Restaurants

---

Florence

Food Rating: 10/10

You can find my all-time favorite pizza at Gustapizza in Florence. Their Margherita Pizza is my idea of a perfect pizza. You can taste the freshness of each component, which blended together so beautifully. The mozzarella was bubbling as it was delivered to the table and each bite was heavenly. The wood-fire oven also makes a huge difference because the crust was perfectly crispy yet soft and held all the ingredients so well. I dream of this pizza and highly recommend it to anyone who visits Florence. Best meal on the trip!

Florence, Milan, Rome

Food Rating: 10/10

All’Antico Vinaio has been regarded as one of the best sandwich shops in the world and I can attest to that. It opened in Florence in 1989 and has expanded all over the world since then. Their Paradiso sandwich is appropriately named because it’s paradise in the form of mortadella, pistachio cream, stracciatella cheese, and chopped pistachios. What makes this sandwich so good are the cream and cheese. Each bite is a burst of flavors and each component comes together beautifully. This sandwich is every foodie’s dream and you can’t go to Florence without a stop at All’Antico Vinaio!

Florence

Food Rating: 10/10

One of my all-time favorite sandwiches is from La Schiacciata, which is the sandwich shop component of the La Fettunta restaurant. As I scoured for my favorite sandwich in Florence during my study abroad, I usually ordered turkey or pork until someone recommended sausage at La Schiacciata. It was mind-blowing. The “L’Ignorante” came with sausage, stracchino cheese, truffle sauce, mushroom sauce, onions, and peppers. I’m not a huge fan of sausage but I can’t see myself getting a different meat here because it’s grilled to perfection and so flavorful and juicy. Each component of the sandwich came together so beautifully, especially the sauces.

Venice

Food Rating: 9/10

We made the most of our 3-hour visit to Venice with a stop at Antico Forno. I absolutely loved their take on Margherita Pizza, especially the addition of Bufala cheese and the drizzle of basil and olive oil. Although it was on the cheesier end, I still enjoyed the sauce-to-cheese ratio. It’s up there on my favorite pizzas of all time. You must visit Antico Forno if you’re looking for the best pizza in Venice!

Florence

Food Rating: 9/10

Their Lampredotto Panino is an iconic Florentine dish. Lampredotto is part of the cow’s stomach and comparable to tripe. Its juices oozed out with each bite. The star of the sandwich was their chili oil, which had the perfect amount of spice and elevated the dish. Mercato Centrale is a great spot to try a vast array of Italian dishes and is a must-see attraction during your time in Florence.

Vernazza

Food Rating: 9/10

This was one of my favorite experiences of our trip. We had a beautiful dinner at Belforte in Vernazza. We were drawn to the breathtaking views and had to eat here for our last meal in Cinque Terre. The Squid Ink Pasta with Shrimp was delicious! I’ve never had squid ink pasta but thoroughly enjoyed it. The noodles were cooked al dente and the shrimp was flavorful, fresh, and succulent. Highly recommend, whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or enjoying a vacation in Cinque Terre!

Manarola

Food Rating: 9/10

I thoroughly enjoyed my Calamari Cone at Il Porticciolo in Manarola. Calamari is my family’s go-to appetizer at restaurants in the States, and I can say that this was one of my all-time favorites. It was fried perfectly as each piece was so crispy. Good calamari doesn’t need additional seasonings like this one; it had the right amount of salt. A squeeze of lemon was all the calamari needed and it elevated the dish. One of my favorite meals in Cinque Terre!

Vernazza

Food Rating: 7/10

As a coastal Italian city, they offered a variety of fresh and locally sourced seafood. I started with a Fried Seafood Cone at Batti Batti Friggitoria in Vernazza. You could customize the seafood in your cone, so I selected Calamari, Cod, Shrimp, and Fries. My favorite was the shrimp because it had the most flavor. It was a filling, bang for your buck meal, but there were better seafood cones in Cinque Terre. You must try one of these cones if you’re in Cinque Terre and enjoy seafood!

Riomaggiore

Food Rating: 7/10

I was craving some pasta in Cinque Terre so I had Ravioli Bolognese at Pastarita in Riomaggiorre. This place serves fresh, hand-made pasta with a variety of sauces. The ravioli satisfied my cravings but wasn’t one of my favorites. It’s great if you’re looking for a quick sit-down meal or pasta for takeout though.