“Ok, but how was the food?” is the first thing everyone asks you when you come back from Italy.

I decided to compile a list of my favourite meals I had while traveling Italy as a part of my European trip with my bestie. So here it is, I hope you enjoy it and that you find yourself in Italy soon to experience it for yourself.

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Milan 

This is no local secret but Luini’s is the MUST GO TO bakery in Milan. The fresh made to order panzerottis will not disappoint. Only €2.50 for an original panzerotti, I recommend you at least get two. Aside from the panzerottis they are also known for the huge lines outside of their bakery but fear not the lines move faster than you think.

It is a bit hard to find because it is hidden in a small side street so check out their website for the exact location.

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Now after you had your panzerotti there is a high-end gelato shop EXTREMELY close by. Cioccolaatitaliani was by far one of the top gelato I had the entire trip. It’s like the Ferrari of Gelatos, the choices for gelato range from combination to combination. You can tell they take their gelato business very seriously (to the point where you cannot take any pictures or videos inside). I managed to sneak some photos before I read the no photos sign…

Need a snack/meal or simply want another reason to try some food within the same street intersection? Spontini is like a fast food joint for pizza and as you can tell from the photo below they specialize more in thick pizza. I kid you not it was like eating a pizza cloud. Even if you’re only passing through Milan you HAVE to try all three places because they’re all a minute from each other how easier could it get? 

While in Milan I tried ALL THREE of the above recommendations. Obviously, the food that day was a highlight for me, hence the blog post 😉

Enjoy! && please tell me if you end of going to any of these three places.

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Venice 

If you’ve ever visited Venice or if you’re planning on visiting the city you’ll soon realize that there is no point in using a map while walking around. When we got off the train in Venice we decided to just head in whatever direction we wanted. Of course, after a long train ride, we were hungry and began our search for a meal. As we emerged from an alley and crossed a bridge we found the ideal place for food.

Pasta & Sugo is a pasta place (obvious from the name right?) but it also prides itself in having freshly made pasta every day. Essentially you’re able to choose which pasta you’d like, what sauce & toppings and choose a drink, this entire meal cost us €7. (Of course, we had to choose Nestea because they come in cute skinny tall cans). The lady working was happy to practice her English with us and explain the restaurant’s concept. Below are some photos from inside!

 

The meal was the perfect portion for us and was the best pasta we had on the trip. I just realized what they meant “Italian Fast Food” because it’s like how we have Burrito Boys or Smoke’s Poutine.

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Florence

By far the best meal we had in Italy but I now realized I’ve said that about every meal thus far… Nonetheless this is a must go to place while in Florence. Our pizza toppings include cheese (fresh mozzarella), cherry tomatoes and basil YUM YUM YUM. And the appetizer you see below is essentially pizza dough balls with prosciutto. No wonder the restaurant is called Pizza Man, the pizza was by far our #1 we had on the trip. We realized on this trip that it just made sense to share our meals since we wanted to try more than one thing. Find yourself a friend who has the same taste and eat your way through Europe together.

If you want the best gelato in the city head over to the Ponte Vecchio and then walk past it to the bridge behind it (Ponte Santa Trinita) and cross over. You’ll know which place I’m talking about because there’ll be a line outside of the gelato place (Gelateria Santa Trinita). For €2.50 you’ll receive a HUGE scoop of gelato but eat it quick it’s so fresh that it melts fast (the heat might also be a large factor in that). My recommendation is to order your scoop and enjoy it on the bridge while people watching.

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Rome

While in Rome I read an article how all the restaurants in the city that have employees outside yelling at you to come inside for a meal and promising you’ll receive some type of beverage for free is a scam… As well any restaurant that has a menu with pictures of its items. Therefore I did some research and found a few recommended restaurants in the same area. We walked to the area and sort’ve just chose what restaurant we stumbled upon first. It so happened to be Mimi & Coco. The restaurant is technically a wine bar but if you want good pasta and great service this is a go to spot while in Rome. It isn’t on a main street but it is very close to Piazza Navona. We were surprised by the free snack appetizers before our meal and were even more surprised by the  complimentary limoncello shots we received at the end of our meal. We loved it so much we came back a second time while in Rome and the owner of the restaurant remembered us and greeted us with open arms ❤
I also wrote a review on Trip Advisor, you can check it out here.

The Drunken Ship (is close by to Mimi & Coco) and is the only American bar in Rome. If you’re a student make sure to bring your student card for some discounts. My friends and I that night decided that the Jolly Rancher cocktail is the best drink available!

After writing this blog post I am craving some authentic Italian food. *cleans drool off laptop*

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What was one of your favourite meals while travelling abroad? Trust me I wanna know 😉 Tweet me or shoot me an email.