Italy
In 2017, 2018, and 2021, I was lucky enough to travel throughout Italy, visiting various different regions. Below you will find a few dining and cooking class recommendations from each!
Capri:
Ristorante Panorama (Traversa Lo Palazzo)
Panorama is a beautiful, non-touristy, restaurant with outdoor terrace seating overlooking the water. There are beautiful gardens on the property where many of their vegetables are grown. I dined here in 2018, and the homemade pastas were excellent. We particularly enjoyed the gnocchi and chittara pasta.
Cinque Terre:
Trattoria Gianni Franzi (Piazza Guglielmo Marconi, 1)
I dined here in 2021 and had a delicious gnocchi dish with fresh pesto. We ate outdoors on their crowded patio, overlooking the water. It definitely felt a bit touristy, but we enjoyed our casual lunch here.
Florence:
Gusta Pizza (Via Maggio, 46r)
I tried Gusta Pizza for the first time in 2017, and was wholly impressed by their wood-fired pizzas! The dough was soft and chewy, and both the sauce and cheese were bursting with flavor. While this spot may be touristy, it’s worth checking out, but note that they don’t take reservations, and lines can be long.
La Giostra (Borgo Pinti, 10/18R)
La Giostra is a 30+ years old beautiful Tuscan restaurant in the historic center of Florence. I dined here in 2017, and loved their homemade pastas, with the Ravioli filled with pecorino and pears being a highlight.
Osteria Santo Spirito (Piazza Santo Spirito, 16/R)
I highly recommend checking out Osteria Santo Spirito for a casual and affordable, delicious lunch in Florence. While they are best known for their baked Gnocchi Gratinati with four cheese and truffle, my favorite dish here was the Chitarra con Pomodoro.
Lake Como:
Villa d’Este (Via Regina, 40)
Villa d’Este is a 5-star hotel with expansive gardens and beautiful views overlooking Lake Como. There are multiple restaurants on the property, that vary in terms of price and fanciness. I dined here in 2021, and we enjoyed our dinner at The Grill. I recommend the agnolotti if available.
Osteria del Beuc (Via Felice Cavallotti, 1)
There aren’t a ton of restaurants to choose from in Cernobbio, and we were glad to have stumbled upon Osteria del Beuc. This is a casual, charming restaurant with indoor or patio seating where you will find homemade pastas, fresh fish, and more. The lemon ravioli with bottarga (pictured above) was a highlight!
Milan:
Antica Osteria Cavallini (Via Mauro Macchi, 2)
Antica Osteria Cavallini is an upscale restaurant with a backyard garden serving modern Italian dishes. I highly recommend the breaded veal cutlet here!
Il Salumaio di Montenapoleone (Via Santo Spirito, 10)
Il Salumaio di Montenapoleone is an elegant, upscale restaurant with gorgeous, private, courtyard seating in the center of Milan’s fashion district. We came here for lunch in 2021, and the various pasta dishes we tried were excellent.
Paper Moon Giardino (Via Bagutta, 12)
Of the many restaurants we dined at in Milan, Paper Moon Giardino was my favorite. This is another elegant, upscale Italian restaurant with chic indoor seating and a beautiful outdoor garden. I dined here in 2021, and the highlights were the Burrata, Chitarra, Gnocchi, and Monkfish.
https://www.papermoonrestaurants.com/paper-moon-giardino.html
Portofino:
La Terraza at the Hotel Belmond Splendido (Viale Baratta, 16)
If you find yourself in Portofino, a meal at La Terraza in the Hotel Belmond Splendido should be a MUST! The views are unparalleled, and the food exquisite. Highlights were the burrata, homage to Elizabeth Taylor spaghetti (pictured above), and eggplant parmigiana.
https://www.belmond.com/hotels/europe/italy/portofino/belmond-hotel-splendido/dining
Ravello:
Cooking Class Valle Delle Ferriere (via Monte Brusara, 12)
I highly recommend taking a private cooking class with Valle Delle Ferriere! You’ll spend hours on a beautiful terrace with stunning views receiving hands-on instruction in how to make authentic Italian pizzettes, pesto, homemade pasta, and more, and can take the recipes home with you.
Salvatore (Via della Repubblica, 2)
Salvatore is a beautiful, upscale restaurant in Ravello with stunning views serving contemporary Italian food. My favorite dish here was the truffle fettuccine (pictured above).
Rome:
Cook with Us in Rome Pasta Class (Vicolo di Sant'Onofrio, 22)
If you are looking for a cooking class to take in Rome, I recommend “Cook With Us in Rome!” The class begins at a local market where you will pick up the ingredients you will need to cook two different types of pasta from scratch. When all of the instruction is done, you will sit down to enjoy your lunch over some local wines. They offer both public and private classes.
La Piccola Cuccagna (Via della Cuccagna, 14)
La Piccola Cuccagna is a casual restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating serving traditional Italian dishes and homemade pastas. We loved the Tonnarello Cacio e Pepe and Fettuccine with pesto.
Santa Margherita:
Grand Hotel Miramare (Via Milite Ignoto, 30)
For an upscale lunch overlooking the water in Santa Margherita, I recommend dining at the Grand Hotel Miramare. Their pizzettes made for the perfect light and satisfying mid-day bite!
L'Insolita Zuppa (Via Romana, 7)
We had such a special meal at L’Insolita Zuppa, which is the only restaurant in Santa Margherita to receive a Michelin star (or three). They offer indoor and outdoor seating, and both spaces are cozy and homey. Highlights were the gazpacho, burrata, and squid ink pasta.
Ristorante Antonio (Piazza S. Bernardo, 6)
Ristorante Antonio is a cozy, local restaurant with great homemade pastas, seafoods, and wine. We really enjoyed our meal here, with the highlights being the tagliatelle with pesto genovese, and the fish of the day special.