Where to Eat the Best Pasta in Italy: A Regional Culinary Guide
The Culinary Map: How Pasta Defines Italy’s Regions
As you embark on our captivating small-group tours of Italy, the rich tapestry of culture, art, and history unfolds around you. Still, Italy’s soul lies in its cuisine.
While Italian food is complex and includes many ingredients, pasta is the most representative item on menus. The authentic Italian experience is embodied in its iconic pasta dishes, each telling a delectable story rooted in regional traditions and fresh ingredients.
From Piedmont egg noodles to Rome’s iconic matriciana sauce, down to the hearty pasta of Southern Italy, Italy offers endless opportunities to enjoy authentic pasta. At Meet Piemonte, our small-group Italy tours connect travelers with engaging food experts and authentic regional restaurants, ensuring a genuine culinary experience. We make sure guests savor Italy’s best pasta while understanding why a specific shape, flour or sauce belongs to a region, embracing traditions and historical facts that vary so much between northern and southern Italy.
Why Italy Is Famous for its Pasta: From Piedmont to Southern Italy
In Italy, pasta is a way of life. It is enjoyed in a myriad of forms, from simple weeknight dinners to elaborate feasts. Pasta’s beauty lies in its simplicity: a handful of basic ingredients can become a comforting, satisfying meal. This simplicity, paired with simple ingredients or sophisticated sauces, appeals to everyone’s palate, and it is what makes Italian pasta dishes so universally adored.
So, pasta is more than just a staple in Italian cuisine; it is a cultural emblem that embodies the essence of Italy.
Our passion for Italian gastronomy began in the hills of Piedmont, where hand-rolling thin tajarin with 30 egg yolks per kilo of flour is a cherished art form.
But as we expanded our small-group tours across Italy, we realized pasta is the ultimate storytelling tool for understanding the country’s regional diversity.
From the rich, butter- and egg-based pastas of the alpine North to the simple durum wheat, olive oil, and bronze-die extruded shapes of the Mediterranean, traveling to one Italian region at a time offers a delicious lesson in history, climate, and local pride.
Today, we bring our local culinary connections from Piedmont to Southern Italy—guiding our guests away from tourist-trap restaurants and straight to family-run trattorias and pasta artisans, combining local home cooks with Michelin-star restaurants across the peninsula.
The History of Italian Pasta
Its origins trace back to ancient times, with some theories suggesting that Marco Polo introduced pasta to Italy from China. However, many historians believe that pasta was a part of Italian culinary traditions long before that, with evidence pointing to the Etruscans and Romans.
In ancient Italy, people ate a dish resembling pasta, but it vanished after the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century. Pasta returned with Arab influence in Southern Italy, where it was made from hard wheat and water, rolled and cut into thin strips, then sun-dried.
Dried pasta proved an ideal food for storage, especially for long journeys, because of low perishability and high nutritional value. Additionally, it has always been one of the most economical foods to produce, given the plentiful wheat in Southern Italy. The Romans called Sicily the Empire’s granary, and it became a major exporter of wheat along the Mediterranean coast.
During the Middle Ages, merchants from Genoa began trading pasta in northern Italy, where it quickly became a delicacy among the wealthy.
For centuries after, especially through the late 1800s, the upper classes enjoyed pasta alongside bread. White flour was particularly costly, making both bread and pasta expensive. However, making pasta was labor-intensive and time-consuming, and farming households regarded it as food for special occasions.
The Evolution of Italian Pasta
Spaghetti, Italy’s most famous pasta, stretches from north to south. This dry pasta, made from durum wheat semolina, is readily available in grocery stores. Italians enjoy spaghetti with various sauces, such as butter and Parmesan cheese for a quick meal when the fridge is bare, or the classic tomato sauce and pesto.
Other types of dry pasta include penne—a tube-like shape with a diagonal cut—farfalle, also known as “bow-tie” pasta, rigatoni, with its large, ridged tubes, and fusilli, which are spiral or corkscrew-shaped.
Where to Find the Best Pasta in Northern Italy
It remains unclear when and why someone in northern Italy added eggs to a dough already popular in Sicily. Regardless, this innovation enhanced the distinct flavor and helped create the thin sheets typical of pasta from Piedmont and Emilia, where it stood out among n dishes.
