The best bistros and brasseries Italy

In the heart of the Quadrilatero Romano, on one of Turin's most lively squares, the Bruschetteria is a nice, still busy neighborhood brewery. The specialties are of course the bruschette (bread rubbed in garlic topped with tomatoes) and the traditional bagna caüda.

Refined, "old-fashioned", this charming establishment is both a chic bistro and a café. Located a few steps from the Giardini Giusti in the Veronetta district, it is a picturesque stop for a bite to eat away from the crowds, especially during the summer. Ice cream, pastries and drinks are served at tea time, while carefully prepared plates await you at dinner time. Among the dishes to try: beef tartar, spaghetti bolognese, but also snails, cheese and cold cuts.

One might hesitate to enter this restaurant because of its decidedly touristy location, just across from the Forum and a stone's throw from the Colosseum. Yet Angelino ai Fori dal 1947 is a convenient address for lunch after a long tour of ancient Rome. The dishes are tasty and the prices fair for the area. On the menu are Roman specialties (the menu has been the same since 1947!) such as the famous carbonara and pizzas to enjoy on the terrace.

Interesting address, listed in the Michelin Venice for 20 years. This restaurant is both traditional and a bit whimsical, a good table where history, art and gastronomy are combined in a refined setting. The staff is dedicated to digging into the dungeons of Venetian cuisine to unearth amazing recipes. The langoustine with sweet and sour sauce, with onions, almonds and raisins, for example, is amazing... Just like the cellar, which is full of vintages. Large choice of wines by the glass and oyster tasting at the counter.

Checkered tablecloths, wooden chairs and tables and candles on the table: a neighbourhood brasserie atmosphere where you can taste very tasty Milanese and Tuscan dishes. Delicious antipasto delicatessen, to be eaten on a slice of gnocco fritto (fried bread). The plus: its unique position at the foot of the Basilica of San Lorenzo. On Sundays, enjoy a brunch with the flavours of the Mediterranean. Very popular even as an aperitif, it can be accompanied by tempting mini-portions of oysters, cold meats and even risotto.

It's impossible not to come across the Donizetti in the heart of the Ville Haute. Part bistro, part wine bar, this place pays tribute to the Bergamo composer in the best possible way: with tastings of products from the local culinary tradition. As an aperitif, try a platter of taleggio cheese or Bergamo sausage, accompanied by excellent Franciacorta vintages. For a more substantial meal, choose a dish of casoncelli or polenta with cheese or boletus, to be enjoyed indoors in the vaulted hall or under the medieval arbour outside.

A bistro in a large commercial building. To eat on the thumb.

Between pub and brasserie, the huge space of the Birreria Pedavena welcomes both lovers of traditional rustic German cuisine and relaxed youth in the evenings. Here you can see the tanks for the home-made production of Lag's beer, unique in Trentino because it is imported from Germany, and you can fill up on pretzels as an aperitif. The Chiara is natural and unfiltered, very hoppy, the Weizen is amber, while the Scura is characterized by the caramelized aroma of Monaco malt. Good pizzas and boards of delicious cold meats and cheeses.

Here's a good family-run Piedmontese brasserie just the way we like it! Everything about this restaurant, which opened in 1919, is traditional, from the retro decor of the dining room to the menu, which pays homage to the region. Must-tries: agnolotti (small meat ravioli), braised meats with local wines (nebbiolo, arneis...), boiled cuts of meat, snails or tripe, and finally bunet (typical Piedmont flan with almonds and cocoa). The service is perfect, and the wine list has no false notes!

Close to the SS9, between Dozza and Imola, this restaurant offers a good choice of meat, fish, pasta and local specialities. Large contemporary room in shades of green and red, both friendly and warm, just like the plates, which are colourful and creative, with a touch of elegance. Upstairs, a mezzanine with a more muffled atmosphere and, outside, a green terrace for sunny days, very welcoming with its cushions, curtains and candles. Well stocked cellar and very good reception.

Sheltered from the crowd, you can enjoy every moment of your meal at Quaranta Ladroni (the forty thieves). This small neighborhood brasserie seduces as much by its small romantic tables with candles along the canal as by its simple and tasty fish cuisine. You can see the Venetians (the real ones) parking their little boat to come here for dinner. And if you have to wait a long time for a seat, it is on the small bridge next door that you will wait, with a first glass in your hand, contemplating this timeless setting. Admit that there are worse things, right?

More than thirty years of history for this historic bistro offering simple and tasty local cuisine. Grilled meats and game are the most famous pitances. Only inconvenience, as it is a little outside the centre, north of the city, you will need a car to get there.

Follow the path into the Caves of Caglieron and follow the course of the river. You would think you were in a tale of Tolkien, but it is actually reality: at the end of the promenade leads to a small clearing where is a former mill now brasserie. Meat and fish dishes, but it is mainly the setting that is worth the detour. 

A local cuisine, lovingly revisited in the restaurant of Franco Ricatti, one of the most famous pubs and rewarded with Michelin star. The map plays seasonally and Mediterranean cuisine with malice.

This elegant mountain restaurant has a special feature: once you're seated at one of its wooden tables, the waiters will come and present you with the typical Valle d'Aostan menu.... in traditional costume! The wine list is also interesting. A final plus for gourmets? After the cheese fondue during the meal, the chocolate fondue for dessert (order in advance, €16 per person)! Lighter options, even vegetarian, but always based on ultra-local produce!

It didn't take long for this restaurant to earn a good reputation, as much for its friendly atmosphere as for its food. Here, seafood and local produce are served on generous plates. Fish and shellfish soup with grilled toast or grilled eggplant with mozzarella and tomatoes are as simple as they are excellent. For dessert, a pistachio soufflé, financier-style with a runny heart? A revelation! A fine cellar too.

In a quiet alleyway in Stresa, here is a small bistro with contemporary lines whose very good cuisine has been winning the loyalty of a local clientele for several years. On the plate, the high quality raw materials blend harmoniously together for a result that gives, among other examples, an excellent knife cut beef tartar, cheese gnocchi, seafood linguine or lamb chops with small vegetables... Wine list, served by the glass, to match the food.

Panini and pasta dishes. The terrace, the old jukeboxes and the music make the place pleasant.

Al Frate is a bit like the historical brewery of Brescia, characteristic in its decoration and in its cuisine which excels in regional specialities. Although the quality of the food is not to be blamed, it is a pity that the service is sometimes a little slow. It is therefore better not to be in a hurry. The cutting boards of cold meats and cheeses are excellent, with quality products. The osso buco is to be tried, it's a real delight! And the plates, in addition to being appetizing, are well stocked. Nice service