Resources

Una tavola fredda—a prepared food counter in the Mercato Centrale, Florence, Italy (Photo by David Shalleck)

Una tavola fredda—a prepared food counter in the Mercato Centrale, Florence, Italy (Photo by David Shalleck)

Get a sense of place through taste during your travels

There are also many wonderful ingredient and wine retailers in the United States so you can live the Mediterranean Summer lifestyle at home.

  

GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS  

FOOD TOURS AND COOKING CLASSES 

Make a food tour or cooking class a part of your trip, especially at the beginning of your stay. You’ll gain insight into what to eat, learn how or from whom it’s made, and where to find the best local dining.  

PUBLIC MARKETS  

You can eat at most of the markets and it’s a good idea to explore the neighborhood around them for restaurants, café’s, food stores, bakeries, wine and cookware shops. Many market halls are also architectural gems.  

FOOD SHOPS  

Go where the people are! Immerse yourself into some food shopping. You will have direct access to many delectable foodstuffs that are difficult to find at home, if at all. And of course, keep room in your checked baggage to bring food souvenirs home. I guarantee, every time you open the jar, box, or can after your travels, you’ll think about the day you bought it and smile.  

Visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Customs and Border Protection websites here and here to learn what foods can and cannot be brought home.  

COOKWARE AND HOUSEWARE STORES  

Cookware stores provide all kinds of clues of what you should be eating in a particular place. Tagine. Paella. Cous cous. Griglia. Cataplana. Kabob. It goes on. They’re also wonderful souvenir stores for hand tools, gadgets, and tabletop items for your home. Just remember to pack them well in your checked baggage.  

RESTAURANTS  

You’ll eat very well at any one of the fine establishments listed here that feature a style of cooking indicative of where they are. There are also associations like the Ristoranti Della Buona Accoglienza in Venice and the Premiate Trattorie Italiane of which the member restaurants subscribe to reflecting local tradition and authentic dishes in their menus.  

HOTELS 

Treat yourself and stay somewhere nice. Why not? Many hotels are also getting into the local food scene by having culinary programs on their premises or featuring classic and regional dishes in their restaurant menus comprised of local ingredients.  

 

recommendations by country

PORTUGAL  

Food Tours and Cooking Classes 

Markets  

  • Mercado da Ribiera 
    Av. 24 de Julho s/n, 1200-481 Lisbon  

  • Mercado dos Lavradores 
    R. Latino Coelho 38, 9060-155, Funchal, Madeira Island 

Food shops 

 

SPAIN 

Food Tours and Cooking Classes 

Public Markets  

  • Mercado Central Cádiz  
    Plaza de la Libertad, 11005 Cádiz 

  • Mercado Central de Atarazanas  
    Calle Atarazanas 10, 29005 Malaga  

  • Mercado Central de Alicante  
    Av. Alfonso el Sabio, 03002 Alicante  

  • Mercat de l’Olivar  
    Plaça de l’Olivar, 07002 Palma, Illes Balears, Mallorca  

  • Mercado Central  
    Plaça de la Ciutat de Bruges, 46001 Valencia 

  • Mercat Sant Antoni  
    Carrer del Comte d’Urgell 1, 08011 Barcelona   

Food Shops  

Cookware and Houseware Stores 

 Restaurants  

  • Tapeo 
    Carrer de Montcada 29, Barcelona 08003 
    Tel. 34 933 10 16 07 
    www.tapeoborn.cat 

Hotels  

 

 

FRANCE  

Public Markets  

  • Les Halles De Sète  
    Rue Gambetta, 34200 Sète  

  • Halles d’Avignon  
    18 Place Pie, 84000 Avignon 

  • Marché Provençal  
    Cours Masséna, 06600 Antibes 

  • Marché du Cours Saleya  
    Cours Saleya, 06300 Nice  

Cookware and Houseware Stores 

Restaurants 

Hotels  

  • Toile Blanche 
    826 Chemin de la Pounchounière, 06570 Saint-Paul-de-Vence 
    33 4 93 32 74 21  
    www.toileblanche.com 

 

 
 

ITALY 

Food Tours and Cooking Classes 

Public Markets 

  • Mercato Centrale Firenze  
    Piazza del Mercato Central, 50123 Florence 

  • Mercato Centrale  
    Via Buontalenti 57, 57126 Livorno 

  • Mercato Testaccio  
    Via Beniamino Franklin, 00153 Rome  

  • Mercato di Rialto  
    Calle de la Pescaria, 30122 Venice 

Food Shops  

Restaurants 

  • Trattoria Omero  
    Via del Pian dei Giullari 47, 50125 Firenze (FI)  
    Tel. 39 055 220 053  
    www.ristoranteomero.it  

  • Ristorante Romano   
    Via Giuseppe Mazzini 120, 55049 Viareggio (LU)  
    Tel. 39 0584 31382  
    www.romanoristorante.it 

  • Ristorante Don Alfonso   
    Corso Sant’ Agata 11, 80061 Sant’ Agata sui Due Golfi (NA)  
    Tel. 39 081 878 0026 
    www.donalfonso.com 

  • Lo Scoglio da Tommaso 
    Piazza delle Sirene 15, Marina del Cantone (NA) 
    Tel. 39 081 808 1026  
    www.hotelloscoglio.com 

Hotels 

 
 

GREECE  

Food Tours and Cooking Classes 

Public Markets 

  • Varvakios Central Market 
    Athinas 42, 105 51 Athens 

Restaurants 

  • Hatzikelis Seafood Restaurant  
    Solomou Alchadef 9, Rhodes Island 851 00  
    Tel. 30 2241 027215  

 

 

TURKEY  

Restaurants  

  • Ciya Sofrasi 
    Caferağa Mahallesi, Güneşli Bahçe Sk. No:43, 34710 Kadıköy/İstanbul 
    Tel. 90 216 330 31 90  
    www.ciya.com.tr 

  • Yanyali Fehmi Lokantasi 
    Osmanağa Mahallesi, Güneşli Bahçe Sk. No:1, 34714 Kadıköy/İstanbul 
    Tel. 90 216 336 33 33  
    www.yanyalifehmi.com 

Hotels 

  • Witt Hotel Istanbul  
    Kılınç Ali Paşa Mahallesi, Defterdar Ykş. No:26, 34433 Beyoğlu/İstanbul 
    90 212 293 15 00  
    www.wittistanbul.com 

 

 
 

ISRAEL  

Public Markets 

  • Mehane Yehuda Market  
    Mehane Yeduda Street, et. al., Jerusalem 

  

 

MAIL ORDER INGREDIENTS IN THE UNITED STATES  

Great eating is all about the quality of the ingredients. After your travels, these resources offer wonderful selections of authentic food products and kitchen wares for your Mediterranean cooking at home.   

WINE IMPORTERS AND RETAILERS IN THE UNITED STATES 

The harmony of a cooking style paired with the wine making style of the same area makes for a very satisfying dining experience. These retailers offer a wide range of wines from the entire Mediterranean region.  

  • Empire Wine   
    1440 Central Avenue, Albany, NY 12205  
    Tel. 877.779.4631  
    www.empirewine.com  

  • K&L Wine Merchants   
    855 Harrison Street, San Francisco, CA 94107  
    Tel. 877.559.4637 
    www.klwines.com 

  •  Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant   
    1605 San Pablo Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94702  
    Tel. 510.524.1524 
    www.kermitlynch.com 

  • Italian Wine Merchant  
    108 E 16th Street, New York, NY 10003  
    Tel. 212.473.2323 
    www.italianwinemerchants.com 

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