Le Rune, Salita Inferiore di Sant'Anna, Piazza del Portello, Genoa

One of many good restaurants woven into Genoa's tight-knit historic centre, Le Rune stands out for serving exceptional Italian cuisine at very moderate prices. With a regularly changing selection of five or so dishes (costing between €10 and €20 each) per course, the food is both imaginative and generous.  For example, one of the primo dishes (pictured above) combines the delicate flavours of three different porcini mushrooms with some excellent carpaccio. The pasta and secondi dishes also major on fresh ingredients expertly prepared. You can order a respectable bottle of local wine for just €15.  The outdoor tables are spread over a multi-level garden, which backs on to a funicular railway, adding to the atmosphere. With patient and friendly service, Le Rune's proprietors have perfected the art of the neighbourhood restauranteur.  9/10

Piazza delle Erbe, Genoa

 

A buzzy and colourful clearing in the midst of the narrow alleyways of Genoa, Piazza delle Erbe is a popular spot for an early evening al fresco drink.

Trattoria Rosmarino, Salita del Fondaco, Genoa

 

Located close to the Piazza De Ferrari, Trattoria Rosmarino offers tasty and authentic Italian fare at competitive prices in sleek surroundings. But the service can be painfully slow when the staff struggle to cope with a full set of covers.

Osteria Le Colonne, Piazza Invrea, Genoa

With socially-distanced tables laid out in the piazza in front of the handsome Cattedrale di San Lorenzo,  Osteria Le Colonne serves well-presented Italian food with a view. The menu mixes classic and unusual dishes, such as a prawns and courgette spelt salad (pictured below). Selecting one of the latter can be a tad risky. But for a first course and just 10 euros, the cannelloni filled with spinach and ricotta cheese and accompanied by walnuts (pictured above) is a bit special.  The waiters are friendly and talkative, helping to justify the punchy cover charge. Although it is a little pricey by Genoa's standards,  Osteria Le Colonne is a memorable and enjoyable place to eat. 8/10

Campo Base, near Frachey, Aosta Valley, Italy

At the top of the chair lift up from Frachey, Campo Base is a cut above the average mountain restaurant. It serves excellent and substantial panini (4-5 euros), creamy crepes (7-8 euros) and more substantial fare, such as a generous veal stew with polenta (about 12 euros). The delicious focaccia bread panini filled with ample ham and cheese is particularly good value. A low rise wooden building, which seems to be partially submerged into the mountain, Campo Base is festooned with Tibetan prayer flags, while the wooden walls are lined with framed photos of Tibet. By Champoluc standards, the service is fairly smooth, if a little slow. You find a table and then queue up to order at the till. The waiting staff then bring your food and drinks over. Campo Base is a good place to eat lunch. 7/10 

Ristorante Le Petit Coq, Champoluc, Aosta Valley, Italy

The place to cook and eat protein-packed mountain food, Le Petit Coq offers raclette, fondue and the like in a cosy wooden chalet near the village of Champoluc. If you are staying with one of the British tour operators, they can book you in for a set meal and taxis in both directions for about 30 euros per adult and 17 euros per child. After you arrive, your waiter will light the stoves on your table and bring you a big plate loaded with chunks of raw steak, chicken and sausage - you use skewers to cook each meaty morsel in bubbling oil in a pot. You need be careful to keep the meat on the skewer.

Edelweiss, Albergo, Bar, Ristorante, Loc. Crest, Champoluc, Aosta Valley, Italy

Housed in a substantial wooden and stone building near the top of the first gondola above Champoluc, the Edelweiss is well located for beginner skiers using the nursery slopes, rather than intermediates and experts. In practice that means it can be less crowded than its rivals elsewhere on the pistes.  Inside the golden wooden decor is well illuminated by the huge windows. You can sit in the restaurant and enjoy waiter service, or in the bar, meaning you need to order from the till. Either way, you can choose from the menu offering a mixture of Italian mountain favourites, including crepes, risotto and pizza, typically costing 10 euros or less. It all tastes pretty good, although the service can be erratic, meaning the dishes can be delayed and might arrive lukewarm. 7/10

