Palau
On the road down to the harbour, C'era una Volta makes a convenient spot for a fixed-price lunch: €25 gets you a starter, a main course, wine, water and…
Must-see restaurants in Italy
Trastevere & Gianicolo
This tiny and unfussy corner cafe coddles customers with its famed maritozzi, sweet yeasty buns split open and filled to the brim with freshly whipped…
Genoa
A landmark trattoria serving classic Genovese farinata (chickpea flour flatbread) in seasoned antique pans, alongside mouth-watering Genovese classics…
Cilento Coast
Part of the Albergo Santa Caterina, this L-shaped bar serves the best ice cream in town with semi freddi (semi cold) and yoghurt-based ices, as well as…
Monti, Esquilino & San Lorenzo
In an area with frustratingly few quality eating spots, multilingual Mamma Angela delivers with classic trattoria dishes given a contemporary sheen. The…
Palermo
Marble floors, wooden panels and dapper waiters channel old-school Palermo at this 1860 veteran. If the weather is on your side, watch the world go by…
Ischia
This friendly place is just across the road from the beach and serves excellent dishes to locals and wised-up tourists; seafood is the speciality. Sit on…
Costa Smeralda
An old-time local standby with hit-or-miss service, this big, open-plan restaurant keeps it affordable, with authentic fare such as lorighittas (twisted,…
Bologna
The Rosso, said to be the city's oldest trattoria, is a great example of what Bologna does so well. A bustling, workaday eatery, it serves healthy…
Bergamo
Marta and Stefano oversee this welcoming place with its intimate, old-world dining area and fine seafood-dominated menu. Dishes include lobster medallions…
Northwestern Tuscany
One of many dining addresses with a colourful terrace beneath parasols on pedestrianised Via Stagio Stagi, Pinnochi stands out for its contemporary…
Cagliari
A trattoria from the traditional no-frills school. It's far from a looker with its bright white lighting and basic decor, but the welcome is genuine and…
Rimini
A homey osteria in the old fishing quarter, this place is all about simple, honest traditional food made with local ingredients and served in…
Centro Storico
Visitors and locals have long been coming to this landmark Ghetto restaurant to dine on genuine Roman-Jewish cuisine. Signature dishes include carciofi…
Centro Storico
With a cosy, cluttered interior and a mile-long list of panini, Lo Zozzone is a reliable choice for a quick fill-up. Sandwiches are made from pizza bianca…
Matera
'The Mole' has burrowed itself comfortably inside one of Sasso Barisano's caverns, creating a rustic dining experience. With plates of Lucanian (aka…
Genoa
Both a restaurant and fishmonger, Soho is the place to come for raw fish. It's oh-so-Milan on the bling scale but they take their fishy offerings very…
Gallipoli
For good Gallipoli spumone (layered ice cream with candied fruit and nuts) and refreshing granite (ices made with coffee, fresh fruit or locally grown…
Venice
After the Accademia leaves you delirious with visual overload, come to your senses with sarde in saor (sardines in an onion marinade) and a carafe of the…
Monti, Esquilino & San Lorenzo
Transplanted from Orvieto, this restaurant's Umbrian origins resonate in Lucio Sforza’s menu. More innovative than many Roman chefs, he is partial to…
Mediterranean Coast
Yes, you can dine on seafood here – as with all of Sciacca's portside restaurants – but the budget-minded will also find it a prime spot to sip sunset…
Panetteria Romana e Spaccio di Paste
Trastevere & Gianicolo
Run by the Conti family since the 19th century, this venerable bakery-takeaway with 1860 pedigree and aromatic wood-burning oven is a tasty address for…
Udine
This busy corner deli and wine bar has such a winning way it will make you want to up sticks and settle in Udine. Locals drop in for morning coffee and…
Southern Rome
Near the catacombs of San Callisto, Cecilia Metella has romantic outside seating, set on a low hill under a vine canopy and with glimpses of the jewel…
Chianti
Giving proud prominence to its list of producers (and gaining a Slow Food recommendation as a consequence), this small trattoria in the main square serves…
Praiano
Located on the main street in town, this long-established restaurant has a decent reputation for seafood and pizzas. The dining room has sweeping views…
Ostuni
This laid-back place harnesses the best of the region's produce, from Martina Franca's capocollo (cured pork neck) to whatever's been hauled from the…
Otranto
You can't miss this pizzeria right by the huge Porta Terra as you enter the historic centre. Despite the tourist-trap location, the food doesn't lack…
Brindisi
Established more than 40 years ago in a restored 15th-century palazzo, sophisticated Il Giardino serves refined seafood and meat dishes in a delightful…
Trastevere & Gianicolo
Don't expect refined service or a fancy interior at this hardcore old-school trattoria, which has a tried-and-tested 1971 pedigree. Push your way into its…
Trattoria Otello alla Concordia
Tridente, Trevi & the Quirinale
Tucked back off the road, Otello offers summertime dining in the beautiful vine-covered courtyard of an 18th-century palazzo. Cuisine is traditional Roman…
Cremona
Centrale has been feeding happy diners since 1960, and the place has an appealingly old-fashioned feel. You'll often find locals playing card games in the…
Eastern Sardinia
Hidden away in an incongruous residential area (follow the numerous signs), this lemon-walled restaurant is the real McCoy for meat eaters. Stars of the…
Basilicata
The outdoor seating at this cafe in Maratea Borgo's central piazza is ideal for people-watching. The cafe serves snacks such as panini and crostata with…
San Polo & Santa Croce
Times and dining habits have changed since doges strained waistcoat buttons at neighbouring Palazzo Mocenigo: warm, homely Osteria Mocenigo offers casual…
Centro Storico
No-frills Sora Margherita started as a cheap kitchen for hungry locals but is now a popular trattoria frequented by everyone from local workers to…
Northwestern Sardinia
If you want lunch on the Isola dell'Asinara, book at this bar-restaurant near the jetty at Cala Reale. Run by a local cooperative, it's a modest set-up…
San Gimignano
There's nothing traditional about this newcomer to the San Gimignano dining scene. Located on the major pedestrian spine, it has an attractive modern…
Centro Storico
Hidden down a side street near the Pantheon, La Rosetta is one of the capital's best-known fish restaurants. There are various menu options but the onus…
Matera
This cavernous restaurant with sharp colour accents is a favourite with visitors to Matera, but we were slightly underwhelmed with the service on our last…
