Portofino
Puny's harbourside location is the one you've come to Portofino for and the owners treat everyone like they're a visiting celeb. The food sticks loyally…
Must-see restaurants in Italy
Northwestern Sardinia
Dine on fresh fish and seafood at this idyllically sited restaurant on the Spiaggia La Speranza, a popular beach 8km south of Alghero. If coming in winter…
Riomaggiore
There are always lots of tourists here but you won't feel like one as the service is so genuinely personable. Fish dishes predominate, though the pizza…
Abruzzo
An old-fashioned deli in Guardiagrele's historic centre, this is a great place for a doorstopper panino (filled bread) and regional delicacies – honey,…
Reggio Calabria
The most popular gelateria in town is in a modest green kiosk at the end of the lungomare. Try the subtle citrus zing of the bergamotto flavour,…
Emilia-Romagna
A fun restaurant and bar open for food and drinks on Fridays and weekends right at the foot of Pietra di Bismantova. As one might expect, it's a hiker…
Ravenna
Ravenna's only historic covered market, dating to 1921, is scheduled to re-open in late 2019 transformed into a food hall of restaurants, wine bars and…
Lucca
Join the crowd queuing in front of this excellent bakery to purchase fresh-from-the-oven pizza and focaccia with a variety of fillings and toppings. It’s…
Portofino
A fashionable restaurant overlooking the port, Caffè Excelsior is a good perch with romantic outdoor booths – where Greta Garbo used to hide behind dark…
Northwestern Sardinia
Watch the boats bob by as you dig into reliably good pizzas and crowd-pleasing surf-and-turf dishes at Lu Fanali, a popular, unbuttoned kind of place with…
Cilento Coast
This humble beachside eatery is run by a fishing family that still plies the waters in winter. Expect the freshest grilled fish: sea bream, sea bass,…
Lake Iseo
When peckish in Iseo you could always do what the locals do: grab a huge but supremely thin and crispy pizza from this bustling takeaway, then stroll a…
Southern Tuscany
This store opposite the park's Alberese visitor centre stocks a range of groceries, wine and local produce. It also sells panini and pizza slices. Coffee…
Rome
Dolce, a charming cake and pie shop, offers exquisitely crafted sweets, from muffins to seasonal fruit-inspired cakes. A tiny clutch of vintage tables…
Genoa
Punt a football anywhere in Genoa and you’re bound to hit somewhere that sells focaccia. This focacceria sells a huge range of focaccia slices, pizza,…
Northwestern Sardinia
In Sennori, off the main Sassari road above the historic centre, is this great place to sample the local wine and delicious fresh seafood. Particularly…
Alba
Young chef Andrea Larossa has been wowing them from this unusual basement space for a few years now. This is Italian gastronomy with all its flourishes…
Naples
This popular pizzeria makes for a handy back-up plan if your pizzeria of choice is booked out. The pizzas are more than decent and there's warm-weather al…
Isola Maddalena
Sardinian home cooking is on the menu at bistro-style Sottovento, a short stroll north of the harbour. Go for seafood antipasti, handmade pasta and fresh…
The Dolomites
Despite the German name, this cellar hideaway embraces all things Italian, and makes what many consider the best pizza in all of Val Pusteria. It fills up…
Siena
Close to the Campo, this popular bakery and cafe offers filled panini and slices of pizza to take away, as well as pizzas and cheap meal deals to enjoy at…
Verona
Old-fashioned bakery and deli selling everything from wine to pasta by weight, to the finest of desserts and miniature pastries. Grab a slice of takeaway…
Southeastern Sardinia
On the main road through Muravera, you can get a decent bite at Ristorante Pizzeria Su Nuraxi. It’s a relaxed, modern-styled place good for seafood,…
Southern Tuscany
When strolling through the city centre, consider popping into this family-run gelateria to source a sweet treat: gelato, frozen yoghurt, smoothies and…
Tridente, Trevi & the Quirinale
Ambrosial flavours abound at this artisanal gelateria near the Spanish Steps, all made using the finest seasonal ingredients. There are several other…
Marsala
With outdoor tables on Marsala’s main pedestrian thoroughfare, this lively restaurant and wine bar serves pizzas, over 150 different wines and an…
Friuli Venezia Giulia
A historic restaurant that fires up the 'fogolar friulano', a slow-burning stove, and serves up venison, mushroom or radicchio risotto and other hearty…
Tropea
Recommended by the locals, this restaurant in a smartly whitewashed cellar in the old town has a romantic ambience, candlelit tables and a solid…
Centro Storico
This unmarked gelateria on the main drag in the Jewish Ghetto has a small but tasty selection of kosher ice creams, ranging from dark chocolate to zingy…
Aosta
You might be lured here by the pizza (which is good), but you'll stay on for the atmosphere, with convivial staff, happy locals and a wonderful position…
Promontorio del Gargano
The 'Tavern of the Wolf' is located in a large exposed-brick cellar with jaunty tablecloths and an enthusiastic young staff. The crispy wood-fired pizzas…
Ischia
Technically a bar close to the port; in reality, it's better known as a prime gelato spot. According to some residents, it's the best ice-cream parlour on…
Friuli Venezia Giulia
No visit to Gorizia would be complete without tasting the town's signature pastry, gubana, a fat snail of shortcrust filled with nuts, sultanas and spices.
Calabria
Providing an elegant upper town alternative to the cafes and restaurants in Chianalea, this 2018 opening comes recommended by locals for its excellent…
Rome
With rustic, delicious, no-nonsense pizza by the slice (changing daily), this hole-in-the-wall shop is always packed at lunch with local workers noshing.
Val d'Orcia
The pretty terrace at this wine bar next to the historic gate is a popular spot for lunch, a merende (afternoon snack) or aperitivo.
Costa Smeralda
In the seafront arcade, this central cafe is a popular meeting point and good for a quick bruschetta at lunchtime and live music and drinks by night.
Turin
This happy, pretty pizzeria set in an old glassworks does Sicilian-style pizza using good-quality ingredients, along with rather fancy desserts.
Centro Storico
This branch of local institution Ba'Ghetto specialises in fish- and dairy-based dishes, including pizza.
San Gimignano
Enjoy a coffee or a light lunch and glass of Vernaccia at one of the pavement tables at this long-standing favourite near the duomo.