Bar Del Pino, Antagnod, Aosta Valley, Italy

A basic snack bar at the foot of one of the few pistes in Antagnod, Bar Del Pino can get chaotic when the slopes at Champoluc are closed and winter sports enthusiasts make their way over to this small satellite area. Although it only offers panini, drinks, confectionary and other sandwich shop fare, it is conveniently located for a pit stop.  To get served you need to order at the counter. Easier said that done. While some of the punters stand in an orderly queue, others seem to go straight to the till. The staff carry out tasks in a random order with no rhyme and reason, getting orders wrong and confused. While the panini ingredients are fresh and the selection respectable, you may well end up queuing for half an hour only to to receive a barely-heated lukewarm panino. A stressful place to stop, Bar Del Pino should be avoided. You are better off going into the village of Antagnod. 4/10

Bar Ristorante Lo Retsignon, Ciarcerio - Frachey, Champoluc, Aosta Valley, Italy

A homely eatery near the top of the futuristic funicular up from Frachey, Bar Ristorante Lo Retsignon is not a bad place to be stranded if the chairlift up the mountain is closed by high winds. The table service is warm and efficient, while the food is good value. As well as offering decent Italian staples, including a creamy carbonara, several polenta dishes and gnocchi, this well run restaurant offers a few local dishes such as the filling and tasty zuppa alla valdostana - a solid soup made of bread, butter, cabbage and cheese (about 8 euros). The menu also features some respectable salads and kids dishes, including a hearty frankfurter-style sausage and chips. 7/10

Imperialino restaurant, Grand Hotel Imperiale, Lake Como, Italy

The view across Lake Como from the bar in front of the Imperialino restaurant

In an enviable location on the shores of beautiful Lake Como, the Imperialino has tables inside (a glass box) and outside on a terrace with charming views across the water. The tables are covered in thick white tablecloths, the plates are heavy and the table decorations are elaborate. The reasonably-priced menu is decidedly Italian, but it has some unusual dishes and the food is refined and well-presented. However, it doesn't blow you away. The blueberry and shrimp risotto, for example, is pleasant, but the flavours are quite subtle and the portion is modest for 14 euros. Moreover, service by the formally-attired waiters can be a bit uptight.  If you try and order a hot desert (between 10 and 14 euros), for example, you might get a stern warning that it will take 15 minutes to come. The Imperialino may be a tad complacent, but in such a stunning setting, it can probably afford to be. 7/10 

Pizzeria Ristorante La Contea, Via Clemente Grimaldi, Modica, Sicily

One of the most popular restaurants in Modica, Pizzeria Ristorante La Contea has dozens of tables in the ancient alleyways just off the main drag. Although these backstreets aren't well lit, the large numbers of diners generates a welcoming buzz. Get here early because service can be slow, sporadic and mistaken-ridden (the staff may confuse orders between different tables). Even though you pay a cover charge of 2 euros a head, your table might not get any bread. But the waiters are friendly and relaxed, given the large number of diners they have to cope with: There is also a warren of rooms inside. Moreover, the food is excellent. The dishes are made using really fresh ingredients, including succulent pasta, while the pizza bases are thin, crispy and delicious. The chicken, ricotta and pistachio pizza (7 euros) is superb, while the taglieri (thin strips of pasta) frutti di mare (9 euros) is loaded with seafood, including a chunky king prawn and some decent mussels. The house red wine is just about drinkable and is very cheap at 3 euros for a half litre. Water is almost as expensive at 2.5 euros a bottle. You'll enjoy eating here. 8/10

Gran Caffè del Duomo, Ortigia, Siracusa, Sicily

Situated in one of Sicily's finest squares and offering respectable pizzas at keen prices, Gran Caffè del Duomo makes for a ideal lunch stop for weary sightseers. The cover charge is two euros a head, but a big margherita pizza is just five euros, while a romana pizza is six euros. A large, cool beer will set you back just 3.3 euros, while a shaded seat with a view of Ortigia's grand cathedral and surrounding palazzos is priceless. 7/10  

