Italy is not experienced through monuments. It’s experienced at the table. But here’s the truth most travel guides won’t tell you: If you eat in the wrong places, you miss half of Italy. This guide doesn’t give you generic “Top 10 Restaurants.”It gives you where Italians actually eat — the trattorie without English menus, the bakeries that locals line up for on Sunday mornings, the aperitivo spots where conversations last for hours. Inside, you’ll discover: How to recognize a real trattoria from a tourist trap, What to order (and what not to order) in each region, The unwritten rules of Italian dining culture, Where locals go for pasta, seafood, pizza, wine, and dessert, How to experience aperitivo like an Italian — not like a visitor, From handmade pasta in Tuscany to seaside simplicity on the Amalfi Coast, from Milanese aperitivo culture to Roman comfort dishes — food here is not just nourishment. It’s identity. It’s rhythm.It’s belonging. This section alone can completely transform your trip — because once you understand how Italians eat, you start to understand how they live. Inside, you’ll find a carefully curated list that ranges from: Traditional osterie where locals gather for simple, honest regional dishes. Authentic fraschette — rustic, no-frills spots rooted in centuries-old food traditions. Family-run trattorie serving recipes passed down for generations. Elevated, refined restaurants that represent the best of modern Italian cuisine. Whether you want a casual table with handwritten menus and house wine poured straight from the carafe…or a more sophisticated evening with curated wine pairings and impeccable service…