Famous food and drink of Italy

Let's start with the staples. The dishes that Italy built its culinary reputation on. These are the dishes you'll find in every Italian restaurant all around the world.

Pizza

First up, the undisputed king of Italian cooking. Forget what you thought you knew about pizza, because in Italy, the people who make it are treated as artists – the da Vincis of dough. Artisans worthy of respect. Think thin, crisp stone-baked dough, juicy tomatoes bursting with flavour, creamy mozzarella and a scattering of fresh basil.

Order a classic margherita for a lesson in how good simple can be. Or go a little bolder with salty prosciutto or punchy white anchovies.

If you're staying at our Baia dei Mori Beach Club on Sardinia's northeast coast, try the island's favourite topping: aubergine. It's a common local vegetable and gives a healthy-ish twist to what most of us think of as an indulgence. Pizza that fits into an active holiday? We'll take it.

Pasta

In Italy, the word 'pasta' barely scratches the surface. Every region has its own shapes and sauces, and the locals will happily tell you theirs is the best. In Rome, it's carbonara, made with egg, pecorino cheese and crispy guanciale (cured pork cheek). No cream in sight.

Wherever you are, order what the locals order. There's a reason it's popular.

On Sardinia, look out for malloreddus alla campidanese. These small ridged shells of semolina pasta (a bit like mini gnocchi) come in a rich tomato and sausage sauce with a pinch of saffron. You'll rarely spot it on menus back home, which is all the more reason to order it on the island.

Risotto and arancini

There’s a running theme with Italy’s most popular dishes: carbs, carbs and more carbs. Good news if you’ve got a day of sailing, biking or skiing to fuel. Bad news if you're looking to keep your waistline in check.  

Risotto is another "carby" dish to add to the list of the best Italian dishes. Rice is cooked slowly with onion, wine and stock, stirred until it turns creamy, then finished with butter and a generous grating of parmesan. Add some green vegetables or fresh seafood and you've got something that's rich, hearty and utterly delicious.

Arancini are Risotto's golden brown, crispy cousin. Think of them as a deep-fried ball of risotto stuffed with mozzarella or a meaty ragù. They’re one of the best things about Sicilian street food, quick, filling and ideal fuel when you’re on the go.

Looking for some Sicilian for inspiration? Check out our post on the best Sicilian dishes to try.

Polenta

Food in the north of Italy takes on a warmer, heartier feel. The type of food that will leave you feeling like you've just been sat by a fire for the afternoon. Polenta is the perfect example of this. It's golden cornmeal cooked slowly with plenty of butter (French cuisine doesn't have the monopoly on using plenty of butter) and parmesan until it's thick and soft.

It's exactly what you want for thawing out chilly toes after a day on the slopes. Look out for it on menus in the Alps, including our ski resort of Sauze d'Oulx.

Cured meats

You're probably familiar with salami, Italy's most famous cured meat, but it's well worth tucking into some of the lesser-known varieties too. 'Nduja, for example, is a soft, spicy pork sausage you can spread on bread. It comes from Calabria, the toe of Italy's boot.

Served as part of your pre-dinner antipasti with plump olives and a slice of regional cheese, it's a brilliant way to start an evening. 

Italy is surrounded by sea on three sides, so seafood is a big part of life along the coast. Head to the islands and you'll find menus built around whatever came in on the boats that morning.

Pasta con le sarde

Pasta con le sarde, is a Palermo classic. The "sarde" in the dish is Sardines which are paired with wild fennel, pine nuts and raisins for a sweet-and-salty combination that tells the story of Sicily’s past. It's also like a mini-culinary tour through Sicily's past, fusing Arab influences (pine nuts and raisins) with Italian ones (pasta).

Want to spend a day in Palermo? Here's our post on everything you need to do and see.

Aragosta alla catalana

This lobster dish comes from Alghero on Sardinia's north-west coast, a town with Catalan roots (hence the name). The lobster is boiled, then dressed simply with fresh tomatoes, red onion, olive oil and lemon. It's light and fresh, and very hard to beat on a warm evening by the sea.

Burrida

Burrida is a rich seafood stew, with cuttlefish, squid and octopus simmered in a broth of tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and wine. It started life in Liguria in the north-west, but our favourite version comes from Sardinia, where firm white fish is marinated in a tangy sauce of walnuts, garlic and vinegar.  

Staying at our Baia dei Mori Beach Club? The village of Budoni is a short drive away, with plenty of restaurants serving up the island’s seafood. 

