July 18th, 2017 | Updated on March 2nd, 2024
Italy is celebrated for its beautiful scenery, warm climate, but above all its delectable food. All over the world we now have Italian cuisine readily available, but often people say that you don’t truly experience these foods until you’ve had them in Italy.
So, if you are planning a holiday to this country and want to know which meals to sample, then take a look at these suggestions. We’ve also given a recommendation on a fantastic location for each choice, which is also of course worth a visit in this incredible place.
1. Pizza in Naples
Starting with arguably one of the most famous choices, there are two choices of pizza to be found, namely ‘Roman style’ or ‘Neapolitan style’. So, with the latter, where better to enjoy this than the beautiful city of Naples?
Roman pizza tends to be thinner, while Neapolitan is thicker but smaller in size. However, Neapolitan is debatably the real type of classic Italian pizza as Naples is believed by many to be where this doughy, cheesy feast originated.
2. Ragu in Bologna
Depending on where you head, Ragu sauce can vary in taste and the ingredients used to create it. Butmore often than not it will be a delightful, tomato and meat-based sauce that is stewed and served with a pasta of some form – classically as spaghetti bolognaise. With that in mind then, a nice play on words here would see you enjoying this in Bologna. Don’t forget to get a grated parmesan topping as well.
3. Steak in Florence
You might not necessarily associate steak with Italian cooking, but ‘Steak Florentine’ – in this case eaten in stunning Florence – is something meat eaters simply cannot miss. Often, this dish of Tuscan origins is a Porterhouse or T-bone steak that is grilled and cooked medium-rare over a wood fire, which despite its simplicity is a thing of culinary wonder.
4. Risotto in Milan
Milan is a place that has plenty to offer in terms of sights and attractions, but this is the place to be for risotto, as it’s believed to have been the preferred dish of the workers who constructed the famous cathedral.
Much like Ragu, this meal can vary in what’s included, but often the simple variations are the best as they’re not overly filling – as a lot of risotto can certainly fill you up. In Milan the popular choice is the rather appropriately named ‘risotto allamilanese’, which is creamy and flavoured with saffron.
5. Carbonara in Rome
Last but not least is another classic, in a classic setting.
Rome doesn’t need too much of an introduction and you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who isn’t impressed by this place, so why not take in the surroundings with a quintessentially creamy Italian carbonara?
The best part about this selection is that this is just the tip of the iceberg – we’ve barely mentioned the variety of pasta alone! The key point here is that by taking a trip to Italy, the chances are that you’ll encounter some delicious food no matter where you end up going.
