1149 Best Restaurants in Italy

This local institution, which has relocated to the town's new tourist port area, serves gourmet Italian classics—mainly fresh seafood but also few meat options. It's a mile or so out of town (and pricey), so perhaps it's worth the trip if you crave having some fancy food while watching the yachts of the modern marina location.

Just off the Fondamenta, this family-run place is popular with local regulars who return for their traditional, simply prepared seafood, pasta, pizza (dinner only), and risotto dishes. Dine on marine classics in the sparse modern salone, or, when the weather permits, in their wonderful courtyard garden.

Just behind the oddly named Topless Bar (it isn't), the lush gardens here are a haven from the bustle of Casamicciola's main thoroughfare. Authentic Neapolitan pizzas are made before your eyes under leafy trees and fresh fish, grilled meat, and, of course, Ischitan rabbit are also on the menu.

Homemade pastas and fresh seafood are served here with a dash of style. The chef puts a creative spin on the classics, coming up with such delights as homemade vegetable gnocchi with scampi in a butter and saffron sauce. The semifreddi (think part gelato, part cake) are particularly good. Just a few steps from Rio Marina's scenic port, this is an easy stop on your way to or from the ferry.

If you want to be in the middle of everything and don't mind spending a small fortune, then you'll want (and need) a reservation at this waterfront restaurant in Portofino. Quite simply, it's the place to be seen while dining on baked fish and local pasta dishes. The covered patio on the port is great for people-watching.

The impressive panorama from their Zattere terrace attracts travelers yearning for a view, and the Riviera certainly offers that. Choose from contemporary takes on a variety of traditional Venetian dishes, including calf's liver with figs; "guitar string" pasta with shrimp, tiny green beans, and mint; and venison with blueberry sauce. A regional wine list is well matched to the cuisine; don't be surprised if the owner stops by to be sure you're enjoying your meal. Perhaps suited more to travelers than locals (who never worry about a view), while pleasing, the Riviera is definitely a splurge (note the €6 cover).

Named in homage to the Italian-American crooner, this intimate restaurant has a refined yet casual atmosphere, with wine bottles lining the walls, black-and-white photographs of jazz musicians, and vintage touches like rotary telephones. The menu emphasizes Italian classics, with options like raw meat and fish, fried artichokes, carbonara, meatballs, and steaks. On Friday and Saturday nights, you can dine while listening to live jazz.

Tucked out of sight in a sequestered corner of Castelsardo's old center, this simple trattoria enjoys magnificent sea views from its outdoor terrace. The stunning panorama makes a wonderful setting for the simple and abundant seafood dishes offered on the menu, including shellfish risotto, prawn tagliolini, a mixed fish grill, and whatever else is fresh and seasonal. There's a good range of antipasti and typical local desserts, too. With a bit of luck, drivers will be able to navigate to the parking places directly below the restaurant on Spalti Manganella.

Part of a hotel, this restaurant relies on its 180-degree views of the sea to pull in diners, but foodies won't be disappointed. The menu emphasizes fresh fish and local ingredients, and the seafood choices are always beautifully prepared and presented, like the spaghetti cozze e vongole (with mussels and clams) and tuna dishes. The service is cordial and attentive, too. Sitting on the tranquil terrace overlooking the tonnara di Scopello is an undeniably romantic experience—just make sure you specify a table outside on the terrace when you book.

This rustic eatery within a stone building has a varied menu that shows off the best products and ingredients from Polizzi. Some dishes feature grilled and roasted meats including local pork, wild asparagus, and mushrooms. You can also order various antipasti and side dishes, including freshly foraged vegetables and greens.

Todi's most popular restaurant for more than four decades is reliable for its sturdy country food and the wonderful view from its terrace; because it has only 16 tables outside, make sure you reserve ahead. In winter, try lentil soup, risotto with saffron and porcini mushrooms, or wild boar with polenta; steaks, accompanied by a rich dark-brown wine sauce, are good any time of year.

This rustic mountain lodge is situated right near the popular winter skiing resort area of Piano Battaglia. Open throughout the year, it offers a cozy country panorama, good hearty local fare, and friendly service at very reasonable prices.

Across the street from the abbey and run by the same family for more than 30 years, this once simple eatery in what were once the monk's stables has undergone a complete face-lift. The interior is decorated along modern-elegant lines, and the menu, while thoroughly based on traditional cuisine, is filled with creative interpretations. The superb wine list pairs beautifully with all the delicacies on offer.

A former 17th-century convent is now a lively enoteca run by Alberto and Catia Rivetti, offering more than 600 wines, as well as spirits and beers—all from northern Italy. Old and new merge in this warm and friendly spot with sage and rose walls, an original decorative ceiling, and a hallway with an automatic dispenser with more than 30 wines available on demand—get up from your seat to taste as many wines as you'd like using a prepaid card. To accompany your wine, try fried lake fish, classic Lombard mondeghili della nonna (fried veal meatballs), or baccalà with polenta chips and tomato confit. Leave room for dessert, such as tiramisu, or Catia's lime cheesecake with seasonal fruit, which sometimes makes an appearance on the menu. 

Impresario chef Stefano Callegari's casual restaurant excels at reimagining nostalgic dishes, as evidenced by the fettuccine al tortellino, which transforms the classic tortellini in brodo into a rich primo of homemade fettuccine cooked in broth and topped with mortadella, prosciutto, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and nutmeg. Order à la carte, or opt for one of the affordable tasting menus, which include an appetizer, primo, secondo, side dish, and dessert.

