Regarding eating out, Italy is indisputably one of the European nations known for its exquisite cuisine. Consequently, it is not a surprise that Italy is renowned for its wide range of tasty street food, sweet or savory, which can be enjoyed while exploring. You will find vegetarian as well as vegetarian options, as well as delicious drinks, which are sold in street vendors or bistros. While many of these can be found all over the country, there are some specialties of specific regions that you should try if you are in their area! Here is a list of 20 street foods to try on your next trip to Italy.
Sfogliatelle
Sfogliatelle, also known as sfogliatella riccia, is a regional dish from the Campania region of Naples and is an egg-shaped pastry that appears like clams or stacks of leaves. It is made by flattening the dough, rubbing it with butter, and rolling it numerous times before making disks at the bottom to create pockets. They are usually filled with ricotta and candied peels of almond paste and citron and then baked until the layers have separated. There is also a variation known as sfogliatella frills, made from shortcrust dough but does not contain layers. The cheese inside goes well together with the sweet dough.
Cannoli
A very sought-after street food item in Italy and a true indulgence if you have an untruthful sweet tooth, cannolis are a type of tube-shaped pastry made from Sicily created by deep-frying dough. Also referred to as cannoli siciliani, they are packed with sweet ricotta chocolate or cheese. They generally range from nine to twenty centimeters in length. Sprinkle powdered sugar over the top.
Arancini
Essentially, filled Italian rice balls. Arancini originated from Sicily; however, it is a renowned street food in Italy. They mean “little oranges” but contain no fruit. They are prepared with stuffing similar to al Ragu (minced meat) or al burro with mozzarella cheese, caciocavallo, and peas. They are usually eaten in arrabbiata sauce.
Gnocco Fritto
It is usually eaten as breakfast between Modena or Bologna; Gnocco Fritto is an Italian dough often referred to as piadina, Crescenta torta fritta, and frittata. The dough is made of salt, flour Lard, and a leavening agent. It is typically shaped into tiny rectangles and then fried until it looks like a pillow! The center is hollow and filled with cured meats and cheese slices. It can be served with a creamy cappuccino, which you can dip into.
Arrosticini
Arrosticini was first discovered in the Abruzzo and the Molise areas of Italy. It is a popular meat dish that shepherds typically eat. It is skewered and consists of lamb, sheep, or goats grilled over a charcoal grill known as vorticella. After being cooked, the meat is cut into small pieces and combined with bits of fat to make it more tender. You can purchase Arrosticini at one of the numerous street vendors in their region or from a restaurant in Italy.
Piadina Romagnola
Piadina Romagnola Piadina Romagnola, originally from Rimini in Italy, where it was eaten in poor people’s homes, is a form of Italian flatbread, which is eaten as an appetizer or sandwich. Maize flour is used to make the bread stuffed with ingredients such as prosciutto, tomatoes, creamy soft cheeses like wild arugula, and squacquerone. When cooked on a grill, it is best served hot.
Porchetta
A mouthwatering boneless roast of pork that you should try visiting Italy, Porchetta is a well-known Italian street food that originated made in Rome as well as Ariccia. A boneless carcass is mainly stuffed with garlic, rosemary salt, fennel, and pepper. It is then roasted on wood for around 8 hours. Some variants may include liver stuffing or not altogether. It is then sliced thinly then served on bread. This makes for an incredibly tender and juicy pork sandwich.
Cioccolata Calda
If you are in Italy in winter and you love drinks, then you need to find a fantastic Cioccolata calda. It is a type of Italian hot chocolate that is rich and creamy, often topping off with whip cream as well. This drink is an absolute warm drink to enjoy in cold winter weather!
Scaccia
Scaccia is an Italian flatbread with a filling typical of Sicilian food. It is prepared with a thin rectangle-shaped dough that is folded over it several times. It is filled with different stuffing such as sauce onion, ricotta, tomato, eggplant, herbs, etc., and then baked. It can be served either cold or hot.
Zeppole
Originating from Naples, Zeppole is a well-known Italian pastry that every lover of desserts should try. It is a deep-fried ball of dough that resembles fritters stuffed with custard, jelly, and confectionery cream reminiscent of cannoli, chocolate, or a mix of honey and butter. The dough is then sprayed with powdered sugar. Zeppole is a popular food to commemorate Saint Joseph’s Day.
