The Atlas · Italy's Street & Snack Counter

Italian Street Food & Snacks

93 of Italy's 1,382 ranked dishes belong at the street counter, and by our raters the best of them is Pizza, born in Naples, the Nº 1 dish in the whole world.

93 dishes ranked·6.7% of the cuisine·7,423 diner ratings·Top rank Nº 1

Italy invented the food the rest of the planet eats standing up. 93 of its ranked dishes sit in this department, and it is unapologetically pizza-led: the top four by our raters are all pizza, from the plain disc at Nº 1 to the Naples pizza Margherita at Nº 20 and the law-protected pizza Napoletana at Nº 21. This is the corner where Italy feeds a whole world on the go.

Beyond the wood oven the counter gets its own voice. Rome slices pizza al taglio from the tray by weight, Sicily fries arancini al ragu into golden rice balls, and Apulia folds panzerotti shut and drops them in hot oil. The deepest benches sit where you'd guess: Naples and Rome field eight ranked bites each, Sicily six, though most of the 93 are simply logged as Italian. Read them below: the signature bites, by region, or the complete list of all 93.

The Signature Bites

Twelve signature street bites in rank order, four told in full, then eight more from the counter.

Pizza, pizza from Italy
Plate IPizza · Naples

1Nº 1 worldwide

Pizza

Pizza · Naples

Pizza needs no introduction, a disc of leavened dough under tomato, cheese, and whatever else, blistered fast in a fierce oven. Flatbreads are ancient, but pizza as we know it was born in Naples, and from there became the one Italian food the whole world claims to know.

★ 4.9|994 ratings

Pizza Margherita, pizza from Italy

2Pizza MargheritaNº 20

Pizza · Naples

The pizza named for a queen: in 1889 a Naples pizzaiolo topped one with tomato, mozzarella, and basil for Queen Margherita, the red, white, and green echoing the young Italian flag. Simple and exact, it is the benchmark every other pizza is measured against.

★ 4.6|916 ratings

Pizza Napoletana, pizza from Italy

3Pizza NapoletanaNº 21

Pizza · Naples

Protected by law and made in just two official forms, the true Neapolitan pizza is soft, high-rimmed dough baked seconds in a blistering wood oven. Marinara wears tomato, garlic, and oregano; Margherita adds mozzarella and basil, and every other pizza descends from these.

★ 4.6|803 ratings

Pizza al taglio, pizza from Italy

4Pizza al taglioNº 276

Pizza · Rome

Rome's pizza by the cut: a long rectangular tray of well-risen dough, baked and sold in squares priced by weight rather than by the pie. It began in the city in the late 1950s and became the way Romans grab a slice, eaten folded and warm on the walk.

★ 4.3|157 ratings

  1. Pizza alla diavola, pizza from Italy5

    Pizza alla diavola

    Nº 293

    Pizza · Italy★ 4.3

  2. Panzerotti, snack from Italy6

    Panzerotti

    Nº 361

    Snack · Apulia★ 4.2

  3. Pizza bufalina, pizza from Italy7

    Pizza bufalina

    Nº 382

    Pizza · Italy★ 4.2

  4. Arancini al ragu, snack from Italy8

    Arancini al ragu

    Nº 387

    Snack · Sicily★ 4.2

  5. Pizza quattro formaggi, pizza from Italy9

    Pizza quattro formaggi

    Nº 502

    Pizza · Italy★ 4.2

  6. Prosciutto e funghi pizza, pizza from Italy10

    Prosciutto e funghi pizza

    Nº 711

    Pizza · Italy★ 4.1

  7. Caprese Pizza, pizza from Italy11

    Caprese Pizza

    Nº 729

    Pizza · Italy★ 4.1

  8. Pinsa romana, pizza from Italy12

    Pinsa romana

    Nº 837

    Pizza · Rome★ 4.1

The Gazetteer

Where Italy eats standing up

The regions of Italy with the busiest street counters. Choose one to filter the complete ledger below.

Placed dishes only · top 6 regions

  7. Another 40 ranked dishes are logged simply as pan-Italian, with no single regional home.

The Complete Ledger

All 93 Italian street food & snacks in the world ranking, every entry.

