In an effort to preserve traditional food and wine manufacturing methods and to counter the fast spread of fast food, Carlo Petrini founded the Slow Food movement in Italy. It has since grown into a worldwide company, with magazines, food and wine guidebooks for Italy, and lectures and an informative website.
When looking for a place to eat, I have learnt to look for the snail logo on the stickers restaurants put on their entrance windows. This shows that the restaurant uses meat and vegetables produced by local farmers who adhere to traditional methods as well as produce such as cheeses or oils in danger of extinction.
The guidebooks to Italian Osterie and Wines are only in Italian, but the website gives basic listing of members as well as valuable information and lecture notes.
http://www.slowfood.com