In these northern Italian regions, it became customary to refer to the string-cut pasta sheets as “tagliatelle” derived from the verb “tagliare,” meaning to cut. In Piedmont, the local dialect labels it “tajarin“, pronounced “ta-eea-reen”.
Chefs of the aristocracy observed that the egg-enriched, more elastic dough let them fill it with stuffing without breaking it. It could also be rolled thinner, allowing for shapes that would be impossible with standard pasta.
If you are traveling through northern Italy, in addition to visiting family-run trattorias, osterias, and fine dining establishments, consider stopping at a gastronomia, which is the Italian fancy version of takeout. Here, you can find food of the same quality as restaurants, and you can purchase fresh pasta to cook at home or enjoy pasta prepared on the spot along with a variety of other dishes, as more of these shops offer seating. These locations often provide some of the most memorable meals and the most authentic food experiences.
Best Pasta in Piedmont: Tajarin and Agnolotti del Plin
Tajarin noodles are iconic of Piedmont and recognized for their rich flavor and thin texture. These qualities come from the high amount of egg yolks used in preparation. Its vibrant yellow hue and distinctive mouthfeel make tajarin a dish that’s typically enjoyed on its own, paired with truffles and Parmesan, the rich sauce from slowly cooked braised beef, traditional Bolognese sauce, or simply with melted butter and sage.
Piedmont’s alternative to thin noodles is the famous hand-pinched ravioli called “plin” stuffed with a blend of three roasted meats. The best places in Piedmont to eat tajarin and plin ravioli are Alba and the nearby Barolo wine region, though you can also find them in Turin. Tajarin and plin ravioli are among the traditional recipes that our local hosts teach in an engaging hands-on cooking class on our 6-day Food & Wine Tour in Piedmont small group.
Alba White Truffle on Piedmont’s Tajarin Pasta
Tajarin can be enjoyed immediately after preparation or after a few days, if allowed to dry on the table, typically arranged in small nests. In either case, this very thin pasta needs just a minute or two in boiling water, and even if a cook gets distracted, it will stay al dente thanks to the high egg content, which imparts a distinctive texture.
A remarkable Italian experience awaits on a fall tour of Piedmont, coinciding with the white truffle season in Alba. Indulging in boiled tajarin topped with melted butter and generously shaved truffle offers an unforgettable culinary experience unparalleled anywhere in the world.
Truffles pair beautifully with rich ingredients that enhance their aroma, making the pasta’s yolk and melted butter the ideal companions.
Emilia-Romagna & Veneto: Tortellini and Bigoli
In Emilia-Romagna—Italy’s undisputed gastronomic heartland—the pasta sheet must be thin enough for light to pass through. In Bologna, it is said that when held up to the sky, one should be able to see St. Luc appear behind it, a reference to the local saint’s shrine on the hill beyond the city.
Patience in making pasta is rewarded with tiny, hand-folded tortellini. These delicate pockets of egg dough are stuffed with prosciutto, mortadella, and aged Parmigiano Reggiano, served traditionally floating in a golden, rich capon broth (tortellini in brodo).
In addition to tortellini, Emilia-Romagna is known for tagliatelle and lasagne, making the region arguably one of the best places in Italy to eat the best Italian pasta.
Crossing into Emilia-Romagna and Veneto reveals how neighboring northern regions express their food culture through dramatically different pasta traditions. In Veneto, refined, delicate fillings such as roasted squash and amaretti cookies give way to tortelli alla zucca, typically bigger and thicker than tortellini.
Bigoli is a thick, hearty, extruded pasta traditionally pressed through a bronze hand-crank (bigolaro) that builds a rough, porous texture to catch bold, rustic sauces, whether a slow-simmered duck ragù in the hills or a classic bigoli in salsa made with sweet melted onions and anchovies along the lagoon of Venice.
Eating both side by side shows how a drive of just a few miles can completely change the culinary landscape.
The Best Pasta on the Italian Riviera
The Liguria region, from the French border to Portofino, Santa Margherita Ligure, and Cinque Terre, is known for trofie, a short, twisted pasta traditionally served with pesto. This twisted pasta is the perfect vehicle for the vibrant green sauce made with fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Pecorino Romano, and extra-virgin olive oil.
