Italy boasts the world's most iconic and famous sights. Moreover, the country is indisputably the most beautiful worldwide. From marvelous Cinque Terre, magical Venice, splendid Tuscany, and musical Verona to Ancient Rome, beautiful Lake Como, and fabulous Mount Etna, Italy is home to the most magnificent attractions and landmarks. Moreover, the country is known for its unique cuisine, which has served the world the most delicious pizzas and pasta for centuries.
However, the food culture in Italy goes beyond that, and the local cuisine is as diverse as one can imagine, with various areas having multiple specialties. The north and south peninsula are mainly home to the most iconic street food that one can find in Italy. Every area serves unique eats that are particular to the region's history and culture.
Here's Where To Find Authentic Italian Food When Visiting The World's Most Beautiful Country
Street food in Italy is known for its simplicity and is all about the quality of the ingredients and not their number. Moreover, people are faced with several options when deciding to go on a street food tour in Italy because every region has its type of local eats.
- History: Street food in Italy was associated with the poorer parts of the country. For instance, food stalls used to be away from famous restaurants and town squares. On the contrary, most of the Italian food marketed worldwide was initially used as street food back in the time.
In Italy, there is the Festival Internazionale de Cibo di Strada where street food can be found everywhere in the center of Historic Cesena. The event is held every year during October. Other events include the Street food villages, which are held in different cities in Italy. The Streetfood Project organizes those.
One of Italy's most famous street food is Olive Ascolana, or the fried olives, which consist of little round bundles of fried Ascolana olives stuffed with a crispy bread coating stuffed with ground meat.
- Where to find them: Olive Oscalana can be found on the streets of Le Marche, Italy. The food originated in Ascoli-Piceno, with this type of olive being native to this region and specially grown there. Le Marche is located near Tuscany and the Adriatic Sea.
This Delicious Treat And Ice Cream Are A Must To Taste In Italy
Originating from Sicily, the Cannoli is a delicious dessert street food to enjoy when visiting Italy. It consists of a treat that takes the shape of an iconic tube and comes stuffed with savory-sweet fillings. The tube is made of pastry dough stuffed with chocolate chips and fresh ricotta. Candied cherries and oranges are later added to the top of this yummy dessert.
- Where to find it: Cannoli street food can be found in Palermo, located next to Sicily. This is where the best versions of the dessert can be found.
Everywhere in Italy, people enjoy eating ice cream, or Gelato, to be more precise. Italy is where ice cream originated. The original name of the dessert is Gelato, and it's been duplicated worldwide for its unique and magical taste. However, it is another experience to try Gelato, particularly in Italy. There are several yummy flavors to choose from.
- Recommended: When ordering Gelato in Italy, the best flavors to select include chocolate, vanilla, hazelnut, cream, pistachio, custard, and stracciatella. Adding a brioche to Gelato gives the treat a dream-like taste.
Although Cappuccino is a famous coffee style known worldwide, the best drinks can be found in Italy. However, people must understand that cappuccinos are consumed in Italy before mid-morning since milk is considered a breakfast ingredient. As a result, most of the bistros and coffees in the country serve cappuccinos before 11:00 AM.
Those Are The Most Delicious Types Of Street Food In Italy
In Southern Italy, particularly Sicily, people enjoy tasting the unique Arancini, which consists of fried rice balls filled with peas, meat, and cheese. People can find many types of Arancini to savor during the festival of Santa Lucia in Palermo.
Another iconic street food in Italy is the Porchetta Romana, which originated from Arricia in Rome. Food trucks or vans serve this tasty traditional meat dish which consists of roast pork stuffed with rosemary, garlic, and other herbs. Salt is heavily added to the Porchetta Romana, which is then rolled up and thinly sliced. This dish is sold by the kilo or in a panini.
Another famous street food in Rome is the Trapizzino, a cheap savory snack. This type of food is new to the scene and was made as recently as 2008. However, it gained traction quickly in Italy. The Trapizzino is a sandwich-shaped pizza with a slice in the middle for people to select the filling of their choice.
- Recommended: People are advised to taste the Trapizzino filled with eggplant parmigiana or the meatballs in tomato sauce.
Other street foods that people enjoy tasting in Italy include the Lampredotto in Florence, Panelle in Sicily, Pizza al Taglio in Rome, Pesce Fritto Al Cono, Piadina Romagnola, Pani ca meusa in Palermo, and the Zeppole in Naples.