Italian cuisine.
Start with a taste.

WHAT TO EAT

Local dishes, explained.

These are specialties from our featured city guides. Regional styles and availability vary.

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Supplì

Fried rice croquette with a melting cheese centre; fillings vary.

Planning estimate: €2–5

Where to look: Trapizzino and pizza counters

Find Supplì in Rome ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Pizza al taglio

Rectangular pizza sold by weight; choose a small piece before adding more.

Planning estimate: €5–12 for a light portion

Where to look: Pizzarium, Via della Meloria 43

Find Pizza al taglio in Rome ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Carbonara

Pasta with egg, pecorino and cured pork; confirm ingredients for dietary needs.

Planning estimate: €13–22

Where to look: Roman trattorias

Find Carbonara in Rome ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Cacio e pepe

Pasta with pecorino and black pepper.

Planning estimate: €12–20

Where to look: Roman trattorias

Find Cacio e pepe in Rome ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Maritozzo

Sweet bun typically filled with whipped cream.

Planning estimate: €3–6

Where to look: Roman pastry shops

Find Maritozzo in Rome ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Lampredotto

Slow-cooked cow’s stomach served in a bread roll with sauce.

Planning estimate: €6–9

Where to look: Trippai around San Lorenzo and Sant’Ambrogio

Find Lampredotto in Florence ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Ribollita

Thick Tuscan bread, bean and vegetable soup.

Planning estimate: €10–16

Where to look: Tuscan trattorias

Find Ribollita in Florence ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Pappa al pomodoro

Tomato-and-bread soup with olive oil.

Planning estimate: €9–15

Where to look: Tuscan kitchens

Find Pappa al pomodoro in Florence ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Bistecca alla fiorentina

Thick grilled steak, usually shared; agree weight and total price first.

Planning estimate: €60–100 per kg

Where to look: Steak-focused Tuscan restaurants

Find Bistecca alla fiorentina in Florence ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Schiacciata

Flat Tuscan bread, often filled as a sandwich.

Planning estimate: €6–12

Where to look: Bakeries and sandwich shops

Find Schiacciata in Florence ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Cicchetti

Small bar snacks with changing toppings and preparations.

Planning estimate: €2–5 each

Where to look: Bacari in Cannaregio and San Polo

Find Cicchetti in Venice ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Sarde in saor

Sardines with sweet-and-sour onion marinade.

Planning estimate: €10–18

Where to look: Traditional Venetian kitchens

Find Sarde in saor in Venice ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Baccalà mantecato

Whipped fish preparation, often on bread or polenta.

Planning estimate: €3–6 per small bite

Where to look: Bacari and Venetian restaurants

Find Baccalà mantecato in Venice ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Bigoli in salsa

Thick pasta with an onion-and-fish sauce.

Planning estimate: €14–23

Where to look: Venetian trattorias

Find Bigoli in salsa in Venice ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Fegato alla veneziana

Liver with onions, traditionally served with polenta.

Planning estimate: €20–30

Where to look: Osteria Al Bacareto

Find Fegato alla veneziana in Venice ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Neapolitan-style pizza

Soft-centred pizza associated with the surrounding Campania region.

Planning estimate: €7–13

Where to look: Pompei pizzerias

Find Neapolitan-style pizza in Pompeii ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Sfogliatella

Shell-shaped pastry with a layered or shortcrust exterior and ricotta filling.

Planning estimate: €3–5

Where to look: Pasticceria De Vivo

Find Sfogliatella in Pompeii ↗Find Sfogliatella in Naples ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Babà

Syrup-soaked cake, traditionally containing rum.

Planning estimate: €3–6

Where to look: Campanian pastry shops

Find Babà in Pompeii ↗Find Babà in Naples ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Gnocchi alla sorrentina

Potato dumplings baked with tomato and cheese.

