How to Eat (and Find) AMAZING Pizza in Italy

Have you ever been to the Pizza Olympics?

Note: This article was written by a previous contributor - Rachel Vermiglio Smith. Rachel graduated with a degree in Italian language and literature. After falling in love with Italian art as well, she went on for a master’s in art history with a focus on the Italian Renaissance. You can follow her on Instagram @theitalianista.

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Despite what you may have heard, not all pizza in Italy is created equal. What’s more, it’s entirely possible to have a downright terrible meal while visiting the boot. Part of this has to do with “fast” food, and I’m not talking about McDonalds.

You may know the places I’m talking about; think of restaurants or bars with pizzas, pastas, and other dishes that come ready to eat within the minute you order them.

I’m not saying all of these places are bad, but they definitely don’t compare to the slow food, traditional, Italian pizza dining experience.

Luckily, there are a handful of rules you can follow to spot an authentic and traditional pizza place in Italy – the kind of experience that remains imprinted on your brain so you can still taste the sweet tomato sauce, gooey mozzarella, and the delicate perfume of basil months later.