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FOOD AND DRINK

EXPLAINED: How do you find good Italian food abroad?

It's a challenge all Italians outside of Italy will be familiar with, but there are restaurants out there known for cooking simple, traditional dishes using quality ingredients. Here's how to track them down.

Published: 16 May 2023 14:25 CEST
EXPLAINED: How do you find good Italian food abroad?
Tracking down a good Italian restaurant abroad is not always easy. Photo by Gabriella Clare Marino on Unsplash

Frustrated fans of good food living outside of Italy may have rejoiced at the recent news that the Italian agriculture minister (the ‘Minister for agriculture and food sovereignty’, to be exact) has proposed the creation of an official ranking system for Italian restaurants abroad.

The minister said he’d had enough of “chefs who can’t cook Italian” and of supposedly Italian restaurants which have “nothing to do with Italy” – a feeling many people can likely identify with after coming across one too many disappointing versions of their favourite Italian dish.

READ ALSO: How Italy’s government wants to rank Italian restaurants abroad

As any of the estimated five million Italian citizens living outside of the country would probably agree, sourcing quality raw ingredients with which to recreate nonna’s recipes, never mind finding acceptable restaurant versions of classic dishes, is generally a challenge.

And though big, cosmopolitan cities have no shortage of credible-sounding Italian restaurants, it can take a lot of effort (and expense) to find out which are the real deal.

Luckily for lovers of Italian food around the world, the ratings system proposed by the agriculture minister already exists. And there are a few other things you could try if you’re craving well-executed Italian classics, but can’t make it back to Italy just yet.

Here are a few suggestions that we hope will take you one step closer to the authentic cacio e pepe of your dreams:

ITA0039 100% Italian Taste Certification

This certification scheme seems to be exactly what the minister is looking for: created by Italy’s main agricultural association Coldiretti with the Asacert certification body and national food safety and education authorities, it aims to help consumers abroad identify and appreciate quality Italian ingredients.

It has so far been used mainly to certify that products sold abroad and labelled as Italian were in fact made in Italy – but has also now begun to certify international restaurants which use authentic ingredients and meet other quality standards. 

READ ALSO: Why do Italians get so angry if you mess with classic recipes?

The certificate has only been applied to a few dozen restaurants around the world so far, including pizzerias in Malta and France, a restaurant in Suzhou, China, and a small chain of restaurants in UK cities including London and Manchester. However the website states that it’s planning to add many more to the list – which you can see here.

A traditional Italian pizza.

A traditional Neapolitan pizza. Photo by Nik Owens on Unsplash

Restaurants have to apply for the certification themselves, which may be one barrier to more small businesses signing up – though the scheme’s creators say it’s a valuable marketing tool for Italian restaurants abroad who want to set themselves apart.

Meanwhile, Italy’s Chamber of Commerce has also reportedly been working on the creation of another, similar certification scheme jointly with the National Tourist Research Institute.

Gambero Rosso

Many visitors to Italy look to the Michelin guide for restaurant recommendations, but when searching for truly Italian restaurants abroad you may want to turn instead to the listings compiled by prominent Italian food and wine magazine Gambero Rosso.

Within Italy, the Gambero Rosso Top Italian Restaurants guide is considered a significant influence on the country’s culinary scene. The international version of the guide is similarly well-regarded, and highlights the work of some of the top-rated Italian chefs around the world at restaurants everywhere from Stockholm to Los Angeles.

As well as fine dining, the list features pizzerias, wine bars, bistros and other venues, many of which put a creative twist on traditional cuisine. You can search the guide by city in Italy and worldwide here.

Word of mouth

Perhaps one reason there aren’t more online resources signposting authentic Italian restaurants abroad is that Italians themselves simply don’t tend to rely on them.

As you might have discovered, in Italy the best (or only) way to get reliable information is usually to go somewhere and ask in person – attempts to phone or search online are often a path to frustraton, or just a waste of time. And as far as Italians are concerned, personal recommendations from family and friends are the only ones to be trusted.

READ ALSO: Four myths about ‘traditional’ Italian food you can stop believing

The same rule appears to apply abroad: Italians who move to other countries usually develop a network of close Italian contacts in their chosen city who they’ll ask for recommendations for just about everything.

