The best Italian & European cities for food lovers
Italy is one of Europe’s top tourist destinations, seeing more than 458 million foreign visitors in 2024, a 2.5% increase on the previous year[1]. While there are endless reasons to visit the country, from the ruins of ancient Rome to the beauty of Lake Como, Italian cuisine has become a huge draw for tourists from all over the globe.
Worth an estimated $344.8 million (USD) in 2023, the Italian food tourism industry is set to grow dramatically in the coming years, potentially passing $1.15 billion by 2030.[2] As Italian food has become one of the most popular and widespread cuisines in the world, many tourists are willing to travel to get a taste of authentic Italian cuisine. With this in mind, the experts at luggage storage network Bounce.com wanted to reveal the must-visit cities for any Italian food enthusiast.
The best Italian cities for foodies
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1. Florence | Food lover score: 9.79
Florence is the best city for food tourists in Italy, earning a score of 9.79 out of 10. This picturesque city is most widely known for its grand architecture and artistic heritage, but it should perhaps be better known for its culinary scene.
There are 8.3 Michelin Guide restaurants per 100,000 people in Florence, including legendary establishments like the twice-Michelin-starred Santa Elisabetta and the three-time-Michelin-starred Enoteca Pinchiorri.
The city has a huge number of restaurants to choose from, with 615 restaurants per 100,000 people, almost three-quarters of which are rated four or five stars on Tripadvisor. As well as having a huge number of local cooking classes and culinary tours to complete a food-oriented visit.
Florence is particularly appealing to meat lovers. The region is famous for its fantastic steaks, while a popular local delicacy, Lampredotto, consists of stewed tripe in a sandwich with salt, pepper, and a green sauce.
2. Venice | Food lover score: 8.76
Venice is the second-best Italian city for food lovers to visit, with a score of 8.76. The famous city of canals has the highest concentration of Michelin Guide restaurants in Italy, with 13.1 per 100,000 people, including Glam Enrico Bartolini and Antica Osteria Cera, both of which have two Michelin stars.
There are also plenty of food and drink tours in the city, with 54.8 per 100,000 people, helping visitors get under the skin of the local culinary scene. For example, the Venice Bacaro Food Tour is rated 4.9 out of five on Tripadvisor, with 395 five-star reviews. One reviewer pointed out the “great food and drink” and said they would “highly recommend as first-time travellers to Venice”, while another commented that “the food spots were awesome and they gave great recommendations on what to try and drink”.
One of Venice’s signature dishes is baccalà mantecato, a dish of whipped salt cod often served on pan-fried polenta. The dish is part of Venetian heritage, being served at bars in the city as well as family homes at Christmas, and even has a society dedicated to its preservation, the Brotherhood of Baccalà Mantecato.
3. Verona | Food lover score: 8.07
Verona is a beautiful city in northern Italy. It is famous for its Roman amphitheatre, which still hosts concerts and opera performances. It is also the setting of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.
In addition to its dramatic pedigree, the city is also a great place for food lovers to visit, earning a score of 8.07. Almost two-thirds of restaurants in Verona have four or five stars on Tripadvisor, making it easy to find an excellent place to eat.
The city’s most prestigious restaurant is Casa Perbellini 12 Apostoli, holds three Michelin stars and features three exquisite tasting menus. The first menu, “Io e Silva”, showcases chef Giancarlo Perbellini’s creativity and is dedicated to his wife. The second menu, “Io e Giorgio”, focuses more on traditional recipes and is in honour of his mentor, the restaurant’s previous owner, while the third menu, “L'Essenza”, provides a completely vegetarian experience.
Verona is also a great location to visit if you have a sweet tooth, being the birthplace of pandoro, the iconic eight-pointed cake often served at Christmas and New Year. Technically a sweet bread, this delicacy is said to resemble the nearby Alpine mountains when dusted with the traditional vanilla-scented icing sugar.
The Italian cities with the most popular signature dishes
1. Bologna
Signature dish: Mortadella
Signature dish score: 9.43
Bologna has the most popular signature dish, Mortadella, earning a very high 9.43 out of 10. Mortadella is a salume sausage meat with a very smooth texture. It contains at least 15% and is traditionally flavoured with peppercorns, though some versions use pistachios.
