Italian food is a warm embrace from a close friend: familiar and welcome. If you’re unsure about what to eat in Italy on a Rustic Pathways Tour, check out these regional dishes you’re sure to enjoy.
Do you want to eat basil-topped stuffed pasta with homemade sauce, bruschetta with balsamic vinegar, focaccia with fresh rosemary and cherry tomatoes, served with thin slices of steak Milanesa in Italy? Yes, yes, and yes please.
In this article, we’ll cover some of the best Italian food you’re bound to enjoy on your Italian tour.
“In Italy, we loved the homemade pastas, rich tomato sauces and fresh seafood,” said teen traveler Jenny Colm.
Margherita Pizza
We must start our Italian food list with pizza.
Pizza Margherita is a popular street food in Italy. It’s a delicious ball of magical dough topped with hand-crushed peeled tomatoes, mozzarella Cheese (buffalo mozzarella or fior di latte), fresh basil leaves and extra virgin olive oil.
The dough is shaped by a pizzaiolo using a stretching motion, topped with the ingredients, and baked in a wood-fired or traditional oven. It is traditionally baked in a brick oven.
Place of Origin: Naples, Italy
Core Ingredients: Tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, olive oil, wheat flour
History: Like many dishes in Italian cuisine, there is legend and fact. The legend says Pizza Margherita was created by an Italian chef in 1889 in honor of Queen Margherita of Savoy, who preferred a pizza with the colors of the Italian flag—red (tomato), green (basil), and white (mozzarella). However, research suggests similar pizzas were already made in Naples as early as the 18th century, with ingredients like basil, tomatoes, and mozzarella.
Margherita Pizza with Mozzarella Cheese, a classic
Arancini
Arancini are Italian rice balls often served as appetizers, filled with various ingredients, coated with breadcrumbs, and deep-fried. They are a key part of Sicilian cuisine and are commonly filled with ragù (meat cooked with tomato sauce and spices), mozzarella or caciocavallo cheese, and sometimes peas.
The rice is cooked, stuffed with filling, and coated with breadcrumbs and deep-fried until crispy and perfect.
Place of Origin: Sicily, Italy
Core Ingredients: Rice, breadcrumbs, ragù, mozzarella, caciocavallo cheese, peas, prosciutto, béchamel sauce
History: Arancini were created in 10th-century Sicily when Arab rule introduced rice-based dishes. The dish is a symbol of Sicily’s recovery from famine after a grain ship arrived on Saint Lucy’s feast day in 1646. Italian food is history.
Caprese Salad
Caprese salad is a classic Italian dish from the island of Capri that combines fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and olive oil. Cow’s milk mozzarella is key to the dish’s creamy texture, while the basil adds a hint of fresh herbs that complements the juicy tomatoes.
Place of Origin: Capri, Italy
Core Ingredients: Tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, basil, olive oil
History: The salad is named after the island of Capri and is said to either represent the colors of the Italian flag.

Caprese Salad
Tagliatelle alla Ragù
Tagliatelle alla Ragù is one of the core traditional pasta dishes from Bologna. Also known as Tagliatelle Bolognese, this signature dish features hand-rolled ribbons of egg pasta tossed in a rich meat sauce made with Sangiovese or Chianti wine, tomatoes, and slow-cooked meat. The ragù sauce is made with savory, slow-cooked meat and is topped with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
Place of Origin: Bologna, Italy
Core Ingredients: Tagliatelle pasta, ground meat, wine, tomatoes, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese History: Developed in Bologna, it became known as a symbol of the city’s rich culinary heritage.
Risotto alla Milanese
Risotto alla Milanese is a Northern Italian food from Milan, made with beef stock, beef bone marrow, lard (instead of butter), and cheese, flavored and colored with saffron. Risotto alla Milanese is traditionally paired with ossobuco but can also be enjoyed as a standalone dish
Rice is sautéed in butter or oil, then wine is added before gradually incorporating hot broth. Constant stirring releases starch from the rice, creating a creamy texture. Once cooked, Parmesan cheese and butter are added to finish.
Place of Origin: Milan, Italy
Core Ingredients: Rice, saffron, beef stock, beef bone marrow, lard, cheese
History: Risotto has origins in Lombardy, with a legend linking its creation to a glassblower’s apprentice in Milan in the 18th century. The dish has evolved over time, with the first identifiable recipe from 1809.