1178 Best Restaurants in Italy

At the bottom of an alley off Piazza Maggiore, this unassuming place—known to locals as simply "Da Gianni"—is all about hearty traditional food. The usual starters are on hand—including a tasty tortellini in brodo—in addition to daily specials; bollito misto (mixed boiled meat) is a fine option here, and the cotechino con puré di patate (pork sausage with mashed potatoes) is elevated to sublimity by the accompanying salsa verde. The two unadorned rooms are usually crowded both at lunch and dinner.

Just behind the public beach in Mazzarò Bay, this intimate little terrace restaurant is shrouded by an enormous old grapevine and looks out onto postcard-perfect views of paradise. Since 1981, the family-owned trattoria has been serving pristine seafood to discerning locals and in-the-know tourists. It's best accessed by the tunnel at the lower entrance to the funivia.

Locals flock to this narrow, family-run trattoria to feast on Tuscan favorites served at simple tables under a wooden ceiling dating from 1536. Genuine Florentine hospitality prevails—you'll be seated wherever there's room, which often means with strangers—and, yes, there's a bit of extra oil in most dishes, which imparts calories as well as taste, but aren't you on vacation? Worth the caloric splurge is riso al ragù (rice with ground beef and tomatoes).

For over a decade the Cusma family have been serving Triestini regulars beautifully crafted seafood, alongside a few seasonal meat and vegetarian dishes. Dining in warm, modern interiors under the arches of a refurbished storehouse, choose from Giulio's exquisite but small seafood plates like fish carpaccio, spaghetti con bottarga e tonno (cured fish roe and tuna), and fritto misto (fried seafood medley).

This wonderful restaurant is housed in a part of the Palazzo Bongiorno, making it a beautiful spot to sit and savor the tastes and sights of Gangi and the Madonie. You will spoiled for choice from a menu of antipasti of local salumi and cheeses, hearty primi of mountain soups and pastas, slow-cooked, meaty main seconds, and roasted vegetable sides. 

This restaurant just across from the Basilica of San Lorenzo and run by the Gozzi family since 1915 serves food that's as delicious as it is affordable. The short menu changes daily, though the lombatina alla griglia (grilled veal T-bone steak) is almost always available, and meat eaters should not miss it. Pastas are equally terrific. Dessert, in true Florentine fashion, is usually limited to biscotti with vin santo. The trattoria doesn't take reservations so expect to wait in line.

Since opening its doors in 1869, this trattoria has been serving top-notch, unpretentious food to Florentines who like their bistecca fiorentina very large and very rare. Along with fine Tuscan classics, they have two signature dishes: the tortino di carciofi (artichoke tart) and the pollo al burro (chicken with butter). Leave room for dessert, as their torta alla Meringa (a semi-frozen dessert flecked with chocolate and topped with meringue) is scrumptious. Reservations are absolutely essential.

Run by the Di Porzio family since 1916, Umberto is one of the city's classic restaurants, combining the poshness of its neighborhood, Chiaia, and the friendliness found in other parts of Naples. Try the paccheri d'o treddeta ("three-finger" pasta with octopus, tomato, olives, and capers), which bears the nickname of the original Umberto, who happened to be short a few digits. Owner Massimo and sisters Lorella and Roberta (Umberto's grandchildren) are all wine experts and oversee a fantastic cellar. Note that Umberto has been catering to diners with a gluten allergy, as well as to vegetarians, for years.

This iconic eatery has occupied the space below the Santuario del Soccorso since 1936, when the original Umberto began to grill the local catch on the seafront. The setting is divine, with a terrace overlooking the Bay of Citara and the green tuff scogli degli innamorati (lovers' rocks). Vincenzo Pietroluongo now presides over the kitchen, conjuring up gourmet dishes such as the  scampo (langoustine) antipasto with ricotta, soya, and lemon followed by citrus risotto with crudo di pesce (raw fish) and mullet roe. There are also 11 guest rooms, all with sea views.

This refreshingly atypical spot raises simple Sicilian street food to new gastronomic heights. The exuberant owner, Rosario Umbriaco, has won national prizes for his arancini; try the version with two strata of rice and melted saffron Piacentino Ennese cheese to find out why. He also makes what may be the most divine cannoli in Sicily, frying the tubular wafer in olive oil, rather than lard, and filling to order with cool, fresh, just-sweetened ricotta and candied orange from Noto’s famous Caffè Sicilia. In summer there are tables outside.

