Category Archives: italy

Certaldo Alto and Osteria Del Vicario

Certaldo Alto is a fascinating medieval town frozen in time in the hills of the Chianti region, in a province of Florence. Reachable by funiculare (cable car), the hilltop town boasts a great view of Tuscany and all its splendor, captured poorly in this post-sunset photograph I took when I was up there for a pre-wedding dinner.

The secluded and elevated nature of the town, plus the (near) absence of cars makes in an ideal destination for a romantic dinner or even a weekend. The colors at night were just amazing.

The Osteria Del Vicario sits among other quaint and hidden restaurants in Certaldo Alto’s cobblestone streets, a serendipitous find for the couple who were just exploring the town one day and decided to host their pre-wedding dinner there. It was an awesome meal, the highlight of which was the giant slab of melt-in-your-mouth foie gras. Now I am not a fan of liver products but this was just too good to miss.

Heart Attack City

Welcome Picnic at Fattoria Voltrona

A Tuscan Wedding

Pizzeria da Baffetto, Rome

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Pizzeria da Baffetto seems to have earned prime real estate in all the Rome guidebooks for what is considered the best pizza in Rome, and with good reason. Often packed and very busy, the best time to come is before it opens at 7pm, and with an open mind around the less-than-gracious staff that seem well-versed in the rush that accompanies a famous pizza restaurant. Having said that, the flavors are distinct and the dough is tasty and crisp from a brick oven.

Da Baffetto is not a place to linger and chat but to eat and run. Locals know this, and tourists, whether they like it or not, quickly learn this fact.

Will not refuse the house red.

A shared table is not uncommon during busy hours.

Mushrooms and onions.

Plain pie.

Cheese and prosciutto.

Trattoria da Enzo, Trastavere, Rome

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It was our last day in Rome and we decided to explore Trastavere, Rome’s Jewish neighborhood composed of narrow and winding cobblestone streets. On our way home, we noticed a restaurant that was bursting with local diners and, upon seeing a plate of fried artichokes shuttled across the floor, decided to to the unthinkable. We waited over an hour for a table in an unknown restaurant in the middle of nowhere. Actually, that’s something we usually do and often with great reward. Lunch at Trattoria da Enzo remains one of our most memorable meals in Rome. Its warm and homey atmosphere coupled with authentic Roman cuisine is worth the wait and getting lost for a while.

Plenty of time to stare at people already seated.