Where to Eat the Best Pizza and Pasta in Italy: A Traveller's Curated List
Italy's culinary landscape is famously regional. The perfect plate of pasta in Rome is not the same as the one in Bologna, and the pizza you will find in Naples is a world apart from a Roman-style slice. To truly eat well, you must embrace this regionality. This guide offers a curated list of cities and specific spots where you can find the most authentic and memorable pizza and pasta experiences in Italy.
🏛️ 01 Rome: The Pasta Capital
Rome was recently named the world's top food destination by Tripadvisor, and its pasta scene is a major reason why. Roman pasta is defined by four classic dishes: carbonara, cacio e pepe, amatriciana, and gricia. These are built on a foundation of simple, high-quality ingredients like guanciale (cured pork cheek), pecorino romano cheese, and black pepper.
Carbonara: Salumeria Roscioli is a legendary spot where the dish is made with guanciale and pecorino romano. Osteria da Fortunata is another top contender, where you can watch pasta being made fresh by hand.
Cacio e pepe: The cosy Armando al Pantheon is a longstanding favourite, known for its always-perfect execution. Book well in advance.
Amatriciana: Head to Perilli in the Testaccio neighbourhood, a local favourite.
Comprehensive feast: Da Cesare is well worth the trip for its plates of fried gnocchi, bucatini all'amatriciana, and other classics.
🔥 02 Naples: The Birthplace of Pizza
Naples is the undisputed pizza capital of the world. The Neapolitan pizza is defined by its thick, charred, and chewy crust with a thin, almost wet centre. A true margherita or marinara is the ultimate test of quality.
L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele is the stuff of legend, made famous by the film Eat, Pray, Love. It serves only two pizzas: the margherita and the marinara, both perfected over generations.
Sorbillo, led by Gino Sorbillo, is another iconic institution known for its huge, gloriously messy pizzas with innovative toppings.
50 Kalò is a modern master, where pizzaiolo Ciro Salvo is renowned for his obsessive research into dough, creating a wonderfully light, perfectly charred pizza with high-quality, locally sourced ingredients.
Pizzeria Attilio is famous for its star-shaped pizza with a ricotta-stuffed crust, a local favourite that has been featured on culinary shows.
🌍 03 Beyond the Big Two
The best way to experience Italy's food is to eat where the locals eat. Look for trattorias in residential neighbourhoods, avoid restaurants with laminated menus and photos of the food, and embrace the regional specialities of each city you visit. By following this curated list, you are guaranteed a culinary journey that celebrates the authentic flavours of Italy.
Rome
Carbonara, cacio e pepe, amatriciana, gricia.
Salumeria Roscioli
Legendary carbonara. Guanciale and pecorino.
Armando al Pantheon
Best cacio e pepe. Book in advance.
L'Antica da Michele
Margherita and marinara. Eat, Pray, Love fame.
Sorbillo
Huge messy pizzas. Innovative toppings.
50 Kalò
Light charred pizza. High-quality ingredients.
Bologna
Tagliatelle al ragù. Slow-cooked meaty sauce.
Venice
Cicchetti. Bacaro. Cannaregio and Dorsoduro.
“The carbonara at Salumeria Roscioli in Rome is perfection. The guanciale and pecorino are so well balanced. I dream about it.”
— Sofia, pasta lover 🏛️
“L'Antica Pizzeria da Michele is the real deal. The margherita is simple and perfect. It's the best pizza I've ever eaten.”
— Marco, pizza enthusiast 🔥
Rome – carbonara at Roscioli, cacio e pepe at Armando, amatriciana at Perilli.
Naples – margherita at da Michele, innovative at Sorbillo, light at 50 Kalò.
Bologna – tagliatelle al ragù.
Venice – cicchetti in Cannaregio or Dorsoduro.
Milan – Penelope a Casa for refined dining.
Puglia – burrata and orecchiette alle cime di rapa.
Eat where locals eat – avoid laminated menus and food photos.
Book in advance – popular spots fill up quickly.
Rome · Naples · Bologna · Venice · Milan · Puglia · Carbonara · Margherita · Tagliatelle
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