In this series, we’ll travel to various regions to examine breakfast in Italy and see how the locals begin their day. We will also list some excellent locations (with early opening hours) where you can enjoy a typical Italian breakfast before the day’s adventures unfold. Take note that breakfast in Italy is usually an extremely light affair, so keep an open mind and bring your imagination.
Enjoy breakfast in Italy while touring the country’s Northern regions
Northern Italy is alpine country, and the regions of Piedmont, Veneto, and Lombardy are popular destinations for winter sports. This area is home to several large cities, including Milan, Turin, and Genoa, but also includes other familiar names like Venice, Bologna, and Trieste.
UK readers are accustomed to breaking the fast with bacon or sausages, fried eggs, and baked beans with coffee or tea. In Italy, however, no day begins without at least one small cup of cappuccino or espresso, and that’s pretty much all there is to breakfast. This custom may shock the senses of more than a few first-time visitors to Italy. Milk, smoothies, or juices are alternative beverages usually accompanied by light treats such as brioche, cakes, rusk, and bread rolls with butter, jam, or marmalade on the side.
Brunch Cafe and Pastaccceria Tonolo in central Venice are within view of Palazzio Grassi, Basilica S. Maria Gloriosa, and the Grand Canal. In central Milan, you can enjoy breakfast and the Duomo architecture at Giacomo Caffe or the sight of Basilica San Lorenzo Maggiore while sipping cappuccino at DeAmicis Uno. Enjoy breakfast with a few national treasures in delightful Venice.
Torino
For visitors to Torino (Turin), the Quadrilatro district offers veggie/vegan breakfast at Locandro Leggera and L’Orto Bistro, while Roses and Tea supplies a cosy atmosphere and a wide selection of delicious teas. Lucignolo Healthy & Fitness Food scores high marks for its protein pancakes and fresh ground coffee, but the name TAZZE PAZZE Speciality Coffee speaks for itself. Ask your server for some gentilini (dunking biscuits) or breakfast biscotti if they don’t already come with your cuppa. Order a morning espresso and savour your breakfast with a waterfront view in the venerable port city of Turin.
Begin your travels through the central regions with breakfast in Italy
The warmer climate and topography of central Italy are ideal for farming, so it’s no surprise that agriculture is an important industry in the regions of Lazio, Marches, Umbria, Tuscany, and Abruzzo. Grain crops like barley, wheat, and oats, as well as several varieties of fruit and vegetables, flourish here, with livestock a key source of milk and cheese production.
Expect to have plenty of cereals and fresh fruit bowls along with fresh milk and eggs among your breakfast options at hotels or cafes. Orzo (made from ground barley) is an immensely popular morning beverage and is a highly nutritious substitute for caffeinated drinks. The olive oil from Tuscany ranks among the finest in the country. It is ideal for frying eggs, sausages, and other foods if you’re performing short order chef duty for yourself or the family while on holiday.
Tuscany
Florence is most recognisable as the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance. With its striking architecture and famous artworks, it is easily one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Along the northern bank of the Arno River, where many iconic landmarks are located, you will find several downtown cafes.
Melaleuca Bakery & Bistrot serves up latte macchiato and cornetto as you admire Ponte alle Grazie. Meanwhile, Foodie Farm Florence near Ponte Santa Trinita is noted for its Sunday buffet breakfast and small portions usually prepared with local produce. With the Holy Trinity of Santa Maria Novella, Santa Maria del Fiore, and Santa Croce as your backdrop, breakfast in Florence is a truly awe-inspiring affair.
Umbria
Perugia, the capital of Umbria, is associated with the world-class chocolates that bear its name and hosts several important festivals each year. The city’s elevation offers a convenient change of pace for grabbing a takeaway breakfast and enjoying the scenery. Antica Latteria di Olmati specialises in homemade pastries, while Fruttyama redefines the art of making exotic smoothies served in convenient biodegradable containers. Get your morning fix and head to Parco Cuparella for a perfect spot to sit and enjoy the landscape, or maybe just munch on the way there.
