10 of the best and most peculiar Italian restaurants in the world
Italians do it better, not only at home!
It is common knowledge that Italian cuisine is the world’s most popular one. People from all over the world, if they can’t directly do it in loco, want to taste the much talked about Italian food to find out what the fuss is all about. And what if Italian themselves have gotten enough of the local food when abroad and desperately crave some of their favourite authentic Italian dishes? Well, you happen to be in the right place as here’s a list of ten of the best and most peculiar Italian restaurants all around the world, which guarantee you the real deal when it comes to authentic Italian food, without leaving out some innovative twists!
- Vetri – Philadelphia, USA
Star chef Marc Vetri’s titular restaurant located in Philadelphia is considered one of America’s finest Italian restaurants. Since opening in 1998, Vetri has built a reputation on its consistently delicious and authentic Italian cuisine served in a small and intimate setting reminiscent of an Italian trattoria. Its menu changes seasonally, featuring both classic and contemporary Italian dishes, with Chef Vetri who also hand-selects local ingredients to amplify the menu’s range. Its specialties include the roasted branzino with truffle sauce and the venison loin with quince and bitter chocolate sauce: on top of everything the award-winning wine cellar at Vetri houses more than 5,000 bottles!
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- Le Muscadin – Montreal, Canada
French name, but typical Italian cuisine. As a matter of fact, the menu features traditional Italian dishes, with fresh ingredients and Italian imports being staples in their kitchen in order to provide the guests with an authentic and delicious culinary experience. Some of the highlights include Emilian-style gnocchi in a lamb and tomato sauce, veal scaloppine alla catanese – that is marinated in white wine and covered with eggplant and tomatoes – and their signature Tortellini Muscadin. Located in Montreal’s historic district, it is one of the most popular places to eat and rightfully so.
- Tèrra – Copenaghen, Denmark
This young and unconventional restaurant has one main objective: sustainability. At its core there is the desire to stop food waste and the amount of plastic generally used in restaurants, going therefore in the direction of a more sustainable and conscious way of eating and living. In a few words, respect for our Mother Earth – from here the name of the restaurant, since Terra means Earth in Italian. As for the taste, their cuisine travels between innovation and fusion, halfway between Rome and Copenhagen. Behind it there is the imaginative mind of Valerio Serino and his manic search for ingredients, sourced at trusted organic producers. Alongside him Lucia de Luca, who elegantly pair the dishes with biodynamic wines from small Italian and international producers. Last but definitely not least, Tèrra’s pasta comes from Il mattarello, their own artisan and organic pasta lab!
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- 8 ½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana – Hong Kong, China
The homage to Federico Fellini’s legendary film is just one of the clear references to Italy in this restaurant in downtown Hong Kong. Award-winning chef Umberto Bombana – who thinks of himself as an “ambassador for Italian flavour” – gave life to 8 ½ in 2010, with the restaurant being awarded two Michelin stars less than a year after its opening. As of now it enjoys three stars, being the only restaurant outside of Italy to receive such recognition. And the accolades don’t end here: in 2019 8 ½ was also recognized with the Art of Hospitality Award, remaining faithful to the notorious Italian warmth and friendliness.
Just to get an idea, Otto e mezzo’s tasting menu starts with roasted blue lobster and moves on to homemade tagliolini, short rib and beef tenderloin and Challand duck, finishing with blonde cannelloni or poached cherries with pistachio gelato, not to mention the endless Italian wine list curated by renowned sommelier Marino Braccu.
- Aromi – Prague, Check Republic
The restaurant Aromi is synonymous with authentic Italian cuisine and is specialized on fresh fish and seafood with an emphasis on quality and fresh ingredients. As a matter of fact, owner Riccardo Lucque sources products from small Italian suppliers with which he has built a personal relationship that guarantees the highest quality of selected products. The restaurant consists of a bistro with a bar, separate rooms with its own professional kitchen and a garden in the summer. Among the signature dishes we can find spaghetti with lobster and fresh tomato sauce and tortellini filled with mantecated stockfish, Livornese tomato sauce and olive Taggiasche tapenade.
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- Bar Italia Brasserie – Paris, France
Bar Italia Brasserie was born from an idea of Massimo and Anne in the summer of 2012: bringing to Paris a new concept about Italian hospitality by building a cosy setting where you can eat fantastic traditional food in a convivial atmosphere. The philosophy behind Bar Italia Brasserie is to offer a limited selection of Antipasti and Primi piatti that change monthly, all complemented by a delicious selection of desserts, always according to the rich Italian tradition, and by an extensive wine list of over 50 red, white and sparkling wines from each region of the Italian peninsula.
- OVO – Moscow, Russia
Upon opening, contemporary Italian restaurant OVO was an instant gastronomic highlight for the Russian capital and has since become a fixture in Moscow’s upscale dining scene. This Russian gastronomic temple, created by renowned chef Carlo Cracco and leaded in the kitchen by Andrea Conte, expresses a singular philosophy in culinary form through dishes that breath fresh life into Italian classics through innovative twists. Its vast menu ranges from instant classics such as Spaghetti carbonara and Cacio and pepe to more elaborate recipes like a rib-eye steak made with asparagus, prosciutto, pecorino, porcini sauté, baked sweet potatoes and pepper sauce.
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- Futura – Berlin, Germany
Hardcore pizza lovers will find a happy place in this restaurant located in East Berlin in the heart of Friedrichshain and opened in February 2019. Named Pizzeria of the year by Gambero Rosso in 2020, the name is a tribute to Lucio Dalla’s song about a love story divided by the wall. To take care of every detail there is Alessandro Leonardi, born in 1981 in Naples and who a few years ago decided to abandon everything in order to follow his passion for pizza. All ingredients are imported and carefully selected from Italy: from Corbara tomatoes to San Marzano DOP and Fiordilatte from Agerola. Thanks to Alessandro’s knowledge of the most advanced bread making techniques, creatively applied with traditional Neapolitan preparation, the dough becomes particularly easy to digest with the use of both firm and liquid sourdough. This concept, both traditional and innovative, is Futura’s recipe for success.
- Osteria Langhe – Chicago, USA
Opened in May 2014, Osteria Langhe is a Chicago neighborhood restaurant that celebrates the age-old traditions, cuisine and wine of Italy’s northwest Piemonte region. Inspired by the area’s unique culinary history influenced by Italian and French cultures, the restaurant emulates Piedmont’s penchant for ingredient-driven food combined with simple yet peculiar dishes. Osteria Langhe’s menu highlights traditional preparations of regional dishes like seasonal risotto, raw meat using Piedmontese beef, prosciutto-wrapped rabbit loins and house-made plin ravioli. To accompany each meal, guests can enjoy a wine list featuring distinct reds, whites and sparkling wines exclusively from the Piemonte region and curated by Wine Director-Owner Aldo Zaninotto, all in the suggesting 68 dining room which boasts a large glass facade, rustic wood tables and Italian art.
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- Anima e Cuore – London, UK
Among the streets of Camden Town in London you can find this little restaurant that from the outside looks like a bar but on the inside hides the true Italian tradition. From homemade pasta with fish to marinated sardines, from polenta with cheese to pistachio ice cream, each dish holds a link between tradition and innovation. This contemporary vibrant Italian restaurant is a Byob (bring your own bottle), so you can bring your own drinks, but the food highly compensates, being made with heart (cuore) and soul (anima), in name and in fact.
Cover Photo from Pixabay