Planning estimate: €10–17

Where to look: Campanian restaurants

Find Gnocchi alla sorrentina in Pompeii ↗Find Gnocchi alla sorrentina in Sorrento ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Mozzarella di bufala

Buffalo-milk cheese; ask about portion size and provenance.

Planning estimate: €8–15

Where to look: Delis and regional restaurants

Find Mozzarella di bufala in Pompeii ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Pizza napoletana

Soft, raised-rim pizza; margherita and marinara make useful first comparisons.

Editorial planning allowance: €6–12; verify current menu.

Where to look: Da Michele or Sorbillo

Find Pizza napoletana in Naples ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Pizza fritta

Fried filled pizza; a rich meal rather than a tiny snack.

Editorial planning allowance: €5–10; verify current menu.

Where to look: La Masardona

Find Pizza fritta in Naples ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Cuoppo

Paper cone of fried bites; contents can be seafood or vegetable-based. Ask before ordering.

Editorial planning allowance: €5–10; verify current menu.

Where to look: Historic-centre fried-food counters

Find Cuoppo in Naples ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Risotto alla milanese

Creamy saffron rice, often enriched with marrow or meat stock; ask about the stock if avoiding meat.

Check the current menu; no exact dish price verified.

Where to look: Ask Ratanà or Masuelli about today’s version.

Find Risotto alla milanese in Milan ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Cotoletta alla milanese

Breaded veal cutlet, traditionally cooked in butter; portion size and bone-in preparation vary.

Check the current menu; no exact dish price verified.

Where to look: Traditional Milanese trattorias such as Masuelli; confirm the menu.

Find Cotoletta alla milanese in Milan ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Ossobuco

Slow-cooked veal shank with marrow, often finished with gremolata and paired with saffron risotto.

Check the current menu; no exact dish price verified.

Where to look: A Milanese trattoria’s current regional menu.

Find Ossobuco in Milan ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Mondeghili

Milanese meatballs drawing on cooked meat and bread, fried for a crisp exterior.

Check the current menu; no exact dish price verified.

Where to look: Ask Ratanà about its current Milanese dishes.

Find Mondeghili in Milan ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Panettone

A tall enriched bread with candied fruit and raisins, strongly associated with Milan’s Christmas season.

Check the current menu; no exact dish price verified.

Where to look: Artisan bakeries and pastry shops; ask about fresh seasonal batches.

Find Panettone in Milan ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Agnolotti del plin

Small pinched parcels of filled pasta from Piedmont; fillings and serving sauces vary.

Check the current menu; no exact dish price verified.

Where to look: Ask Scannabue or Porto di Savona about the current pasta menu.

Find Agnolotti del plin in Turin ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Vitello tonnato

Thin veal slices with a creamy tuna-based sauce, normally a cold starter.

Check the current menu; no exact dish price verified.

Where to look: A regional restaurant such as Consorzio or Scannabue; check the day’s version.

Find Vitello tonnato in Turin ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Bagna cauda

A hot anchovy and garlic dip served with vegetables; a substantial seasonal social dish.

Check the current menu; no exact dish price verified.

Where to look: Ask a traditional piola in advance; winter availability is more likely.

Find Bagna cauda in Turin ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Bonèt

A Piedmontese cocoa and amaretti pudding, often with caramel; recipes may contain alcohol.

Check the current menu; no exact dish price verified.

Where to look: Traditional restaurants’ dessert menus.

Find Bonèt in Turin ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Bicerin

A layered hot drink combining coffee, chocolate and cream; sip without stirring if following the café tradition.

Check the current menu; no exact dish price verified.

Where to look: Caffè Al Bicerin, Piazza della Consolata 5.

Find Bicerin in Turin ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Tagliatelle al ragù

Fresh egg-pasta ribbons served with a slow-cooked meat sauce; Bologna’s classic version uses tagliatelle rather than spaghetti.

Check the current menu; no exact dish price verified.

Where to look: Trattoria Anna Maria or Sfoglia Rina; check today’s menu.

