The 10 Best Italian Restaurants Outside Italy
The wide array of Italian eateries, "authentic" and otherwise, found across the globe outside of Italy is incredible.
The 10 Best Italian Restaurants Outside Italy (Slideshow)
From fine dining to home-cooked fare to innovative modern cuisine, these successful restaurants all have the same secret weapons: their Italian-trained or heavily Italian-inspired chefs and their stellar service. Each one brings a unique culinary genius to its tables, but all offer a taste of Italy beyond that country's borders.
We all know that there is nothing as delicious as, say, a fresh bowl of gnocchi delicately covered in a homemade sauce, and we are definitely pleased to know that we don't have to travel all the way to Italy just to get a taste of its world renowned dishes.
In choosing these establishments, we considered restaurants that topped many a "best of restaurants" list across several different media outlets around the globe, restaurants that have award-winning chefs, as well as restaurants that are known for providing unique dining experiences and quality Italian dishes.
The Daily Meal's list of the 10 best Italian restaurants covers cities and international hot spots in Hong Kong, Sydney, London, and more other go-to destinations around the world.
10. Trattoria Lucca, Charleston, SC
Chef Ken Vedrinski serves seasonally inflected Italian dishes and this charming restaurant, revered by the locals. His ingredients are fresh from area farms and his flavors are bold. His unique antipasti for instance, verdicchio-braised foraged mushrooms or golden beets with pickled garlic, tangerine,a nd smoked ricotta) and handmade pastas (don't miss the tagliolini with seared North Carolina scallops and spicy five-minute marinara) top the list. On Mondays, Vendrinski serves prix-fixe meals family-style.
9. Mercante, Beijing
This hidden gem in a Beijing back alley is a secret that people have been whispering about since 2012. The rustic 10-table restaurant, headed up by Bolognese chef Omar Maseroli takes you out of the chaos of Beijing and drops you off in the Italian countryside. The menu is simple and humble, filled with handmade pastas sprinkled with rabbit or duck, imported meat and cheese platters, and an array of fresh focaccia. Pairing is not a problem, as Mercante offers an extensive wine list to wash it all down.
Click here to see the full list of the 10 best Italian restaurants outside Italy.