Supply
Must-try street food originating in Rome, supply or suppli al telefono are breaded deep-fried rice croquettes. They are made of rice simmered in a tomato-based meat sauce and mozzarella. Sometimes ground beef could be added.
Lampredotto
If you are looking to try something different and exciting, take the time to purchase yourself a lampredotto. It is an Italian delicacy that is made in Florence, which is the fourth stomach of cows. It is cooked in a delicious broth with celery, tomatoes, and onions and is often served as a panini di lampredotto. This sandwich is made by filling bread rolls with slices of lampredotto and some Italian salsa verde.
Panzerotti
A well-known carnival food originally from Puglia, panzerotti or calzoni, all of the south of Italy loves Fritti. It is made from a crescent-shaped pastry that is filled with a variety of fillings. The tomatoes and mozzarella are among the most popular. Other variations are olives, onion, tomatoes, spinach, ricotta mozzarella, zucchini, prosciutto, and so on. Additionally, you may find sweet versions containing custard cream, ricotta, or chocolate with strawberries, pears, apples, plums, peaches, and many more.
Olive Ascolana
Olive Ascolana (also known as Olive all’ascolana is an incredibly well-known appetizer that originates from the Ascoli Piceno region of Le Marche and has been around since the 1800s. This dish is made by cutting the green olives (Ascolano) free of their pits, so cutting around a meatball such as beef, chicken or pork, or veal is possible. The meat is then crushed and stewed in white wines and mixed with cheese before being cooked with sofrito, a mix of chopped vegetables. The olives are then wrapped in breadcrumbs and eggs to be cooked. It can be served with aperitifs, lamb chops, and white wines.
Sfincione
It is a Sicilian dish called sfincione, a pizza or flatbread that originated in Palermo and is usually served during New Year’s Eve and the celebration that celebrates San Giovanni. The dish is made with flatbread that has a firm and fluffy crust. It is finished with a flavorful tomato sauce with an oregano odor comprising onions, anchovies, breadcrumbs, and local cheeses such as ricotta caciocavallo or the tuma.
Cuoppo Napoletano
The Cuoppo Napoletano is the perfect street food to take if you are looking for something to eat when you are walking around. It is an uncooked cone of paper, also known as a crop. It is packed with various kinds of fried snacks, including dough balls and potato croquettes, as well as small chunks of mozzarella and seafood and meat that have been fried. A variety of vendors on the street corners of Campania offer Cuoppo Napoletano.
Gelato Brioche
Also known as Brioche with gelato, Brioche with gelato is an iconic Italian dessert from Sicily reminiscent of an artisanal sandwich. It is made up of a soft and fluffy brioche bun filled with a large portion of gelato. A few of the most well-known flavors include hazelnut, pistachios, cannoli, stracciatella, and tiramisu. Some versions contain chopped nuts and powdered sugar for added flavor. It is typically eaten for breakfast in Sicily, especially in the summer heat!
Focaccia
Focaccia is a well-known Italian flat-leavened, oven-baked bread believed to have been developed in Italy’s Ligurian region. It is like pizza. The primary ingredients for focaccia are flour, yeast, salt, olive oil, and water.
Sgagliozze
Sgagliozze, often called Fried polenta, is typically served in the aftermath of St. Nicholas Cathedral mass on the square in Bari. It is a popular winter food in the region and is essentially an oval or rectangular the polenta is made with cornmeal flour and oil, as well as water and salt to add flavor. If you want to experience the local lifestyle and feel like a local, get a hot sgagliozze and stroll around bars and streets in Bari!
Granita
Also called granita siciliana Granita is a semi-frozen dessert that originates from the coastal region of Messina within Sicily and has been around for over 4000 years. It is prepared with sugar, water, and fruit flavoring. It is an excellent option for vegans since it is not made with dairy products. Although it is available nationwide, its texture differs from place to location due to the freezing methods and can be smoother, with a crystalline texture, or more coarse. Some of the most well-known flavors include jasmine, mint lemon juice, coffee, mangosteen orange, almonds, black mulberries, etc. Furthermore, you can drink it with almonds, coffee, or even Brioche.
Italy is a foodie’s paradise; if you love food, you will find plenty of food options that delight your palate. Everywhere you go, street-side vendors or vendors are selling mouthwatering food that is both sweet and savory and will not just fill your stomach while you are wandering about but also give you an impression of Italy’s diverse cuisine as these street foods, even though they are readily available everywhere, originate from all over Italy.