Find Tagliatelle al ragù in Bologna ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Tortellini in brodo

Small filled pasta parcels traditionally served in broth; the filling commonly contains several pork products and cheese.

Check the current menu; no exact dish price verified.

Where to look: A traditional trattoria or fresh-pasta kitchen.

Find Tortellini in brodo in Bologna ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Lasagne verdi

Layers of green spinach egg pasta, ragù and béchamel; a rich baked main course.

Check the current menu; no exact dish price verified.

Where to look: Ask Sfoglia Rina or Anna Maria about availability.

Find Lasagne verdi in Bologna ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Mortadella Bologna

A finely textured cooked pork sausage, eaten thinly sliced or in a simple sandwich.

Check the current menu; no exact dish price verified.

Where to look: A Quadrilatero salumeria or an Osteria Bottega salumi selection.

Find Mortadella Bologna in Bologna ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Crescentine with salumi

Puffy fried dough served with cured meats and often soft cheese; ask what the board includes.

Check the current menu; no exact dish price verified.

Where to look: Traditional kitchens and salumerie; compare portion sizes before ordering.

Find Crescentine with salumi in Bologna ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Risotto all’Amarone

Rice cooked with the Valpolicella red wine for a deep, rich risotto; minimum orders may apply.

Check the current menu; no exact dish price verified.

Where to look: Ask Antica Bottega del Vino or a traditional Veronese restaurant about today’s menu.

Find Risotto all’Amarone in Verona ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Bollito with pearà

Boiled meats accompanied by a peppery bread-based sauce; ask about the meats and stock used.

Check the current menu; no exact dish price verified.

Where to look: Traditional Veronese kitchens; ask Al Bersagliere about seasonal availability.

Find Bollito with pearà in Verona ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Pastissada de caval

Horse meat slowly cooked in red wine and spices, often served with polenta.

Check the current menu; no exact dish price verified.

Where to look: A traditional Veronese trattoria; confirm the menu and meat before ordering.

Find Pastissada de caval in Verona ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Gnocchi di patate

Soft potato dumplings associated with local carnival tradition, served with various sauces.

Check the current menu; no exact dish price verified.

Where to look: Ask Al Bersagliere or another traditional kitchen about the day’s sauce.

Find Gnocchi di patate in Verona ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Pandoro / Nadalin

Verona’s enriched festive breads: pandoro is tall and star-shaped, while Nadalin is its older local relative.

Check the current menu; no exact dish price verified.

Where to look: Veronese pastry shops; look for artisan seasonal batches.

Find Pandoro / Nadalin in Verona ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Cecina

A thin baked chickpea-flour pancake, often eaten on its own or tucked into focaccia.

Check the current menu; availability varies.

Where to look: Il Montino; ask what has just come from the oven.

Find Cecina in Pisa ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Bordatino alla pisana

A hearty cornmeal, bean and greens soup from Pisan home cooking.

Check the current menu; availability varies.

Where to look: Ask traditional kitchens such as da Stelio about the day’s menu.

Find Bordatino alla pisana in Pisa ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Peposo di Mucco Pisano

Peppery slow-cooked local beef, a substantial Tuscan main.

Check the current menu; availability varies.

Where to look: Osteria in Domo lists its Mucco Pisano interpretation.

Find Peposo di Mucco Pisano in Pisa ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Torta coi bischeri

A chocolate and rice tart with pine nuts, raisins and candied fruit, associated with the villages around Pisa.

Check the current menu; availability varies.

Where to look: Ask city pastry shops for a fresh slice; it is not guaranteed daily.

Find Torta coi bischeri in Pisa ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Panzanella

A Tuscan bread salad built around ripe tomatoes and seasonal vegetables; recipes vary.

Check the current menu; availability varies.

Where to look: Traditional seasonal menus; Osteria in Domo also presents a seafood variation.

Find Panzanella in Pisa ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Arancine

Fried rice balls with fillings such as ragù or butter-style ham and cheese; Palermo uses the feminine name.

Check the current menu; availability varies.

