There is a reason why Italian food has invaded most countries and not just invaded, but stayed and has become a major staple in just about every country and every continent. Think about it —if you are a seasoned traveller — the one thing you can find just about everywhere is a good old pizza and pasta in just about every store and fast food joint!
But there are so many more delicious Italian foods — pizza and pasta are simply the Michael and Janet Jackson and the rest of the Italian food dishes the Jackson 5 — equally as delicious and deserving of attention. Italian food and desserts (think gelato) have a deep history and roots in so many regions of Italy and if you are going to Italy and want to eat your way through it — you want to make sure you get the dishes where they are understood and made best.
If there’s one dish that can sum up the essence of Italian food — pasta. This famous Italian food is the cornerstone of Italian cuisine and it serves as a base for many flavours and textures. Dishes like carbonara, cacio e pepe and lasagna are not plates of food; they’re works of art and masterpieces that won the hearts of people from all over the world. When it comes to naming the best Italian food, pasta should be at the tippy-top of that list!
Carbonara pasta — with its rich, egg-based sauce, guanciale and pecorino cheese — is the ultimate comfort food.
Then there’s cacio e pepe, a Roman dish that embodies the three-ingredient cooking process. All that you need is pasta, Pecorino Romano cheese and black pepper. All you need are fresh and high-quality ingredients and you now have a dish with deep flavours. That’s what Italy is all about!
Let’s not forget lasagna, a rich and heavy pasta that is layered with more pasta, meat sauce, béchamel and cheese. Each place in Italy has its own variation of lasagna. Exploring lasagna as you travel around Italy will be a fun and flavorful experience.
If it’s a palate adventure that you’re looking for, then you should join an organised tour in the Dolomites and head up North to the Dolomites, up the stunning mountain views. There, you’ll find all sorts of pasta and Italian dishes that differ from the common Italian cuisine. Apart from its breathtaking landscapes, the Dolomites offer unique pasta iterations, including canederli (bread dumplings) and spätzle.
Pizza: From Naples to the World
A taste of Italy won’t be complete without exploring one of the most popular Italian food products, pizza! Pizza was born on the busy streets of Naples and it was a food that eventually transcended borders. It turned into this worldwide sensation that many people love today.
Italy’s Margherita and Marinara pizzas are the dish’s most famous. The dish features a pizza crust that’s cooked until perfection and San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil and olive oil. It’s these simple additions that turn the pizza into the star that it is today.
To parade your pizza tasting even higher, you could pair it with wine. A glass of Aglianico or Falanghina will sweep the flavours of your pizza to marry each other, creating a full symphony of complementary tastes. And if you are planning a trip to Italy and you want to have your socks knocked off by authentic, delicious pizza — you want to hightail it to the Amalfi Coast, here is all the information on the best time to go to the Amalfi Coast.
Risotto: Creamy perfection from the North
Now, it is time to head up north to the great Italian Peninsula to get a decadent taste of an Italian food main course that is dizzyingly tasty. Risotto has been a favourite in northern Italian cuisine for hundreds of years. Risotto alla Milanese is one of the most famous dishes in Milan — which is also northern Italy, due to saffron being added to the broth.
This northern Italian dish takes the same amount of time to cook as well as the same amount of patience to create. Each kernel of rice is cooked in fragrant broth that helps the flavours create a creaminess that is not often found in other dishes. Ossobuco is one of the great Italian food sides to pair with the risotto as well as vegetables that are in season.
Planning a trip through northern Italy can offer the reward of a meal of risotto being prepared by a master in front of you. Local trattorias can provide this traditional Italian food and in itself, it is a fantastic and adventurous experience.
Seafood: Coastal delicacies of Italy
The long coastline — which overlooks the sea — really pulls in the reward of fresh seafood into many of its dishes. Sicily has amazing markets and so does the Amalfi coast. Fishermen sell the fresh seafood to the local populations and the cuisine is inspired by these great catches!
The beaches and clear blue waters of Cinque Terre are perfect for making a plate of spaghetti alle vongole. The clams are harvested and cooked down with roasted garlic and olive oil. Finish them off with a bit of parsley and dinner under the stars is ready.
An island that is often visited for the food — and in particular seafood — is Sardinia. The fish is fresh and also the seafood pasta and stews are a lure for many travellers. Experience Sardinia’s stunning coasts with an organised tour where there are restaurants and markets along the way to sample fresh fish and seafood with views that may never be forgotten.
Drinks to pair with Italian food
Italian food’s main dishes go hand in hand with a good drink of wine — it simply just elevates any meal, be it Italian food pasta dishes or Italian food soup. With fresh, high-quality ingredients and centuries of brewing and pairing expertise available. You are sure to get something to drink that will make any meal delicious!
Your Chianti will elevate any tomato-based meal, like, say, a Lasagna, to scrumptious levels!
The Barolo braised meat and Risotto combination will most definitely lift you up to Italian food heaven!
Prosecco will be the perfect light companion to that Italian food salad or some delectable seafood!
And espresso with Italian breakfast foods is a given and delicious pick-me-up that will get you ready for the day!
Limoncello will be super perfect for foods or desserts that highlight its fresh, pucker-making flavour. Think cheese, biscotti and even fresh fruits like strawberries!
