75 Best Restaurants in Italy

Follow your nose to this legendary, sweet-smelling Caprese fave for breakfast, beach picnics, and on-the-hoof snacks. Buonocore lures you down its steps on a Capri Town lane with all manner of pizze, panini, gelati, and paste, including their speciality almond and lemon Caprilú biscotti.

A popular gelateria run by a young couple offering lots of fresh house-made gelato flavors as well as interesting bubble tea options, granita, frappé, frullati, fresh fruit cups, and crepes. 

When you’re not in the mood for an Italian-style lunch or dinner (read: leisurely), head to the Mercato Centrale for a selection of foods—from more than 20 food stands—like fresh pasta, fish, roast meats, pizza, and fried dishes, along with more international options including ramen and Peruvian plates, along with a good choice of cocktails, wines, and beer. But don’t fill up on the mains, as you’ll also find a delightful selection of baked goods and, of course, gelato, for a sweet finish.

Run by a husband-and-wife team (she's Danish, he's Italian), this hip restaurant has a Scandinavian-meets-Italian design and menu. It draws a young, international crowd who come for the sourdough, cinnamon buns, and veggie-forward dishes. While brunch is the runaway favorite, the savory lunch dishes (served Wednesday to Friday) are standouts as well. All bread and pastries are baked in-house, ingredients are sourced locally, and only natural wines and specialty coffee are served.

There's a regular trickle of locals to this gelateria conveniently located opposite the hydrofoil port. Most opt for the local favorite: ice cream in a brioche with a couple of wafer biscuits poking out. But it's not just the creamy and tangy ice creams that pull in the crowds, there are also delicious granitas, cakes, and desserts on offer, like the semifreddo cheesecake topped with fresh strawberries or blueberries. There's limited seating outside, and it stays open late.

Amalfi's famed historic pasticceria (est.1830) is a must-visit for a breakfast capuccino and sflogliatella or lip-smacking limoncello with delizia al limone dessert. For the full indulgence grab a table outside but remember it's a lot cheaper and atmospheric consuming al banco (at the bar) watching the patrons and smartly attired baristi. 

This portal to the past opened in 1883 and still serves up such handmade local delights as pan torrone (a loaf cake made with chunks of nougat) and torta cremona (a cake made with almond flour and filled with Amarena cherries). A relaxing stop between visiting museums, it's the perfect place to have a cappuccino.

What many consider the best gelateria in the centro storico embodies the "practice makes perfect" adage. It's been making ice cream since 1939.

At this classy Florentine institution dating from 1885, try one of the truffle panini and swish it down with a glass of prosecco.

One of the best spots in Florence for people-watching offers stellar service, light snacks, and terrific aperitivi. It's been around since the 1860s, and has been famous for its hot and cold chocolate (with or without cream) for more than a century. Though the food is mostly good (it's not a bad place for a light, but expensive, lunch), it's best to stick to drinks (both alcoholic and non-) and the terrific cakes, pies, and pastries.

Established in 1905, this Neapolitan institution on Spaccanapoli is a buzzy place to sample some of the finest pastries in town—plus it also makes classic savory dishes, ice cream, and mighty decent coffee.

The more casual little sister to long-standing favorite Vögele serves coffee and croissants for breakfast, plus all manner of focaccia, ice cream and cake, and aperitivo (think stuzzichini, or savory Italian snacks, and Aperol spritz) all day long. The prime spot on bustling Piazza Walther is perfect for people-watching while catching some rays.

Amalfi's historic pasticceria is famed for its candied fruits and assortment of tempting Neapolitan pastries. If you have no time to linger and indulge at their piazza tables, order at the bar for a cheaper stand-up coffee and sflogliatella  pastry fix.

Two warm young people with a passion for traditional Neapolitan and internationally influenced, innovative baking, make this a fab pit-stop pasticceria, with a sunny terrace. Among the quirky treats are Guinness cake, apple maple cake, and cute tiramisu cakes that can be eaten in the cheery, pastel-shaded space or on the sunny terrace.