The Franceschini family has been running this swank seafood eatery since the 1970s. Ebullient host Romano Franceschini is justifiably proud of the food formerly produced by his wife, Franca (she still oversees the kitchen); son Roberto, an accomplished sommelier, presides over the floor. Don't miss the fantasia di pesce crudo (fantasy of raw fish), which arrives at the table with an aroma redolent of the sea, and follow up with any of the marvelous fish seconds. Or you can leave everything in the Franceschinis' hands and order the tasting menu (€125 without wine).

There are several branches to this venerable pasticceria in town; the headquarters is a small shop on Calle Fiubera in San Marco. Rosa Salva features a wide selection of pastry and savory snacks as well as bar service at the counter.

The only kosher–vegetarian restaurant in Tuscany is Ruth's, adjacent to Florence's synagogue. On the menu are inexpensive vegetarian and Mediterranean dishes, and there's also a large selection of kosher wines. It's closed for Friday dinner and Saturday lunch.

Pizzamaker Antonio Ruver may be young, but he has already spent years working alongside Rome’s pizza master Gabriele Bonci. Now setting out on his own solo venture, Ruver specializes in preportioned pizza by the slice. The expertly crunchy base comes topped with all the classics, but there is plenty of experimentation too, if you’re more in the mood for chicken curry pizza or hearty ragù on pizza bianca. The small shop is standing room only.

Take a tour of contemporary Sardinian gastronomy in this trendsetting place that has become a hit with the cagliaritani. You can choose between eating à la carte or the small dishes offered on the tasting menus (€30, €35, and €40, including desserts), which might include such bold pairings as tagliatelle with pesto, hazelnut, cherry, and fresh orange, beef strips with berries and myrtle liqueur, and sea bream fillet with cherry, thyme, and orange oil. The weekday "business lunches" (€11–€17) are an especially good value. Dishes can be adapted for vegetarians and others with special dietary requirements.

Tucked away in a little alley, this historical shop and tearoom is heaven for chocolate lovers. Third-generation owner Fabrizio de Mauro carries on the tradition started by his grandfather, who lost his original shop during the bombings of WWII, though the factory has always been here. Buy some chocolates and pralines at the shop up front or sit and savor a decadent hot chocolate, cakes, pastries, and a selection of savory items in a cozy space decorated with early 20th-century industrial relics. Everything is produced on-site.

Adjacent to the Hotel Graal and sharing the same glorious view of the Bay of Salerno, this restaurant has a large terrace and a contemporary-styled dining area beside an open kitchen. Seasonal Campanian produce is transformed into some of the most exquisite plates in town, and the friendly staff knows their fagioli.

Inside the Palazzo Ripetta hotel, this all-day dining destination has a warm ambience, with marble-topped tables; velvet sofas; and archival maps, prints, and photos decorating the walls. Executive chef Christian Spalvieri trained under Gordon Ramsay in London and brings technical precision and a bit of a French influence to an otherwise Italian menu.

Frequented by tourists and government officials from the nearby Senate alike, this caffè is considered by many to make Rome's best coffee. Take it at the counter Roman-style—servers are hidden behind a huge espresso machine, where they vigorously mix the sugar and coffee to protect their secret method for the perfectly prepared cup (if you want yours without sugar here, ask for it senza zucchero). Their sister caffè, Emporio Sant'Eustachio, is a modern specialty coffee shop a few minutes’ walk away past the Pantheon.

More upscale than a typical pizzeria but casual enough for a weeknight, this establishment pairs its pies with sparkling wines instead of beer. Opt for a classic pizza, or go with an innovative option, like one topped with squash, speck, pomegranate, and mint.

About 1,400 feet above sea level on the Path of the Gods, this low-key place in the dreamy hamlet of Nocelle delivers fortifying, superb-value plates to hikers and adventurous day-trippers. Try to get a window seat so that you can gaze over Positano, Li Galli islands, and the Fariglioni of Capri while sampling fresh pastas, seafood, and grilled meats; homemade desserts; or, on Saturday evening, exquisite pizza made in an olive-wood-fired oven.

Though she hails from Abruzzo, the young chef-owner Sarah Cicolini earned her place as one of the rising stars in Rome's restaurant scene at this trendy trattoria, where she embraces quinto quarto—or the fifth quarter of an animal, like tripe, tail, and heart. Be sure to book ahead for the vintage vibes and superlative carbonara.

To reach this charming eatery, which occupies an enviable position overlooking Merano and the peaks enveloping the town, climb the stairs behind the Duomo or hike up along the Passeggiata Tappeiner. The kitchen serves well-prepared dumplings, pasta, and other local specialties—just don't leave without trying the homemade breads.

At this award-winning pizzeria in the Appio-Latino area between San Giovanni and the Appia Antica, the dough is thicker than traditional Roman-style pizza and sturdier than Neapolitan-style pizza. Creative offerings include a cacio e pepe pizza and the "Tropeana" topped with mozzarella di bufala, Tropea onions, taggiasca olives, 'nduja from Calabria, and lemon zest. There's also an ample selection of fritti, including mozzarella in carrozza, zucchini blossoms, and several types of supplì.

This is the quintessential Neapolitan pastry shop. Although the coffee is top of the line and the ice cream and pastries are quite good—including the specialty, the ministeriale, a pert chocolate cake with a rum-cream filling—it's the atmosphere that counts here. Nuns, punks, businesspeople, and housewives all commune in this unprepossessing yet remarkable space.