Knowing what drinks to pair with what Italian food can be quite the artform and one that must be learned, so why not go and explore Sicily’s rich culinary culture with a group tour a surefire way to get around some other people who either know what they are doing and glean some knowledge from an experienced guide!
Gelato: The ultimate Italian dessert
Oh, gelato! The foodie vacationer’s anthem to the height of Italian wellbeing, a cool, rich masterpiece that probably took the artiste who made it hours to prepare. Where ice cream takes twice the fat and air you need to stay afloat in the ocean, gelato only includes 4–9% fat and is churned so slowly that the final product is denser, silkier and many other adjectives along those lines that imbue the taste when it frolics upon one’s tongue and melts into the abyss that is your abdomen.
As you weave through the cobbled streets of whatever Italian hamlet you’ve found yourself, you’ll most undoubtedly pass by one of the numerous gelaterias that seem to have taken root in the very pavement. Through the glass or metal, there will be rows upon rows of colour and delight, begging to be sampled… A little bit of this, a little bit of that. But the true stars of the Gelato show are certainly pistachio and hazelnuts, which are absolute must-tries!!!
And this is where it gets really great. This is where the food + fad intersects and the two of them come to an agreement: gelato is a must-have every day, sometimes two and three times a day.
Tiramisù: A sweet taste of tradition
While you’re diving into Italian desserts, there’s no passing up tiramisù. This well-loved goodie is the epitome of Italian soul food. It’s a delicious mosaic of flavours and textures, served for generations by the most skilful hands. Fluffy mascarpone whipped to perfection (in sweet, swirling clouds), comes together with coffee-soaked ladyfingers. Take a bite and flavours collide like a chocolate bon-bon: bold espresso and bittersweet cocoa powder, leading the way to a dessert that takes us all home — over and over again.
Coming from Veneto, the name tiramisù itself means “uplifting” — a joyous blend of coffee and cocoa that will put some pep in your step. Eating it in a cosy café in Venice or into a lively trattoria in Rome, is as real as it gets. The contrast between its sweetness and bitterness, not to mention its velvety texture, will hug and lift your soul.
If, ever, you’re dining out, don’t hesitate to order tiramisù (post any meal). Be it a hearty plate of pasta or a truly decadent pizza, it’s this miraculous treat that will end things just right. Properly prepared, this world-acclaimed delight requires nothing but the finest ingredients. So, if your eyes catch it on the menu, indulge, eat your heart out. And eat each layer, delight in the symphony of flavours: soft as a sweet Italian song.
Regional Specialities: A culinary journey across Italy
Italy is a big, beautiful quilt of regional nuances. So, to truly experience the Bel Paese, we mustn’t walk but jump head first to taste the different facets she wears. From the seafood abundance of the Amalfi coast to the stick-to-your-ribs complexity of Tuscany, each region affords us its own taste of history and neighbourhood influence.
Where to start: Up North
Begin up north — where a rich, decadent risotto will be waiting for you and your taste buds! You want to order creamy risotto alla Milanese and some braised meat on top to really get the most out of the experience — and do not forget to start with Italian food antipasto. As you head south, you’ll find beauty and deliciousness in handmade pasta in Emilia-Romagna. Tortellini is one of the best things that you certainly want to try along your travels. Just imagine a bowl of broth-ladled pasta pillows, warming your hands and insides kind of good. Kind of amazing!
And next is the South
If you love seafood with a touch of that Italian way of cooking you want to make your way down South for a “sea-foody” taste of Italy! You could literally have sea-to-table food with their sea-to-table offerings! As you approach her southern coastline, savour the catch of the day! You will also get the staples and side dishes that make Italian food — well — Italian food! The eggplant, ricotta salata and sumptuous tomato sauce of pasta alla Norma. Also, don’t miss out on the delectable Sicilian arancini!
Keep moving to the very tip of the boot to experience the fiery ‘nduja of Calabria. This spreadable, spicy salami will make your mouth come alive with an explosion of flavours. Try it with a bottle of the local wine to wash it all down like a bold Aglianico and you’ll finally understand why Italy is a paradise for food lovers.
Strut the streets of Naples
Don’t leave the streets of Naples without sitting down to a proper Neapolitan pizza. Let’s get real about the brilliance of this dish… because sometimes pizzas are just pizzas. A Neapolitan pizza is about simplicity: a crust with the perfect puff cooked in a wood-burning oven, crushed San Marzano tomatoes and creamy mozzarella di bufala. This is pure deliciousness in a pizza!
Wherever you travel — each plate is a tale spun with history, love and tradition. So, pack your bags, load up the car and taste the deliciousness that is simply woven into Italian food culture and just about every street you tread on!
Embrace the flavours of Italy
You can never really say you love and enjoy Italian food without visiting the spots it comes from! Italian food is now so engraved in the world’s daily lives, but its history and culture are as varied and as flavourful as the dishes themselves. And you deserve to experience every Italian dish you love from their source. Plus, you might even get to discover some equally great but not as popular dishes like Italian food soup! So, discover our organized tours in Italy, and eat your way through this food-rich nation with this handy guide by your side!