Where to look: Ke Palle or I Cuochini; check each filling.

Find Arancine in Palermo ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Pane câ meusa

A sesame roll filled with spleen and lung; versions may add cheese.

Check the current menu; availability varies.

Where to look: Antica Focacceria San Francesco.

Find Pane câ meusa in Palermo ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Panelle e crocchè

Chickpea fritters and potato croquettes, eaten alone or in a bread roll.

Check the current menu; availability varies.

Where to look: Ke Palle or a dedicated friggitoria; ask about shared frying oil.

Find Panelle e crocchè in Palermo ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Pasta con le sarde

Pasta with sardines and wild fennel, often with raisins, pine nuts and breadcrumbs.

Check the current menu; availability varies.

Where to look: Antica Focacceria San Francesco lists pasta chi sardi.

Find Pasta con le sarde in Palermo ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Anelletti al forno

Small pasta rings baked with ragù, peas and cheese; a filling lunch rather than a light snack.

Check the current menu; availability varies.

Where to look: Antica Focacceria San Francesco.

Find Anelletti al forno in Palermo ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Cannelloni

Filled pasta tubes baked with sauce, closely associated with the town’s historic restaurant tradition.

Check the current menu; availability varies.

Where to look: ’O Parrucchiano highlights its historic cannelloni.

Find Cannelloni in Sorrento ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Delizia al limone

A dome of sponge cake with lemon cream and lemon glaze; some versions include limoncello.

Check the current menu; availability varies.

Where to look: Central pastry shops or restaurant dessert menus; ask about alcohol if relevant.

Find Delizia al limone in Sorrento ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Spaghetti alle vongole

Pasta with clams, olive oil and parsley, a coastal Campanian staple.

Check the current menu; availability varies.

Where to look: Ask Marina Grande seafood kitchens such as da Emilia for the current preparation.

Find Spaghetti alle vongole in Sorrento ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Pizza sorrentina

A local peninsula pizza tradition, commonly using fiordilatte and local tomato; each kitchen has its style.

Check the current menu; availability varies.

Where to look: Town pizzerias; ask for the Sorrentine version rather than assuming every pizza is identical.

Find Pizza sorrentina in Sorrento ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Risotto con pesce persico

Risotto topped with butter-cooked perch fillets, a classic of the lake’s food tradition.

Check the current menu; availability varies.

Where to look: Ask traditional city restaurants such as Sociale whether it is on the current menu.

Find Risotto con pesce persico in Como ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Missoltini con polenta

Preserved dried agone fish, often grilled and paired with polenta; strongly savoury and distinctive.

Check the current menu; availability varies.

Where to look: Ask a Como kitchen with a lake-fish menu; availability is not guaranteed at every restaurant.

Find Missoltini con polenta in Como ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Lavarello

Freshwater whitefish prepared simply or in a marinated carpione style.

Check the current menu; availability varies.

Where to look: Ask Como seafood restaurants specifically for lake fish, since a seafood menu may focus on the sea.

Find Lavarello in Como ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Polenta

Cornmeal served soft or grilled with fish, cheese or slow-cooked meat; a staple linking lake and mountain cooking.

Check the current menu; availability varies.

Where to look: Traditional restaurants and seasonal menus in the city.

Find Polenta in Como ↗

LOCAL SPECIALTY

Alborelle fritte

Small lake fish fried until crisp; a traditional preparation whose availability depends on the catch.

Check the current menu; availability varies.

Where to look: Ask a lake-fish kitchen for the day’s local catch and portion style.

Find Alborelle fritte in Como ↗

GO STRAIGHT TO THE TABLE

Find restaurants by city.

Different places. Different flavours.

Compare the specialties and food neighbourhoods in our featured destinations. This is a starting selection, rather than a complete map of every regional cuisine.

Plan your food budget.

Examples from the city guides below. Planning estimates are per dish or stated portion, not a full-day allowance. Check service charges, drinks and current menus separately.