The dish is often garnished with boiled potatoes and green beans, adding extra texture and flavor. This bright, aromatic dish celebrates Liguria’s bountiful produce.
While pesto is found everywhere in Liguria, only a few still make it dense and thick with the proper ingredients, like the osteria we take our guests to celebrate the Farewell Dinner of our Lake Como, Piedmont & Portofino small group tour, topping 9 days of exclusive and mouthwatering culinary experiences.
Best Pasta in Central Italy: Rustic Shapes and Ancient Traditions
Italy’s pasta repertoire is vast and varied, with each type of pasta offering its own unique texture and flavor. In central Italy, the cuisine is characterized by its simplicity and reliance on high-quality ingredients.
Tuscany & Umbria: Hand-Rolled Pici and Strangozzi
A classic on our small-group Tuscany tour is fettuccine, flat, ribbon-like egg noodles slightly thinner compared to pappardelle. Both pair beautifully with wild boar meat sauce. Pappardelle al Cinghiale is a Tuscan specialty that showcases the region’s love for game meat. This dish features wide, flat pappardelle pasta, coated in a rich, slow-cooked sauce of wild boar, red wine, tomatoes, and aromatic herbs. The robust flavors of cinghiale (wild boar) pair perfectly with the hearty pappardelle, creating a comforting, satisfying meal. This rustic dish is a true reflection of Tuscany’s culinary traditions.
Pici, a thick, hand-rolled pasta from Tuscany, specifically Siena, is often paired with rich, meaty sauces or with aglione, a sweet springtime garlic used to flavor a thick tomato sauce.
Strangozzi (also known as stringozzi or strengozzi) is a traditional, hand-cut fresh pasta that originates from the Umbria region of central Italy, particularly around Spoleto and Foligno. It resembles thick tagliolini or fettuccine but features a rough, porous surface that helps it cling to rustic sauces. This pasta is a classic example of simple food, typically made by poorer farmers with only flour and water, traditionally without eggs.
Classic regional pairings include Strangozzi alla Spoletina, which is tossed in a vibrant and spicy sauce made with olive oil, garlic, crushed chili peppers, crushed tomatoes, and fresh parsley. Another popular dish is Strangozzi with Black Truffle, which uses olive oil instead of butter, unlike the pasta found in Piedmont.
Rome and its Iconic Pasta Dishes
In Rome, the capital of Italy and the Lazio region, there are four pasta sauces that represent the pinnacle of culinary minimalism: Cacio e Pepe, Gricia, Amatriciana, and Carbonara. These sauces are made with simple regional ingredients, including sharp Pecorino Romano cheese, crispy guanciale (cured pork jowl), black pepper, and starchy pasta water.
Starting with the essentials of Cacio e Pepe, adding guanciale yields Gricia. Introducing sweet tomatoes creates Amatriciana, while rich egg yolks complete a classic Carbonara (which does not include tomatoes).
These sauces are traditionally served over bronze-extruded bucatini or thick rigatoni. Tasting this quartet in authentic regional trattorias, particularly in the neighborhoods of Trastevere or Campo de’ Fiori, is a highlight for any Italian food tour. This experience demonstrates that the best pasta in Italy relies on perfect ingredients rather than complex recipes.
Southern Italy & Islands: Sun-Drenched Durum Wheat & Seafood
The abundance of durum wheat in Sicily since Roman times, and the influence of couscous brought from the Arabs in Southern Italy, led pasta to become a staple food.
Best Pasta in Puglia & Campania: Orecchiette and Scialatielli
Native to Puglia but nowadays found all over Italy, orecchiette, which translates to “little ears,” are traditionally served with broccoli sautéed with a hint of salted anchovies and garlic.
Creating orecchiette by hand takes some practice, and there’s no substitute for learning from local experts. During our 8-day tour of Puglia and Matera small group tour, guests learn from Vanessa, the owner of the masseria where we stay for two nights. She takes them into her vegetable garden to forage for seasonal ingredients, then leads a friendly, welcoming cooking class where everyone can practice making orecchiette.
Scialatielli, a traditional pasta from Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast, is often served with seafood and has a chewier texture that pairs perfectly with juicy tomatoes.
