10 Famous Italian Foods

When you’ve decided to eat in Italy, know that you can’t try everything, as there is only so much that one can have. Every day you have a finite amount of space in your stomach, and so have finite number of meals, whereas there would always be an infinite number of Italian dishes that you’d absolutely want and love to try. Not just the food, Italy is also a place to various historical museums such as Uffizi Gallery, Pitti Palace, Doge’s Palace, Accademia Gallery and many more. If you are planning to visit Italy, don’t forget to visit these places. From the finest seasonal delicacies to regional specialities, there would be a need for multiple lifetimes to sample all the top dishes of Italy. And guess what? That’s even before you consider dessert and drinks! So don’t panic, as we’ve curated a little bucket list of the best Italian foods for you that you should absolutely try on your trip.
Check them out!

1. Pizza

There’s perhaps no dish that is as representative of the country or as common as the humble pizza, even though a slab of flatbread served with spices and oil was around long before the unification of this country. Pizza is not just easy to make, but is also cheap and quite filling. Whether you eat it as a snack or a meal, it never seizes to satisfy

2. Lasagn

Lasagna is a flat and wide pasta noodle that is usually put in the oven in layers and then baked. Its origins are still hotly contested, just like most Italian dishes, but one thing we can say for sure is that its stronghold is in the region of Emilia-Romagna. This is where it transformed from the food for a poor man to a rich meal that is filled with either the meat sauce or ragù.

3. Fiorentina Steak

All the characteristics of the best dishes of Italy are covered by a Bistecca Fiorentina, or as famously known, the Florentine T-bone steak. It is a cut of meat derived from a specific cow that is prepared in a very unique way. We recommend you to have this dish exclusively in Tuscany. You must also keep in mind that the real delight of this dish lies in sharing it with others.

4. Bottarga

The Bottarga is smoked eggs that come from the rat of the sea. You must be like, what?! Don’t be mistaken fellas, this may be a rough way to describe this Italian delicacy, but it is the actually the star dish of Italy and is the “Sicilian Caviar”. This dish is the most luxurious and sought after in Italy, and we recommend you to grate it over your pasta, or simply slice thinly and drizzle it with olive oil and lemon juice.

5. Ribollita

This hearty vegetable soup has its roots in the peasant cooking region of the nation. Instead of meat, it was thickened with bread, as that is what was more readily available and cheaper for hundreds of years in the Tuscan countryside that was desperately poor during that time.

6. Ossobuco

The Osso Buco alla Milanese is a world-famous dish that is a bone-in veal shank. It is cooked slowly on a low temperature until it melts in a broth of white wine, veggies, and meat stock. It traditionally used to be accompanied by a gremolata, which is a mixture of garlic, lemon zest, and parsley. Truly scrumptious!

7. Polenta

It is normal to associate pasta with all of Italy, but the truth is that the staple starch that was eaten in the northern parts of the country was polenta, until fairly recently. This is a corn mush that is almost identical to the grits that are consumed in the southern states of America. Originally made from the starches like buckwheat and acorns, this dish is pure magic and taste of course!

8. Risotto

Rice rounds out the holy trinity of Italian starches and is often had as the luxurious and creamy risotto. Unlike the pasta and polenta fans, Italians aren’t big on rice, but they are the largest producers of it in Europe.
The alla Milanese, which is the saffron-infused risotto, is probably the most famous type of risotto. According to legend, this was invented by the workmen who were building the Milan Cathedral. As they were using saffron to dye the stained glass windows, they thought that it could also be thrown into their rice.

9. Carbonara

The carbonara dish is a deceptively simple one in concept. Although it just includes eggs, spaghetti, pecorino cheese, black pepper, and cured guanciale, it takes a lifetime to master. Your life will truly change if you come across and taste a good version of this Roman specialty.

10. Truffles

Truffles, ah! This is an elusive and pungent fungus that is one of the most coveted and expensive foods in the world. Truffles can be found in abundance in only a few countries in the world, Italy is one of them. It comes in two forms in Italy, one is a unique black one, and the other is a more aromatic and rare kind of white truffle.

So tell me guys, which is that one dish you’re most excited to get a bite of? Pop your answers in the comment section below!
Enjoy your meal! ☺