Is there a guidebook you'd particularly recommend?

[robert brown]

It's apparent that they tried an English version and it wasn't worthwhile for them. For sure you won't see one in the foreseeable future. It's interesting that the Slow Food people tried their hand at places to stay; something the Italian edition avoids. In any event, you can get by with the Italian version of the guide, and man, is it ever indispensible, as the man says. Bum steers are rare, though it can happen. The book really leads you through the heart and soul of regional and local Italian dining.

[Iestyn]

It's apparent that they tried an English version and it wasn't worthwhile for them. For sure you won't see one in the foreseeable future. It's interesting that the Slow Food people tried their hand at places to stay; something the Italian edition avoids. In any event, you can get by with the Italian version of the guide, and man, is it ever indispensible, as the man says. Bum steers are rare, though it can happen. The book really leads you through the heart and soul of regional and local Italian dining.

←

Yes, thanks again for the tips way up-thread. I bought the 08 (current at time) Italian version on the basis that the English was out of date. I speak no Italian, but everything in there is a recommendation, recomended dishes are in italics and its perfectly easy to use. I thought it was a great guide a great guide, so I'd say to anyone looking at this thread for a rec, get the current Italian version rather than the out of date English one.

Edited March 22, 2009 by Iestyn (log)

[hughw]

The English SLow Food 2007 edition if Osterie & Locande d'Italia is available on Amazon for $19.14, all 1152 pages of it so it is hard to figure what might be in the Italian version and not this one.

http://www.amazon.com/Osterie-Locande-dIta...40079296&sr=8-1

I've also gotten some terrific recommendations on restaurants, hotels, and touring tips, on the Slow Travel site (no relation to SLow Foods. www.slowtrav.com

[Sampaguita]

The problem with the English version of Slow Food's Guide (Ostrie and Locanda) is that it misses out many of the Osterie, so we always stick with the Italian version. However a recent edition had some new restaurants in my home town of Asti, and we tried one which was really not worthy of inclusion, so I suspect some commercialism has crept in, I am sure you pay to be included and in later editions I note some favourites have been dropped, although the quality is still outstanding. But generally the Slow Food Osterie is a great guide for going to new places and even if your Italian is not great, its easy to figure out signature dishes, prices and restaurant opening times. Mnay of the SF osterie are also included in Gambero Rosso, although I would sometimes dispute GR's rating system.

Edited May 6, 2009 by Sampaguita (log)