The red-velvet chairs and marble tables of Rome's oldest café have seen the likes of Byron, Shelley, Keats, Goethe, and Casanova. Locals love basking in the more than 250 years of history held within its dark-wood walls lined with antique artwork; tourists appreciate its location amid the shopping madness of upscale Via Condotti. Drink your coffee at the counter for a much less expensive experience.

At the left foot of the Spanish Steps, this family-run restaurant has catered to the refined tea and scone cravings of travelers since 1893. The blends are carefully designed and can be brought to your homey table accompanied by a tower of tiny sandwiches, a fully loaded salad, or a risotto dish. Linger over a slice of homemade cake, and ask the server about the history of the tearooms.

For a delicious cannolo, fruit tart, or bignè (cream puff), local cognoscenti make a beeline for this classic bar and pastry shop, where the sweet delights displayed are made with the lightest pastry and the freshest fillings. Good coffees, ice creams, and sandwiches are also available, and there are tables inside and out back.

Steps from the tourist office, you can take a refreshing afternoon break with a coffee and a pastry or panino. The friendly café has outdoor tables on the corner of Piazza Eleonora, which retains an old-world charm thanks to a neoclassical town hall, a marble monument to Giudichessa Eleonora carved by the Florentine sculptor Ulisse Cambi in 1881, and 18th-century Mameli palace with its beautiful wrought-iron balconies.

The scent of cookies wafts out into the street as you approach this family-run bakery, where a small team makes sweet treats the old-school way in a massive oven bought in the 1960s. There are dozens of varieties of baked goods, mostly sweet but some savory. Try the brutti ma buoni and anything made with almond paste or covered in chocolate.

This historic caffè-gelateria is in the heart of Lecce, with handsome interiors and seating out on Piazza Sant'Oronzo. From early morning to late at night this is a buzzy place where Leccesi come to meet and refuel on classic Salentino pastries like pasticciotti (ricotta- or egg-filled pastry) and zeppole. Those after savory can feast on local cheeses like burrata and hot aperitivi snacks like arancini and croquettes.

On chic Via del Babuino, the former studio of Neoclassical sculptor Antonio Canova and his student, Adamo Tadolini, is now an atmospheric spot for coffee or a snack. Opt for the budget-friendly option of taking your coffee at the bar while admiring the enormous plaster copies of the maestros' work, or pay more for table service and sit amid vast sculptures. Food is run-of-the-mill, but the setting is splendid.

Outdoor seating on Arezzo's main pedestrian square and a tasty range of chef's salads (named after the servers) make this a very pleasant spot for a light lunch during a tour of town. If you're here in the early evening, the dei Costanti serves up an ample buffet of snacks to accompany predinner aperitifs. In continuous operation since 1886, it's the oldest café in Arezzo, with a charming old-world interior.

Dive right into the hustle and bustle of Catania at Caffè del Duomo, which has handmade cookies and cakes and a great local atmosphere. The piazza-front location is the main draw, but the fantastic cannoli are another reason to stop for coffee and watch the world go by.

Although there are some serious wine offerings at this spot in the heart of the centro storico, it's also a good place for tasty breakfast baked treats and light lunches.

After experiencing the cozy but basic trattorias located down Palermo's twisting alleyways, take a sweet break at this modern gelateria along the main drag, which serves exceptional gourmet ice cream. The flavors change with the seasons, but don't miss the tangerine sorbet that bursts with sweet citrus tang or the classic zabaglione custard.

With a Neapolitan street food pedigree—the Infante made famed taralli on Via Foria back in the 19th century—this is a reliable spot for ice cream, drinks, and snacks from breakfast to midnight  Sweet-tooths may be tempted by their indulgent babà in bicchiere while for those seeking savory there's bruschetta, filled pannini, and cold cuts and cheese platters, among many snacks.

Gelato made from local ingredients and a selection of cocktails make this bar a great place to stop at the Marina Corricella.