Osteria dei Sapori Perduti, Corso Umberto, Modica, Sicily

As you walk down Corso Umberto in the evening, there can be quite a buzz from the diners packed into the dozens of tables outside Osteria dei Sapori Perduti. This lively trattoria has waiting staff in smart white shirts and black waistcoats weaving their way round the distinctive chequered tablecloths, while more casually-dressed staff take orders and the owner prowls around in a proprietary manner. The book-like menu is packed with photos and explanatory text. It is meat-orientated and the portions are generous. The house antipasti (7.8 euros) includes fried rice balls, lasagne, excellent creamy ricotta with bread, aubergine, bruschetta, sausages, hard boiled eggs, olives and other tasty morsels - if you order two, it is quite a spread. Among the main courses, the veal stew (7.3 euros) is rich and hearty, while the pork has a liquorice flavour, which might be a little strong for kids. Be sure to order the moreish patati cunzati (4.5 euros), a sicilian dish of thinly-sliced fried potatoes with onions, olives, capers and vinegar.  The local white wine in a carafe is pretty good for 3.2 euros, while the cover charge is a reasonable 2 euros a head. You will probably need go inside the sprawling and grand palazzo to pay. If you are hungry and like hearty Sicilian food, Osteria dei Sapori Perduti is the place to come. 8/10

Taverna Nicastro, Via S. Antonino, Modica, Sicily

With tables laid out on the steps of a quiet road high up in Modica, Taverna Nicastro is well away from the main tourist sights of this fine old town. But it is worth hunting down, as the food is authentic and the service is friendly and helpful - the waiters may even show you ingredients they can't translate. The antipasti of the house (8 euros), which includes cured ham, cheeses, lasagne with ricotta and four fried rice balls containing meat and egg, is fresh and tasty, as is the grilled vegetable antipasti (6 euros), featuring spicy sun-dried tomato, aubergine drizzled in olive oil and marinated onions. The concise menu might also offer some peppery, fennel sausages, served with fried potatoes (about 8 euros). It's pretty good, but the flavours might be too strong for kids. Another decent dish is the pasta with ricotta, in a chilli and sausage sauce (8 euros). Better still, is the rabbit stew with olives, capers, fried potatoes, tomatoes and carrots. There are some bones, but the flavours make a delicious combination and it's a fine dish for eight euros.  You can get a half-litre carafe of harsh red wine for five euros or dip into the more pricey wine list.  Although Taverna Nicastro feels like a neighbourhood restaurant, it has made it into the Rough Guide to Italy. Still, its location means it doesn't get particularly busy even on a Saturday night in August. 8/10

Relais Parco Cavalonga, near Ragusa, Sicily

Clinging to a hillside south west of Ragusa and well placed for sightseeing and sunbathing, Relais Parco Cavalonga combines a smart hotel with eight self-catering apartments. Although each apartment is different, they generally have tastefully furnished bedrooms and living areas with sturdy wooden furniture, attractive floor tiles, neutral colours and plenty of space. There is reasonable air-con in the rooms, but no Wi-Fi - you need to go down to the reception for that (and it is a steep walk back up again). 

Al Buco, Coso Vittoria Emanuele, Noto, Sicily

Housed in a fine Baroque palazzo and with tables laid out on the flagstones opposite the steps leading up to the elegant Chiesa di San Franceso, Al Buco is in an enviable setting. Although the host is helpful and the service is well-drilled, your order can take a while as tourists quickly fill up the 20 or so tables, covered with crisp white tablecloths. If you have kids, aim to get there by 8pm. Be sure to order one of the decent pasta dishes priced at about eight euros. The thin tubular pasta in a thick pesto sauce has a really rich, satisfying flavour, but the portion is on the small side. The penne pasta with prawns is also excellent. The mixed meat grill (10 euros) contains decent veal steak, a respectable pork chop and fennel sausage, while the mixed fish grill (15 euros) includes three precisely-cooked king prawns, some slightly bland swordfish and juicy squid. If the baked lamb is off, the rabbit casserole (10 euros) is a pretty tasty substitute. The cover charge of two euros a head includes plenty of bread, so you won't need a plate of what can be slightly soggy potatoes (three euros). A half-litre carafe of reasonable house white wine costs just four euros. The rare combination of a superb setting and good cooking makes Al Buco a great trattoria to soak up Sicilian history, while sampling the island's cuisine. 8/10

