Italy’s reputation as a great travel destination for foodies doesn’t come from just one or two places but rather from the culinary traditions of the whole country. This is why here I’m going to reveal not one but seven fantastic food cities in Italy.
The complexity and diversity of gastronomy across all the Italian regions make it difficult to generally talk about Italian food. In Italy, in fact, each region, each city, and each small town have their own specialties, ingredients, and dishes.
What you are going to find in Rome will be different than what you will eat in Florence even though the two cities are only an hour and a half train ride from each other.
In Sardinia, each village has its own types of bread, pasta, and recipes, even if they are close to each other.
However, for the sake of simplicity, here are the six main food cities in Italy so that foodies can easily navigate the country and plan their holidays accordingly.
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Rome
It might be because I live in Rome and I see how exciting the food scene is here, but I feel that Rome is not only Italy’s national capital but also its food capital.
From famous Roman traditional dishes such as carbonara, amatriciana, and coda alla vaccinara oxtail stew, to thin-crust pizza, to national Italian recipes, in Rome, you can find pretty much everything.
Along with the national foods and dishes, there are always new openings serving international foods such as Chinese, Peruvian, Japanese sushi, Brazilian, Vietnamese, as well as street food and the unmissable artisan gelato.
Naples
Widely recognized as one of the best food cities in the world, Naples is mainly known for being the birthplace of pizza as we know it today. Campania’s regional capital, however, is far from offering only pizza to its visitors.
In Naples, in fact, there are so many delicacies that the risk of gaining some kilos in a couple of days is very real. And not only for its cakes and pastries such as the butter-rich sfogliatelle, the delicious pastiera cake, and the rum-infused babà.
Along with its fried goods, including a fried type of pizza and seafood, if you want to explore Naples’ cuisine, look for delicious pasta dishes dressed with Neapolitan ragout, the typical maccheroni frittata, the offal stew known as “soffritto napoletano”, and the spicy mussel specialty referred to as “impepata di cozze”.
Learn everything about the dos and don’ts of eating in Italy!
Bologna
With an offer of lasagna, fresh pasta, Parmigiano Reggiano, Parma ham, and balsamic vinegar from Modena just to name a few, Bologna hardly needs any introduction in the food section.
In fact, one of the best things you can do in Bologna is a food tour. I joined a great food tour run by Devour Tours and sampled plenty of the local delicious specialties along with visiting important landmarks like the Basilica of San Petronio, Piazza Maggiore, Mercato delle Erbe, and the Archiginnasio, Bologna first university and one of the oldest in Europe.
Check out my guide to visiting Bologna in one day
Florence
Florence might not be considered one of the most famous food cities in Italy, but I always enjoy my time there also thanks to the local cuisine.
Popular mainly for its art galleries, gastronomy in Florence is mainly known for offering Florentine steak. While this is a true delicacy, there are, however, many other local dishes worth trying.
Some examples? Pici fresh pasta, panzanella salad, the delicious ribollita soup, and lampredotto, made with one of the four stomachs of beef and popular street food as sandwich stuffing.
Cagliari
The capital of Sardinia, Cagliari might not offer all the international food varieties cities like Rome and Milan do, but it’s a fantastic place for foodies on the lookout for authentic and genuine dishes.
Sardinian culinary tradition is diverse and delicious and while in Cagliari you can find several dishes, only traveling across the island can you enjoy more authentic local recipes.
Being on the coast, Cagliari is a great place for seafood lovers and similarly to the whole island, what strikes both Italian and international travelers is the genuine and high-quality ingredients that make any dish stand out.
Some food to try? Fregula pasta with clams (arselle), burrida made with dogfish, and fish soup.
Palermo
Just like Sardinian food, also Sicilian cuisine is rich and delicious. Being Palermo its capital, you can rest assured that you will have a fantastic and gluttony culinary experience.
From pasta dishes to mains to desserts, whatever Palermo offers is delicious, and if you want to eat like a local, make sure you tuck into the street food the city is famous for.
Some of the dishes to try in Palermo? Spaghetti ai ricci di mare (sea urchins spaghetti), bucatini pasta with sarde (sardines), sandwich stuffed with spleen, and sarde a beccafico (breaded and baked sardines).
Among the desserts, make sure you try the world-famous cannoli, the Sicilian cassata, and the colorful, almond-based martorana if you have a very sweet tooth!
Milan
Apart from panettone Christmas cake, some of Milan’s most famous dishes are cotoletta alla milanese (breaded and fried veal cutlet), ossobuco (sliced veal shank), and risotto alla milanese (risotto cooked with saffron and bone marrow).
But Milan is a great foodie city in Italy especially thanks to its huge offer variety of restaurants from all over Italy and the world. What I have found in Milan is also a great quality of food, whether it’s a Milanese restaurant or a pizza place.
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