Dreaming about your next trip to Italy? Putting together the perfect itinerary for an amazing holiday in the Bel Paese? Art, history, scenic views, beaches, skiing, wine – what doesn’t this European destination offer? Yet, no matter what your travel style is, a vacation to Italy is also a journey into one of the food capitals of the world. Virtually no one comes to this land without looking forward to its venerable cuisine.

The renowned guide I Migliori Ristoranti Italiani 2022, put together by LSDM, the International Congress of Designer Cuisine, and the blog Lucian Pignataro Wine & Food, compiles a yearly list of the country’s top 50 eating destinations. The best restaurants of the peninsula are divided according to the type of restaurant and price range and ranked in two categories – Great Restaurants and Author’s Cuisine.

First place in the category of Top 50 Great Restaurants went to chef Massimo Bottura’s iconic restaurant Osteria Francescana in Modena, followed by another star of the country’s cuisine, Uliassi in Senigallia in the province of Ancona led by Mauro Uliassi. The top three was rounded out by Enrico Barolini’s Milan eatery MUDEC. Accolades also went to Daní Maison on the island of Ischia and Duomo in the Sicilian city of Ragusa.

The list of the Top 50 best restaurants in the category of Author’s Cuisine was topped by female chef Antonia Klugmann with her L’argine a Vencò, located in Dolegna del Collio in Friuli-Venezia Giulia. The second-place spot was won by daGorini, run by chef Gianluca Gorini in San Piero in Bagno in Emilia Romania, while third-place went to Caterina Ceraudo’s Calabrian location Dattilo. Marotta Ristorante in Caserta and Lido 84 in Brescia made the list for top five.

This year’s Top 50 winners come from 16 of Italy’s 20 regions, with the most awards in Lombardy, Campania, Lazio, Veneto, Piemonte, Tuscany, and Emilia Romagna.

“The guide,” underscore the editors Barbara Guerra, Luciano Pignataro, and Albert Sapere, “highlights an Italian gastronomic system that is alive and attentive to changes, which, from North to South, has been able to react well to the many difficulties posed by the pandemic. The different categories are intended to help the reader choose. All the restaurants have been visited anonymously by our judges, who pay their own bills. The evaluations take into account all the services offered to the customer, therefore not only the level of cooking, but also the work of the dining room, the wine cellar, the ability of the restaurant to promote its territory, and the attention paid to sustainability – both environmental and economic.”

Several other prizes Top 50 were also given as part of the Italian Special Awards 2022, including: Chef of the Year – Enrico Bartolini of MUDEC in Milano; Newcomer of the Year – Restaurant Dalla Gioconda in Puglia; Young Chef of the Year – Domenico Marotta of the eponymous restaurant in Campania; best Pasta e Pomodoro – Uliassi in Ancona; Pastry of the Year – Madonnina del Pescatore, also in Ancona; Best Wine List 2022 – Lo Stuzzichino in Naples; Model of Inspiration 2022 – Massimo Bottura; and Family Tradition 2022 – La Brinca in Genoa.

Top 50 Winners 2022

Here are the winners of the Great Restaurants category of Top 50 Italy – The Best Italian Restaurants 2022:

Below is the complete ranking of the Cucina D’Autore category of 50 Top Italy – I Migliori Ristoranti Italiani 2022:

1. L’Argine a Vencò, Dolegna del Collio (GO), Friuli-Venezia Giulia

2. daGorini, San Piero in Bagno (FC), Emilia-Romagna

3. Dattilo, Strongoli (KR), Calabria

4. Marotta Ristorante, Squille (CE), Campania

5. Lido 84, Gardone Riviera (BS), Lombardia

6. Pascucci al Porticciolo, Fiumicino (RM), Lazio

7. Qafiz, Santa Cristina d’Aspromonte (RC), Calabria

8. Colline Ciociare, Acuto (FR), Lazio

9. Condividere, Torino, Piemonte

10. 28 Posti, Milano, Lombardia

11. Dina, Gussago (BS), Lombardia

12. Ristorante Villa Maiella, Guardiagrele (CH), Abruzzo

13. Dalla Gioconda, Gabicce Monte (PU), Marche

14. Materia, Cernobbio (CO), Lombardia

15. Ristorante Andreina, Loreto (AN), Marche

16. Ristorante Abbruzzino, Catanzaro, Calabria

17. Zia Restaurant, Roma, Lazio

18. L’Asinello, Castelnuovo Berardenga (SI), Toscana

19. Abocar Due Cucine, Rimini, Emilia-Romagna

20. Oasis Sapori Antichi, Vallesaccarda (AV), Campania

21. Re Santi e Leoni, Nola (NA), Campania

22. Stube Gourmet, Asiago (VI), Veneto

23. Casa Sgarra, Trani (BT), Puglia

24. Il Bavaglino, Terrasini (PA), Sicilia

25. Hostaria Ducale, Genova, Liguria

26. Gambero Rosso, Marina di Gioiosa Ionica (RC), Calabria

27. Acqua Pazza, Ponza (LT), Lazio

28. Il Povero Diavolo, Poggio Torriana (RN), Emilia-Romagna

29. SUD Ristorante, Quarto (NA), Campania

30. Antica Corte Pallavicina, Polesine Parmense (PR), Emilia-Romagna

31. Casa Format, Orbassano (TO), Piemonte

32. Ristorante Giglio, Lucca, Toscana

33. Essenza, Terracina (LT), Lazio

34. al Metrò, San Salvo (CH), Abruzzo

35. Quintessenza Ristorante, Trani (BT), Puglia

36. Trattoria Al Cacciatore – La Subida, Cormons (GO), Friuli-Venezia Giulia

37. Gabbiano 3.0, Marina di Grosseto (GR), Toscana

38. Atelier Restaurant, Domodossola (VB), Piemonte

39. Lazzaro 1915, Pontelongo (PD), Veneto

40. Borgo Sant’Anna, Monforte d’Alba (CN), Piemonte

41. Cannavacciuolo Bistrot Torino, Torino, Piemonte

42. Roscioli Salumeria con Cucina, Roma, Lazio

43. Il Faro di Capo d’Orso, Maiori (SA), Campania

44. La Bandiera, Civitella Casanova (PE), Abruzzo

45. Casa Rapisarda, Numana (AN), Marche

46. Josto, Cagliari, Sardegna

47. Orto by Jorg Giubbani, Moneglia (GE), Liguria

48. La Cru, Romagnano (VR), Veneto

49. Gardenia, Caluso (TO), Piemonte

50. Zum Löwen, Tesimo (BZ), Trentino-Alto Adige

www.50topitaly.it