Monti, Esquilino & San Lorenzo
The ‘White Hen’ is a friendly pizzeria restaurant amid the minefield of substandard eateries around Termini. Large and airy, it serves thick-crust…
Must-see restaurants in Italy
Eastern Sardinia
An excellent pizzeria/restaurant serving flavoursome pizzas and superb local vegetables and meats, such as cinghiale in umido (wild-boar stew) with olives…
Golfo di Orosei
This cafe-trattoria has two things going for it: first, a perfect location on Orosei's pretty main square; second, nonstop afternoon opening hours, so you…
Centro Storico
With its wood-beamed ceilings, rustic decor and enviable location on a medieval piazza, this tranquil trattoria sets an attractive stage for traditional…
Merano (Meran)
This big, bustling place does both pizza and a menu of traditional dishes, including good risottos and pastas. It's nestled away in what appears to be a…
Monti, Esquilino & San Lorenzo
As Roman as it gets, this is a small, spartan neighbourhood eatery complete with gingham paper tablecloths and a couple of outside tables. The food is…
Arezzo
The well-used cooking pots and baking trays displayed in the window signal that this is a homespun place and the menu bears this out, being dominated by…
Centro Storico
A slice of Vienna (and the US) comes to the Jewish Ghetto in the form of this small bakery specialising in delicious strudel and Sachertorte, as well as…
Turin
The Reggia di Venaria Reale’s ice-cream parlour is located in the Rose Garden in the 19th-century summerhouse. Choose from artisanal flavours and enjoy a…
Sulcis
La Cantina is a modest, one-room trattoria that spreads outdoors in summer, with white plastic tables on the pedestrianised street. Start off with a…
Venice
Cip Ciap was one of the first takeaway pizza parlours in Venice and the cooks here take their job seriously enough to dress in traditional chef’s whites…
Bolzano (Bozen)
This super-traditional place with two cosy wood-clad rooms has become the ironic favourite with Bolzano's cool kids. Come for all the South Tyrol…
Venice
Peckish night owls run out of options fast in Venice once restaurants close their kitchens around 10.30pm – but slices here are cheap and tasty, with a…
Pasticceria Gelateria Fiorelli
South Coast
With seats on a sunny beachside square, this laid-back cafe-cum-gelateria is well placed for a leisurely lunchtime bite or evening drink. The menu covers…
Cagliari
Waving the flag for gluten-free dining, Man.Gia does a roaring trade in pizzas, as well as serving a short menu of uncomplicated pastas and main courses…
Trastevere & Gianicolo
Popular and lively, this rustic, snug place has arched ceilings and an open kitchen that serves up typical pasta dishes such as fettucine con ricotta e…
Cilento Coast
Run by two brothers, this long-standing roadside restaurant is renowned for its top-notch seafood. Enjoy dishes such as risotto alla pescatora (fisher's…
Monti, Esquilino & San Lorenzo
Its location near local gathering spot Piazza della Madonna dei Monti means that this tiny gelateria does a roaring trade on summer evenings. The gelato…
Tropea
Pesce spada (swordfish) is a speciality on this part of the coast and it rates highly on the menu at this simple seafood place tucked away in the…
Sorrento
It’s too large and bright for a romantic dinner for two, but locals continue to recommend this place for its down-to-earth, well-prepared dishes,…
Southeastern Sardinia
This classic old-school pizzeria is a good bet for a simple no-frills meal. It's a casual set-up with outdoor seating and unremarkable decor but the wood…
Venice
One of six branches in Venice, this deli-style bakery serves up a tasty range of quality local street food such as pizza slices, filled rolls, grilled…
Portofino
Wander a block from the harbour and pizzas can be procured for under €10. You can also enjoy dishes such as octopus salad, vongole (clams) and Genovese…
Trastevere & Gianicolo
One of several Fatamorgana branches across Rome, this caters to fussy eaters, with gelatos seemingly free of everything: sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy…
Centro Storico
This is a textbook Roman trattoria: chequered tablecloths, dodgy wall murals and battle-hardened waiters delivering steaming bowls of down-to-earth pasta…
Lake Garda
The best ice cream in Bardolino has been scooped at this family-run parlour since 1969. Choose your flavour before joining the fast-moving queue as the…
Eastern Sardinia
It’s all about the food at this friendly, down-to-earth trattoria. Bag a table and you’re in for a treat – think fresh pastas, mains of grilled steak or…
Santa Croce
Dining at this Tuscan kitchen is more about location – within the city's historic, rejuvenated jail complex – than fine dining. Its summertime courtyard…
Rome
This small cafe in the heart of the Villa Borghese gardens makes a solid pit-stop on a stroll or bike ride for light snacks or a refreshment. There's…
Langhe, Roero & Monferrato
This lovely rustic dining room in Cherasco, with a shady terrace for summer days, specialises in dishes made with the town's signature produce, lumache …
Santa Croce
This tiny little chocolate shop in Santa Croce also sells chocolate gelato: go for the decadent white chocolate with wild strawberries, chocolate orange,…
Genoa
On agreeably shabby Piazza delle Erbe, this perennially popular gelateria snares late-night diners and boozers with an array of occasionally lurid…
Reggio Emilia
Spread out under the porticoes of a former convent, this relaxed but highly atmospheric restaurant serves reasonably priced set meals, including options…
Trieste
Brave the battalion of Illy-gulping locals at this cafe-bakery and try a slice of putizza or another Triestine speciality, most usually sold only as whole…
Western Sicily
A North African theme is evident in both menu and decor at this popular restaurant, which dishes up fish and chicken couscous beneath tented canopies in…
Perugia
Perugia's covered market was out of action at the time of research as renovation work continued. When it's back in business, stop by to buy fresh produce,…
Elba
Gelato, Sicilian-style granita (flavoured crushed ice) and even frozen yoghurt – this place is a showcase of quality iced confections but has a short…
Catania
Catanians of all ages – but especially students – flock here on weekend evenings, drawn by the pizzas, draft beer, cocktails and outdoor courtyard, shaded…
Eastern Tuscany
This old-fashioned dining experience cooks up traditional Tuscan beneath an atmospheric vaulted ceiling. Find it on a steep side street off Via Cesare…
Santa Margherita Ligure
Busy pasticceria (pastry shop) and cafe populated by locals who pop in for panini (€4.50), bruschetta and seasonal tarts, and linger with an espresso.