Mortadella is often eaten in sandwiches, but can also be found on charcuterie boards and as a filling for tortellini or ravioli. Mortadella from Bologna has a protected geographical indication (PGI), so if you see it listed as “mortadella Bologna PGI”, you know it’s the real deal.
2. Rimini
Signature dish: Piadina
Signature dish score: 9.31
Rimini has the second most popular signature dish, the humble piadina, which earned a score of 9.31. This small Italian flatbread is commonly eaten as a local version of a sandwich, filled with anything you like, though fresh cheese, greens, and cured meats are some of the most common choices.
The piadina is officially attributed to the wider Emilia-Romagna region, which includes Rimini, though some claim it comes from the city itself. Like mortadella from Bologna, piadina from Emilia-Romagna has a protected geographical indication (PGI), so look out for this designation if you want the authentic version.
3. Naples
Signature dish: Pizza Margherita
Signature dish score: 8.85
Pizza Margherita is the signature dish of Naples and the third most popular in Italy, earning a score of 8.85. Margherita pizzas are one of the simplest and most commonly found pizzas in the world. The only toppings on these pizzas are tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and extra virgin olive oil, resulting in a classic taste that is hard to beat.
The origins of the pizza supposedly go back to 1889, when a Neapolitan pizza chef was commissioned to create a pizza in honour of the visiting Queen Margherita. The choice of toppings is said to represent the Italian flag, using ingredients that are red (tomato), white (mozzarella), and green (basil), though all of these would have been common toppings long beforehand.
Dining in Italy with dietary requirements
When travelling abroad with allergies or dietary requirements, dining out can be a stressful experience. Not all countries accommodate these preferences, so doing a little research ahead of time can be a great strategy. With this in mind, we have identified some of the best cities in Italy for vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free dining.
The best Italian city for vegetarian dining
1. Florence
Florence is the best city for vegetarian dining, with almost half of restaurants on Tripadvisor being listed as vegetarian-friendly.
Despite being famous for several meat dishes, Florence is a culinary hotspot for vegetarian fine dining, with eight Michelin Guide restaurants offering vegetarian menus. These include the three-Michelin-starred Enoteca Pinchiorri, as well as two other Michelin-starred restaurants, Borgo San Jacopo and Il Palagio.
Enoteca Pinchiorri’s “Heart Mother” set menu is completely vegetarian. It includes a variety of dishes, such as burnt wheat tagliatelle, escarole pizza, and a dessert of beetroot meringue, raspberry vinegar sorbet, and rhubarb.
The Italian city with the most vegan-friendly restaurants
1. Perugia
Perugia is the Italian city with the most vegan-friendly restaurants, with almost a quarter of restaurants on Tripadvisor offering vegan options. Italian food often includes lots of meat, dairy, and seafood products, which can make it difficult to follow a vegan diet in the country.
While one of the smaller cities on our list, there are still well over 100 restaurants catering to vegans, including the popular Borgomela restaurant, which provides a cosy atmosphere in which traditional and locally sourced dishes are the specialty.
A traditional local dish which vegans can enjoy is panzanella, a summer salad of diced stale bread, tomatoes, and onions, sometimes with cucumbers, and dressed with basil leaves, olive oil, and vinegar. This fresh dish is a summer staple, providing a light but delicious meal that is perfect for the warm Italian climate.
The best Italian city for gluten-free dining
1. Florence
Florence has the most restaurants catering to gluten-free diners, with more than a fifth of restaurants providing gluten-free options. Many of Italy’s staple dishes contain gluten, such as pasta and pizza, making it especially difficult to navigate if you have an allergy. However, risotto and polenta can be great gluten-free options, depending on the other ingredients included in the dish.
The first 100% gluten-free restaurant to open in Florence was Ristorante Quinoa, which is very well reviewed with a 4.2 out of five rating on Tripadvisor and a 4.5 rating on Google reviews. The restaurant is certified by Italy’s National Celiac Association and is ideally located in central Florence, just a short walk from the iconic Duomo.
The menu at Ristorante Quinoa combines traditional Italian flavours with oriental influences for dishes with bold and unique tastes. The lunch menu changes daily, reflecting what produce is available at local markets, while the dinner menu changes with the seasons, being updated around once a month.
