Italian Cuisine is varied, abundant in selection and is unique to many of the 20 regions of Italy. Cuisine in Italy tends to be regional, each region offering its own wonderful specialties. Since there are 20 regions of Italy, Italian cuisine offers a wide selection that should satisfy every palate.

Pasta is the first course in a meal for most Italians with the exception of the far north. Here risotto or polenta is typically served. Meat does not play a regular part of many Italian diets with vegetables, grains and legumes being served as a main course. Italian cuisine is often a combination of vegetables, grains, fruits, fish, cheeses and a scattering of meats, fowl and game usually seasoned or cooked with olive oil.

Regions in Northern Italy
The cuisine of this region is a blend of Italian mountain specialties and strong Gallic flavors influenced by its proximity to France. White truffles and butter are often used in recipes of Piedmont. Southern Piedmont produce Italy's greatest wines. Polenta, a wonderful grain, is another regional specialty.

Alto Adige Region is the most northern region of Italy. The main city is Bolzano.


Trentino Region. Main city is Trento.
Food in this region often comprise soups flavored with caraway seeds, speck (a smoke-cured prosciutto), strudels and the use of sauerkraut and vinegar in their cooking.

Lombardy Region. The regional capital is Milan.
This region is best known for its choice beef cattle and dairy herds, the former seen as some of the best meats produced in Italy and the latter contribute to the making of Gorgonzola and Bel Paese cheeses. Milan is known for dishes such as Minestrone alla Milanese and Risotto alla Milanese and Polenta.

Aosta Valley Region is the most mountainous region of Italy. The regional capital is Aosta. Both Italian and French languages are officially recognized.


Piedmont Region. The regional capital is Turin.
Piedmont is a region bordering France in northeastern Italy. Piedmont is notable for fine food including truffles, fine wines, and is ideal for dry farming most grapes. Piedmont is known for its artisanal cheeses, cured meats and a large selection of herbs.

Liguria Region is south of Piedmont facing the Tyrrhenian Sea. The regional capital is Genoa, Italy's greatest seaport. Because of this, Ligurians are known for their seafood dishes and their Pesto Genovese, a sauce made of a paste of fresh garlic, extra virgin olive oil, fresh Italian basil leaves, pine nuts and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Liguria is associated with its abundance of produce and citrus fruits. It is best known for its carnations and world famous honey.


Friuli-Venezia Giulia Region. Main city is Trieste.
The influences of Yugoslavia and Austria on its northern borders are seen in the food and languages spoken in the Fruili-Venetia Giulia Region. Paprika, poppy seeds, cinnamon, cumin and horseradish are used as flavorings and rice and polenta supplant pasta. Sausage- making is a specialty of this area as is Goulash, a beef stew made with red wine, tomatoes, paprika and spices. Trieste is known for its seafood dishes.


The Veneto Region is south of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. The region capital is Venice.
The cuisine of the Veneto region offers well prepared, yet simple country food. The more well known dishes are Risi e Bisi, a porridge-like soup made with fresh peas, rice and Parmesan cheese; Pasta e Fagioli, a stew-like concoction made of tomatoes, tiny pasta and beans; plus many seafood dishes.

Emilia Romagna Region. The regional capital is Bologna.
The Emilia Romagna Region is the most abundant agricultural region in Italy and is known for its culinary specialties like Parma Ham, Balsamic Vinegar, and Pasta Bolognese. Dishes often include ingredients such as: tomatoes, chicken livers, cured pork, celery, onion and carrot.

Tuscany Region. Main city is Florence.
Marches Region (to the west of Tuscany). Main city is Ancona.
Umbria Region (south of Tuscany and Marche). Main city is Perugia.
Latium Region. Main city is Rome.
Abruzzo Region. Main city is L'Aquila.
Molise Region. Main city is Campobasso.


Central Italy is typical of Italy's countryside. It terrain is filled with rolling hills, tall cypress trees, ancient roads, worn and crumbling farmhouses and villas, and miles of olive groves and well-manicured vineyards. The cuisine of this area reflects a simpler, more rustic approach to cooking that relies heavily on the produce and livestock common to the area. Lamb, beef, kid and game are widely seen on the table in the form of a stew, spit-roasted or grilled. Pasta and vegetables, particularly mushrooms and truffles, are often served alongside.


Tuscan food is simple and abundant with local produce, mellow cheeses and grilled meats. Their delicious, chewy breads are baked without salt. Tuscans often use beans as a staple. Tuscany is the home of Chianti wine.


Umbria is a region known for its wheat fields and black truffles. Food is simply prepared and satisfying. Porchetta, or suckling pig, is a specialty of Umbria and is prepared with herbs and spit-roasted. Game and beef are an important part of an Umbrian meal.

The Marches has a predominantly rugged terrain. The food is considered more peasant-like and is known for Porchetta (pig stuffed with peppers, rosemary and garlic) and a rich lasagna called Vincisgrassi. On the coastal plain of the Marches, you can find all types of fish in seafood soups overflowing in a saffron-infused broth.
In Rome in the region of Latium food is the typical rustic fare of Central Italy with Abbacchio (a suckling lamb seasoned with fresh rosemary), Spaghetti alla Carbonara, Saltimbocca and Suppli al Telefono. The Abruzzo Region is knows for its many pasta dishes. Each town is known for its own specialties and lamb, hearty soups, a wide variety of herbs and even chilies.

Regions of Southern Italy
Southern Italy is a mainly sun-drenched agricultural land and is know for its stark beauty. Much of southern Italy is semi-tropical and this part of the country abounds with flowers and scents of citrus fruits.

Campania Region. Main city is Naples.
Neopolitan and Campanian specialties include octopus prepared in a variety of ways, spaghetti dishes using a tomato-based fish sauce, dishes using buffalo milk mozzarella, including pizza, and Eggplant Parmesan.

Apulia Region. Main city is Bari.
Apulia is a long and narrow region of southern Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea, eventually forming the heel of Italy's "boot" in the Salento peninsula. Apulia is covered with olive groves. Olive oil plays a major role in the region's cooking, as do cereals and grains Some of the grain becomes pasta. Apulia is especially known for orecchiette. There is also an abundance of fine cheeses and excellent lamb. The fish of Apulia is fresh and offers a large and varied selection since the region borders hundreds of miles of coastline. This region also offers fava beans, eggplant and wonderful figs. Apulia also produces large quantities of wine.


Basilicata Region. Main city is Potenza.


Calabria Region. Main city is Catanzaro.


Sicily (Island) Region. Main city is Palermo.
Sicily has a subtropical climate. Sicily grows and exports oranges and lemons. Seafood and rich pasta dishes are often served in this region.

Sardinia (Island) Region. Main city is Cagliari.

Pizzas served hot from the wood burning oven and topped with an assortment of vegetables, seafood, meats and cheeses are in stark contrast to foccacia, the flatbread of the north. Olive oil, especially extra virgin, is used in lieu of butter. The cuisines of the south are earthier and more peasant-like and bolder in their flavors and combinations of food.