Cavatelli is another popular pasta type from the Campania region. Our guests enjoy it with a seasonal pesto made on a terrace overlooking the Amalfi Coast at the end of a food-expert-led foraging walk through private gardens and lemon groves, as part of our Amalfi Coast small group tour. This pesto is prepared with arugula, almonds, and seasonal aromatic herbs, just as our food expert describes during a scenic
In Naples, ziti pasta served with
Genovese sauce is a must-try, as century-old iconic restaurants still prepare it using traditional methods that involve slow cooking at low temperature until the onions melt into the meat’s juices.
Sicily & Sardinia: Busiate and Malloreddus
In Sicily, pasta con le sarde reflects Arab influence, featuring a mix of sweet dried raisins, sardines, wild fennel, breadcrumbs, and, depending on the chef, sometimes a splash of tomato sauce.
The western side of the island, which we proudly include in our Sicily small group tour, is known for busiate, a corkscrew-shaped pasta eaten around Trapani with a variation of pesto made with almonds, sun-dried tomatoes, herbs, and ricotta cheese.
Pasta alla Norma is a Sicilian classic that celebrates the island’s vibrant flavors. This dish features pasta (often rigatoni or spaghetti) tossed with a rich tomato sauce, fried eggplant, ricotta salata cheese, and fresh basil. The tomatoes’ sweetness and the ricotta salata’s creaminess perfectly complement the savory eggplant, creating a harmonious, flavorful dish.
Sardinia boasts its own unique pasta shape, fregola, made of small, toasted balls of pasta typically served in soups or seafood dishes. The second-largest island of the Mediterranean shares with Sicily the use of durum and shell-shaped pasta, like the local malloreddus.
From pristine coastlines to rugged interior mountains, our 8-day small group tour showcases Sardinia’s food, including a rustic cooking class, a Michelin-star dinner, and a home-cooked Farewell dinner.
Lastly, Calabria is known for its spicy nduja sausage, often used in pasta sauces. Each region’s pasta dishes tell a story of the land and its people, making Italy’s culinary landscape a truly enriching place to explore.
How to Choose the Best Pasta Restaurants in Italy
When deciding where to eat the best pasta in Italy, it helps to look for restaurants that focus on regional cooking and fresh ingredients. The best pasta restaurants in Italy are often not the most famous ones, but the ones that serve simple dishes with care and consistency.
Family-run trattorias and local osterias are often a great place to start. These restaurants usually reflect the traditions of the region they are in, and they often give travelers a more authentic taste of daily life in Italy. If you are unsure where to go, local recommendations are often better than online rankings or tourist guides.
Why Small-Group Italy Tours Work So Well for Food Travel
Food is one of the most rewarding parts of any trip, and small-group Italy tours make it easier to enjoy it properly. Instead of rushing from one attraction to the next, you have more time to slow down, enjoy meals, and experience places in a more meaningful way.
For travelers who want more than sightseeing, this type of journey offers a better balance of discovery, comfort, and authenticity. You can enjoy local food, connect with the culture, and visit the kinds of places that are often missed on larger tours. At Meet Piemonte, our tours are designed with exactly this in mind.
FAQ
What is the best pasta to try in Italy?
The best pasta to try in Italy depends on the region, but many travelers enjoy handmade regional specialties, fresh filled pasta, and traditional dishes made with local ingredients.
Where can I find the best pasta restaurants in Italy?
The best pasta restaurants in Italy are often family-run trattorias and local osterias that focus on regional recipes, fresh ingredients, and authentic cooking. Michelin-star restaurants prepare iconic pasta recipes following tradition and, sometimes, with a modern twist or an unexpected pairing. Lastly, in Northern Italy, don’t miss the gastonomia shops.
Is Piedmont a good destination for food lovers?
Yes. Piedmont is one of Italy’s best regions for food lovers, thanks to its refined cuisine, local specialties like the white truffle of Alba, and strong culinary traditions.
Why choose a small-group Italy tour?
Meet Piemonte’s small-group Italy tours offer a more upscale and unique experience, especially when it comes to food, with more opportunities to enjoy local food and authentic places, avoiding mediocre meals typical of large groups.
What makes pasta in Italy different by region?
Pasta in Italy varies by region in ingredients, sauces, and styles. Northern Italy often features richer dishes, while central and southern Italy tend to focus on simpler recipes and bold local flavors.
