581 Best Restaurants in Italy

Across the street from its archrival Da Michele—but without its lines stretching outside—this is a classic pizzeria with a simple yet upscale Art Nouveau ambience expressed in soothing tile and marble. More relaxed and upmarket than its rival, Trianon does the classics (Margherita, marinara) in an exemplary manner, but you can also feast on pizza with sausage and broccoli greens. The signature pizza Trianon comes with eight different toppings.

Fans of rice will be spoiled for choice at this risotteria, the only one of its kind in the city. The menu offers 20 dishes, including vegetarian and gluten-free options. Order the crema di gamberetti (shrimp cream), pistachio or the specialty Risotto Vesuvio, with buffalo mozzarella and tomatoes, and watch the chef assemble the ingredients behind a glass wall. Valù is also a braceria, for meat-lovers, and has a vast wine list. They also have a branch in Vomero.

This friendly restaurant serves some of the best seafood in town on the covered terrace or the indoor patio with wicker chairs, where you can watch the bustling activity in the old port. Only the freshest catches are presented; try the "Bagnun" anchovy soup or any of the pastas.

This shop is devoted to chocolate in all its guises. The small but sublime selection of chocolate-based gelati includes one with hot peppers.

This excellent enoteca, with a contemporary casual atmosphere, has a whole range of Piedmont specialties to pair with local wines. You'll find more than 60 labels, as well as grappas and liqueurs, on the menu.

It opens at 11 am and closes at midnight: this is a rarity in Florentine dining. They do a little bit of everything here, including fine pastas, salads, pizzas, and even an American-style breakfast. Because the kitchen stays open continuously, if you're hankering at 4 pm for something to eat, or a pizza laden with Italian pork products, you're in luck. And all of this can be enjoyed with a splendid view of Piazza Santa Maria Novella.

The wine list at this romantic but informal vineria (wine bar) is exceptional—both by the glass and by the bottle—and there's also an array of flavorful foods, from snacks to sumptuous full-course meals typical of the region. The atmosphere is warm and charming, harking back more than 150 years to when the spot was first established in Bergamo as a lively meeting place.

If you have difficulty choosing from the long list of tasty pizzas here, ask the friendly English-speaking staff for help with the menu. You're unlikely to find a better selection of wine, or a more pleasant environment for sampling; you can also buy bottles of the locally produced vintages to take home.

Just south of the Duomo, this airy, unfussy place with coved stone ceilings is a good bet for an informal bite. The pizza al forno di legna with fresh toppings is the star attraction: locals praise it, and even Gore Vidal allegedly approved.

"Zeb" stands for zuppa e bollito (soup and boiled things), but you can't go wrong with anything at this small alimentari (delicatessen). It's home-style Tuscan cuisine at its very best, served in unpretentious, intimate surroundings: there's room for only about 15 guests. Giuseppina and her son, Alberto, insist on cooking what's best that day, reflecting the season's best offerings.

Traditional Tyrolean opulence and attentive service set the stage for some of the best food in town. Appetizers might include potato blini with salmon caviar, and marinated artichokes with butter (not to be missed if available); main dishes, such as veal with black-truffle-and-spinach canederli, make use of ingredients from local valleys. This place is popular with local businesspeople.