Verona Restaurant Tips by alucas

Ristorante Pizzeria Il Calice: Il Calice Ristorante Review

We picked this restaurant out of the list I compiled in my Travel Guide from here on VT. Il Calice was recommended by croisbeauty who has the top-ranked page for Verona.

The restaurant is a few hundred yards from Piazza Bra, just a short walk down the road to Via Pallone, and on the left. There is a large courtyard behind the restaurant with plenty of tables, shaded by a canopy. We were there mid-week, after that night's opera performance had started, and the restaurant was quiet, although had obviously been busy earlier.

The food was good and the portions generous - particularly Liz's Insalate Casa (see the photo) - listed as tomato and mozarella salad in the menu. I had gnocchi to start, but I didn't make a note of the main courses - the bill just says taglista and aristo.

We thought the prices were very reasonable - our three course meal for two people came to 42 euros, plus drinks on top, making 61 euros in total.

Address: Via Pallone 20

Comparison: about average

Directions: Leave Piazza Bra by the south-east corner, and walk down the road a couple of hundred yards. You will come to Il Calice on the left.

Phone: +39 045 8004892

Rating: 4

Theme: Local

Mako Internet Cafe: Mako Internet Cafe Cafe-bar Review

This bar/cafe can be found at the rear of Castel San Pietro on the north side of the river. San Pietro is on the hill, directly behind the Roman theatre, and it is quite a climb to the top on a hot day. We were desperate for a drink, and ended up having a couple of panini as well - quite good, but not cheap by any means. Judging by the lights, the sound system and the size of the place, I reckon that this was one of Verona's trendy bars at night, and probably hasn't been open long.

There is a website, which I have listed below. There's no useful information on it though apart from the opening hours and some links to other sites. The hours are 10:00 am until 02:00 am every day, by the way. Didn't see ANY sign of a computer, so I don't know why it is called Mako Internet Cafe.

Address: Castel S. Pietro

Comparison: more expensive than average

Phone: 045 8340648

Rating: 3

Theme: Other

Cafe Opera: Expensive ice-cream ! Cafe-bar Review

Cafe Opera is one of the places in the prime tourist area in Piazza Bra. So you expect to pay a bit more, just because of the location - very close to the Arena. But it IS nice to sit and linger over a cappuchino (3 euros) or a generous mixed gelati (4.5 euros) and watch people stroll by.

Favorite Dish: Gelati of course - mst flavours, but particularly pistaccio, mint or chocolate !

Address: Piazza Bra

Comparison: more expensive than average

Rating: 3

Theme: Other

Cafe Fillipini: Ideal for people-watching Cafe-bar Review

There are several cafes / bars on Piazza della Erbe, some are better than others. We preferred this one as it was well-situated near the market and a good place to linger over a drink in the shade.

Stop for a drink in the early evening and watch the people stroll by.

Address: Piazza delle Erbe 21

Rating: 3

Theme: Other

Brek: Perfect for a quick meal before the Opera Fast-food Review

Brek is a self-service cafeteria situated right on Piazza Bra. There is a good selection of dishes, from hot dishes including pasta, to cold starters and salads, plus fruit and a selection of drinks. We had a salad, some prosciutto, two plates of pasta, plus drinks and some water, all for 18.50 euros. If you want a quick meal before going on somewhere else, or don't want to pay restaurant prices, it is worth checking out Brek.

Address: Piazza Bra 20

Comparison: less expensive than average

Directions: Facing the restaurants lining the north side of Piazza Bra, Brek is towards the left end, furthest from the Arena.

Phone: 045 800 4561

Price: less than US$10

Rating: 3

Theme: Local

Osteria al Duca: Osteria al Duca Trattoria or/and Osteria Review

Just around the corner from the Scaligeri tombs in Via Arche Scaligere, this restaurant claims to be in the house of Romeo. Well, as we all know, Romeo and Juliet were fiction, but the building is the right age, and can be considered a suitable candidate.

We ate at Osteria al Duca twice. The best tables are supposed to be the ones on the ground floor, where you are in the heart of the action, but we were upstairs, in one of several cosy rooms.

The menu is full of interesting dishes and choosing was difficult. To give you some idea, here are some of the dishes we had between us on our two visits: -

Bigoli con anchoas, pasa de uova y pifiones (macaroni with anchovies, raisins and pine nuts)
Polenta with gorganzola, mushrooms and salami
Papardelle con slasa depato
Ternero estafado con vino rojo amarone
(sorry, I'll have to check the translations)

The price, the bill came to under 20 euros per head for three courses excluding drink - very good value.

Address: Via Arche Scaligere 2

Comparison: about average

Phone: 045 594474

Rating: 4

Theme: Local

Ristorante Greppia: Your first choice should be ..... Ristorante Review

We went to this restaurant because it was so highly recommended on VT (thanks to sandysmith). We liked it so much we went twice in our week in Verona. The food was really good, especially the pumpkin ravioli, the atmosphere was great and the service efficient and not intrusive.

On our first visit, the end of our meal was punctuated by one of Verona’s famous thunderstorms – when it rains it really rains. The staff quickly cleared the tables and moved everyone inside, where we had our coffee. The atmosphere inside was not so good, but it was 11 pm by then, and there were not so many people left.

On our second visit, we couldn’t get a table at first, so reserved one for an hour later, and went out into Piazza Erbe just round the corner for a drink. On our return we had a very good meal, only two courses this time, but I can’t find the bill, only a note of what we had. Tagliatell al Salmone followed by Tagliata di manzo con rucola for me, and Gnocchi di patate al radicchio rosso e mascarpone followed by Ossobuco in umido con polenta for Liz. (No, I’m not going to translate it for you, but it was as good as it sounds !)

I have mislaid the bill from our second meal, but the first came to 55 euros for three courses for two people (excluding drinks).

Favorite Dish: All the food we had was delicious, and it is hard to pick a favourite. I can still remember the pumpkin ravioli (Tortelli Zucca) from our first meal, and the Tagliata di manzo con rucola from the second meal.

Address: Vicolo Samaritana 3

Comparison: about average

Directions: The restaurant is tucked away in a side street behind Via Mazzini, almost the last turning on the right before you reach Via Capello (which leads into Piazza delle Erbe).

The retaurant is closed on Mondays.

Phone: 0039 045 8004577

Rating: 5

Theme: Local

Website: http://www.ristorantegreppia.com