Rick Steves' Genius Tips For Sniffing Out Italian Tourist Trap Restaurants

Italy is the third most visited country in Europe. While Italy is bursting with countless eateries that offer delicious, authentic food, the tourist traps are plentiful, particularly in heavily visited cities and towns. America, too, has some of the biggest tourist traps, only you're more aware of them locally and know what to avoid. Inexperienced visitors arguably have the highest chances of getting sucked into these places, which will leave them broke and unsatisfied.

Thankfully, the world has Rick Steves, an author, television host, and travel expert who has spent a long career researching and giving tips on the best ways to travel. In Italy, he advises looking for certain telltale signs that an eatery is catering to the unsuspecting traveler so visitors can find a better and much more gratifying meal experience.

Large, neon-lit restaurants lining a town square, or piazza, are almost always places that will have high prices and low value. For a much more authentic and affordable experience, wander down the streets branching from the piazzas. They may be much less visible with fewer frills, but they tend to be where the locals eat, which is always a good sign. If the menu posted outside an eatery is written in any language other than Italian, be hesitant to dine there. While the non-fluent may appreciate this gesture, this is code for "we cater to tourists" and the establishment may be an expert in giving a minimal authentic Italian experience at maximum prices.

Steves recommends steering clear of any restaurant that has pictures of its dishes on the wall or inside the menus. This can be a sign that there isn't even a kitchen on site, but the food is microwaved. Pick somewhere else if a restaurant claims it is the inventor of a specific dish or if it's named for it. This can be a sign that the restaurant is working hard to lure in tourists by name-dropping dishes they are likely familiar with. Surprisingly, Steves encourages visitors to look for places with televisions. No, seriously. This often indicates that locals drop in to grab their meals and catch up on the daily news, thus translating to good food at good prices with good service.

Whether you're seeking out the places the gourmands go or eating on a budget while traveling, Rick Steves knows exactly where to steer his fans to experience a delicious and wonderful meal. In addition to avoiding ristorantes, osterias, and trattorias that meet the aforementioned criteria, Steves points out that good, authentic eateries in Italy don't open for dinner until 7:00 p.m. or later. Consider this when you're on the hunt for somewhere to eat in the evening. If you can get a recommendation from a local resident, this is almost always a reliable source.

While sit-down meals may be what you think of when you consider dining out, you could experience the best Italy has to offer outside the realm of traditional restaurants. Enotecas in Italy are wine bars that typically serve locally produced wines along with delicious accompanying meats, cheeses, breads, salads, and fruits. They are fantastic locations for lighter, more casual meals that showcase excellent regional products. 

Picnicking is also a great idea. Scour the local farmers' markets and produce vendors to grab whatever looks appealing — everything should be in season and, therefore, at their very best flavor. Take your loot and a bottle of wine to a picturesque spot (you shouldn't have to look far in Italy) and enjoy. If your hotel room has a balcony, you can even take your picnic back there. Pizza slices that you eat on the go, vendor sandwiches, and containers of roasted meats and antipasto from a deli can all make for memorable Italian meals that won't make you feel like a tourist trap has duped you.