Search results for

Cocktails are not a huge part of the Italian culture, especially not those involving tequila. But at Bar Les Rouges, the three brothers who own the bar mix up one amazing margarita (They even come to your table asking you to sample which salt you want on the rim. Go for the smoked one, it’s perfection!). Housed in a dimly lit and slightly crumbling 16th-century palace, this is one of the most romantic spots in town—a perfect date night out.

Ethiopian wine? An unlikely pairing of words, for sure, and an unlikely beverage that you may regret having ordered while traveling around this fascinating country. I was at Castelli’s, a famous Italian restaurant in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital. The restaurant is a relic from Italy’s failed attempt to colonize the African country. The food may be forgettable at Castelli’s, but this wine is even more so. Some day, perhaps, “Ethiopia” and “wine” may have a more congruent appeal. Just not any time soon.

When Domingo Ghirardelli immigrated to the United States in 1849, he planned to strike it rich in the California Gold Rush. Unsuccessful, he opened a store in Stockton selling supplies and some confections to other hopeful miners. Flash forward a few years (and failed businesses), and Ghirardelli opened another confectionary company called Ghirardely & Girard, which would lay the foundation for today’s Ghirardelli Chocolate Company.

Chocolate was made on San Francisco‘s northern waterfront for many years but eventually moved out of the city. Luckily the buildings still stand, including the historic power plant with clock tower. Two floors were added to a warehouse in 1923, and atop those the famous 15-foot-high letters spelling out “Ghirardelli.” Though the company continues to make chocolate, it is no longer owned by the Ghirardelli family.

Still, there are plenty of reasons to visit the brick buildings that have been transformed into a thriving marketplace with restaurants—including our favorite, an upscale dim sum restaurant, Palette Tea House—, art galleries, shops, a winetasting room, and of course, a place to taste and buy Ghirardelli chocolate, a true San Francisco original. The square also hosts some popular San Francisco events, including an annual Christmas tree lighting and a chocolate festival held each September.

Stop by Soli DOC cafe for an evening Spritz in the courtyard of the Doge’s Palace. Serving a full menu of wine (including the delicious Italian sparkling wine, Prosecco), the cafe also has quite an extensive beer and cocktails list. With delicious snacks brought table-side, sit outside to watch the sunset cast its golden hue over the ancient city.

Although a chain (we now have a few Grom’s in New York City as well), Grom makes an incredible gelato, and is committed to creating a locally sourced, sustainable, high-quality product. The nut varieties are exceptionally good—especially the pistachio and hazelnut ones. They also serve a tasty ‘affogato’ (meaning ‘drowned’ in italian)—a shot of dark espresso poured over the gelato of your choice!

This brick-vaulted restaurant and bar is a great venue for jazz fans and the line-up of live acts on Thursday and Fridays nights includes well-known Italian musicians. You can eat a full meal here (try the Risotto Caruso with clams, shrimp and prosecco) or just order a snack and there’s a decent selection of wines.

A pleasant way to spend an evening in Milan is to stroll along the Naviglio Grande, a 12th century canal in the south of town. The warehouses along the towpath are now home to lively restaurants and bars. I recommend El Brellin. The second floor restaurant offers refined modern Italian fare with ambiance to match and the bar below gets busy on the weekends.

The Bellini was born in Venice at Harry’s Bar, which has been hopping since 1931. Declared a National Historic Monument by the Italian government in 2001, this San Marco bar and restaurant is a cultural institution. Even though it doesn’t do the best food in Venice, and prices are ridiculously expensive, it’s worth dining here once just for the experience. Over the decades it has served a global collection of writers and artists, including Ernest Hemingway, Charlie Chaplin, and Orson Welles, and today it’s still popular with Venetian movers and shakers.

The interior decor has not changed since Giuseppe Cipriani opened Harry’s on the eve of World War II (and during the war, Harry’s was one of only a handful of restaurants in Venice that would serve Jewish patrons). The food is classic Venetian. Try the baked sea bass with artichokes for a main, and make sure to save room for dessert. Harry’s is famed for crêpes flambées and also its Cipriani chocolate cake. Reservations are imperative; when booking ask for the ground floor because dining here is all about seeing and being seen, and the second floor is considered much less cool by Venice society (although it has much better views and more dining space).

Hidden within a historic building in downtown Miami is Soya e Pomodoro, a traditional Italian restaurant placed within an old Beaux Arts office building.

The bohemian atmosphere is unlike anything else in Miami. The asthetic is simple, but very cool.

