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In Padua, the historic Caffe Pedrocchi serves a famous mint coffee that is not meant to be stirred.The Venetian island of Burano is known for fresh seafood, like tableside deboned Branzino, and a soft biscuit called bussola.Other notable dishes included Risotto alla Milanese in Varenna on Lake Como and various gelatos.
I fully enjoyed my first holiday in Lake Como, Milan and the islands of the Venice lagoon. There were also stops in Padua and Verona. Every spot was delicious, as well as historic and beautiful.
Here are some of the unique and interesting foods and drinks I had in Italy.
Caffe Pedrocchi in Padua
The lovely city of Padua took me by surprise. It’s easy to be impressed by the University of Padua, founded in 1222, and whose buildings still fill the city. It’s where Galileo taught.
There’s also much inspiration at Basilica di sant’Antonio di Padova, called Il Santo. Building it began in 1232, a year after the death of St. Anthony of Padua, who was born in Lisbon. He is the patron saint of many American families of Italian and Portuguese descent. Many pray to him when they have lost something. I know I do. Pilgrims at the church can touch the crypt holding his bones and see his jaw and tongue, which have never degraded. It was a moving scene there.
But I have to tell you about the charm of a beautiful place called Cafe Pedrocchi, which opened in 1831. There, I had the most famous mint coffee in Italy (maybe the world) and a torte to match.
The signature drink is a coffee that combines espresso, fresh cream and mint syrup. Then it is dusted with bitter chocolate. You are tasked with never stirring it. You must sip to enjoy the flavors as they are meant to be.
The cafe is also noted for its architecture. Venetian architect Giuseppe Jappelli built it with an elegant imprint.
But it’s the charitable component that is still talked about. There are green, red and white rooms in the cafe. Until 1916, the green room was open 24 hours a day for free coffee, newspapers and olives (according to our guide Simone) for all those in need, especially students.
Today, a free Americano coffee is given to any student who asks for it. The red room is a cafe for sandwiches and the delicious pastries, including the torte version of the coffee. The white room is a fine dining restaurant. You can bring your coffee outside to a cafe table, as well. Newspapers are still laid out to read.
Fun fact: Did you know that in Italy, coffee drinks served to standing guests at the counter of a restaurant or cafe are half the price of a cup served at a table?
Burano
There are 118 islands in the Venetian lagoon. One of the most beautiful is Burano with all the colorful homes along many canals. They have a long history of making lace there. They also sell a lot of jewelry constructed with hand-blown glass made on the nearby island of Murano.
Fish is the star on Burano. That was certainly true of the menu at Trattoria Da Primo. We ate at this family restaurant that promised us they used all their grandmother’s recipes. Here, they debone the Branzino tableside and serve scallops in the shell with their roe.
At a market in the fishing town of Chioggia, which is right on the Adriatic, I saw the raw scallops for sale in the same form they are served cooked in restaurants.
Back on Burano, the island has a signature biscuit. Once made only at Easter, bussola are available year-round now. It’s also said women baked them for their seafaring men to pack for a snack.
I expected it to be hard, but it was soft, a lovely texture to be sure. They would be delicious with a cup of espresso.
Best pizza and risotto
I understand why Hollywood folks go to Lake Como. The towns on the lake are beyond beautiful. Homes are built into the side of hills with the sparkling lake before them. You can watch clouds and storms come in and change the whole scenery.
In the towns, stone stairs are the most challenging I’ve seen in my travels. You think you go up a long flight, only to see a second flight to the left or right. You might find a railing or not.
We stayed for two nights in Varenna, where I had a delicious Risotto alla Milanese. This dish from the Lombardy region of Italy is flavored and colored with saffron threads at Bar Nilus.
Look at the view from the restaurant.
I only had pizza a few times in Italy and the version at Alma in Varenna was the best, thanks to the crispy crust. I found the other pizza had soggy bottoms.
The Grand Canal in Venice
After taking a water bus and a gondola ride, we enjoyed another picturesque meal at the bottom of the Rialto Bridge along the Grand Canal in Venice. Not only did we enjoy dishes including bruschetta and Spaghetti all’Amatriciana, a Roman pasta dish, but we also had a show.
The Ristorante Al Buso not only has tables right on the canal, but there is a balcony railing that allows tourists to take their Instagramable photos with the Rialto Bridge as a backdrop. They were lined up for the whole time we were eating lunch.
No matter where we were, we’d see a gelateria or two. And yes, we tried many a pistachio or hazelnut gelato.
Dining and Cooking