we dine![/quote]
D'accordo! Must admit we've always found the same good quality food & prices as in any local bar. Unlike British service stations, which should carry a health warning - similarly in France - instant coffee from a machine for 4 euro!!! Won't get caught like that again.
Self service restaurant
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 09/17/2008 - 16:40In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
[quote=Carole B;97216]My local hypermarket (Iperal) has a self service restaurant. Starter, main (meat) course with contorno (side veg), Or a large seection of other non meat dishes, plus 250cl wine or water and a roll. (paper plates and plastic cups only though). All freshly cooked and piping hot...€5.50!!!
Beat that...[/quote]
Might just be able to! Ristorante Leonardo in the centre of Florence, a stone's throw from the Duomo. Absolutely no frills or anmbience, but superb freshly cooked food - antipasti, primi, secondi, dolci, plus wine & water - approx. 19 euro for two. Great value for a city centre and very popular particularly at lunchtime.
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
Another excellent place in Florence at less than 20 euro for two, Trattoria Bordino, Via Stracciatella 9, about 150 m from the Ponte Vecchio. And a great "Bistecca alla Fiorentina" for about 14 euro a head. Plenty of locals at lunch time. The atmosphere is great.
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
I always like to see where the Carabinieri eat, it is usually a good sign!
Does Italy have the equivalent of the ‘greasy spoon'? Tea in a chipped enamel mug, egg swimming in grease, bacon with thick white fat and bones in, a sausage which has 2% meat in it and mushrooms out of a tin………. Nectar!!!:laughs:
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
There's a good self-service tavola calda on the Aurelia in Bordighera.
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
[quote=Nielo;97241]I always like to see where the Carabinieri eat, it is usually a good sign!
Does Italy have the equivalent of the ‘greasy spoon'? Tea in a chipped enamel mug, egg swimming in grease, bacon with thick white fat and bones in, a sausage which has 2% meat in it and mushrooms out of a tin………. Nectar!!!:laughs:[/quote]
My mugs are NOT chipped. :no:
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
Indoor markets, (ie S.Lorenzo in Firenze) also have excellent cheap places to eat from early am up to 2 pm. We have learnt to look for lorries parked, say behind a petrol station, at lunch time and join the truckers for lunch. Even an 8 year old child knows a good lunch from a bad one in Italy and there won't be grease on the spoons!
In reply to A newbie all over again! by Annec
Has anyone tried Brek in Venice on the Lista di Spagna also in central Rome and lots of other places. Very good value and freshly cooked. Also an amazing place in centro storico of Vincenza called Righetti. One of the most amazingly efficient and value for money eateries I've ever been to. Help yourself to cutlery wine etc. order your food at the counter and, when you've finished you just tell the man on the till what you've had. All based on honesty. Long may it last.
You're right about self service restaurants generally being good in terms of quality and prices.
We've been in a few now and, while the food has never made us gasp in astonishment, it's usually tasty, basic Italian cooking and the quantities are substantial. They're very unpretentious and not much of a step up from the fast food bars you see attached to supermarkets in shopping centres, but it's safe to assume that they wouldn't be in business if they weren't producing decent food.
Once you start looking for them, you do see these places all over: tucked away on back streets in town centres, at autostrade exits, on industrial estates and so on.
It's our impression that their main business is supplying lunch to workers who haven't the time or inclination to go home on their midday break for a leisurely meal prepared by nonna and a siesta. They're very obviously non-tourist places, so it took us a while to work up the nerve to go into one equipped only with our lousy Italian, but that really wasn't any sort of barrier to getting a good meal.
Al