Bologna
Ask Bologna residents to name the best gelateria in town, and this place often comes out on top, though it sits well outside the city centre. Fill a cone …
Must-see restaurants in Italy
San Giovanni & Testaccio
One for a special occasion, the rooftop restaurant of the luxury Palazzo Manfredi hotel offers once-in-a-lifetime views of the Colosseum and Michelin…
Oltrarno
Shop at this hipster bakery, around for at least a century, for fresh breads and pastries baked to sweet perfection in its ancient forno (oven) by local…
Hostaria L'Oste e il Sacrestano
Mediterranean Coast
Feast on local meat and freshly caught seafood at this Slow Food favourite just off Corso Vittorio Emanuele. Choose from the à la carte menu of three…
Castelli Romani
A local landmark for more than a century, this colourful wisteria-clad restaurant oozes romance, particularly on warm summer nights when the views over…
Ostuni
Scenically installed in the Aragonese fortifications, this terraced restaurant is a special occasion charmer. Seafood is wonderful here, with a whole…
Valle d’Itria
Craft beer and pizza make an excellent combination at this quietly stylish old town restaurant with wooden tables, soft lighting and stone floors. It's…
Lipari
Still run by the friendly couple who founded it four decades ago (ably assisted by daughter Alessia), this beloved shop sells two dozen varieties of…
Monti, Esquilino & San Lorenzo
Freshly baked pastries, fruit tartlets, pizza al taglio (pizza by the slice) and focaccia fill display cases in this famous bakery, and there's also a…
Basilicata
Vintage movie posters and a juke box packed with opera arias and 1960s soul hits combine at this welcoming cafe on Bernalda's main street. Like the…
Southern Rome
For stylish seafood dining in a chic aquatic ambience, look no further than this glorious white Nordic corner restaurant in Ostiense, with bar-stool…
Vatican City, Borgo & Prati
A bar-restaurant hybrid sporting a vintage cool look – vaulted stone ceilings, exposed brick, rustic wooden tables and summertime outdoor seating – Il…
Calabria
When your dad's a fisherman, it's easy to guarantee a good supply of the freshest seafood. There's nothing pretentious about this family-owned eatery,…
Ostuni
Puglian classics are given a thoroughly modern makeover at the stylish and elegant Osteria Ricanatti. Seafood is often the star, including superb tuna and…
Venice
Everyone in this corridor-sized restaurant comes for the same reason: the fantastic array of salads and Arturo's vinegar-soaked pork chop. For more than…
Basilicata
This terrace restaurant, sitting above the Bar del Porto overlooking the marina, has been knocking out delightful Lucanian seafood for over 20 years. Sit…
Oltrarno
Carefully sourced, quality ingredients drive this tiny trattoria that woos punters with a short but stylish choice of raw (tartare and carpaccio) and…
Centro Storico
This chic contemporary bistro has a dining space adorned with vintage and designer furnishings as well as a lovely rear summer courtyard. Reserve ahead,…
Lecce
Lecce is an important university town and this boisterous pizzeria combining gourmet pizzas with decent wine and craft beer is hugely popular with local…
Livorno
Join locals at this local institution for a sweet sugar hit after enjoying a late-afternoon passeggiata (stroll) on the Terrazza Mascagni. Made fresh each…
Alghero
Reserve a table at this cosy, low-ceilinged stone restaurant and you never know what you're going to get. What you do know is that it'll be fish, it'll be…
Bra & Pollenzo
On the 1st floor of the Slow Food movement's backstreet headquarters, this bottle-lined dining room was the first to be opened by the emerging…
The Dolomites
Part of the luxurious Rosa Alpina Hotel & Spa, this quietly elegant foodie destination earned its third Michelin star in 2018. The mountain beef cooked in…
Western Sicily
A year-round Sunday-lunch favourite with locals, this large beachfront restaurant really comes into its own in summer when its tables spill outside onto…
Val d'Orcia
The menu at this chic eatery is pared back in more ways than one: there are around four choices per course, presentation is minimalist and the emphasis is…
Costa Smeralda
With romantically lit tables set amid garden terraces that cascade down from a boulder-strewn hillside, this Brazilian steakhouse offers that rare…
Basilicata
The in-house ristorante of the Locanda delle Donne Monache hotel, Il Sacello serves wonderful Lucanian fare and seafood, overlooking the red rooftops of…
Asti
For one of Asti's best dining experiences, book a table at this award-winning osteria that offers beautiful Piedmont and Ligurian dishes. Cappon magro (a…
San Lorenzo & San Marco
The 'No well done meat here' sign, strung in the window, says it all: the best of Tuscan culinary tradition is the only thing this iconic trattoria serves…
Sant’Agata sui Due Golfi
Stuzzichino means 'appetiser', but you get far more than just starters at this Slow Food movement–affiliated restaurant with gregarious host and owner…
Alba
A stylish, minimalist space near the south side of the old town that serves outstanding vegan cuisine. Here you'll find beautifully prepared pad thai,…
Murano, Burano & the Northern Islands
Opened in 1903 by the parish priest as a co-op grocery shop, this osteria (casual tavern) is still collectively owned by 50 Muranese families. Don't be…
Albergo Ristorante Silvestrino
Northwestern Sardinia
On Stintino's main drag, this evergreen hotel restaurant is a dependable choice for classic Sardinian seafood. Its sunny dining hall and small streetside…
Manarola
Near the tunnel leading to the train station, Aristide has tables in an old village house and in a bright, modern marque terrace on the square. Order a…
Abruzzo
You have to trust local knowledge at La Rotunda, a small, innocuous gelateria just off the main square that seems to be visited by half the town on…
Lampedusa
Ask people where to find the best desserts in Lampedusa and they'll likely point you to the 'Bar of Friendship' – just look for the cute sign depicting…
Venice
Much better than it looks, Da Bepi is a traditional trattoria in the very best sense. The interior is a warm, wood-panelled cocoon, and service is…
Procida
Along this unpretentious marina with its old fishing boats, piled fishing nets and haughty cats, half-a-dozen fine restaurants call out like mythological…
Sorrento
Soul & Fish has a hipper vibe than Marina Grande’s no-nonsense seafood restaurants. Your bread comes in a bag, your dessert might come in a Kilner jar and…
Salina
For some of Santa Marina's best seafood head for this restaurant with a terrace overlooking the harbour, run by the same family since 1978. In low season,…