Southern style breakfast in Italy
The regions comprising the ‘boot’ of Southern Italy (Apulia, Calabria, Campania and the islands of Sicily and Sardinia) are rich with volcanic deposits, which means the soil is extremely fertile. Agriculture is another important industry, and the land produces many of the fruits (figs, lemons, peaches, oranges) and fresh milk that appear on breakfast menus at city cafes and hotels. As with the central districts, breakfast here is more substantial, with cereals, eggs, and delicious fruit to be savoured along with your morning coffee or tea.
Apulia
The port city of Bari, Apulia, sits on the Eastern coast of Italy with the Adriatic Sea for your viewing pleasure each morning. Expect to find many family-owned establishments around the city, and when you sit down for breakfast, try some of the local delights. Nothing says “Buongiorno!” in Bari quite like the taste of bocconotto and pasticciotto with your favourite hot or cold beverage. In the old town of Bari Vecchia, both Tuccio Cucina Caffe and Bar Templari offer takeaway or sit-down service within striking distance of Castello Svevo di Bari and the Metropolitan Basilica Cathedral of San Sabino.
Campania
Neapolitans, on the other hand, typically prefer a shot of whisky or sambuca with their morning coffee to get the juices flowing. If you’re not feeling as adventurous, a caffe lungo, caffe macchiato or caffe ristretto should put some pep in your step.
Similar to most major cities, street food is plentiful, and you can pick up some freshly squeezed juice or a croissant if you prefer to eat on the go prior to your sightseeing. Most cafes converge near the coastline overlooking the Port and Gulf of Naples, with good placement near some excellent museums, including the Naples National Archaeological Museum and the Museum of the Treasure of San Gennaro.
Sfogliatelle Attanasio is widely renowned for the best sfogliatella (lobster tail) in town, and lines tend to be long; get there early to avoid an excessive wait. Pintauro also makes a fab version of this pastry and is a choice alternative if the former is out of reach. Birdy’s Bakery owns a solid reputation for its breakfast pastries and coffee. Discover the taste for sfogliatella and other traditional Campanian pastries, like zeppoli and Baba, while savouring your morning coffee, tea, or juice when breakfasting in Naples.
Sardinia
Locals accustomed to the hot, dry climate of Cagliari rarely shrug off the traditional morning espresso or cappuccino. However, it’s not a bad idea to consider some sweet pastries with your java for extra energy to combat the warm temperatures when exploring this southern city.
Oasi Cafe is a top choice on the cove along Via Lungo Saline and is well-liked by beachgoers. Here you can enjoy fresh fruit and smoothies while deciding where to catch the best rays. Rafe Coffee and Shop has fast established itself among the city’s favourite breakfast spots with a menu that includes gourmet fare and sandwiches. Start your day in Sardinia off with a breakfast panini, then stroll the beach before getting your feet wet.
Sicily
The history and culture of Sicily has a heavy Greek and Arab influence, so there’s more variety and exotic flavour to your breakfast options. Almond and pistachio pastries are in plentiful supply here and take preference over brioche and croissants. Among tourists, hot beverages usually give way to cooler iced coffees, teas, and juices, although coffee is always in fashion among the local cognoscenti.
Bar Alba Pasticceria is a haven for locals and visitors with a healthy sweet tooth, but if you prefer some tiramisu with your morning sip, Cioccolateria Lorenzo is the place to go. In its capital Palermo as well as elsewhere in the province, ordering a cannoli or Cassata with a granita al caffe is doing breakfast Sicilian style. Whether you’re beginning or ending your travels here, breakfast in Italy doesn’t get much better than this.
Excited for your next adventure? Our friends at Where to Go, produced by the team behind the award-winning DK Eyewitness travel guides, are here to help!
Each fortnight, hosts James and Lucy talk to local experts about the destination they have chosen to call their home, exploring their personal connection to the place, what makes it so special and the best things to see and do.
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