Traveling to Italy earlier this summer, I could only hope that this Old World country would live up to our culinary dreams. And did it ever. After a jaunt in Rome and a week spent wandering through the Tuscan countryside, here are the dishes that we can’t stop talking about.
Sprawling Rome offers more than 10,000+ restaurants, and on our first night we had the best pasta of our trip at Coso Restaurant & Wine Bar, tucked away in an alley near the Spanish Steps. We twirled our forks around two classics, spaghetti carbonara and tonnarelli cacio e pepe (pasta with cheese and pepper), both of which were perfectly executed.
With its myriad restaurant options, Rome offers an excellent opportunity to try regional fare. So we headed to Sapori Sardi, where Chef Mauro Casula presents Sardinian seafood specialties. From squid ink pasta with prawns to a salt-baked fish and calamari simmered in tomato sauce, all was delicious. But, the pulpo salad captured our palates with its tender octopus and vegetables.
Navigating the hills of the Tuscan countryside is where visitors can get a glimpse of slow food at its best. Teenagers were spotted hunting for truffles after a light morning rain. Acres upon acres of heavy wine grapes painted the rolling hills. During an afternoon hike on our villa property, we stumbled upon a thicket of wild blackberries and ripe fig trees.
Throngs of tourists weave through the more popular towns of Tuscany. Try smaller towns like Certaldo and Volterra, where excellent restaurants and plenty of charm await. Bar Boccaccio offered an array of fresh bruschetta. Warm slices of bread spread with truffle cream were topped with slices of prosciutto—we could not get enough. It was so wonderful that I stowed away containers of truffle spread in my suitcase.
Just steps away from Siena’s Piazza del Campo, we found Antica Trattoria Papei. Melt-in-your-mouth veal osso buco was the absolute favorite dish here. This 75-year-old restaurant, passed through the family for generations, also serves up another Tuscan specialty, pasta with wild boar sauce. The beautiful outdoor veranda on Piazza del Mercata was bustling during our visit.
Our trip’s sweet ending was in San Gimignano. Of all the gelatos we tasted—and there were a lot—Gelateria dell’Olmo was a clear winner. More than 50 flavors alternate every day at this shop, and range from traditional creams to elaborate flavors, made only with milk, cream and strictly fresh fruit. The crème caramel gelato with Himalayan pink rock salt was so very divine … we’ll be booking a flight back very soon.
Restaurant Guide
- Coso Wine Bar & Restaurant is located at Via Lucina 10, Rome. Visit www.cosowinerestaurant.com.
- Sapori Sardi is located at Via Piemonte 79, Rome.
- Bar Boccaccio is located at Via Boccaccio 11, Certaldo, Toscana. Visit www.barboccaccio.it.
- Antica Trattoria Papei is located at Piazza del Mercato 6, Siena. Visit www.anticatrattoriapapei.com.
- Gelateria dell’Olmo is located at Piazza Della Cisterna 34, San Gimignano. Visit www.gelateriadellolmo.com.
- Photos: Laura Koster
