Exploring Italy's Culinary Delights: A Guide to Food and Beverages
Eat, drink and be merry in Italy, where food is more than just sustenance, it's an integral part of a nation's identity. From the premium ingredients to the adoration of tradition, dining here is all about passion, pride, and living life to the fullest. Here's your ultimate guide to experiencing Italy through its incredible food and drink.
Italian pride, or campanilismo, is rooted in clashes among medieval city-states, replacing castle sieges and battles with competitions in producing unique food and wine. With too many mouth-watering dishes to try and too little time, let's fine-tune your culinary radar with these must-eat Italian treats.
Tasty Taste of Italian Pasta
All over the country, pasta is a crowd-pleaser, and exploring regional variations makes any trip worthwhile. In Rome, indulge in spaghetti alla carbonara (no cream here), bucatini all'amatriciana (with bacon, tomato, chili, and pecorino cheese), and spaghetti cacio e pepe (with pecorino cheese and black pepper).
In Bologna, taste tagliatelle al ragu (pasta with white wine, tomato, oregano, beef, and pork belly)—the classic bolognese. Or, in Sicily, go wild with pasta con le sarde (pasta with sardines, pine nuts, raisins, and wild fennel).
Try uncorking a bottle of Sagrantino di Montefalco red and grating a black truffle from Norcia over fresh tagliatelle (ribbon pasta) or strozzapreti (an elongated pasta literally meaning "priest-strangler").
Meander through Sardinia with pasta classics such as culurgiones (pasta pockets stuffed with potato and casu de fitta cheese), fregola (granular pasta similar to couscous), and malloreddus (a gnocchi-pasta hybrid).
Where to dig in:
- Da Enzo al 29 or Cesare al Casaletto in Rome
- Il Santo Bevitore in Florence
- Il Portalano in Sardinia
Artful Italian Pizza
In Naples, the birthplace of superb street food, "pizza by the slice" is the perfect piazza-side nibble. Try slider-like annarella (pizza-dough buns filled with artichoke prepared three ways—boiled, creamed, and fried) alongside pizza-fritta (fried pizza dough stuffed with salami, dried lard cubes, smoked provola cheese, ricotta, and tomato).
Where to savor:
- Concettina Ai Tre Santi, Pizzeria Gino Sorbillo, and Starita in Naples
Street Food Treats
Indulge in deep-fried risotto balls known across Italy as suppli (short for suppli al telefono, because the cheese creates long telephone-cord-like strings as you eat it). These tasty morsels can be found in many street markets throughout Italy, particularly in Rome.
Where to give it a go:
- Suppli and Forno Roscioli in Rome, Spinella in Sicily
Carnivorous Delights
Italy boasts mind-blowing meat preparations, from Bologna's mortadella (pork cold cut) and stinco di maiale al forno con porcini (roasted pork shanks with porcini mushrooms) to Florence's iconic bistecca alla fiorentina (Tuscan beef steak) and Sardinia's interior's porchetta (roast suckling pig, often served on a bed of myrtle leaves).
Try Norcia's claim to fame, wild boar, or the Tuscan specialty, pappardelle al cinghiale (ribbon pasta with wild boar sauce). And who could forget the classic osso buco con risotto alla milanese (Milanese veal shank and marrow melting into saffron risotto)?
Where to indulge:
- Ristorante Da Muzzicone in Tuscany, Agriturismo Agrisole in Sardinia, I Panini di Miro in Bologna
Cheesy Delights
Cheese lovers will revel in Italy's esteemed formaggi. From the grainy, nutty Parmigiano-Reggiano to the pungent, blue-veined Gorgonzola, and delicious, porcelain-white mozzarella di bufala, there's a cheese for every palate.
Where to nibble:
- Malvasia all'Adriatico Mar in Venice, Mastro Ciccio in Puglia, Borgiattino in Turin
The Battle Over Gelato
Italy's gelato uses seasonal ingredients and no synthetic colors, resulting in a varied palate of flavors. No matter which scoop tickles your taste buds, stay tuned for those flavors to change with the seasons.
Where to scoop:
- Giolitti and Fiordiluna in Rome, Vivoli and Gelateria Pasticceria Badiani in Florence
Coffee in Italy
Italians take their coffee seriously, so avoid ordering a cappuccino after 11 am and remember that it's usually not taken too hot. Otherwise, espresso is the go-to. On hot summer days, try a refreshing granita di caffè (coffee with shaved ice and whipped cream).
Where to sip:
- Al Parlamento in Venice, Café del Binari in Milan, Caffe Sant'Eustachio in Rome
Toasting with Wine
Choosing wine is essential, as Italian vino plays a significant part in enhancing the dining experience. While familiar wines like Chianti and pinot grigio are always welcome, don't shy away from discovering new Italian varietals, such as Brunello, Vermentino, or Sciacchetra.
Where to savor a glass:
- Everywhere!
Catering to Vegetarians and Vegans
Starters often include vegetarian options, such as pasta con pesto or risotto ai porcini. However, be wary of ingredients hidden in sauces or stocks, and always ask to ensure you're not unwittingly consuming meat or dairy.
Vegetarian and vegan-friendly dishes:
- Missoltini (Como's sun-dried fish cured in salt and bay leaves)
- Lampredotto (Cow's stomach boiled, sliced, seasoned and bunged between bread in Florence)
- Pani ca meusa (A Palermo sandwich of beef spleen and lungs dipped in boiling lard)
- Zurrette (Sardinian black pudding made of sheep's blood, cooked in a sheep's stomach with herbs and fennel)
- Trippa alla romana (Head to Rome's Testaccio neighborhood for nose-to-tail staples like tripe cooked with potatoes, tomato, mint, and pecorino cheese)
Seasonal Italian Eats
Food festivals, chestnuts, mushrooms, and game dominate the autumn. Winter brings Christmas and Carnevale treats, while fishers serve up sea urchins and mussels during the summer. Regardless of when you visit, there's always a reason to raise a glass (or fork) to Italy.
Seasons to celebrate:
- Spring (March to May): Asparagus, artichokes, Easter specialties, and festivals like Turin's Cioccolato and Ascoli Piceno's Fritto Misto all’Italiana.
- Summer (June to August): Eggplants, peppers, berries, tuna at Carloforte’s Girotonno tuna catch in June, and gelato and Sicilian granita to beat the heat.
- Autumn (September to November): Food festivals, chestnuts, mushrooms, and game. Truffle hunters flock to Piedmont, Tuscany, and Umbria, while wine connoisseurs hit Elba's wine harvest and Merano's wine festival.
- Winter (December to February): Christmas and Carnevale treats, fishers serve up sea urchins and mussels, and Umbria celebrates black truffles with the Mostra Mercato del Tartufo Nero.
- Italian pride, deeply rooted in the competitions of medieval city-states, is showcased through the unique foods and wines produced across the country.
- Pasta variations abound in Italy, each region offering its own mouth-watering dishes, such as bucatini all'amatriciana in Rome, tagliatelle al ragu in Bologna, and pasta con le sarde in Sicily.
- To complement the pasta dishes, consider exploring Italian wines like Sagrantino di Montefalco red and Norcia's black truffle), which can add a worthwhile depth to your dining experience.
- Whether you're in the market for pizza, street food, cheese, or gelato, Italy offers a rich food and drink culture that's worth exploring, with storefronts like Concettina Ai Tre Santi in Naples, Suppli in Rome, or Malvasia all'Adriatico Mar in Venice catering to various taste preferences.
