Sorrento
This so-called 'water and salt' restaurant with a dazzling blue-and-white interior is right next to the ferry terminal. Seafood here is worth getting…
Must-see restaurants in Italy
Naples
While this place lacks the waterfront views of its neighbours, it also lacks the dated kitsch. Furthermore, both the chef and sommelier hail from Naples'…
Positano
Dining at Max's is like dining in the stately home of an aristocratic friend – a room stuffed with art, statuettes, rich carpets and literary tomes. Not…
Spoleto
Forget studying the menu – just go for one of the tasting menus and loosen a belt notch in readiness for dish after delectable dish. This is home cooking…
Southern Rome
This easy-going cafe, restaurant and wine bar hybrid was once a bakery, hence the name (‘double zero’ is a type of flour). These days it attracts trendy…
Procida
Enjoying a quaint harbour view that has adorned many a guidebook, La Lampara looks down on Procida's agreeably lived-in marina from its seagull's-eye…
Palermo
If you're serious about wood-fired pie, book at least two days ahead at what many consider to be the best pizzeria in town. The puffy, Neapolitan-style…
Peschici
Superb views of the ocean drop away from the floor-to-ceiling windows beside intimate alcove tables at this adventurous and stylish clifftop restaurant…
Treviso
No one should leave Treviso without savouring an award-winning gelato by Stefano Dassie, one of Italy's top gelatisti. The Dassie family has a 45-year…
Trapani
Grandly set on the coastal walkway atop the old city walls, this casual eatery sports brilliant sea views with not a car in sight. Potted plants suspended…
Positano
Local produce and polished takes on tradition underscore sophisticated Next2. Standouts include the signature conchiglioni ripieni di ragù alla bolognese…
Genoa
In 2019 a gourmet food hall landed in Genoa's oldest market, offering nearly a dozen different stands. You can dine on wood-oven-fired pizzas, pastas,…
Catania
Clued-in Al Vicolo wears several hats well: bustling pizzeria, gourmet deli and designer bistro. The competent pizzas are huge, with a signature bordo…
Vatican City, Borgo & Prati
The romantic art nouveau Villa Laetitia provides an aristocratic setting for this refined Michelin-starred restaurant. It's a solid member in good…
Todi
Wine lovers are in their element at this slick wine bar, where Umbrian and Tuscan wines are perfectly matched with delicious tasting platters of salumi e…
Trapani
Fresh fish rules the menu at this fabulous family-run spot two blocks from the port, which markets itself very much as 'la casa del cuscus trapanese' (the…
Milan
Those hankering for home-cooking by a real Italian nonna need look no further. In a rustic farmhouse in the gritty Corvetto area, Signora Isa cooks up…
Venice
Fashioned from an old deli, Marco Ginepri’s cool cichetteria serves accomplished food and excellent Veneto wines by the glass. Gourmet cicheti (Venetian…
Bologna
This lively, eco-focused Saturday market is a wonderful spot to escape fellow tourists and wander among booths of craft beer, wine, artisanal cheeses,…
Western Sicily
For tasty, reasonably priced food near the ruins, hit this low-key beach eatery, rocking it on the sand since 1969. Affable long-time owner Jòjò welcomes…
Western Sicily
Favignana's favourite spot for a romantic dinner, Sotto Sale caters to a sophisticated crowd with beautifully presented nouvelle Sicilian cuisine. Savour…
Como
When the (acclaimed) specialities of the house all involve truffles, you know you're onto a good thing. They're all over the menu here, including truffles…
Brescia
Near the Piazza della Loggia, La Vineria serves up delectable regional cuisine at al fresco tables under a portico or in a classy dining room with vaulted…
Milan
Il Baretto's cosy, clubby atmosphere and top-notch, no-nonsense Milanese menu keep its wood-panelled dining rooms packed with silver-haired foxes and…
Naples
Fine-dining, beachside Petrucci excites palates with unexpected takes on Italian traditions. Here, 'lasagna' might mean mozzarella with raw prawn and…
Venice
This historic Venetian bakery-cafe sparkles with mirrors, marble and metal trim, fitting for the pastries displayed within. Despite the perpetual morning…
Merano (Meran)
Andrea Fenoglio is one of the region's best-loved chefs and his big personality fills this small early 20th-century room. The food here is inventive, for…
Sorrento
Casual Da Franco's long wooden tables are rarely short of customers, many of them here for the superlative pizza. Served in tin trays, it's made the…
Naples
A veritable porthole to Sicily, this takeaway stand peddles authentic island street food. Savoury bites include various types of arancini (deep-fried rice…
Orta San Giulio
Cross the threshold from the sunny street to the dark stone and wood interior of this suitably lived-in old cantina where a bar the size of a residential…
Lake Como
Set along a narrow pedestrian lane in the upper part of Varenna, Il Cavatappi is an intimate spot with just seven tables set amid arched ceilings and…
Turin
At this Quadrilatero Romano institution, it can be almost impossible to secure a table. Do book ahead, don't expect flash decor and pay the not-always…
Cilento Coast
Located across from the beach in the pretty southernmost part of Santa Maria, popular Arlecchino has picture windows overlooking the small sweep of sand…
Abruzzo
You could easily walk right past this restaurant; it doesn’t brag about its existence. Instead, its reputation is carried by word of mouth – which in…
Palermo
All clean lines, timber panels and tinted mirrors, intimate, family-run Ferro wouldn't look out of place in London or Sydney. Whether you're savouring a…
Perugia
Buried under the Cinema Zenith, Perugia's oldest cinema, this local favourite draws a savvy alternative crowd. In keeping with the art-house atmosphere,…
Syracuse
This friendly, family-run spot made its name serving delicious couscous, but chef-owner Kamel also knows his way around a fish − the must-try fritto misto…
Tridente, Trevi & the Quirinale
Beloved of locals and tourists alike, this bustling place in Trevi is everything an Italian trattoria should be. Order an antipasto or pasta (excellent)…
Western Sicily
Just north of the hydrofoil dock, this family-run waterfront eatery is a seafood-lover's fantasy. Chef-owner Peppe Bevilacqua goes to the market daily,…
Ischia
For 80 years lucky diners have been watching the sun set at this terraced restaurant by the Spanish mission–style Soccorso church in Forio. Pick between a…