La dolce vita means the sweet life, and there's nothing sweeter than Italian desserts that are so moreish, you'll be wishing you'd skipped starters (and sometimes even mains).

Gelato

Why have a GeLITTLE when you can have a GeLOTTO? And when it comes to Gelato, that's a pretty good philosophy live by as there's no better way to break up a day of exploring.  

Italy has all the flavours as well. You can pair nutty flavours like pistachio or mandorla (almond) with rich chocolate. Or go fruity with frutti di bosco (fruits of the forest) or pesca (peach) for a little palate cleanser. Basically, whatever you want, you're likely to find across one of the thousands of gelaterie dotted across Italy.

Tiramisu

Tiramisu is probably Italy's best-known dessert. The coffee-soaked sponge fingers. The mascarpone cream. That little sprinkling of cocoa. Delicious. One bite through the delicate layers and you'll be asking your other half to take away the spoon before you finish the lot.

Panna cotta and affogato

Panna cotta means “cooked cream”, and it’s every bit as good as it sounds. Cream, milk, sugar and vanilla are gently heated, then set until silky with just the right amount of wobble. Topped with fresh fruit or caramel, it’s an ideal afternoon café treat.  

Affogato is even simpler: a scoop of gelato “drowned” in a hot shot of espresso, with a splash of liqueur if you ask nicely. Quick, indulgent and guaranteed to leave you feeling warm inside.  

Torta di riso

Torta di riso is sort of like the cake version of a rice pudding. Rice is cooked slowly in milk with sugar and lemon zest, then mixed with eggs, chopped almonds and a splash of amaretto before being baked. The result is thick, sticky and sweet, with a fragrant hit of citrus and almond.

It's a Bolognese speciality, where you'll find locals sitting down, looking chic and enjoying it with an espresso all year round.

Cannoli

If tiramisu is Italy’s best-known dessert, cannoli might be its most addictive. These crisp, fried pastry tubes are piped full of sweet ricotta and finished with chopped pistachio or candied orange. They’re a Sicilian staple, with a Pasticceria seemingly on every corner, which can become a bit of a problem once you develop a taste for them. And you will.

Espresso

If you want to start your day the Italian way, order an espresso. Because there's nothing more Italian than standing by a bar, raising a hand, and saying "un caffè" before one shotting an espresso. If you're skiing in Italy, there's the added bonus of it giving you a little pep in your step before you start carving fresh tracks.

Limoncello and liquore al bergamotto

Some people will say that the slight buzz of the liqueur is the reason to have a shot of limoncello post-dinner, but the real reason is that it is the ultimate palate cleanser. Served ice cold in a small glass, it's almost like a sorbet with the sweet lemon flavour cutting through any post dinner clagginess.

All limoncello’d out? Try liquore al bergamotto instead. It’s made from bergamot, a fragrant citrus fruit grown almost exclusively in Calabria, and has a completely different flavour while keeping that fresh, zesty finish.

Bombardino

Skiing in Italy? You’ll want to try a bombardino. This hot mix of creamy egg liqueur (similar to advocaat) and brandy, topped with whipped cream, is a mountain-hut favourite and an après-ski staple, and the ultimate way to warm up after a day on the slopes.

Aperol spritz

No drink says Italian summer quite like it. Bright orange Aperol is topped with prosecco and a splash of soda, then served over ice with a slice of orange. Order one at aperitivo hour, usually from around 6pm, and you’ll often get a few free snacks on the side. Perfect after a day on the water. 

Pizza is Italy's most famous dish, and the Neapolitan margherita is the classic version. It's so central to Italian culture that in 2017, UNESCO added the art of the Neapolitan pizzaiuolo (pizza maker) to its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Ask Italians, though, and many will point to pasta. It's the dish that turns up on the table most often, in hundreds of shapes and regional styles. 

From a slice of stone-baked margherita to a sticky slab of torta di riso, Italy is a country best explored one plate at a time. And the beauty of an activity holiday is that you’ve earned every bite. Spend your days paddle boarding, sailing or biking along the Sardinian coast, then reward yourself with fresh seafood and a scoop of gelato. Or swap the sea for the slopes, and refuel on rich polenta and a warming bombardino after a day carving up the pistes in Sauze d’Oulx.  

Wherever you end up, the golden rule is the same... order what the locals order, take your time, and never say no to dessert. Take a look at our Baia dei Mori Beach Club, Mangia Torre del Barone Beach Club and our Sauze d’Oulx ski holidays to start planning your trip. All you need to bring is your appetite.