I know I’m moving to France, but Italy is so so hard to beat. The food, the people, the wine, the food. I’m obsessed. I spent one summer traveling and studying in Italy and it was the most amazing trip, mainly for all the food I got to eat. I’ve been trying to figure out how I want to write about my time in Italy, and this just seems like the best start. I mean honestly, who doesn’t want to read about food? And can you ever go wrong when ordering in Italy? (ps, I saved the best for last!)
ROME
Located in the Trastevere neighborhood is the best lasagne you will EVER put in your mouth. Seriously, I tear up thinking about it. It is made by the angels working in Ristorante La Scala and is served to you in a sizzling ceramic frying pan. The cheese is browned and bubbling over the edges and the layers on the inside are delicately placed between even more cheese and juicy meat. I am planning a trip to Rome just for this dish, and I am not ashamed to do so.
FLORENCE
On a side street in Florence there lies a cozy little restaurant at the base of a 13th century tower. OSTERIA DEL CINGHIALE BIANCO makes you feel like you have stepped foot into medieval Italy. It is a quiet hideaway in the middle of the city, serving local favorites such as its famous wild boar dishes. I got the pappardelle with wild boar ragu and it was dreamy. You know those meals where you genuinely cherish every bite? I would look around me, take in my setting, drink their house red wine (still the best wine I’ve ever had), and chew my bites so slowly, hoping my bowl was never-ending. It was such a fun place; the carafes are made especially for the restaurant and each one is unique, I took one home to my mom and I can safely assume she is one of the only Americans to have one. It was the best find and I cannot recommend it enough.
SORRENTO
So, I have two for Sorrento. One is La Tavola Di Lucullo. Sorrento is compiled of many tight streets all nestled beside the other. This restaurant stuck out with its string lights and greenery, so my friends and I went in. We got a huge table all together and had the most fun girls night sitting outside eating pasta and drinking wine. The moon was up, the string lights were lit, and we could hear the waves of the ocean. It is such a comfortable atmosphere, we could’ve sat there all night. I can’t remember the food much, I just remember that I loved what I got. But let’s be real, it’s hard not to loves something you order when in Italy.
This next one I am solely recommending for the view and the pizza. My friends and I went to Foreigner’s Club three times during our stay, I got pizza each time, and every time we went just to admire the view. It’s set on a cliff overlooking the entire Sorrento beach and city; you can get a table outside and watch the sunset. There was live music and great wine, really nothing more I could ask for.
POSITANO
This restaurant I went to with my family and my best friend after a local had recommended it. da Constantino resides on top of one of the winding cliffs that you drive around when you make your way down the Amalfi Coast. The ocean is on your right, and this restaurant looks as though it will fall off the mountain. It has been ran by the same family for generations and they grow most of the produce they use in their backyard. There is one homemade meal for the day, and you get all five courses. We had spaghetti, ravioli, pizza, salad, lasagne, some other kind of pasta, and then dessert (homemade gelato, as if it couldn’t get any better). We quickly befriended the owner, so he brought out his actual grandma from the kitchen. This was such a perfect find and I cannot wait to go again, not to mention the surreal views from the table.
I know this does not include all of Italy and I have left out some very important towns, but hey, what do you expect from me? Although we can’t snap our fingers and be in this beautiful country this instant, it is nice to reflect on the culture and the food they bring to the world and plan our next visit!!!
URBAN FLEUR 