Apricot walls hung with etchings of Pisa make this small, single-room restaurant warmly romantic. Husband and wife Damiano and Sandra Lazzerini have been running the place for two decades, and it shows in their obvious enthusiasm while talking about the menu (fish is a focus) and daily specials, which often astound. The scampetti gratinati al forno con pomodorini e basilico (oven-baked prawns with basil and tomato) delights. Seasonal ingredients are key throughout the menu; Sandra works wonders with tartufi estivi (summer truffles), artichokes, and market fish of the day. Remember to save room for desserts as they are scrumptious.

Chef Filippo Oggioni took over this traditional restaurant in 2019, adding freshness and creative versions of regional recipes and decadent desserts, available à la carte or as five- or seven-course tasting menus, including a five-course vegetarian option. The elegant, intimate spaces of this converted mill are furnished with antiques, and a traditional ceramic stove provides additional warmth in cool weather.

This 19th-century chocolate shop serves up delicious (what else?) chocolate ice creams, along with refreshing sorbets. For the ultimate experience, add seasonal sprinkles, such as Piedmont hazelnuts, to your sweet treat.

Stroll across the bridge from Burano to the islet of Mazzorbo to see some of the Venetian islands' only working vineyards, amid which sits this charming restaurant where seasonal dishes incorporate vegetables, herbs, and flowers fresh from the garden and fish fresh from the lagoon, served in seven- or 10-course tasting menus (there's also a more casual osteria). To accompany your meal, pick out a local wine like the Dorona di Venezia, made with the island’s native grape. If all the food makes you sleepy, stay the night in one of the lovely guest rooms.

A brother-sister team run this refined trattoria, where you're made to feel as if you've been personally invited to lunch or dinner. Indulge, perhaps, in spaghetti with clams and cod roe or arugula-stuffed ravioli, seafood risotto made to order for two, or sesame-encrusted tuna. Just note, though, that it's the meat dishes that steal the show: the steak with red-pepper sauce and fegato alla veneziana (liver and onions) are among the best in town. This is a place for wine connoisseurs, as the cellar is one of the best in the city. Come for the second seating in the evening or at lunch for more relaxed service.

Swing by this pint-sized wine bar for cicheti and crostini that are just a bit different and fresher than what you'll find elsewhere, along with a fine selection of natural wines. Though there's not much space inside, try to snag one of the coveted seats by the canal, which becomes a buzzy evening spot at aperitivo time.

The first floor of an elegant town house in the center of Turin makes a fitting location for this sophisticated restaurant. There's an excellent wine list with regional, national, and international vintages well-represented, and tasting menus, including a feast that covers the full range of the restaurant's cuisine and desserts.

An open kitchen and contemporary table lamps heighten the culinary theater of Matera's fanciest restaurant, set in a cool, minimalist Rione Sassi grotto. The chef's innovative 5-, 7-, or 10-course tasting menus feature vibrant seasonal creations served on artsy ceramics and in wooden bowls.

Udine's very chic landmark restaurant is the one reserved most by locals for special occasions, and the menu features the freshest meat and fish in sophisticated dishes served with moodily lit culinary stagecraft. You might start with an antipasto of assorted raw shellfish, including the impossibly sweet Adriatic scampi, followed by the fresh fish of the day. The Friuli-focused wine list is top-notch. Perhaps the best way to go is the multicourse tasting menu.

What started in 2013 as a way for a local fishing family to sell their catch of the day has blossomed into a seafood mega-hit with restaurants in Milan and Florence to complement the original Capalbio site. Vivo is known for its raw seafood, which is caught fresh, prepared the same day and even trackable via a QR code you can scan at your table. Order the Mix Crudo to get a taste of the best of the day's catch. 

The more casual little sister to long-standing favorite Vögele serves coffee and croissants for breakfast, plus all manner of focaccia, ice cream and cake, and aperitivo (think stuzzichini, or savory Italian snacks, and Aperol spritz) all day long. The prime spot on bustling Piazza Walther is perfect for people-watching while catching some rays.

