11 Incredible Restaurants in Italy
Il Palagio (Florence)
Located in Florence’s Four Seasons hotel, Il Palagio is the picture of Italian elegance. Chef Vito Mollica serves a $115 tasting menu with courses like mushroom risotto and seared partridge, as well as a decadent chateaubriand for two with foie gras and bone marrow gratinée.
Le Calandre (Rubano)
Ranked No. 34 on World’s Best 50 Restaurants List and holding three Michelin stars, Le Calandre’s contemporary décor sets the scene for a modern Italian meal. Chef Massimiliano Alajmo is famous for his cuttlefish cappuccino and hand-chopped beef tartare with black truffles.
La Pergola (Rome)
Located in the Waldorf Astoria’s esteemed Rome Cavalieri hotel, La Pergola is the only restaurant in Rome with a three Michelin star rating. In addition to seven- and nine-course tasting menus, a 60,000-bottle wine cellar, and a water menu with 29 selections, there’s also a cheese cart.
Il Pellicano (Porto Ercole)
Tucked inside the five-star Hotel Il Pellicano, this cliffside restaurant looks out onto the Tuscan coast. But even better than the water view is the fabulous people watching: photographer Slim Aarons loved to snap candids here. Chef Sebastiano Lombardi uses only organic fruits and vegetables, and the proteins are always locally sourced.
Enoteca Pinchiorri (Florence)
Chef Annie Féolde is the first woman in Italy to earn three Michelin stars. Her innovative Italian cooking is heightened by an incredible wine selection by sommelier Giorgio Pinchiorri. Dishes range from a risotto of fregola, pumpkin flowers, saffron, and prawns to a rack of lamb crusted with dried fruit.
Il Desco (Verona)
Il Desco made superstar chef Mario Batali’s list of places to eat in Italy. Chef Elio Rizzo and his son Matteo work together in the kitchen to create beautiful dishes made with traditional Italian ingredients. The saucier work here is exceptionally unique — from a “lettuce sauce” to a red wine caramel reduction.
Locanda dell’Isola Comacina (Lake Como)
Located on Lake Como’s misty Comacina Island, Locanda dell’Isola’s menu has been the same since 1947. Once your five-course meal has concluded, a bell sounds as the host lights a bucket of brandy on fire while explaining the restaurant’s history. Sugar and coffee are added to the liquor before it is served.
Osteria Francescana (Modena)
This groundbreaking Modena restaurant by chef Massimo Bottura claimed the number two spot on the 2015 World’s 50 Best Restaurant’s List. Behind a nondescript door on an unassuming back street, magic happens as Bottura crafts dishes like five different ages of parmigiano reggiano presented in five different textures.
Piazza Duomo (Alba)
Evidenced by his highly regarded veal tartare, chef Enrico Crippa delights in using fresh, raw ingredients as often possible. He’s also spent time working in Japan and has a penchant for dashi and tempura. Prepare to be surprised.
Ratanà (Milan)
An early 20th Century building that used to be part of the Milan railways is now home to chef Cesare Battisti and his culinary creations. Condé Nast Traveler deemed RatanÀ one of 2015’s Gold Standard Restaurants, lauding menu items like the risotto with osso buco and the veal cheek with mashed potatoes and celery leaves.
Roma Sparita (Rome)
Overlooking Piazza di Santa, Roma Sparita is wildly famous for its tagliolini al cacio e pepe — pasta with cheese, butter, and pepper, which, as Anthony Bourdain once said while dining here, “could be the greatest thing in the history of the world.” The creamy, cheesy pasta is cradled in a crispy parmesan bowl.
ALSO CHECK : The Best Things to See in Melbourne
