12 Popular Foods in Italy That Tourists Rarely Try

Italy is famous for many things, such as pizza, pasta, and gelato; however, the culinary scene in this country has so much to offer. While newcomers best avoid some of the more popular foods from Germany, a few typical dishes can be found on most visitor menus, while many locals remain partial to tastes that tourists seldom get. Venturing through these places will give you an idea of what the region stood for, its history, and tradition. The traditional food is as diverse as our country, from fresh seafood in coastal towns to unique cheeses in mountain villages.

1. Lampredotto

In a steaming hot, rich broth, lampredotto, a traditional Florentine dish, is made from the abomasum, the fourth stomach of a cow. Traditionally served in a sandwich at trippai kiosks with fresh bread and salsa verde, lampredotto is one of Florence’s most beloved street foods. It tastes earthy and velvety, a warm, comforting bite that embodies the city’s culinary history. Locals vouch for it while tourists hesitate, but trying it offers an authentic taste beyond pizza and pasta.

2. Cacciucco

Suppose little bites of bread that have been soaking up garlicky fish broth sound appealing. In that case, cacciucco is the thing: a traditional Tuscan seafood stew from Livorno featuring a mix of fish, squid, octopus, and shellfish in robust tomato and garlic. It is rich, savory, and filling, served over toasted bread. The slow-cooked seafood offers depth, reflecting Italy’s tradition of turning fresh, seasonal catch into something memorable at the table.

3. Pizzoccheri

This dish is a great comforting folk food for snowy mountain weather that many visitors miss by sticking to familiar pastas. From Valtellina in Lombardy, pizzoccheri uses buckwheat noodles layered with potatoes and Savoy cabbage, then tossed with butter, garlic, sage, and local cheeses like Valtellina Casera. The earthy buckwheat and rich cheese make it deeply satisfying, a genuine regional comfort food when something different is in order.

4. Trippa alla Romana

Trippa alla Romana is a specialty from Rome. This dish stews tripe in tomato sauce and finishes it with Pecorino Romano and fresh mint or mentuccia, yielding a robust, earthy flavor. Made from ingredients locals have on hand, it offers a window into the history of Roman cucina povera. Few tourists try trippa due to its unusual cut, but those who do are rewarded with real Roman home-style cooking.

5. Frittata di Erbette

An Italian omelet, typically including fresh greens (spinach, chard, wild herbs are very commonly used) and one or several sorts of cheese. It can be served warm or cold, so it goes well as a breakfast, lunch, or picnic dish. It is something the tourists usually miss out on, mainly because it is a homely fare prepared by people in their kitchens. The savory and mild preparation serves as a great example of Italy’s folkloric perfection of the mundane. Simple and sophisticated, a bite of frittata di erbette speaks to the bounty of homegrown herbs and vegetables that is at the heart of Italian cooking.

6. Panzerotti

A typical panzerotto is a savory fried pastry pocket, much like a small calzone. They come from southern Italy, Puglia in particular, and are classic street food. With a crunchy crust and warm, oozy filling, panzerotti score high on satisfaction. While rooted in Apulia, they can be found in other Italian cities today, though many visitors still miss them while chasing pizza and pasta. Savoring one offers a window into southern Italy’s casual fare.

7. Baccala alla Vicentina

A signature dish of Vicenza in the Veneto region, baccalà alla Vicentina is prepared with rehydrated stockfish slowly cooked with onions, anchovies, milk, and olive oil. The meltingly tender texture comes from long, gentle cooking that lets the flavors meld. Usually served with polenta, it reflects the deep culinary tradition of Vicenza. Think of it as an authentic Veneto classic that many visitors overlook for more familiar seafood plates.

8. Suppli

Commonly enjoyed as a street food snack or appetizer, supplì are Roman rice croquettes with tomato-scented rice and a mozzarella center. Crunchy outside and gooey within, they’re often called “al telefono” because the melted cheese stretches like a phone cord when split. Found in pizzerias and friggitorie, supplì showcase how simple ingredients turn delicious in everyday Roman cooking; yet many visitors skip them for pasta.

9.Fave e Cicoria

A traditional Southern Italian dish of pureed fava beans served with sautéed chicory or other bitter greens. The taste is wholesome and earthy, with a pleasant bitterness that many tourists don’t expect. Often served as a humble main or as a contorno, the dish embodies the seasonal, pared-back approach of Italian country cooking. It reflects the southern love for legumes and greens often absent from tourist menus.

10. Ribollita

Ribollita is a Tuscan vegetable and bread soup meant to be reboiled to deepen flavor. Built on stale bread, cannellini beans, cavolo nero, and seasonal vegetables, it’s a belly-filling dish packed with character. Tourists often overlook this rustic staple in favor of more familiar soups, but its slow cooking and bread-thickened body create a creamy texture and rich taste. Ribollita revives the simple, sustainable comfort of Tuscan home cooking.

11. Cavatelli con Broccoli

Cavatelli con broccoli is a Southern Italian pasta made with small rolled shell-shaped cavatelli sautéed with broccoli, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Often overshadowed by heavier tomato sauces, this light, earthy, subtly spicy dish highlights handmade pasta and farm-fresh vegetables. With few ingredients, it shows how Italian cooking elevates simplicity into something special across regions like Molise, Puglia, and Campania.

12. Panforte

A dense, spiced, nut-studded confection from Siena bound with honey and often cocoa. Traditionally tied to the holidays but available year-round in many bakeries, it’s frequently passed over for gelato and tiramisu. Fragrant and mildly sweet, panforte offers a taste of Tuscan baking traditions that span centuries. Ending a meal with a slice reminds diners that Italy’s sweet repertoire reaches far beyond the tourist favorites.