https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Italy in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed As fast food giants continue their expansion across Italy, government ministers and local councillors said the arrival of KFC in the Unesco-listed Dolomites was a step too far. https://www.thelocal.it/20261110/kfc-heads-for-italys-dolomites-ski-slopes-despite-backlash Tue, 10 Nov 2026 13:47:18 +0100 kfc-heads-for-italys-dolomites-ski-slopes-despite-backlash After an excessively dry summer, black truffles are becoming few and far between in the misty hills of the Piedmont region in northern Italy. https://www.thelocal.it/20261104/fewer-and-fewer-dry-summer-hits-italy-truffle-season Wed, 04 Nov 2026 11:31:09 +0100 fewer-and-fewer-dry-summer-hits-italy-truffle-season Italy's growing number of vegans and vegetarians say it can be difficult to find good dining options - so how do Italian cities compare with the rest of Europe? https://www.thelocal.it/20261103/how-hard-is-it-to-find-vegan-or-vegetarian-restaurants-in-italy Tue, 03 Nov 2026 13:49:26 +0100 how-hard-is-it-to-find-vegan-or-vegetarian-restaurants-in-italy Harvest season may be coming to an end, but Italy's food festivals are still going strong. Here are some of the best to stop by in November. https://www.thelocal.it/20261020/sagra-the-best-italian-food-festivals-to-visit-in-november-2026 Tue, 20 Oct 2026 14:14:13 +0200 sagra-the-best-italian-food-festivals-to-visit-in-november-2026 From cookies shaped like bones to 'beans of the dead', every Italian region has its variation on seasonal sweets at this time of year - and they have nothing to do with Halloween candy. https://www.thelocal.it/20261101/five-of-the-best-italian-sweets-to-try-on-all-souls-day Sun, 01 Nov 2026 09:06:09 +0100 five-of-the-best-italian-sweets-to-try-on-all-souls-day A return to historic rice varieties and encouraging wildlife diversity has helped one farmer in northern Italy combat a decline in production as weather gets ever more extreme. https://www.thelocal.it/20261012/they-think-im-crazy-how-one-italian-rice-farmer-is-beating-extreme-heat Mon, 12 Oct 2026 11:54:24 +0200 they-think-im-crazy-how-one-italian-rice-farmer-is-beating-extreme-heat Some of the world's biggest fast food chains are expanding faster in Italy now than at any time since they arrived in the country, and they're increasingly looking south. https://www.thelocal.it/20260925/in-maps-how-fast-food-chains-are-spreading-across-italy Fri, 25 Sep 2026 17:13:39 +0200 in-maps-how-fast-food-chains-are-spreading-across-italy From paying for your coffee to ordering an aperitivo, things work a little differently in Italy's local neighbourhood bars. https://www.thelocal.it/20230703/aperol-and-aperitivo-a-guide-to-visiting-bars-and-cafes-in-italy Mon, 03 Jul 2023 14:15:57 +0200 aperol-and-aperitivo-a-guide-to-visiting-bars-and-cafes-in-italy Reports of a rising number of overweight children in Naples have put Italy's modern eating habits in the international spotlight, but the full story has more to do with money than pasta and pizza. https://www.thelocal.it/20261005/explained-whats-behind-the-rise-in-obesity-in-italy Mon, 05 Oct 2026 17:14:32 +0200 explained-whats-behind-the-rise-in-obesity-in-italy If you're in Italy in October, you won't want to miss the many local food fairs held around the country. Here are some of the best to visit over the coming month. https://www.thelocal.it/20260922/sagra-the-best-italian-food-festivals-to-visit-in-october-2026 Tue, 22 Sep 2026 17:54:18 +0200 sagra-the-best-italian-food-festivals-to-visit-in-october-2026 Major chains are expanding faster than ever in Italy, a country once held up as a model of healthy eating. Its impacts on the previously healthy, if poorer, south are concerning. https://www.thelocal.it/20260930/i-never-wouldve-guessed-italians-would-tolerate-this-how-fast-food-is-heading-south-in-italy Wed, 30 Sep 2026 11:28:44 +0200 i-never-wouldve-guessed-italians-would-tolerate-this-how-fast-food-is-heading-south-in-italy Despite its fiercely-defended reputation as the home of real food, Italy's dirty little secret is that its population often indulges in junk - and has created some uniquely Italian offerings. https://www.thelocal.it/20260928/six-italian-junk-foods-that-you-have-to-try Mon, 28 Sep 2026 17:08:25 +0200 six-italian-junk-foods-that-you-have-to-try Everyone loves a good rooftop bar - and Rome has a selection to suit all tastes. https://www.thelocal.it/20240823/five-of-the-best-rooftop-bars-to-visit-in-rome Fri, 23 Aug 2024 16:40:12 +0200 five-of-the-best-rooftop-bars-to-visit-in-rome Winemakers said on Wednesday they were struggling to shift a year’s worth of produce after a drop in exports to the United States. https://www.thelocal.it/20260709/italian-producers-downgrade-bottles-as-wine-piles-up-in-cellars Thu, 09 Jul 2026 13:10:07 +0200 italian-producers-downgrade-bottles-as-wine-piles-up-in-cellars You officially do not have the right to free tap water at restaurants in Italy, but that doesn’t mean you can’t try asking for it. https://www.thelocal.it/20260604/how-to-order-tap-water-when-travelling-in-italy Thu, 04 Jun 2026 18:57:25 +0200 how-to-order-tap-water-when-travelling-in-italy From a dessert-like caffè crema to a bubbly espresso tonic, try ordering one of these cold coffee drinks at the bar when the weather becomes too hot for a normal espresso. https://www.thelocal.it/20260430/six-cold-italian-coffee-options-to-keep-cool-and-caffeinated-this-summer Thu, 30 Apr 2026 13:01:39 +0200 six-cold-italian-coffee-options-to-keep-cool-and-caffeinated-this-summer For the first time more than half of Parmesan cheese was exported, as Italy's population declines and consumers watch their spending, producers said Thursday. https://www.thelocal.it/20260327/parmesan-makers-target-us-market-as-sales-drop-in-italy Fri, 27 Mar 2026 11:07:14 +0100 parmesan-makers-target-us-market-as-sales-drop-in-italy Australian wine producers have been granted EU approval to market their Italian-style sparkling wine as Prosecco under a new trade agreement that also allows cheesemakers to use the Parmesan label. https://www.thelocal.it/20260325/australian-producers-can-use-prosecco-name-under-eu-trade-deal Wed, 25 Mar 2026 15:52:18 +0100 australian-producers-can-use-prosecco-name-under-eu-trade-deal The 2026 Michelin guide is out and offers proof that fine dining doesn't have to break the bank. Here are some options for delicious but affordable Italian cuisine. https://www.thelocal.it/20260325/nine-choices-for-italian-michelin-star-dining-under-e40 Wed, 25 Mar 2026 12:48:49 +0100 nine-choices-for-italian-michelin-star-dining-under-e40 Food is central to any Italian celebration, and Easter is no exception. These are some of the classic Italian dishes to try at this time of year, from traditional lamb and artichokes to an unusual pig's blood dessert. https://www.thelocal.it/20260323/an-italian-easter-menu-dishes-to-try-each-day-of-holy-week Mon, 23 Mar 2026 12:05:37 +0100 an-italian-easter-menu-dishes-to-try-each-day-of-holy-week