Ristorante u Saracinu, Via del Conventu, Ragusa Ibla

Tucked into an atmospheric alley in the shadow of Ibla's picturesque Piazza Duomo, Ristorante u Saracinu is a cheap and cheerful establishment serving a broad selection of stock Italian dishes. As it can get rammed in August, you probably should try and bag one of the outside tables before 8pm. The bread is basic and the antipasti misti is simple, but tasty enough, featuring aubergines, spinach-filled pastries, cold meats and hard cheese, similar to gouda. Among the primi courses, the salmon ravioli (containing ricotta) is very good for 7.50 euros - the pasta is fresh and the salt of the cheese works well with the salmon. The spaghetti in a tomato sauce (about 5 euros) would be a good choice for little kids, if it wasn't quite so huge. The seafood risotto is mainly rice, but it gets good reviews. The Sicilian pasta isn't so appealing, however, seemingly lacking the promised anchovies and capers.  For just four euros, you can get a half litre carafe of a rough red wine. The waiting staff are pretty rushed and the kitchen workers may come out to help serve tables. And you might have to go inside to the cashier to pay. For desert and coffee, try the authentic gelateria-bar next door. 7/10

Al Giardino di Bianca, Donnafugata, Sicily

One of a clutch of restaurants and bars clustered around Donnafugata Castle, Al Giardino di Bianca offers a wide array of keenly-priced dishes. However, its upstairs terrace, overlooking the floodlit castle, can be half empty on a Sunday evening, even in August. Still, there are tasteful black and white prints of the Val di Noto on the yellow walls. And you should be able to find something appealing on the lengthy menu, which has a big selection of meat and fish dishes, plus respectable pizzas and pasta dishes. If you aren't that hungry, a good choice is a local Ragusa dish - decent ravioli in a thick tomato sauce containing a couple of big lumps of fatty pork. It isn't that large, but tastes good and costs only 7.50 euros.  The wine lists start at about 12 euros for a bottle and there are five wines available in half bottles at 8 euros apiece, but they can be a bit rough. The waiters, who wear white shirts and black waistcoats, don't speak much English, but they are friendly and welcoming. A worthy, but unexciting restaurant, Al Giardino di Bianca can lack atmosphere. 6/10

Ristorante Tiramisù, Via Cappuccini, Taormina, Sicily

Don't be put off by the naff name, Tiramisù is a polished operation selling good food. Away from the main drag of this busy holiday resort, it can be tricky to find. But in August that doesn't stop the "in-the-know" tourists piling in from about 8pm and there is soon a queue and the large garden and the smaller terrace are both buzzing. You sit on smart wicker chairs and eat off heavyweight cream tablecloths. The water is San Pellegrino, no less, while the fresh, tasty bread rolls (cover charge 2 euros a head) are accompanied by bread sticks covered in sesame seeds. Although a 40cl glass of Moretti beer is more than six euros, the thin and crispy pizzas are a bargain at between five and ten euros - the toppings are generous and delicious. The calzone is packed with mushrooms, as well as the customary cheese and ham, while the tagliatelle, with fresh king prawns and tomato, really tastes of the sea (in a good way). The linguini, with mint, mussels and zucchini, is also very good with fine, fresh ingredients. Although the service by the black-shirted waiters can be a bit brusque, Tiramisù must be one of the better places to eat in touristy Taormina. 8/10

Ristorante le Mimose, Via Tutti Santi, Castelmola, Sicily

Hard to find, Ristorante le Mimose is down the hill from Castelmola's main piazza. It can be quiet early evening, but its leafy outside terrace does provide a commanding view of the sweeping bay south of Taormina: You just need to ignore the concrete shell of a partially-finished building on an adjacent plot. Family run, Ristorante le Mimose combines a warm welcome with rustic home cooking. The elderly matriarch greets prospective diners enthusiastically and there may even be a chatty American lady on hand to help with translations. Packed with flavour, the antipasti misti includes aubergines, courgettes and other morsels drenched in olive oil. Another good bet is the big plate of mozzarella and chunky tomato slices. The presentation is a little rough, but the food is fresh and appetising. To follow, there is wide selection of pizzas (starting at 7 euros), pasta and other Italian staples. The pizza bases can be a little stodgy, but the toppings are very generous and tasty. If the kids leave half their pizza, the restaurant will wrap up the leftovers in foil. Among the other dishes, the seafood risotto (12 euros) is well seasoned and full of flavour, while the spaghetti carbonara (8 euros) is creamy and rich. Water is 2.5 euros for a big bottle and you can get a carafe of the cheap local wine, which is a bit sharp, for 5 euros. Given the exceptional view and competent cooking, Ristorante le Mimose is good value. 8/10