Ristorante 12 Apostoli—Via Corticella San Marco 3
It takes considerable poking around through thick clusters of abandoned palaces to find this celebrated dining place, but it is worth the poking. Half hidden in a vine-grown alley, it is very ancient, a small, semivaulted hall, gay with wall paintings and rich in uncontrived atmosphere. If you are limited to a single meal in Verona, this restaurant would certainly be a good choice.
There are plenty of robust, conversational businessmen here, invariably a good gastronomic omen, and they attack the ample fare and full-blooded Valpolicella with obvious gusto. The food is varied, mostly cooked to order, and devoid of pretentious frills. The young proprietors speak fluent French and acceptable English, and are truly solicitous of the happiness of their guests. We found the Twelve Apostles uncrowded at midday, but well packed in the evening. Go early, before eight, and enjoy a pleasant blend of courtesy, atmosphere and fine Italian cooking.
The urban life of Verona centers around the broad and populous Piazza Bra. Here, facing the Roman arena, arc varied sidewalk cafés with striped umbrellas and nonchalant waiters, and two restaurants worth remembering. One is the RlSTORANTE DELLE TRE CORONE, a conventional place occupying a handsome building. The Three Crowns turns out to be all you expect from a formal Italian city restaurant. We recall a handsome fettucine with peas with particular affection. The wide, thin, steaming noodles were quite as good as those bearing the Alfredo label in Rome. The other restaurant on the Piazza Bra is the PEDAVENA, an enterprising establishment which serves coffee and afternoon tea. Things are a bit commercial here. A can of glittering hors-d'oeuvre is wheeled in before the guest has time to adjust his spectacles. Four waiters and a maître d'hôtel hover about at once, making it a bit difficult to decipher the menu with due dignity. The place is gay, urbane but quiet, however, and the food is above the average. Pedavena specializes in its own beer, but there is a fine wine list also,
For slightly pinched purses there is a good little restaurant just around the corner at Via Dietro Distone 15. This is the RlSTORANTE FIORE. We liked the atmosphere and the cheerful waitresses, and found no fault at all with the prix fixe meal of pasta or soup, meat or fish, cheese or sweet, for 350 lire, service included. That's less than sixty cents, and a small carafe of honest red Valpolicella costs less than a dime. It just proves that Italy has its charm for all purses.
Vicenza
One could almost call this bright and beautiful city a monument of architecture dedicated to its favorite son. Palladio. The work of this great Renaissance architect, which dominates the city in which he was born, has had a profound influence. Just think of the Palladian windows in American stair halls alone! The full measure of his genius can be observed in the magnificent basilica in the heart of the city.
Motorists who pass through Vicenza at midday arc in luck, for they can combine the charm of Palladio with the felicity of a good luncheon at the HOTEL ROMA. We asked for and obtained an authentic baccalà alla vicentina, and found it substantial and delicious. Some native asparagus, cheese, giant cherries, coffee and Aurum terminated a noteworthy meal.
North of the road between Verona and Vicenza the observant motorist may see two gaunt ruined castles crowning two neighboring hills. According to legend these belonged to the rival Montecchi and Cappelletti families around the year 1300. In one castle lived the dashing Romco and in the other pined the lovely Juliet. The story is irresistible, and it is not surprising that the two castles have been dressed up a bit for the tourist trade. Now you can visit both castles in an American Express bus, enjoy some vivid frescoes recording the immortal love affair, and partake of a more-than-adequate meal at the RISTORANTE GIULIETTA E ROMEO, now installed in Juliet's castle. Although an obvious contraption for the tourist, it is interesting enough to merit a detour, especially for those who are romantically inclined, and don't mind hobnobbing with their fellow traveler,
Padua
Some twenty miles from Venice, this busy city is the seat of a thirteenth century university, one of the oldest in Italy, and the setting for the extraordinary Basilica of St. Anthony, crowned with multiple domes and turrets in the best Turkish manner. Countless pilgrims come to this sanctuary on June 13th, the anniversary of St. Anthony's death. Padua seems clamorous after the rippling quiet of Venice, and many travelers leave after a short visit. It deserves more than that. For one thing, it boasts one of the most remarkable cafés in the world, which came into being when Antonio Pedrocchi, a modest coffee roaster, decided to transform his coffee shop into a large and beautiful café. The building was inaugurated in June, 1931, and it remains a rare, neoclassic monument to the Empire décor of (he time. The café has Greek, Etruscan, Gothic, Pompeian, Egyptian and Imperial salons, and they still exist in pristine freshness. Most of the intellectuals, musicians and better-heeled students of Padua gravitate here, and we urge you to do the same. Sandwiches and snacks supplement the usual café' fare, and they are served on round-topped tables surrounded by chic Empire chairs upholstered in period pink, sage green and honey brown. Everything is spotless, and there is an unobtrusive orchestra to lend further charm.
For our luncheon in Padua we chose the ALBERGO PALAZZO STORIONE, a big-city hotel in the heart of everything.We found a very complete menu but unfortunately two large wedding parties absorbed most of the service, and we had CO wail some lime for our scampi alla griglia. But they were toothsome when they did arrive, and after all, a wedding party does deserve a certain priority.
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