Welcome to Spoon Eats World, where college students dish on the unforgettable food spots they found while studying abroad. They took notes inside and outside of the international classroom, capturing their favorite bites and best local spots – from bustling markets and cozy cafes, to TikTok-famous eateries and hidden gems.
When it came to choosing a study abroad city, the culinary scene was my top priority (but definitely not more than a good program for my major! *wink wink*). Italy is obviously known for its food, but to really experience and develop the palate of a local, what is most important is to find hidden gems. My goal for study abroad was to talk to Italians, visit less populated cities, and eat dishes famous to the region I was in, all in an effort to fully immerse myself in Italian food and culture. What now remains are the lingering memories on my taste buds from four months of the most delicious dishes I have ever eaten. So without further ado, here is my round up of the seven best bites I had during my time living and traveling in Italy!
August 31, 2024: A Warm Italian Welcome
My first 24 hours in Siena were definitely packed with jet lag, but that was cured the instant I stepped foot on the property of Mulino Val D’Orcia. This hidden paradise in Pienza, a small Renaissance town tucked away in Tuscany, was part of a mini welcome trip scheduled by my abroad program, and it served as our first welcome to Italian culture and cuisine. We got to see the ins and outs of the on-site flour mill while learning about how they make their organic pasta. This UNESCO World Heritage site is nothing short of gorgeous, and following the stroll that doubled as a tour, we got to feast on the most incredible appetizer plate made up of local ingredients. Through the fresh meat, soft cheese, and local ingredient-topped bruschetta, my new classmates and I were in Italian heaven as we enjoyed the first of many amazing bites to come during our semester.
September 12, 2024: Bolognese in Bologna
Who knew my favorite Italian dish would be even better in its original place? Well, just about everyone did because the number one recommended dish to try in Bologna was in fact, bolognese. We had heard that it would be good just about anywhere, and that proved to be true when our table of 14 was sat and served with perfectly proportioned bologna in less than 30 minutes. Tagliatelle soon became my favorite noodle shape to experiment with in Italy, and its pairing with bolognese sauce was a great first impression. Bologna is an underrated city in general (even though their food is incredible), making this dish feel specifically memorable and unique among my culinary experiences in Italy.
October 1, 2024: A Proper (and Emotional) Italian Dinner
Ranked at the top spot of my study abroad food experience is Osteria Il Ghibellino, my absolute favorite restaurant in Siena. Although this teeny, medieval city was my homebase for four months, I definitely did not eat out as much as I should have, so unfortunately, I only got to experience this restaurant once. However, it is by far the most memorable meal of my time in Tuscany solely because of my parents’ reactions to the dishes we ordered. When they visited me from New York in October, I took the leap to try out a convenient dinner spot near their hotel. What started as nervous glances at the menu to find authentic dishes that would impress them turned into us eating and talking for almost two hours over red wine, cheese platters, and the most decadent pasta entrees I’ve ever had. This meal was so delicious that my father even CRIED after taking his first bite. Talk about an emotional dinner experience!
October 4, 2024: Supplì & Other Roman Street Food
During a food tour on my weekend trip to Rome, I discovered that this ancient city easily has the best food in Italy. From my experience, two samples from Antico Forno Roscioli completely won me over and continue to surface as cravings whenever I dream of Italian food. One of my favorite parts of traveling within Italy was that every new region I visited was famous for a different dish or product. In Rome, thin crust pizza is very popular and their topping combinations are unique. The pizza con patate from our tour was by far my favorite, and the drizzle of oil and hint of rosemary makes this starchy snack aggressively addicting. In addition to pizza during this stop of the tour, we got to try deep-fried rice balls, or supplì, a classic Roman appetizer made of risotto and cheese that is breaded and fried to a perfect crisp. Finding the must-try local bites in different cities is such a valuable experience and my biggest piece of advice for future study abroad students.
November 21, 2024: Heaven-Sent Truffle Pasta
My best friend from high school was visiting me from Spain when we took a day trip to Florence in a torrential storm. What was planned as a whimsical sunset evening of rooftop bars and Aperol spritzes turned into frantic Google Maps searches for last-minute dinner spots close to the train station. We stumbled into this dimly lit restaurant near the popular Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, but were shocked to find the atmosphere did not match its neighboring touristy counterparts. We were greeted by a welcoming man who spoke almost no English, making us instantly realize we were in for an authentic treat. Although not usually a truffle person, I decided to try the tagliatelle al tartufo, a choice that quickly became the best decision of my life (not exaggerating). The flavor profile of this dish was unlike any other pasta I’ve tried, and its uniqueness continues to stick with me as I reflect on my foodie dreams that came true in Italy.
November 23, 2024: Free Pizza (The Ideal Aperitivo)
One of my favorite slices of Italian culture is aperitivo, a “mini meal” before dinner consisting of drinks and light bites with friends or loved ones. On many weeknight evenings in Siena, my roommates and I would stroll on down to Piazza del Campo for some Hugo spritzes at our favorite aperitivo spot, Il Bandierino. While you can find good cocktails anywhere in this area of Siena, this spot is extra unique because of their choice in aperitivo snack: personal pizzas. With the purchase of one eight euro cocktail, customers receive a complementary cheese and pesto pizza at aperitivo time, which on the right days could be fully substituted as dinner. With bigger groups, Il Bandierino also provides other appetizers, such as meat-wrapped fried dough or other pizza toppings. After sampling many different aperitivo drink and snack combinations across Italy, this generous spread quickly rose towards the top on my favorite bites list.
November 25, 2024: More Cheese Please!
They say hole-in-the-wall spots are truly the greatest, and I will ride for L’Osteria dei Rossi forever because of this meal. On a Monday night in the Giraffa contrada of Siena, my boyfriend and I stumbled into this ristorante for date night. Their incredibly decorated chalkboard menu caught out eye, but what followed was a fantastic ambiance, crisp white wine, and a meal that will go down as the most romantic dinner I had during my 4 months abroad. The star of the show was this cheese plate appetizer that combined all my favorite fall flavors with an Italian twist. After sharing how divine this cheese was on my Instagram story, the actual restaurant even reached out to invite me back for more cheese and Prosecco. Talk about the true Italian local experience!