Positano
Calling like a siren to any cash-poor budget traveller who thought Positano was for celebs only, this heroically authentic trattoria at the top of town…
Must-see restaurants in Italy
Minori
Pasticceria? Yes. Cafe? Yes. Gelateria? Yes. Sal de Riso is all these things and more: an emporium of edible sweetness that will make your eyes pop out…
Cilento Coast
From your perch on the stone terrace, you’ll hear your order loudly repeated to the chef (ie Mamma), followed by the requisite banging of pots and pans…
Manarola
Hidden off a narrow lane in the upper reaches of town, the Trattoria dal Billy fires up some of the best seafood dishes anywhere in Cinque Terre. Start…
Rimini
This contemporary, family-run seafooder sits steps from Museo della Città and Domus del Chirurgo but you'd never know it – its fuss-free demeanour is…
Stresa
One of Stresa's most gourmet restaurants doesn't advertise itself from its modest perch up a narrow side street. It doesn't need to. Local word of mouth…
Friuli Venezia Giulia
This friendly small hotel has a super restaurant, where owner Danila fusses over her guests as if they were her own children; let her guide your choices…
Syracuse
One of the longest established and most popular eateries on Via Cavour, this snug, wonderfully hospitable trattoria has built its reputation on delicious…
Sappada
Sappada’s Michelin-starred Laite is presided over by Fabrizia Meroi, Michelin's 2018 female chef of the year. It has just 18 seats set in two romantic…
Pescara
Sitting pretty in a city full of seafood, Cucineria relies more on the fat of the terra (land) with chitarrina (Abruzzo’s spaghetti) tossed with mountain…
Verona
The gold standard for pastry in Verona is Flego, where you’ll find at least 10 different croissant options every morning, including the divine myrtle…
Milan
This fashionable Sicilian restaurant in the 19th-century glasshouse of Napoleon’s neoclassical Villa Reale is the brainchild of Luisa Beccaria’s three…
Termoli
Attached to Residenza Sveva, and doing perhaps the best seafood in this town of fish restaurants, Svevia occupies an 18th-century palazzo (mansion) a…
The Dolomites
A legend in the valley, this Michelin-starred restaurant in an old mill sits at the historic heart of Cavalese. Downstairs, next to the waterwheels, you…
Giudecca, Lido & the Southern Islands
Locals of all ages pour into this humble bar for cicheti (Venetian tapas), coffee and a spritz (prosecco cocktail). However, it's at lunchtime that it…
Northeastern Sardinia
For dreamy sunset views of Isola Tavolara, book ahead at chic waterfront Il Portolano, run by Sardinian-Swiss couple Roberto and Claudia. Creatively…
Lampedusa
Hidden away from Lampedusa's beach-loving crowds on an inland back street, Bernardo's venerable trattoria inspires confidence the minute you step through…
Santa Teresa di Gallura
Natalia and Gian Mario welcome you warmly at this agriturismo, 10km south of town off the SP90 (follow signs up a dirt track). Tables are scenically…
Arezzo
At his eponymous restaurant, chef Giovanni Aliciati reimagines classic Italian dishes using top-quality ingredients and incorporating French and Spanish…
Northwestern Tuscany
This foodie address never disappoints. From the homemade bread and focaccia brought warm to your table, to the industrial-meets-lime-green-velour interior…
Taormina
Owner Turi Siligato fishes, hunts and forages for his smart osteria, and if he's in, he'll probably share anecdotes about the day's bounty and play a few…
Ragusa
Michelin-star chef Ciccio Sultano is behind this contemporary, smart-casual eatery, which includes a dedicated bakery, specialist deli counter and the…
Lago Trasimeno
Chef Nicola works culinary magic at this wonderful roadside restaurant, a favourite for wedding receptions and special occasions some 27km southeast of…
Olbia
Tucked serenely away in the countryside around 10km north of Olbia, this Gallurese stazzo (farmhouse) dishes up a feast of home cooking. Monica, your…
Ferrara
This quaint, crafty-chic charmer lit by candlelight and tucked away in Ferrara's medieval quarter is the city's seafood superstar. The hip and beautiful…
Modica
There is great gelato and then there's gelato made by Antonio Adamo. The affable modinese makes all his confections from scratch; even the Agrigento…
Agrigento
Upstairs from the popular Caffe San Pietro, Terracotta combines a Slow Food ethos with modern and stylish decor. Seasonal standout dishes could include…
Salina
Straddling a sunny waterfront terrace in Lingua, Alfredo's place is renowned Sicily-wide for its granite: ices made with coffee, fruit or locally grown…
Mount Etna
Modest Cave Ox is a fabulous spot to sample local produce, including salumi (charcuterie) made from local black pigs. Whether it's a bowl of carbonara…
Como
An ageless osteria (casual tavern) that looks exactly the part. In the wood-lined checker-clothed dining room, wine bottles and other goodies fill the…
Cormòns
A famous family-run inn, with border-crossing dishes and ingredients – rabbit, boar, flowers and berries – that bring the landscape to the plate in a very…
Molise
If the bread’s good, usually all else will follow and so it goes in this old town cantina-restaurant whose single arched entrance leads into a labyrinth…
Palermo
On-point Aja Mola is among Palermo's top seafood eateries. The interior's smart, subtle take on a nautical theme is reflected in the open kitchen, which…
Vicenza
Homely Al Pestello dishes out intriguing, lesser-known cucina vicentina such as la panà (bread soup), red-wine-braised donkey and bresaola 'lollies'…
The Dolomites
Hidden away in the pastoral Val di Casies (Gsiesertal) is this gem of a family-run restaurant, specialising in ultra-fresh, locally sourced seasonal South…
Duomo & San Babila
Part of one of the great waves of migration from the south, Leone and Rosetta Legnani opened their first restaurant in 1929. They brought with them their…
Oristano
For excellent food and a bustling, authentic vibe, head to this old-school trattoria. Since the 1930s, locals and visitors alike have been squeezing into…
Udine
A frasca is similar to an osmize, a rustic place serving salumi (cured meats) and wine, and takes its name from the same practice of hanging a branch out…
Modica
Small, quietly confident Cappero wows food lovers with beautiful cooking that's refined and comforting in equal parts. The house-made pasta is made using…
Tyrrhenian Coast
Suino nero dei Nebrodi (the park's DOC black pork) is the star attraction at the Relais Villa Miraglia's excellent restaurant, where big picture windows…