93 entries
  1. 1 Pizza Pizza Naples ★ 4.9
  2. 20 Pizza Margherita Pizza Naples ★ 4.6
  3. 21 Pizza Napoletana Pizza Naples ★ 4.6
  4. 22 Traditional Italian Pizza Pizza Italy ★ 4.6
  5. 276 Pizza al taglio Pizza Rome ★ 4.3
  6. 293 Pizza alla diavola Pizza Italy ★ 4.3
  7. 361 Panzerotti Snack Apulia ★ 4.2
  8. 382 Pizza bufalina Pizza Italy ★ 4.2
  9. 387 Arancini al ragu Snack Sicily ★ 4.2
  10. 502 Pizza quattro formaggi Pizza Italy ★ 4.2
  11. 711 Prosciutto e funghi pizza Pizza Italy ★ 4.1
  12. 729 Caprese Pizza Pizza Italy ★ 4.1
  13. 837 Pinsa romana Pizza Rome ★ 4.1
  14. 1,003 Calzone Pizza Pizza Naples ★ 4.0
  15. 1,125 Arancini Snack Sicily ★ 4.0
  16. 1,176 Pizza montanara Pizza Naples ★ 4.0
  17. 1,237 Pizzette Pizza Italy ★ 4.0
  18. 1,335 Pizza ai funghi Pizza Italy ★ 3.9
  19. 1,382 Pizza alla pala Pizza Rome ★ 3.9
  20. 1,418 Crocchè Snack Sicily ★ 3.9
  21. 1,515 Supplì Street Food Rome ★ 3.9
  22. 1,558 Trapizzino Street Food Rome ★ 3.9
  23. 2,004 Taralli Snack Italy ★ 3.9
  24. 2,041 Pizzelle Napoletane Snack Naples ★ 3.9
  25. 2,060 Pizza pesto Genovese Pizza Italy ★ 3.9
  26. 2,515 Gnocco fritto Snack Emilia-Romagna ★ 3.8
  27. 2,597 Danubio napoletano Snack Metropolitan City of Naples ★ 3.8
  28. 2,612 Arancini al burro Snack Sicily ★ 3.8
  29. 2,663 Crema fritta Snack Italy ★ 3.8
  30. 2,753 U U' pituni Street Food Messina ★ 3.8
  31. 2,803 Canotto pizza Pizza Metropolitan City of Naples ★ 3.8
  32. 2,821 Pizza prosciutto Pizza Italy ★ 3.8
  33. 2,900 Quattro stagioni pizza Pizza Italy ★ 3.8
  34. 2,953 Pizza Romana Pizza Lazio ★ 3.8
  35. 3,062 Sgabeo Street Food Liguria ★ 3.8
  36. 3,067 Tirtlan Snack Puster Valley ★ 3.8
  37. 3,107 Arancini al cioccolato Snack Sicily ★ 3.8
  38. 3,164 Crocchette di patate e parmigiano Snack Italy ★ 3.8
  39. 3,565 Pizza alla casalinga Pizza Italy ★ 3.7
  40. 3,894 C Chifelini Snack Trieste ★ 3.7
  41. 3,906 Hard-Boiled Eggs and Anchovies (Uovo sodo con acciughe) Snack Veneto ★ 3.7
  42. 4,039 Rustico Snack Province of Lecce ★ 3.7
  43. 4,218 Pizza capricciosa Pizza Italy ★ 3.7
  44. 4,250 Pizza fritta Pizza Naples ★ 3.7
  45. 4,402 Pizza carrettiera Pizza Metropolitan City of Naples ★ 3.7
  46. 4,461 Fried Sage Leaves (Salvia fritta) Snack Italy ★ 3.7
  47. 4,515 Pizza al padellino Pizza Turin ★ 3.7
  48. 4,545 Arancini al pistacchio Snack Metropolitan City of Catania ★ 3.7
  49. 4,559 Quaresimali Snack Sicily ★ 3.7
  50. 4,632 Cartocciata Street Food Metropolitan City of Catania ★ 3.7
  51. 4,922 Mustazzeddu Pizza Sulcis ★ 3.7
  52. 5,613 Pizza Valdostana Pizza Italy ★ 3.6
  53. 5,637 Rianata trapanese Pizza Province of Trapani ★ 3.6
  54. 5,997 Arancini alla Norma Snack Metropolitan City of Catania ★ 3.6
  55. 6,256 Pizza Tirolese Pizza Italy ★ 3.5
  56. 6,573 Pizza vegetariana Pizza Italy ★ 3.5
  57. 6,618 Pizza carbonara Pizza Italy ★ 3.5
  58. 6,638 Pizza primavera Pizza Italy ★ 3.5
  59. 6,758 Pizza parmigiana Pizza Italy ★ 3.5
  60. 6,842 Sgagliozza Street Food Bari ★ 3.5
  61. 7,040 Pizza ortolana Pizza Italy ★ 3.5
  62. 7,146 Pizzolo Pizza Sortino ★ 3.4
  63. 7,177 Pizza fiori di zucca Pizza Italy ★ 3.4
  64. 7,238 Bismark Pizza Pizza Italy ★ 3.4
  65. 7,254 Olive Ascolane Snack Province of Ascoli Piceno ★ 3.4
  66. 7,270 Pizza boscaiola Pizza Italy ★ 3.4
  67. 7,576 Pizza melanzane Pizza Italy ★ 3.3
  68. 7,600 Pizza ricotta e spinaci Pizza Italy ★ 3.3
  69. 7,777 Pizza inglesina Pizza Italy ★ 3.3
  70. 7,795 Pizza al tonno Pizza Italy ★ 3.3
  71. 7,827 Pizza marinara Pizza Naples ★ 3.3
  72. 7,856 Pizza patatosa Pizza Italy ★ 3.3
  73. 7,927 Pugliese Pizza Pizza Italy ★ 3.3
  74. 8,017 Sardenara Pizza Sanremo ★ 3.2
  75. 8,059 Pizza bianca Pizza Rome ★ 3.2
  76. 8,068 Pizza rustica Pizza Italy ★ 3.2
  77. 8,213 Mare e monti Pizza Pizza Italy ★ 3.1
  78. 8,285 Pizza Viennese Pizza Metropolitan City of Naples ★ 3.1
  79. 8,317 Pizza porchetta Pizza Italy ★ 3.1
  80. 8,519 Pizza tonno e cipolla Pizza Italy ★ 2.9
  81. 8,531 Pizza e fichi Pizza Rome ★ 2.9
  82. 8,658 Pizza mimosa Pizza Italy ★ 2.7
  83. 8,707 Pizza ai frutti di mare Pizza Italy ★ 2.6
  84. 8,778 Grissini Snack Turin ★ 2.3
  85. 9,566 C Crostini with Provatura Cheese and Anchovies (Crostini di provatura e alici) Snack Lazio ★ 0.0
  86. 9,614 B Biscotti al Gorgonzola Snack Italy ★ 0.0
  87. 9,650 C Canestrello di Taggia Snack Taggia ★ 0.0
  88. 9,722 M Mozzarella milanese Snack Metropolitan City of Naples ★ 0.0
  89. 9,723 T Testi di Turco Snack San Cataldo ★ 0.0
  90. 9,986 Acciughe sotto pesto Snack Province of Siena ★ 0.0
  91. 10,408 P Panontella Snack Rome ★ 0.0
  92. 10,753 S Stecchi Snack Metropolitan City of Bologna ★ 0.0
  93. 10,756 C Crocchette di pollo e ricotta Snack Piedmont ★ 0.0
Leaf 1 of 2

