Modena
Speedy waiters glide around juggling bread baskets and wine bottles in this deliciously traditional choice where first dates mingle with animated families…
Must-see restaurants in Italy
Centro Storico
Proud possessor of a two-Michelin-star ranking, Il Pagliaccio is Italian fine dining at its best. Chef Anthony Genovese – who was born in France to…
Vatican City, Borgo & Prati
From Gabriele Bonci of the vaunted Bonci Pizzarium, this mellow bakery and deli offers a wide range of splendid takeaway fare, starting with the signature…
Milan
Since small-town ‘Peppino’ Gattulo opened this pastry shop in 1961, it’s been one of Milan’s most beloved locales. Packed in the mornings when it pumps…
Milan
A 1930s sawmill has been repurposed to grand effect. With chandeliers and shimmering light, it creates a theatrical ambience for modern Italian cuisine by…
Duomo & San Babila
Gualtiero Marchesi, one of Italy’s most revered chefs, presides over a traditional dining room at La Scala. Chairs upholstered in deep crimson evoke the…
Venice
Well-informed visitors and celebrating locals seek out this vine-covered corte sconta (hidden courtyard) for its trademark seafood antipasti and…
Porta Garibaldi & Isola
Fantastically light pizzas and craft beer are what Calabrian brothers Matteo and Salvatore promise you, at this pizzeria housed in an atmospheric 1950s…
Milan
Turinese Alberto Marchetti is making a name for himself with this artisanal ice-cream chain that’s spreading across Italy and abroad – for good reason…
Duomo & Piazza della Signoria
Strung with legs of ham and garlic garlands, this old-world trattoria lives up to its vintage promise of a warm benvenuto (welcome) and fabulous home…
San Polo & Santa Croce
These sophisticated culinary adventurers offer a contemporary spin on Venetian traditions. Opt for a 'surprise' five-course mare (seafood; €70) or terra …
Venice
Tin lamps, unadorned rustic tables and a small wooden bar set the scene for quality seafood and other Venetian specialities at this excellent canalside…
Milan
Little has changed at this historic Milanese pasticceria (pastry shop) founded in 1936. Its interior brims with old-world charm; waiters wear formal…
Milan
Take heart from the dresser stacked with venerable bottles of Barolo as you enter this unpretentious osteria (tavern). It’s an indication of the smart,…
Porta Garibaldi & Isola
Located in a lovely Liberty building that once belonged to the railway, this neo-bistro run by chef Cesare Battisti and sommelier Federica Fabi turns out…
Milan
With its red-and-white checked curtains hanging at the windows and twee, textbook trattoria interiors, you may fear this restaurant is a stereotype too…
Duomo & San Babila
Chocolatiers Tancredi and Alberto Alemagna’s Milanese outlet is a beautiful space. Aside from the counters crammed with delectable chocolates, the dining…
Corso Magenta & Sant'Ambrogio
Discreet, elegant and exquisitely romantic. Push past the velvet curtain and the maître d' will guide you to a table beneath centuries-old linden trees in…
Venice
Step back in time at this historic dining room with a coffered wooden ceiling, gleaming terrazzo floors and red-and-gold wallpaper. The official caterers…
Rome
This Michelin-starred restaurant, in the five-star H’All Tailor Suite hotel, is one of Rome’s top fine-dining tickets. At the helm is chef Riccardo Di…
Venice
When it comes to Venetian glamour, nothing beats this historic Michelin-starred restaurant overlooking Piazza San Marco. A small swarm of servers greets…
Milan
Since 1967, Dorando Giannasi has been serving Milan's best roast chicken from his food stall on Piazza Buozzi. Marinated in a secret herb mix and broiled…
Corso Magenta & Sant'Ambrogio
Sandwiches here are so damn good you may eschew restaurant dining just to sample that panini with prosciutto, spicy goat cheese, pepperoni, aubergine and…
Santa Croce
Florentines swear by this pocket-sized sandwich bar opposite Mercato di Sant'Ambrogio. There is no fixed menu, rather an impossible-to-decide choice of…
Milan
There’s nothing more Milanese than breakfast at Sissi. Yet, with its bright pink walls, vintage posters and an Italian-Senegalese owner with a big…
Venice
In a city plagued by high prices and indifferent eating experiences, the shared wooden tables at Da Codroma are the antidote. Chef Nicola faithfully…
Trastevere & Gianicolo
Revered gelataio Marco Radicioni skilfully churns some of the capital’s best gelato at this slick little store off Piazza San Cosimato. Otaleg (gelato…
Milan
Picking up on the demand for vegan, vegetarian and raw food, this clever contemporary kebab bar serves up hearty wraps stuffed with seasonal salads,…
Duomo & San Babila
Following a tumble from grace and a lost Michelin star, Carlo Cracco is back with a four-storey food temple in the Galleria. You can nibble brioche by…
Lake Como
Should you need ‘una pausa’ while you’re waiting for your Varenna ferry, enter this nouveau-rustic bistro-cafe and peruse the cake case ...
Milan
This is the place fancy Milanesi go to buy nonna her favourite sweets, such as marron glacés, Boeri (chocolate-covered cherries) and chocolate pralines…
Milan
This first-class gourmet Chinese restaurant showcases the very best Lombard ingredients in a refined Chinese menu. The restaurant is super sleek with chef…
Milan
Opened by celebrated German chef Ernst Knam, this is one of the most famous pastry shops in the city. Known for its unusual flavour pairings and chocolate…
San Polo & Santa Croce
Step out of your water taxi into the canalside garden of this inventive Michelin-starred restaurant in the Hotel Palazzo Venart. The contemporary menu…
Trastevere & Gianicolo
Three generations of the Iacozzilli family work in this old-school deli that dates from 1924. It's hailed for its porchetta: seasoned with salt and…
Milan
Having opened a few years ago with little fanfare, Gelateria Giova is now suddenly on the list of some of the best gelaterie in the city. Named for the…
Naples
Day in, day out, this cult-status pizzeria is besieged by hungry hordes. While debate may rage over whether Gino Sorbillo's pizzas are the best in town,…
Venice
Indulge in some culinary time travel in the red-and-gilt dining room at this fine-dining bistro reviving the recipes of Renaissance chef Bartolomeo Scappi…
Milan
This gelateria is a temple to Lombardy's luxurious milk products: everything here is 100% natural, handmade and locally sourced. What's more, owner…
Milan
This old-school gelateria has been in the business of ice cream since 1930. Opened by his uncle Ugo, Francesco now maintains the shop's reputation with a…