So if you want to know where the good Italian food is in your area, the best way to find it might be to follow their lead and, well, ask an Italian.

It’s obviously much harder for non-Italians who don’t have the contacts, but if you have an Italian acquaintance, colleague, or coffee shop barista, it’s worth asking for some tips – you’ll probably find they’re more than happy to talk to you about Italian food.

Do you have any other tips for finding authentic Italian restaurants outside of Italy? Please share them with us in the comments below.

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FOOD AND DRINK

Six of the most Italian non-alcoholic aperitivo drinks

As well as its most famous cocktails, Italy has a long tradition of making refreshing aperitivo drinks without the alcohol.

Published: 11 April 2024 12:01 CEST
Six of the most Italian non-alcoholic aperitivo drinks

Italy’s favourite aperitivo-hour cocktails are known far beyond the country’s borders, so their names will probably be familiar to you whether you drink them or not.

But if you’re in Italy and not drinking alcohol, you might find yourself stumped when it comes time to order your aperitivo at the bar.

The first time I found myself in this situation, there was no menu. The waiter instead rattled off a long list of all the soft drinks available, most of which I’d never heard of, and I just picked something I thought sounded nice.

Luckily it turns out that Italy has some great options for an aperitivo analcolico. As well as ‘virgin’ versions of well-known cocktails, there are bitters, sodas and other Italian-made soft drinks that you’re unlikely to find anywhere else.

They might not be quite as iconic as the Aperol Spritz, but they’re as thoroughly Italian – plus, effortlessly ordering one of these will make you look like a true local.

SanBittèr

San Pellegrino’s SanBittèr is one of the most famous non-alcoholic Italian drinks of all, with its highly-recognisable red packaging, often enjoyed in place of Campari cocktails because of its similar dark, ruby-red color.

This drink is carbonated with a slightly sweet, citrus flavor. The recipe is more complex than that of an orange or lemon soda, with notes of spice and herbs, making it ideal to pair with your aperitivo-hour snacks.

Crodino

Crodino looks a lot like an Aperol Spritz with its bright orange hue, and that’s not an accident: it’s said to have been created as a non-alcoholic alternative, and the zesty, slightly herbal taste is similar. It’s typically served the same way. in a round goblet glass over ice with a slice of orange: a Crodino Spritz.

The name comes from the town of Crodo in Piedmont, where it is still bottled today by the Campari group.

Chinotto

Citrusy Chinotto is an acquired taste for many, but it’s worth trying: it’s one of the classic Italian bitters and is said to have a long history, dating back to a recipe shared by Chinese sailors arriving on the Ligurian coast in the 1500s.

It may look a little like Coca Cola, but don’t let the appearance fool you.

(Photo by Eugene Gologursky /Getty Images via AFP)

Aranciata/Limonata

Aranciata is Italy’s version of an orange soda, but not as sugary, and it tastes like oranges. Its base is sparkling water with the addition of orange juice and sugar. There are various brands, but San Pellegrino’s is the most popular. It also sells a ‘bitter’ aranciata amaro, with even less sugar, more citrus tang and herbal notes, which might be more aperitivo-hour appropriate.

Limonata is, as you might guess, the Italian answer to lemonade. Again there are many versions out there but the fizzy San Pellegrino limonata is beloved for its strong, sweet-sour flavour and there’s nothing more refreshing on a hot summer’s day.

Cedrata

Cedrata is one of Italy’s oldest and best-known non-alcoholic drinks. It’s a refreshing, carbonated drink made from a large citrus fruit called a cedro, grown in southern Italy. It’s far less bitter than a Chinotto, but not as sweet as limonata.

The main producer of Cedrata today is Tassoni, and this is what you’re likely to get if you order it at a bar.

Gingerino

This is harder to find than the other aperitivi on the list and is seen as decidedly retro, but it’s worth trying if you can track it down.

It’s another orange-coloured, sparkling drink which became popular in Italy in the 1970s and is still sold today, though you’re more likely to find it in the north-east, close to Venice, where it’s produced.

You may be expecting it to taste a lot like ginger beer, and there are similarities, but it has stronger citrus notes and more bitterness.

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