5 RESTAURANTS TO ENJOY A GREAT ITALIAN DINNER EXPERIENCE AS A VEGETARIAN

In 2018, I adopted a lacto-vegetarian lifestyle. You might be asking yourself – what in the world is lacto-vegetarian? It’s a form of vegetarian diet that abstains from eating red or white meat, fish, poultry or eggs, but still consumes dairy products. Honestly, I never even knew such a term existed until I started to write this post. Thankfully, my life as a lacto-vegetarian was short-lived, as the visuals from my unpleasant encounter with some salmon I purchased began to fade, and I regained my appetite for seafood.

Having re-introduced seafood into my diet, I wasn’t overly concerned that finding suitable dining options in Italy as a pescatarian would be a problem, but I was curious to see what vegetarian options existed. On all of my previous trips, vegetarian/vegan lifestyles weren’t as common, so I looked forward to the gastronomic experiences awaiting me in Italy this time around.

I was pleasantly surprised to find quite a few restaurants that catered to vegetarians and the creative dishes featured on their menu. As I started to organize a list of the places I wanted to try for dinner, I knew I would be unable to try all of them on this trip. From what I was able to try, I’ve rounded up a list of some of the best dinner dining experiences I had in Florence, Perugia, and Rome since eliminating meat from my diet that I highly recommend for anyone who has adopted a pescatarian/vegetarian lifestyle.

Florence:                                                                                           

Trattoria 4 Leoni – Their menu changes daily and features local produce and seasonal products, however classic Tuscan dishes, such as Bistecca Fiorentina are always on the menu. Trattoria 4 Leoni offers something for everyone regardless of dietary preferences. I had an interesting encounter at this restaurant. The first time I walked in, the host said I reminded him of his favorite movie. While I was waiting to be seated, I watched him as he desperately tried to remember the name of it. He didn’t succeed with jogging his memory until after I finished dining. As I walked by the host’s station getting ready to exit the restaurant, he described the title of the movie by referring to the color of Fiorentina and the iris flower, kept looking at my hair, and then referenced Whoopi Goldberg. That was the giveaway for me – it was The Color Purple. Not sure how I felt about this; I’m guessing it’s likely because I had my hair in Bantu knots (or “chiney bumps” as we Jamaicans have long referred to this West African hairstyle). Who knows?!  

5 e Cinque – This little gem reminds me of a French bistro just minutes from Florence’s city center, not too far from 4 Leoni, in the hidden, yet lively square of Piazza della Passera. The restaurant space is very quaint and offers an intimate atmosphere – there couldn’t have been more than 10 tables with chairs –accommodating parties of 2 – 4 persons each. Like many restaurants in Florence, there’s also seating outdoors. The food is all organic and they only serve vegetarian and vegan dishes. The menu changes daily – so you’ll have something different to try each time you go. While they may not impress you with their plating skills, what they lack in food presentation, they more than makeup for in taste.

Rome:           

Trattoria da Danilo – The line at this restaurant was out the door and around the corner – I thought I wouldn’t be able to get a reservation. Not sure how, but the host managed to add me to the list, and about 1 hour later, after enjoying my first ever Aperol spritz (courtesy of Gatsby Café), I returned to Da Danilo ready to chow down! From the exterior, you would never have guessed the restaurant was so spacious. It must have been around 8:30/9 p.m. – the place was packed, and when I left for the night, they were still seating people for dinner. This restaurant was also quite cozy and intimate, but in the sense that the night I went, I was practically brushing shoulders with the parties dining on either side of me. Oddly enough, I didn’t feel overly cramped in the space; it felt more like I was dining amongst family and friends than with strangers. It does get quite loud in the restaurant – so be prepared to ask the person you’re dining with to repeat themselves often. They serve up dishes that are typical for the region – which means the majority of dishes on their menu contain meat, pork, or poultry, but for the non-meat eaters, you won’t be disappointed as they serve up a mean version of the famous Roman dish of cacio e pepe, which is pasta tossed in Pecorino Romano (cheese made from 100% sheep’s milk) and black pepper. I didn’t realize this at the time, but their cacio e pepe is rated one of the most famous and delicious in Rome.

Perugia:

Osteria I Birbi – I was surprised at how they managed to pull off such an intimate setting, offering both upstairs and downstairs seating arranged on three levels. It could be the exposed brick façade that helped achieve this or maybe it was just because on both occasions when I dined with them, there was only one, maybe two other parties dining-in (but it was also still early in the evening). This place really impressed me with their food presentation – how they take simple and minimal ingredients and transform them into an attractive, appetizing, perfectly portioned, and satisfying plate of food. I took the liberty to indulge in all three courses offered on the menu – starter, main course, and dessert and savored every bite.

La Taverna – They have been around for almost 40 years and made quite the name for themselves with their exceptional service and cuisine that are associated with the region of Umbria. Their menu offers options for meat-eaters (both red and white meat), seafood lovers, and those who prefer a plant-based diet. What I thought was a nice touch to my dining experience was the complimentary glass of prosecco and the amuse-bouche served just after taking my order, the complimentary glass of chocolate liqueur served right after I finished my meal, and the chef making his way around the room during the dinner service to personally check on each of the guests. The amuse-bouche tasted so good that I remember wishing I had more and looking forward to whatever I ordered off the menu. Everything I ate that night was equally as impressive and delicious as the amuse-bouche. Between the appetizers, soups, homemade pasta, second courses, a variety of grilled plates, and sides on their menu, it is hard to imagine having room for dessert. If you’re looking for the list of desserts on the menu, you won’t find it. They bring a cart of delectable desserts table-side for you to choose from (talk about tempting).

While some restaurants miss the mark with their vegetarian options, these certainly nail it. Getting the full Italian experience as a modern-day vegetarian is anything but boring. In fact, you might find the options are tastier, more creative, and possibly even more satisfying than the meat-based dishes offered on the menu.