*Florence, Italy; View of Palazzo Vecchio from Giotto's Campanile.*

One of my favorite things about life is traveling the world with my fiancé in search of nooks, crannies, and beautiful food. When we plan these journeys, we don’t spend time researching the sites, monuments, or main attractions. Rather we prepare by studying maps and researching where we are going to eat and drink. When we study maps, we are learning about neighborhoods so we can find an apartment in an area we connect with. We are also studying public transportation and major streets because the last thing we want to do is constantly pull out a map or an iPhone any time we want to go somewhere. We want the freedom of understanding a city and how to get around. [Note: it helps that my fiancé is a borderline savant and can memorize streets, directions, etc. after a few minutes of study]. But most importantly, we prepare for these journeys by figuring out how we are going to nourish our bodies while eating and drinking as deliciously as possible. In general, we are gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free. Being able to stick with our healthy convictions while on the road takes time and preparation – especially when you factor in our high standards for culinary experience. We want to find the restaurants and cafes that are going to nourish our bodies while at the same time refuse to sacrifice taste and experience. We want to find chefs that honor family traditions as well as local, seasonal eating. We want to find coffee roasters that value sourcing and care about where their beans come from. This kind of preparation takes time, but it is always worth it. Connecting with these individuals and establishments is consistently a highlight of our trips. It allows us to understand culture at such a more intimate level. It helps us appreciate this world and all the nourishment it has to offer.

We spent almost all of September wandering around Italy, from the Amalfi Coast in the south all the way to Verona in the north and many cities, big and small, along the way. So it is with great pleasure that I share my first ever “Where We Ate” list – Italy edition.

A few notes. This list does not represent the newest, trendiest restaurants (though occasionally one of those may be included). Many will never be on the Michelin or Pellegrino lists. For the most part, they are under the radar; sometimes they are just a guy with a skillet and sometimes bigger establishments with live music or adjoining flower shops. Sometimes there are other tourists, many times there are not. I included a wide variety. After all, variety is the spice of life.

While we are strong in our conviction for healthy eating, we do let go every once in a while. There was no way I was going to Italy and not eating gelato. And cappuccinos are one of my favorite indulgences, so that is definitely worth the dairy intake. The point is, when we indulge, we are still conscious of what we are putting in our bodies. We find gelato that is made daily in-house and contains only simple ingredients like whole milk and fruit. I take my cappuccinos from a cafe that roasts in-house and I only order whole milk (more natural, less sugar). The list below includes a few thoughtful deviations from our normal practices.

Finally, I did not know I was going to do something like this before we left for Italy. This idea came to me some time in the middle of our adventure while I was eating a gorgeous steak in the home of a chef in Alba (a small town in the wine region of Piemonte). So I do not have photos of all these meals to share with you. I do, however, have many photos of the surrounding areas. So I will share a mix of photos this time and I promise to be more focused next time around. I hope this list inspires you to curate your next trip in a different way. Did I miss any places? Is there a restaurant or café you would add to this list? Write to me and let me know!

POSITANO

•Donna Rosa - Located just outside of Positano in the hillside of Montepertuso, this restaurant has been in the family for many generations and the entire family still works here. The granddaughter of Rosa (namesake) is now the head chef. She studied with Jamie Oliver in London, so that tells you something about the quality. The food is simple, clean, and healthy. The steamed sea bass melted in my mouth. Make reservations. Also, do yourself a favor and take the bus here. It is incredible to watch how the bus drivers navigate narrow streets up the mountain.

Case e Bottega; Seasonal salad with Parma ham, figs, melon, and burrata cheese. Topped with fresh herbs as well as olive oil and balsamic vinegar. — *Case e Bottega; Seasonal salad with Parma ham, figs, melon, and burrata cheese. Topped with fresh herbs as well as olive oil and balsamic vinegar.*

•Case e Bottega - This place is as charming as it gets. Very bright space with beautiful, nourishing food. The salads are enormous and bursting with seasonal goodies. The chefs go out of their way to create a beautiful dining experience and you can even watch them prepare your food. The juices are fresh and not loaded with sugar. It is very small but they do not take reservations. Be prepared for a wait.

•If we had more time: La Terra - From what we heard, La Terra epitomizes local, seasonal eating. The menu features vegetables grown in their garden and fresh daily seafood caught just off the shores of the Almalfi Coast. Lots of vegetarian options too.