This sleek wine bar and restaurant is just a short walk from the Spanish Steps, and its modern design looks the part among the fashion-forward streets. However, its unique focus is that its owners collaborate with the Regione Lazio (the state within which Rome sits) to showcase Lazio's regional products—from the cheeses to the wines to the olive oil and even bottled water—on its menu. Come for a glass of excellent Lazio wine and share a dish, if you don't want a full meal.

Ask locals where they like to dine out, and odds are they'll tell you Vögele, one of the area's oldest inns, where the menu features Tyrolean standards such as canederli (bread dumplings) with speck and venison. The classic wood-paneled dining room on the ground level is often packed, but don't despair—the restaurant has two additional floors.

Though this Michelin-starred restaurant is part of a hotel, it's worth a visit all on its own. Chef Giuseppe Raciti highlights the traditions and flavors of the area with a repertoire of elegant riffs that delight and surprise without overwhelming you with gimmicks. Located in a restored wine palmento (the traditional winemaking structure of Etna), the stone dining room looks over the surrounding citrus orchards whose scent wafts through the open windows. The owners for nigh on a hundred years, the Maugeri family, are winemakers, and naturally, you'll find their bottles on the wine list. But they are also wine lovers, and the roughly 70-page tome reflects that.  

Translating to "Aunt Rosetta," the name of this tiny sandwich shop is a play on words, since rosetta is not just a female name but also a type of roll commonly found in Rome. Here the rolls are used to make gourmet sandwiches with delicious combinations of meat, cheeses, veggies, or fish, such as the "Peggy Rockefeller" with prosciutto, crunchy parmigiano reggiano, and eggplant or the "Elisabetta" with Roman-style stewed cod, raisins, pine nuts, and chicory. There are even sweet fillings like nutella or ricotta and cherries, and they all come in classic or mini versions.

From day to night, step into the chic living room of 142 for whatever you are craving. Drink coffee and eat a homemade brioche at a bar decorated in crown caps or eat lunch or dinner at tables with a hand-painted Pollock flourish, while browsing a selection of art books. The influence of Sandra Ciciriello (who co-founded a Michelin-starred restaurant and worked as a fishmonger before starting 142) is evident in the fish-focused menu. There's also a selection of pastas and risotto with a twist. End the meal munching on caramel corn bonbons and salted caramelized popcorn from an oversized red-and-white striped box.

Everything in this restaurant, which seats no more than 20 people, is carefully curated, from the table settings to the myriad options for vegans, vegetarians and gluten-free diners—a rare thing outside of Italy's cities. Chef–owner Giovanni Avano really shines in his come mi sveglio la mattina set menu, which is a daily variation of seasonal dishes cooked with flair.

In the Neapolitan smorfia, a list of numbers used to analyze dreams (and play the lottery), "50" means bread, and kalò is the Greek for good. And good dough is on the menu here, with this airy pizzeria gaining accolades since opening in traffic-busy Piazza Sannazaro in 2014—the New York Times hailed the pizza among the best in Italy. Along with all the favorites, third-generation pizzaiolo Ciro Salvo’s creations include a selection of vegetable pizzas with locally sourced toppings including cabbage, pumpkin, tomatoes, mushrooms, olives, and capers. The wine list is worthy of the best restaurants, and there's a good range of beers.

Come here for the rare experience of dining within a 10,000-year-old volcanic crater (thankfully extinct). Sit back in the homey dining area crammed with bizarre knickknacks, and enjoy a cornucopia of tasting dishes, many made with produce grown in the fertile volcanic soil outside.

This restaurant in Favignana's main square is a must for seafood lovers. The short, daily changing menu is constructed around the catch of the day, from the grand portions of antipasti to the main courses, and all ingredients are strictly seasonal. The choices may vary, but the kitchen's approach to such dishes as polpette alla ricciola (roulades of amberjack) and calamaro ripieno (stuffed squid) is always creative and original. You might finish off your meal with a dessert of almond semifreddo and/or a glass of alloro (laurel) liqueur. Choose between dining within the wood-covered interior space or in the terrace garden, which backs onto the town's church. The restaurant's name recalls the chant of fishermen during the annual Mattanza tuna catch.