Rick Steves Swears By One Clever 'Rent' Rule For Authentic Dining In Italy
By Nicole Cord-Cruz
VACATIONS
Italy is a culinary playground that even travel guru Rick Steves couldn't resist. But a word to the wise: avoid dining in Italian restaurants situated in "high-rent" areas.
Steves says that if you eat at tourist hotspots, you'll be disappointed. These places cater to the crowd, sacrificing authenticity and jacking up prices in the process.
If you want the real deal, Steves says to explore a few streets away and find a restaurant loaded with locals rather than tourists. Seek out small, unassuming places.
Steves told The Washington Post that if the restaurant's menu is in multiple languages, it’s probably not authentic.. "You want a small handwritten menu in one language," he said.
Authentic Italian restaurants often have a small, carefully curated selection of dishes because the menu is designed around what's in season, not catering to tourist tastes.
If you want to go all out on food in Italy, head to a small town. You can even skip the menu altogether and let the chef take the reins by saying, "mi faccia felice."