A Tavola! Italy’s best dishes and where to find them

If you've seen Eat Pray Love, you’ll know that Italians eat with passion, pleasure and a deep appreciation for Dolce Far Niente – the sweetness of doing nothing. 

Here, food is serious business. It’s lunches that stretch into long afternoons, heated debates over the perfect pasta shape, perfectly timed spritzes and never questioning Nonna’s way of making sauce.

From Sicilian seafood to truffle-laced dishes in Tuscany, this is our guide to eating your way through Italy, one ridiculously good bite at a time.

The Amalfi Coast: lemons in the limelight

In Sorrento and along the winding cliffside roads of Amalfi, the scent of citrus lingers in the air and nearly every dish gets a sun-kissed twist. Ice-cold limoncello is sipped on sun-drenched terraces, seafood spaghetti is brightened with a squeeze of fresh lemon and desserts like delizia al Limone – a cloud-like lemon sponge cake – showcase the fruit’s tangy sweetness.

Try and taste: Visit the Amalfi Lemon Experience, where you can stroll through centuries-old lemon groves and sample everything from just-picked lemons (skin and all!) to artisanal limoncello.

Naples: the birthplace of pizza

Pizza is a national treasure in Italy. And in Naples, where it all began, it’s practically a religion. Forget thick crusts, pineapple toppings or overloaded slices – true Pizza Napoletana is a work of art, recognized by UNESCO as part of the world’s intangible cultural heritage.

Baked in a blistering-hot wood-fired oven, its crust is perfectly charred yet pillowy-soft, light enough to eat an entire pie in one sitting. The toppings? Strictly the holy trinity: San Marzano tomatoes, creamy buffalo mozzarella and fragrant basil. It must be devoured immediately – no knife and fork, no overloading and definitely no leftovers.

Try and taste: For the ultimate pizza pilgrimage, head to L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele, Naples' most legendary pizzeria. To skip the long queues, grab a seat at the bar across the street, order a drink, and have a fresh pizza delivered to your table within minutes.

Sicily: street food delights

Sicilian food is unapologetically indulgent, with street food at its heart. At stalls where food is fried to perfection and served with a smile, you’ll find arancini, golden-crisp risotto balls stuffed with ragu, cheese or pistachios. If you love seafood, order Pasta alla Norma or twirl forkfuls of pasta con le sarde, an umami-rich dish of sardines, fennel and pine nuts. And no trip to Sicily is complete without cannoli – crispy shells filled with sweet ricotta, citrus and dark chocolate chips.

Try and taste: Join a cooking class in Taormina. Start with a market visit to select fresh ingredients, then head to a local restaurant where a chef will guide you through making handmade pasta.

Sardinia: the Mediterranean diet

Sardinia is one of the world’s few Blue Zones, where people live longer than almost anywhere else – thanks, in part, to what’s on their plate. The island’s traditional diet is rich in antioxidant-packed foods like wild greens, olive oil and a daily glass of Cannonau, the local red wine linked to longevity. Meals here are simple but full of flavour – almonds, fava beans and chickpeas are all staples.

By the coast, seafood takes the spotlight with fregola with clams, grilled lobster and bottarga (cured fish roe) sprinkled over pasta or crisp bread.

Try and taste: Try the delicious seafood at L’ea Bianca Luxury Resort; Lunaria Restaurant serves up sea views and Sardinian classics along with perfectly-paired vintage wines.

Tuscany: truffles & steak

Rural Tuscany is all rolling hills, rustic charm and ruby red wine. Vineyards stretch as far as the eye can see, producing robust Chianti and velvety Brunello di Montalcino, best enjoyed with the region’s hearty dishes. Meals here are simple yet indulgent – classics are pici cacio e pepe, ribollita (a slow-simmered bread soup) and thick-cut Bistecca alla Fiorentina, a steak so big, it’s made for sharing.

If you visit in autumn, truffle season is in full swing. Head to San Miniato or the Mugello for truffle hunts, where skilled dogs sniff out these earthy treasures before they’re shaved over fresh pasta or eggs.

Try and taste: At Castello di Casole, A Belmond Hotel, join an expert guide and a truffle-hunting dog to unearth Tuscany’s prized tubers. And if you’re up for more culinary adventures, take part in complimentary focaccia-making and Negroni-mixing sessions.

The Italian Lakes: freshwater flavours

Surrounded by alpine peaks and glassy waters, the Italian Lakes are a feast for the eyes – and the food is just as spectacular. Menus at breezy lakeside trattorias feature lake fish, mountain cheeses and buttery risottos.

Dig into bigoli con le sarde on Lake Garda or missoltino (salted lake fish) in Como. For something sweet to finish, try Torta di Nocciole (hazelnut cake) or a slice of Miascia, a fruit-studded bread pudding best enjoyed with a lakeside espresso.

Try and taste: Grab a table at Locanda La Tirlindana, a hidden gem on Lake Como known for its fresh lavarello.

Rome: the city of pasta purists

There’s no messing around with pasta in Rome – it’s a dish of devotion and four iconic dishes reign supreme. Cacio e Pepe is pasta in its purest form: just pecorino, black pepper and starchy pasta water swirled into a silky sauce.

Carbonara is indulgent but never heavy, made the Roman way – guanciale, egg yolk, pecorino and absolutely no cream. Amatriciana turns up the heat with tomato, guanciale and a kick of chilli, while Gricia, the lesser-known but equally beloved classic, skips the tomato for a salty, glossy finish. And if you need a break from pasta (but really, do you?), Saltimbocca alla Romana – veal wrapped in prosciutto and sage – is a dish worth making an exception for.

Try and taste: Head to the Garbatella neighbourhood where locals outnumber tourists and no-frills trattorias keep things simple – just perfect plates of pasta served the way they’ve been for generations.

Venice: small bites and spritz o’clock

Venice is all about cicchetti, bite-sized snacks served in buzzy bacari (wine bars). Think tiny plates of baccalà mantecato (creamy salt cod on toasted bread), sarde in saor (sweet-and-sour sardines) and fried zucchini blossoms. Risotto, not pasta, is king here. Try Risotto al Nero di Seppia, a jet-black squid ink risotto with deep intensity. And of course, Venice is where the Spritz was born – Aperol, prosecco, soda and a sunset over the canals.

Try and taste: Eat like a Venetian on a street food tour through the city's hidden corners. Wander through the Rialto Market, sip wine at a local bacaro and hop a gondola across the Grand Canal to explore San Polo’s secret laneways.

This feature was created on 19th February 2025. The information within this feature is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. Feature by Heather Flanagan.