5 Best Restaurants in Italy

In the picture-perfect medieval town of Randazzo, high on the northern side of Etna, this generations-old bakery sits at the foot of the basilica in Piazza Santa Maria. Now run by Giovanna, the daughter of Santo, the pasticceria is especially known for its exceptional gelato and granita, which are made with all-natural products, with no artificial bases, colors, or flavorings. Look for an upgrade to the tastes you already know and love, such as rich and creamy pistachio gelato studded with orange zest and candied pistachios. Or try a seasonal granita with flavors informed by the wares of local farmers, such as wild mulberry, yellow raspberry, apricot, or prickly pear.

Bronte is the land of pistachio, and the best place to get your fix is here at Luca. You'll find perfect pistachio gelato (notably more gray than green, which means it's made with real pistachios) and every type of pastry that's possible to top with crushed pistachios or fill with pistachio cream (imagine Nutella, but made of pistachios). There's also a small display case that's stocked with things you can buy to take home, from whole shelled pistachios and pistachio flour to pistachio pesto and spreadable cream.

Florentines in the know come here for the deliciously bewildering selection of chocolate- and cream-filled pastries.

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.

The Zàini family opened its chocolate factory here in 1913, on a side street off Corso Como. Today, its black-and-white marble-tile-floored and chandelier-lit café is a stop for coffee paired with a Zàini classic like Emilia (dark chocolate named after the family's nanny) or Boero (cherry cordial); or dozens of cakes and other sweets. There's a second location at Viale Piave 17, in Porta Venezia.