The best European cities for Italian food (outside of Italy!)
While enjoying Italian food in Italy is one of the best ways to experience the cuisine, not all of us can travel to the country just to sate our appetites. Thankfully, a large Italian diaspora has made authentic Italian food a common sight in many popular European destinations. With this in mind, we’ve compiled a list of the best European cities for Italian food outside of Italy.
1. Zurich | Italian cuisine score: 7.80
Zurich is the best European city for Italian food, outside of Italy itself, earning a score of 7.80 out of 10. With Switzerland sharing a border with northern Italy, and Italian being the country’s third national language, it’s no surprise that Italian cuisine is so popular in the country.
Zurich has plenty of Italian food options to choose from, with more than one in six restaurants on Tripadvisor offering Italian cuisine and 75.6 Italian restaurants per 100,000 people. The city also has nine Michelin Guide restaurants offering Italian cuisine, including two with Michelin stars and one, La Bottega di Mario, with a Bib Gourmand award, reflecting its great quality cooking at more moderate prices.
2. Dubrovnik | Italian cuisine score: 7.31
Dubrovnik has the second-best availability of Italian food outside of Italy, with a score of 7.31. Located just a short boat trip from Italy on the eastern coast of the Adriatic, Dubrovnik is a historic port city complete with huge stone walls and beautiful architecture.
Italian food in Dubrovnik is easy to find, with more than 189 Italian restaurants per 100,000 people, more than four-fifths of which are rated four stars or higher on Tripadvisor. While none of these restaurants feature in the Michelin Guide, almost half cater to vegan diners, making it easy to enjoy Italian food while avoiding animal products.
3. Luxembourg City | Italian cuisine score: 7.14
Luxembourg City has the third highest score for its Italian cuisine at 7.14 out of 10. Nestled between Belgium, France, and Germany, Luxembourg has no geographic link to Italy, but its people clearly have a penchant for Italian cuisine.
Almost one in five restaurants in Luxembourg City offer Italian food, and there are 83.9 Italian restaurants per 100,000 people, more than two-thirds of which are rated four stars or higher.
The city also has three restaurants featured on the Michelin Guide, with one, Mosconi, holding a Michelin star. While there are plenty of options for lovers of Italian cuisine in the city, vegans may have trouble finding somewhere to eat, as fewer than a fifth of Italian restaurants in Luxembourg offer vegan options.
Finding authentic Italian food in London
London is home to a large Italian diaspora that has helped spread and popularise Italian cuisine in the UK. In our study, London was listed as the fourth-best in Europe for Italian cuisine, much to the delight of locals and visitors alike.
One special restaurant in the city is La Mia Mamma, which is proud to be “the first restaurant run by Italian mammas” and has branches in Chelsea and Notting Hill.
Bounce.com caught up with three of their mammas to discuss some of their most iconic dishes.
Pesto Genovese is a special dish for ‘Mamma Sara’:
“This Ligurian staple is more than a recipe; it's a symbol of simplicity, purity, and regional pride. In Italy, Pesto Genovese is closely tied to family rituals, especially summer meals when basil is in full bloom. Preparing pesto by hand, using a mortar and pestle, is almost a meditative act, and it’s common for grandmothers to involve their grandchildren in this process. When we cook it, we’re connecting to those fragrant terraces of Liguria, where basil grows wild and Sundays are incomplete without trofie, potatoes, and green beans tossed all together.”
“Don’t even think of using a salad spinner, troppo aggressivo!" (too aggressive!)”
‘Mamma Ida’ tells us about the significance of Pizza Margherita:
“There’s a reason it’s the most iconic Italian dish. More than a food, it’s a national emblem, one born in Naples and named in honour of Queen Margherita of Savoy in 1889. Its colours, red tomato, white mozzarella, and green basil, mirror the Italian flag. But more than history, Pizza Margherita speaks of childhood. Mamma Ida used to make this for her children after school. It was a reward, a hug in edible form. Its simplicity demands respect, and that’s why we insist on long fermentation, high-quality ingredients, and the softness only time can give.”
"L’impasto deve riposare… come me dopo pranzo!"
