Italy
Olive oil, produce, and the world's greatest carbs — the kitchen is friendlier than you think, but anchovy and lard hide in places you won't expect
Excellent self-catering; produce/carbs ubiquitous; dining dairy-heavy; hidden anchovy and strutto require attention
Italy is ranked #21 in VTG's 2026 country rankings — the lowest-ranked of the three southern European Level 1 destinations, behind France (#14) and Spain (#20). No Italian city currently sits in HappyCow's global Top 10, though Rome and Milan feature in European regional lists. The country rank reflects the whole of Italy, not just its major hubs.
In practice, Italy earns its Level 1 place through supermarket reliability and produce abundance. The kitchen is broadly friendly — olive oil is the default cooking fat, dried pasta is almost always egg-free, and any pizza can be ordered senza formaggio without a second glance. One stealth trap many visitors miss: parmigiano reggiano and grana padano are not vegetarian in the strict sense — both use animal rennet — and parmesan is often added automatically to pasta dishes without being asked. Say senza parmigiano as a habit. The five learnable traps — anchovy, strutto, egg in fresh pasta, gelatine, and hidden cheese — are specific and manageable. Know them before you arrive. Always check labels on packaged food.
What's Hiding in the Kitchen
The invisible backbone of Italian coastal cooking. Present in puttanesca sauce, tapenade, orecchiette con cime di rapa in Puglia (anchovies melt into the oil), and some pasta alle vongole. Colatura — aged anchovy drizzle from Cetara — used as a seasoning and never named on menus.
Standard in bread and pizza dough in Emilia-Romagna. Gnocco fritto, torta fritta, piadina, and tigelle are traditionally made with lard. Modern tourist-area pizzerias usually use olive oil — but traditional bakeries and regional specialities may not. Always ask.
Fresh pasta in Italy almost always contains egg — tagliatelle, pappardelle, ravioli, tortellini, lasagne sheets. The distinction that saves you: pasta secca (dry packet pasta) is typically egg-free. Always specify which you want. If it was made today, assume it contains egg.
Panna cotta is set with gelatine. Tiramisu contains eggs and sometimes gelatine. Italian wine may use isinglass, casein, or egg white as fining agents. Fruit sorbetto is almost always safe — but always check labels when buying packaged desserts.
Say This in the Restaurant
What Actually Works
Pizza Marinara
Tomato, garlic, oregano — Italy's oldest pizza and 100% vegan as written. Order it anywhere in the country without modification. Nobody bats an eyelid ordering pizza without cheese — this is Italy, not Domino's.
Pasta al Pomodoro
Specify pasta secca. Tomato sauce (without cream or parmesan) is the safest restaurant meal in Italy. Add senza parmigiano — parmesan arrives automatically on most pasta. Penne arrabbiata and spaghetti aglio e olio are reliable fallbacks anywhere.
Supermarkets
Esselunga, Coop, Conad, and Carrefour all carry plant milks, tofu, and growing vegan sections. EU allergen labelling applies — always check individual labels, never assume a product is safe without reading it. NaturaSì for dedicated organic and vegan ranges.
Fruit Sorbetto
Scooped fruit sorbetto at a gelateria is almost always vegan and on every menu in the country. Safer than gelato at counters without displayed allergen info. Note: packaged sorbetto from supermarkets can contain milk solids or gelatine — always check the label. For coffee, ask for oat or soy milk: availability is fast in cities, slower in small towns.
Where It Gets Harder
Italy is genuinely easy in its major cities. It becomes something else in the places that made its food culture famous.