Italian

What it is

“Italian cuisine” only really became one in 1861 when the country unified. Before that, it was a federation of regional kitchens — Piedmontese butter, Sicilian almond, Roman offal, Neapolitan seafood — each with its own pasta shapes and pastry calendar. The country’s UNESCO-recognized Mediterranean diet sits at the heart of modern dining culture.

How it tastes

The famous cucina povera logic: take a few perfect ingredients and do as little to them as possible. A summer tomato meets basil, olive oil, and salt; a winter ragù simmers for half a day on the back of the stove. Bitterness from radicchio or chicory and acidity from wine and vinegar balance the richness of cheese and pork fat.

Signature dishes & techniques

Pizza Margherita, supposedly invented in 1889 to honor Queen Margherita with the Italian tricolor of tomato, mozzarella, and basil, is the country’s edible flag. Roman carbonara, Bolognese ragù, Milanese risotto, and Florentine bistecca each anchor their region’s identity. Pasta — roughly 350 documented shapes — is the through-line.