A Guide to Italy’s Regional Food: What to Eat and Where

Where to Travel for the Best Food in Italy

Although the food of Italy is renowned throughout the world, ask any Italian and they will tell you that Italian cuisine doesn’t exist. With only 150 years of unification under its belt, the country of Italy still operates in a very regional fashion, with each of the 20 regioni maintaining local dialects, traditions and dishes. The diverse geography and climate of the country, along with long history of invasions and influences, have contributed to a wealth of produce and preparation techniques which the proud, traditional Italians still cling to as an integral part of their heritage. Moving from region to region in Italy not only brings shifting landscapes and temperatures, but also different foods and wines which reflect the past of both the place and its people.

Here is our guide of what to eat where on your trip to Italy

THE NORTH

The landscape of the north of Italy influences the food of the area in three distinct ways. The cold temperatures Italian Alps, which run across the northern border, inspire a heavier, alpine cuisine with rich sauces and stews prepared using butter instead of olive oil, often served with polenta. The sprawling Italian Lakes of Garda, Maggiore and Como along with the coastlines of the Veneto and Liguria regions bring plenty of seafood and fresh fish. Finally, the flat plains, which form a major part of Italy’s rice production, mean risotto most commonly found in this area. Moving a little further south, the region of Emilia-Romagna produces many of Italy’s most famous exports including parmesan cheese, balsamic vinegar and Parma ham.

What to eat:

Milan

Risotto alla Milanese: the city’s signature rice dish made with saffron.

Ossobuco: slowly-cooked veal shin served with a tomato sauce

Costolette alla Milanese: crumbed veal cutlets fried in butter and served with a squeeze of lemon

Venice

Risotto allle seppie: risotto made with squid-ink, colouring the rice black

Fegato alla Veneziana: tender calf’s liver cooked with silky soft onions

Sarde in Saor: sardines served with a sweet and sour sauce made with onions, raisins and pine nuts    

Genoa

Trofie al pesto: the fragrant basil and olive oil of Liguria make pasta with pesto the traditional dish of Genoa

Bologna

Lasagne alla bolognese: the home of the true, classic lasagne is Bologna

Tortellini in brodo: tiny, meat-stuffed pasta parcels are served floating in a hot meat broth

Tagliatelle alla Bolognese: real bolognese sauce would never be served with spaghetti so look for the authentic version with tagliatelle.

THE CENTRE

The food of central Italy is simple, comforting and hearty. The abundant agricultural areas of Tuscany, Umbria, Abruzzo and Le Marche ensure plentiful amounts of game, red meats and cheeses as well as olive oil, vegetables and beans and some seafood around the coastlines and lakes. 

Slightly further south, the food of Rome and the Lazio region is centred on the local pork and lamb as well as pecorino (sheep milk cheese) and quinto quarto (offal). Rice and risotto are less common in this area with pasta being the main preference.

What to eat:

Florence

Bistecca alla Fiorentina: Florence’s famous steak is grilled over a fire and served very rare

Panzanella: A summer salad of ripe tomatoes, onions and bread soaked in olive oil

Ribollita: A hearty Tuscan soup made with leftover bread, beans and vegetables

Lampredotto: The Florentines’ favourite sandwich is filled with tripe and can be bought at kiosks throughout the city

Rome

Spaghetti alla Carbonara: real Roman Carbonara is made with eggs (no cream!) and crunchy guanciale (pork jowl) bacon

Coda alla Vaccinara: a slow-cooked oxtail stew with tomato, carrot and celery

Saltimbocca alla Romana: thin slices of pan-fried veal topped with prosciutto and sage

Supplì: crumbed, fried rice balls with a melted mozzarella centre

THE SOUTH, SICILY & SARDINIA

The south of Italy including the regions of Campania, Calabria, Puglia and the islands of Sicily and Sardinia is defined by its Mediterranean cuisine, with roots in cucina povera (poor cooking). The extensive coastline and fishing towns bring in fresh seafood daily while the kind climate ensures generous amounts of fresh fruit, vegetables and olive oil. Past invasions from the south brought an Arab influence, particularly in Sicily where ingredients such as cinnamon, pistachios, almonds and candied fruits are frequently used in pastries and desserts.

Naples is the birthplace of pizza with pizza napoletana a thicker, doughier affair than its crispy-thin Roman counterpart, and the presence of water buffalo throughout the Campania region means that buffalo mozzarella features regularly on the menus. Puglia, the heel of the boot of Italy, is renowned for its orecchiette (literally ‘little ears’), a pasta traditionally served with cima di rapa (broccoli rabe). Sardinia, aside from excellent fish along the coast, is home to more sheep than inhabitants and huge expanses of farmland making lamb and sheep milk cheeses very common ingredients and suckling pig is a specialty. 

What to eat:

Naples

Pizza Margherita: the typical Napolitan pizza is cooked in a wood-fired oven and topped simply with tomato sauce, good mozzarella and fresh basil leaves

Sfogliatella: a sweet pastry from the Campania region made from thin layers of pastry usually filled with ricotta

Pasta e fagioli: a thick soup made from pasta and cannellini beans

Sicily

Granita: crushed ice commonly flavoured with fruit, almond or pistachio

Cannoli: fried pastry tubes which are piped with sweetened ricotta and decorated with chocolate, nuts or fruit

Pasta alla Norma: a typical pasta dish made with eggplant, tomatoes and grated salted ricotta cheese

Sardinia

Porceddu: a whole suckling pig, stuffed with herbs and wrapped in myrtle leaves before being roasted over an open fire

Seadas: deep-fried pastry ravioli filled with sheep’s cheese and drizzled with honey