There’s live music, and books. The kitchen is small but fast and you’ll be sitting half inside, half outside. There is no air conditioning and it’s a very small space, only seating about 11 tables. You really feel like you are in Italy.

The staff is made up of mostly Italians and the food speaks true to the traditional recipes.

Be sure to go when there is live entertainment. You’ll sip chanti and listen to scatting jazz music by moonlight. It’s truly magical.

Occupying most of a 38-floor Times Square building, the Reverie Saigon initially made waves for its over-the-top flourishes: the house cars are a limited-edition Rolls-Royce Phantom Dragon and a Maybach, both parked out front; the lobby features a $500,000 jade-and-gold Baldi clock; and the property feels like it used all the marble and Murano glass in Italy. What’s surprising, then, is how well it all works—and how quickly you might feel at ease. A large part of that is thanks to the warm, attentive service (sniffle once, for example, and ginger tea will appear at your doorstep) and the 286 airy guest rooms themselves, which—though full of whimsical touches by international design houses like Visionnaire and Provasi—manage to call to mind serene sanctuaries floating high above the city bustle. The on-site dining options (including places for traditional Cantonese, fine-dining French, and modern Italian) draw local crowds, and the two-story spa features an ozone-infused outdoor pool equipped with underwater speakers—plus some of the best therapists in town.

Thanks to an owner and several staff members who hail from Italy, this Neapolitan-style pizzeria has an authentic feel that locals love. Its popularity shows—San Diego restaurants are rarely crowded, yet Buona Forchetta often boasts wait times of up to two hours. Much of the dining happens outside beneath an awning. Indoors, simple decor lets the gold Stefano Ferrara pizza oven shine. Go for perfectly blistered pies like the Nicola (mozzarella, mushroom, prosciutto di Parma, and truffle oil) or the Isabella (buffalo mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes, onions, goat cheese, and rosemary). If Point Loma is more convenient, know that there’s a second, larger location called Officine Buona Forchetta in Liberty Station.

When Chef Richard Reddington was tasked with concepting a new, casual restaurant in Yountville to compliment his Michelin-starred Redd, he brought in a wood-burning oven from Italy and Liza Shaw from A16 to work her magic with yeast and flour and fire. Success. Shaw has since moved on, but the eatery maintains its stellar reputation for Italian fare and a relaxed atmosphere. The best seats at Redd Wood are at the bar, where you can see into the open kitchen and the charcuterie cooler, enjoy a respectable Manhattan, and avoid the tourist hordes.

The newly opened Carlo e Camilla in Segheria is Michelin star chef Carlo Cracco adventure in family style chic cuisine. Everyone eats together on a long table in a former woodworking factory illuminated by Venetian chandeliers. The is a delicious interpretation of contemporary Italian cuisine including dishes such as spaghetti alici, cipollotto, lime e caffè (spaghetti with anchovies, green onions, lime and coffee).

There are now 35 locations of Eataly, the massive Italian food hall, around the world, with 18 of them in Italy itself. The New York City one at Fifth Avenue and 23rd Street, which opened in 2010, was the first in the United States (it’s been joined by others in Boston, Chicago, and Los Angeles, as well as by a second outpost in Manhattan, near the World Trade Center site at 101 Liberty Street). For connoisseurs of all things Italian, this is a must-visit—or, more accurately, a must-shop and must-eat stop. Covering more than 50,000 square feet, Eataly NYC Flatiron includes five different restaurants (plus occasional pop-ups) offering opportunities to graze on antipasti, fish, pizza, and other dishes. A popular rooftop beer hall is open all year round (thanks to space heaters and a retractable roof). While you will want to eat your gelato on the spot, there are also a number of stores where you can buy gifts from biscotti to olive oils to take home a little bit of Italy via New York.

As if the picturesque Umbrian hill-top town of Spello wasn’t perfect enough, it’s also home to the fantastic Vinosofia wine bar and shop. This beautifully designed space is as warm and welcoming as it’s owner, American expat, Brenda. Vinosofia boasts a wide variety of local wines and, each month, features a different region in Italy. When I visited, I was able to taste some spectacular Sicilian wines, alongside bottles from neighbouring towns like Montefalco. Although wine is the star of the show, it’s not the only player at Vinosofia. Taste delicious local cheeses, salami and olives from the trees you see around every corner. You can also peruse and purchase a collection of cookbooks, in both English and Italian. Vinosofia might just be the perfect wine bar... further tasting, er testing, is required.