Let’s be honest, when you come to Italy, one of the greatest joys and highlights of the trip is food; however, with popular tourist destinations often crowded with visitors, finding a genuine Italian dining experience can sometimes be a challenge.

This is something I often think about when I bring friends from abroad to big cities in Italy, but it’s also a consideration when I travel to places like Paris or London, where tourism is everywhere, and you have to be careful about where you eat: everyone has had the experience of wandering into a restaurant in a busy tourist district, only to leave disappointed by overpriced, mediocre food, and that’s why recognizing and avoiding tourist traps is key.