Must-see restaurants in Italy
Modena
Reserve months in advance (or pray for a waiting-list miracle) at this fabled 12-table restaurant, where reimagined Italian fare is art and tasting menus…
Centro Storico
Rimessa is particularly geared to wine lovers, but the food is good too.
San Lorenzo & San Marco
Arrive by noon to ensure a spot at this noisy, busy, brilliant trattoria – a legend that retains its soul (and allure with locals) despite being in every…
San Lorenzo & San Marco
Wander the maze of stalls crammed with fresh produce at Florence's oldest and largest food market, on the ground floor of an iron-and-glass structure…
Corso Magenta & Sant'Ambrogio
Since 1824 the original Marchesi pasticceria (pastry shop) has been charming customers with its refined 20th-century features and picture-perfect petit…
Emilia-Romagna
Emilia-Romagna's best dining experience awaits in truffle territory. In the small village of Savigno, a 30km detour west of Bologna, this fantastic…
Sant’Agata sui Due Golfi
Don Alsonso is as much an experience as a meal – and a world-class one at that. Not only is the food exquisite, creative and true to its Sorrentino roots;…
Naples
Head in by noon (or 7.30pm at dinner) to avoid a long wait at this hot-spot pizzeria, made famous thanks to its young, driven pizzaiolo Ciro Oliva. The…
Amalfi
A restaurant of artists, art and artistry, Caravella once hosted Andy Warhol. No surprise that it doubles up as a de-facto gallery with frescoes, creative…
Val d'Orcia
Sometimes simple dishes are the hardest to perfect. And perfection is the only term to use when discussing this trattoria in Brunello heartland. Watching…
Bergamo
Bergamo's Vittorio is set in a country house 9km east of town and, with over 50 years and three Michelin stars under its belt, is up there with the best…
Oltrarno
Reserve or arrive right on 7.30pm to snag the last table at this ever-popular address, an ode to stylish dining where gastronomes eat by candlelight in a…
Milan
Smooth as the silk after which it's named, Seta is Michelin-starred dining at its best: beautiful, inventive and full of flavour surprises. Diners sit on…
Tridente, Trevi & the Quirinale
Serving sensational regional cuisine from Emilia-Romagna, this restaurant has been operated by the Latini family since 1931. Our three recommendations…
Pavia
It is almost worth a trip to Pavia just to eat in Dimo and Maria's medieval tower. Although rooted in tradition (farming sickles and antique pots adorn…
Milan
Started by Aimo and Nadia Moroni in 1962 as a simple trattoria, it’s now one of the most revered restaurants in town, with two-Michelin stars to its name…
San Lorenzo & San Marco
Be it breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffee or cocktails, this industrial-styled space lures Florence's hip brigade. The concept store is a fashionable one…
Bologna
Often touted as Bologna's best restaurant by in-the-know culinarians – especially locals – this unassuming neighbourhood trattoria is both a rousing good…
Modena
In business since 1963, this fabulous, affordable little lunch spot is tucked into a single wood-panelled room at the northern edge of downtown Modena…
San Giovanni & Testaccio
This neighbourhood trattoria is renowned for its unswerving dedication to Roman soul food. Though its decor is contemporary, the menu is unrelentingly old…
Santa Maria Novella
A local favourite for its simplicity and correct prices, around since 1973. From sunrise to sunset, this brick-vaulted, 13th-century cellar gently buzzes…
Monti, Esquilino & San Lorenzo
Authentic pizza, super-thin and swiftly cooked in a wood-fired oven, is what this traditional Roman pizzeria on one of Monti's prettiest streets has done…
Modena
Modena’s covered municipal market cradles a cornucopia of local delights. Foodies should head straight here for Bible-sized hunks of parmigiano reggiano,…
Santa Croce
Iconic Florentine chef Fabio Picchi draws on his past experience working in Japan to give Tuscan staples an oriental twist
Milan
As the sibling of pasticceria (pastry shop) phenomenon Pavè, you can expect great things from this contemporary gelateria with its marble-topped counter…
Murano, Burano & the Northern Islands
Don't expect fancy tricks from this 'Black Cat' – just excellent, traditional fare. Once you’ve tried the homemade tagliolini (ribbon pasta) with spider…
Southern Rome
Headed by a Danish-Italian chef Tommaso Pennestri, this mellow trattoria pays its respects to staunch Roman classics (think carbonara and tripe) but is at…
Milan
Take a creative culinary voyage from Japan to Italy with Yoji Tokuyoshi at the helm. One-time sous-chef of world-renowned Osteria Francescana, this…
Duomo & Piazza della Signoria
Run with breathtaking speed and grace by Laura and Lucia, 'The Gourmand' is unmissable. Lunchtimes heave with locals and savvy students who flock here to…
Milan
Try not to argue over the frolla con ganache, an insanely good tart filled with dark chocolate ganache and topped with crunchy cacao nuggets. After all,…
Venice
A strange mix of local drinking den and surprisingly adventurous restaurant, Bakán has bucketloads of atmosphere – with old beams and soft jazz inside,…
Venice
It may look like a wine shop and function as a bar, but this legendary canalside spot also serves the best cicheti (Venetian tapas) on this side of the…
Lake Garda & Around
Petals of egg pasta frame slices of guinea fowl caramelised in honey saffron; silky tortellini are stuffed to bursting with pumpkin, nutmeg, cinnamon and…
Emilia-Romagna
Picking favourites at this 14th-century castle is excruciating: there's the castle itself, especially when enveloped in cinematic Po river fog; the ageing…
Pompeii
At the helm of this Michelin-starred standout is charming owner-chef Paolo Gramaglia, whose passion for local produce, history and culinary whimsy…
Pasticceria di Maria Grammatico
Erice
This cafe-pasticceria is run by Maria Grammatico, Sicily's most famous pastry chef, and the subject of Mary Taylor Simeti's book Bitter Almonds – a series…
Eastern Tuscany
Utterly fantastic, 100% homemade cucina tipica Casentinese (typical Casentino cuisine) is the drawcard of this gem of a family-run village bistro,…
Bologna
Book at least three weeks in advance at this seemingly unassuming trattoria in Bolognina, just a step outside the city centre. Flavio and Tommaso came…