(The dough needs to rest… like me after lunch!)
‘Mamma Alessandra’ is very particular about her Pasta alla Carbonara:
“This is a dish of Roman pride, rooted in the post-war years and tied to the ingenuity of local cooking. Using only a handful of ingredients, guanciale, egg yolks, Pecorino Romano, and black pepper, Carbonara proves how Italy transforms humble staples into extraordinary meals. At La Mia Mamma, we see it as a sacred ritual, and Mamma Alessandra won’t let a drop of cream near her pan! This dish is also about timing and feel, cooked with instinct. For Romans, it’s the taste of home, a dish that defines their culinary soul.”
"No panna, per favore!" (No cream, please!)
“Now that you know how we do it... come over and let the Mammas cook for you!
We’ll feed you, spoil you, and probably tell you to eat more, perché hai bisogno di un po’ di sostanza!”
You can follow La Mia Mamma on Instagram to get the latest news and antics from their kitchen.
Cody Candee, CEO and Founder of Bounce.com commented:
“Italian food is one of the world’s favourite cuisines, and as food tourism continues to grow each year, more people than ever are travelling to Italy for an authentic culinary experience.
“This study shows that while the big tourist cities have plenty to offer the travelling foodie, excellent food and dining options can be found all over Italy. Researching where your favourite dishes and styles of food originated could be a great way of tailoring your food tourism trip to match your personal preferences.
“We can also see that great Italian food can be found all over Europe, so if you’re planning a trip to a different country, there will likely be some excellent Italian restaurants nearby.
“If you’re planning to bring any local foods back from your trip, make sure to check the customs rules for your return country. Some items, especially fresh fruit and veg, meat, or dairy products, could be restricted to prevent the spread of disease and pests. Checking these restrictions beforehand will prevent disappointment and unwanted stress while travelling.”
Methodology
We wanted to reveal the cities for Italian food, both in Italy and the rest of Europe. To do this, we first focused on Italy, creating a list of thirty of the biggest cities in the country. For each city, we collected the following data:
- The number of restaurants featured on the Michelin Guide, normalised against population.
- The number of restaurants on Tripadvisor, normalised against population.
- The percentage of restaurants on Tripadvisor with a rating of four stars or higher.
- The number of cooking classes on Tripadvisor, normalised against population.
- The number of food and drink tours on Tripadvisor, normalised against population.
Data from 2021 from City Population was used to normalise data against local populations.
All factors were then combined into a single score, which was used to rank each city’s culinary attractiveness.
We then researched popular dishes from each Italian city using a variety of online articles. Once we had found a signature dish for each city, we collected the following data:
- The annual global search volume for each dish from April 2024 to March 2025, sourced from Google Keyword Planner.
- The number of Instagram posts featuring each dish in a hashtag.
- The number of TikTok posts featuring each dish in a hashtag.
These three factors were combined into a single score, allowing us to reveal the cities with the most popular signature dishes.
We also researched which Italian cities were best for people with dietary requirements. We calculated the percentage of restaurants on Tripadvisor in each city that catered to vegetarians, vegans, and people on gluten-free diets. These were all treated separately, with a ranking produced for each.
Lastly, we compared European cities on the level of Italian cuisine available. We used Grok AI to create a list of European cities with the most international visitors, excluding any in Italy, Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. We collected the following data for each city:
- The percentage of restaurants that offer Italian cuisine, from Tripadvisor.
- The number of Italian restaurants on Tripadvisor, normalised against population.
- The percentage of Italian restaurants on Tripadvisor rated four stars or higher.
- The percentage of Italian restaurants on Tripadvisor with vegan options.
- The number of restaurants featured in the Michelin Guide that offer Italian cuisine.
The most recent data for each city, taken from City Population, was used to normalise data against local populations.
These factors were combined into a single score to reveal the best European cities outside of Italy for Italian cuisine.
Additional sources
[1] https://www.confesercenti.it/blog/turismo-assoturismo-confesercenti-cst-consuntivo-2024-con-il-segno-piu-nellanno-circa-4585-milioni-di-presenze-25-rispetto-al-2023/
[2] https://www.grandviewresearch.com/horizon/outlook/culinary-tourism-market/italy
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