FIRENZE

•La Ménagère - This place! My goodness, this place. Here we have the reigning queen of my worldwide cafe list. The inside is so beautiful my jaw dropped the first time I walked in. I came here every morning for a cappuccino and some times again later in the day. In addition to daily cappuccinos, we had a very healthy brunch and while we didn't make it for their full dinner menu, the enormous communal table was enough to make me wish we did. Don't miss the jazz club in the basement where they feature live artists and a special tapas menu. There is also a flower shop and a curated home goods shop. There is so much to appreciate in one space, no wonder I came here every day. No reservations are required for the cafe, but definitely make them for dinner. Jazz shows are small and intimate, so arrive early.

•Culinaria De Gustibus Bistrot - All the food served here comes from small, organic farms that are located in the region. The owner's motto is that if you can't reach the source by bicycle, they won't serve it. Their goal is to connect farmers with consumers and create a community of people who appreciate sustainable eating. Can I eat here everyday, please? The highlights for us were dishes cooked in tagines (North African clay pots).

•Quelo Bar - A healthy hidden gem in the middle of Florence! The space is quiet and cool and the salads were delicious. We were able to pick our own ingredients for juice and it was made right in front of us. I opted for a carrot, ginger, lemon concoction.

*Gelateria la Carraia; Pistachio gelato along the Arno.*

•Gelateria la Carraia - La Carraia is now on the second generation of family ownership. The gelato is made fresh daily in-house and still in the tradition of homemade, small-batch gelato. The seasonal flavors range from fresh watermelon in summer to panettone for Christmas. I loved eating the pistachio gelato (made entirely with pistachios from Sicily) while sitting along the banks of the Arno with my feet hanging over the bridge. We went back more than once. Skip the cone to cut down on some of the bad stuff.

•Trattoria Sostanza - Epitome of simple, clean Italian eating! There were more tourists than I I generally care for, but there were many locals too. It is a simple establishment with no frills and delicious, healthy food. If you looked around the restaurant, everyone was eating the petti di pollo al burro (butter chicken) and the bistecca alla Fiorentina (Florence-style steak). Reservations required.

*Ditta Artigianale; Whole milk cappuccino*

•Ditta Artigianale - A coffee lover's dreamland! I was very excited to meet Ditta. After all, he is the barista who trained everyone at La Ménagère and he is making quite the name for himself as a roaster. Brooklyn meets Italy in this ultra cool space and often times Ditta himself is behind the espresso machine. He challenged me to name my favorite coffee roaster in San Francisco (he had heard of them all). Finally, I landed on Ritual Coffee Roasters and promised him I would return one day.

•Mercado Centrale - Heaven on earth! This is an indoor marketplace filled with artisan Italian food. There are even a few home goods shops that are run by artisan traders with items that are sustainable and environmentally conscious. This is a great opportunity to connect with cheese mongers and butchers. If it is raining in Florence, head here but be prepared for the chaos. I promise, it's worth it.

SIENA

•Caffè Alfieri - This cafe has a special place in my heart because it is where I had my very first espresso. It is amazing to think how many hours have been spent in cafes since then...There is a massive garden in the back that most people don't know is there. See inset below (right) for a view from the garden. Great place to recharge and take a break from the crowds.

*Antica Trattoria Papei; Wild boar pasta (pappardelle al cinghiale)*

•Antica Trattoria Papei - The wild boar pasta (pappardelle al cinghiale) is my favorite pasta in Italy! I have been coming to this restaurant for years, every time I am in Siena. Nothing has changed over the years and I couldn't be happier. I prefer not to try forcing food into being gluten free if it is not inherently gluten free (often the replacement ingredients are even worse). So if I am going to eat pasta, again it will be made in-house with simple fresh ingredients.

GREVE

•Antica Macelleria Falorni - Greve is a very easy day trip from Florence. If you arrive early enough, you can avoid the hordes of tourists that come to drink chianti and visit Falorni, the world famous butcher shop. Falorni makes an incredible variety of salamis, many that I've never heard of. We tasted salame piccante, salame nobile, salame all' aroma di tartufo, and of course, salami al chianti classico. We had an enormous charcuterie plate along with some salads for lunch. Does life get any better than this? We may or may not have smuggled home a bunch of salame and possibly a ham hock...

COMING ON PART II

ALBA
VENEZIA
ROMA

INSPIRATION

Girl in Florence - By far and away my favorite travel and food blog for Italy.
Lonely Planet - I know what you're thinking: a travel company? But seriously, we have been impressed. We find that city-specific books are much better than the books covering an entire country. In other words, we purchased, the Venice, Almalfi Cost, and Rome books rather than the "Italy" book.