Naples, Italy, often hailed as the birthplace of pizza, is undeniably one of the world’s most iconic cities, renowned for its rich history and gastronomic treasures like Neapolitan pizza, incredible seafood, pasta perfection, and mouthwatering Neapolitan pastries. Considering all of this, it makes perfect sense to include cooking classes in Naples, Italy as a necessary […]
Pasta
Gluten Free Florence: Complete Guide to Restaurants, Dishes & a GF App
Italy is a country where things like pasta and pizza can seem like crucial components of the national identity, so you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s maybe not the ideal destination for gluten-free travelers. Luckily, that assumption couldn’t be further from the truth! And that’s particularly true if your itinerary includes places where pizza and […]
Best Pasta in Bologna: 9 Spots for Lasagna, Ragù, Tortellini & More
Bologna’s nicknames are no secret: La Rossa (the Red), La Dotta (the Learned), and La Grassa (the Fat). It’s also no secret that this city of nearly 400,000 people is one of the best cities in Italy for eating. It is any wonder that so many staples of the Italian kitchen either come from Bologna […]
8 Best Types of Pasta from Naples: Gnocchi, Lasagne, & More
No trip to Naples is complete without trying Neapolitan pizza. And while we highly suggest devouring as many pies as possible, you should also leave room for another noteworthy item: pasta. Not nearly as famous but not to miss out on here are the best pasta dishes from Naples you have to try to understand […]
The Surprising Truth About Tuscan Pasta Dishes
The ubiquity of Italian restaurants around the world can be both a blessing and a curse. On the plus side, a very basic understanding of Italian food terms gives travelers something of a confidence boost before they visit Italy. The problem, however, is that this same basic understanding may also bring a false sense of […]
Best Pasta in Florence: Cacio e Pepe to Wild Boar Ragu
Be careful when asking a Florentine (or Italian) where the best pasta in Florence is. To any Italian, there’s no pasta like their Nonna’s—even when faced with a world-renowned chef. Luckily, we have the ultimate list of the best places for pasta in Florence. Follow this list and you’ll never go wrong. So buckle up—we’ve […]
Rome Then & Now: The Truth about Fettuccine Alfredo
This blog post was originally posted on September 27, 2019 and was updated on January 29, 2021. Fettuccine Alfredo—the real thing, anyway—is served at just two restaurants in Italy, but its popularity has exploded abroad. Everyone has heard of fettuccine Alfredo, sometimes called “Alfredo pasta” abroad. It’s so popular outside Italy that when I lived […]
Best-Ever Traditional Roman Carbonara Recipe
Forget everything you think you know about carbonara. Outside of Italy, carbonara pastas are often unrecognizable. Drenched in a thick cream sauce and studded with peas and bacon, these international adaptations are a far cry from the traditional carbonara recipe used in Rome. But here in the Eternal City, real carbonara is one of the […]
Ultimate Guide to the Best Pasta in Rome
Pasta is the gorgeous yellow ribbon that binds Italian cuisine together, and no trip to Rome would be complete without it. But where can you find the best pasta in Rome? It’s hard to beat seasonable, handmade pasta. Photo credit: Maria Bortolotto Every region of Italy has at least one traditional pasta dish to its […]
The Top 5 Spots for Cacio e Pepe in Rome You Need to Try ASAP
This blog post was originally posted on February 2, 2019 and was updated on September 8, 2020. Cacio e pepe is the classic flavor of Rome, and one of its best and most beloved dishes. Cacio is Roman dialect for “cheese”—in this case, assertive sheep’s-milk pecorino romano—and pepe is black pepper. Put it all together, […]