Montepulciano
Located just below Montepulciano, overlooking the Renaissance splendour of the Chiesa di San Biago, the town's best restaurant serves traditional dishes…
Must-see restaurants in Italy
Calabria
In Terranova di Pollino, Luna Rossa is the highly esteemed restaurant of chef Federico Valicenti. Basilicatan cuisine is perfectly expressed in simple,…
Centro Storico
Offering brisk but friendly service, a contemporary vibe and excellent food, Emma is an all-round winner. Sit on the front terrace or in the airy interior…
Mediterranean Coast
One of Sicily's finest restaurants, double Michelin-starred La Madia is a labour of love for local-born chef Pino Cuttaia. It serves modern Sicilian…
Southern Tuscany
Mellow jazz plays on the soundtrack, art adorns every wall and the vibe is friendly at this hybrid cafe and enoteca (wine bar) on Sovana's main street…
South Coast
One of a string of seafood restaurants lined along the harbour front, this bustling trattoria is a real find. The menu is fixed but you won't be short of…
Sestri Levante
A cellar-like two-room restaurant beloved by locals, Osteria Mattana serves up hearty home-cooked dishes at outstanding prices. The chalkboard menu…
Procida
Hugely popular with locals, thanks to simple yet perfectly executed dishes like stuffed calamari and spaghetti alle vongole (spaghetti with clams). The…
Como
Atmosphere counts for a lot in this old stone-arched cafe-cum-bistro-cum–wine bar. Add mood lighting, mezzanine tables, and a trance-y music soundtrack to…
Venice
The sweetly singing birds in this campo (square) are probably angling for your leftovers, but they don’t stand a chance. Chef-owner Luciano and son Simone…
Central Coast & Elba
This wine-lined enoteca is a temple to taste, both gastronomic and oenological. Sassicaia is among dozens of local wines available to sample – some more…
Osteria La Taverna di San Giuseppe
Siena
Any restaurant specialising in beef, truffles and porcini mushrooms attracts our immediate attention, but not all deliver on their promise. Fortunately,…
Siena
Sauntering through Siena's historic centre is always more fun with a gelato in hand. Just ask one of the many locals who are regular customers at this…
Padua
Enter the blood-red, candlelit dining room of Padua's oldest tavern and you'll immediately be transported back to another era. Diners settle in at dark…
The Dolomites
Chef Franz Mulser gives new meaning to the tag ‘locally sourced’ at his mountain refuge (elevation 1930m) on the beautiful Alpe di Siusi. The butter and…
Bellagio
Most dishes at Slow Food–focused Da Abate feature fish that's been caught that day in the lake (the restaurant will only open if they've caught enough),…
Ischia
Safe in the hands of Mamma Tina, Casereccia delivers plenty of full-flavoured casereccia (homemade food). The very Ischian menu pushes seafood, doughy…
Elba
No resort-style glamour or pretension at this popular spaghetteria – just friendly down-to-earth service and exceptionally tasty seafood pasta served in a…
Naples
The giant fork and ladle hanging on the wall at this historic pizzeria were used by Sophia Loren in L'oro di Napoli, and the kitchen made the pizze fritte…
Frascati
One of Frascati's most renowned restaurants, Cacciani offers fine food and twinkling terrace views. The menu lists much-loved regional classics like…
Livorno
They've been in business since 1965, so the friendly Nardis know how to keep their customers happy. As much an enoteca (wine bar) as Slow Food–hailed…
Trapani
Unwaveringly authentic, this on-trend Slow Food favourite, squirrelled away down a sleepy side street, is the hotspot to feast on spicy couscous with…
Eastern Tuscany
Toscana Twist is a rare and wonderful breed in rural Tuscany, a contemporary bistro-cafe-wine bar hybrid serving creative Tuscan cuisine packed with fresh…
Milan
Having honed his skills at Michelin-starred St Hubertus in the Dolomites, chef Diego Rossi and blogger Peter Caroli now have their own restaurant. As the…
Duomo & San Babila
Located on the fourth floor of the Mercato del Duomo is chef Niko Romito’s low-key restaurant run by graduates of his culinary school in Abruzzo (where…
Siena
The epitome of refined Sienese dining, Da Enzo, as it is popularly called, welcomes guests with a complimentary glass of prosecco (sparkling wine) and…
Eastern Tuscany
This old-world eatery is a culinary joy. Trolleys laden with feisty joints of pork, beef stewed in chianti classico and roasted veal shank are pushed from…
Tyrrhenian Coast
Famous throughout Sicily for its delicious dishes featuring forest mushrooms and wild boar, Giuseppe Carollo's eatery deserves equal renown for its…
Reggio Calabria
One of the best restaurants in Reggio, serving maccheroni al ragù di maiale (handmade pasta with pork sauce) and involtini di vitello (veal rolls) in an…
Noto
Low-slung lamps spotlight linen-clad tables at Vicari, and rightfully so. In the kitchen is young-gun chef Salvatore Vicari, who thrills with his…
Ischia
In the long line of Ischia's portside eating establishments, the 'pink panther' might be the best. First, there's the owner, Amedeo, a skilled linguist…
Eastern Sardinia
Up in the village proper, this rustic restaurant serves hearty local fare such as roast veal, grilled pork chops and gnocchetti with saffron, mint and…
Milan
Street-food guru Giuseppe Zen has done it again with this spectacular cheese bar in the Mercato Comunale. Let them arrange a tasting plate of some of the…
San Gimignano
Nestled beneath the crumbling walls of the rocca, La Mandragola (The Mandrake) is deservedly popular – book ahead, especially if you're keen to dine in…
Elba
The philosophy here is laudable: use fresh local produce (organic where possible), ensure that the flavours are as natural as possible, and serve the…
The Veneto
If ever there was a table with a view, the dining room of Due Mori provides it, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Asolo and the layered Veneto…
Ascoli Piceno
This welcoming spot is a great example of what Italy does so well: a casual, friendly restaurant, in this case decorated with white arches and bright…
Alghero
Cool, casual dining in a stylish centro storico setting – with blond-wood decor and low sandstone arches – is what La Botteghina is all about. In keeping…
Porta Garibaldi & Isola
Luca Catalfamo's second ramen restaurant really is super. Not least because you can book a seat here. His velvety-smooth ramen is still the highlight, but…
San Teodoro
A genuine slice of rustic island life, Li Mori dishes up a generous spread of Sardinian dishes in a convivial farm setting. Loosen a belt notch for…
