{"id":886518,"date":"2026-04-01T12:28:27","date_gmt":"2026-04-01T11:28:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/?p=886518"},"modified":"2026-04-01T12:28:30","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T11:28:30","slug":"best-food-in-italy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.trafalgar.com\/real-word\/best-food-in-italy\/","title":{"rendered":"This City Has the Best Food in Italy, According to Local Experts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When planning a trip to Europe\u2019s most famous culinary destination, one question always sparks a passionate debate: where can you find the absolute best food in Italy? Everyone has their favorite spot, and finding the best food in Italy often depends on whether you prefer hearty rustic dishes, fresh Mediterranean seafood, or world-class street food. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To settle the score, or maybe just make us all really hungry, we sat down with Travel Directors (and resident Italians), Margherita and Patrizia, to hear their local insights. They share their top picks for where to find the best food in Italy, what dishes you absolutely must try, and the dining rules every visitor needs to know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Margherita, proudly Emilia-Romagnese and an experienced Travel Director.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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If you had to pick one city for the best food in Italy, which is it \u2014 and what makes it stand out?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Patrizia:<\/strong> “I think you know the answer to that question and the answer is Bologna. It’s the mecca of lasagna<\/em> and lasagna verde<\/em>, with spinach in the dough so you have the three colours of the Italian flag. In Bologna they also have the Accademia della Cucina Italiana<\/a>: the book with all the recipes.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Margherita:<\/strong> “If I had to pick one city it would be Bologna. Nicknamed ‘La grassa’ (the fat), it’s the capital city of Emilia Romagna. The diversity and variety of amazing products we cook, prepare and serve is second to none, the region is very agricultural so we have a rich variety of vegetables but we also love meats, especially pork. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Patrizia Tocco is an experienced Travel Director and certified Sommelier. Born and raised in Sicily, she has spent the last four years living in Milan, though her work with Trafalgar. frequently takes her all over Italy.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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What does this city do better than anywhere else?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Patrizia:<\/strong> “I think I picked Bologna because of the variety of the pasta. You have regular lasagna<\/em>, the lasagna verde<\/em>, you have the tortellini<\/em> and tortellini in brodo<\/em>, which is served in a broth. And then they have the tagliatelle<\/em> with ragu<\/em>, but you also have cannelloni<\/em> which is tubed pasta stuffed with bechamel sauce, ragu and tomato sauce. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“You also have huge ravioli called balanzoni<\/em>, they can have inside radish, artichokes, spinach… and they can be so colorful. Even just walking on the market street near the main church, you see all these big ravioli<\/em> and it’s just ‘wow’. The pasta is all fresh, and when they make the dough they make it flat before they do their cuts, it’s very thin. It’s like wafer-thin. So when you eat your tortellini<\/em> from Bologna, it melts in the mouth.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Margherita:<\/strong> “Our tradition in Emilia-Romagna puts family and good company at number one in the list of priorities so the most important thing about a meal is to enjoy it with those you love and have fun with: laughing out loud and being loud in general is key at our tables. Our typical Sunday meal doesn’t last a whole day like in southern Italian regions, it normally goes from 11:30 to 2:30 pm as pisolino<\/strong> (afternoon nap) is another key ingredient to a great meal and to happiness.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tortellini is one of Bologna’s famous specialties, often served with ragu or in a meaty broth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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If a guest only has 24 hours there, what are the 3 \u201cmust-eats\u201d?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Patrizia<\/strong>: “Tigella<\/em> is when you make dough like you want to do a pizza, but you make a little disc and then you warm it up \u2014 and then once it’s cooked, you cut it and stuff it with mortadella<\/em>, squacquerone<\/em> (similar to cottage cheese) or anything else. I would have that and gnocco fritto<\/em> with ham, and then have either tortellini<\/em> or lasagna<\/em>.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Margherita:<\/strong> “If you are in Bologna you must try gnocco fritto<\/em> with mortadella as a street food, then sit down in a Trattoria and have a bis<\/em> (two different servings of pasta) of tortellini in brodo<\/em> and tagliatelle al rag\u00f9<\/em>. Must drink wines: Pignoletto, Barbera and Lambrusco, which is a delicious sparkling red, served cold. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Italy Bellissimo<\/p>\n\t\t\t
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