Questions, Answered

Italian street food & snacks, frequently asked, answered from 7,423 ratings.

What is the best Italian street food?
By our diners' ratings it is pizza, born in Naples and rated Nº 1 in the world, not just this department but the whole atlas. Behind it come the pizza Margherita at Nº 20, the protected pizza Napoletana at Nº 21, and Rome's by-the-slice pizza al taglio.
What street food is Italy known for?
Pizza, above all: Italy's top four ranked street bites are all pizza. But the counter runs wider than that, from Sicily's fried arancini al ragu to Apulia's deep-fried panzerotti and the pizza al taglio Romans buy by weight. It is a whole cuisine you eat with your hands.
What is the most famous Italian street food?
Pizza, without contest. With 994 ratings it is by far the most-reviewed bite in this department, the single Italian food the whole world claims to know. Its Naples ancestor the pizza Margherita, dressed in the colours of the flag, is close behind on fame.
What is pizza al taglio?
Pizza al taglio is Rome's pizza by the cut: baked in long rectangular trays, then sold in squares priced by weight rather than by the pie. It rose in the city last century and is now one of Italy's best-loved counter foods, ranked Nº 276 in this department.
Which region of Italy has the best street food?
By our data Naples and Rome lead, with eight ranked bites each, Naples the home of pizza itself and Rome of pizza al taglio. Sicily follows with six, from arancini al ragu to the snacks of Catania. Many entries are simply logged as pan-Italian.
Where else should I look for great street food?
The great snacking nations: worldwide this department runs to 586 dishes from 111 countries, yet Italy's pizza still tops it at Nº 1. For sheer variety, India fields 53 ranked bites, Mexico 43 and the United States 41. See Street Food & Snacks worldwide.

This Department, Elsewhere

Street food & snacks from Italy's neighbours and rivals, ranked the same way.

SpanishStreet Food & Snacks18CroatianStreet Food & Snacks7GreekStreet Food & Snacks4PortugueseStreet Food & Snacks3MalteseStreet Food & Snacks3SlovenianStreet Food & Snacks2BosnianStreet Food & Snacks2GibraltarStreet Food & Snacks1MacedonianStreet Food & Snacks1AlbanianStreet Food & Snacks1
← Back to ItalySee Street Food & Snacks worldwide →