Italy & Greece: A Culinary Journey
For Fares and me, food has always been more than just something on a plate — it’s how we connect with each other, with our families, friends, and with the world around us. Fares often says that finding a partner who was a “foodie” was really important to him, and it’s one of the things that makes us such a good match. (I’m grateful my dislike of chocolate was an exception.) Both of our families’ cultures are deeply rooted in food traditions, and when we travel, meals become our way of immersing ourselves in a place.
So instead of sharing our honeymoon through itineraries and landmarks, I want to tell the story through the dishes we ate. Food was our top attraction — the thread that wove together each city and memory.
We journeyed through Milan, Lake Como, Florence, Tuscany, Siena, Rome, and finally Kos Island, Greece — and this is the story of our trip, one plate at a time.
Milan
Risoelatte
Our first stop in Milan was Risoelatte, known for its traditional risotto e latte (rice and milk) — not to be confused with risotto. This dish hails from northern Italy, where Carnaroli rice is slow-cooked in whole milk until it transforms into something creamy, velvety, and rich. The ingredients added at the end determine the final color and flavor.
We tried:
Rice and “Red” Milk – creamy rice with cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and stracciatella.
Saffron Risotto – a classic Milanese preparation with Carnaroli rice and L’Aquila saffron.
Cacio e Pepe – homemade spaghetti with Pecorino Romano and black pepper, served on a crispy parmesan wafer.
The Rice and Red Milk was our favorite — unexpectedly sweet and savory all at once — while the Cacio e Pepe was perfectly al dente, with that addictive sharpness of cheese and black pepper.
Piz
Lunch the next day was at Piz, a beloved pizza spot with a simple but flawless menu. We tried:
Margherita – a timeless classic.
Delicata Bianca – topped with green onions, garlic, and cheese.
The Delicata Bianca was a revelation. I had never eaten pizza with green onions before, and the texture made every bite feel playful yet satisfying.
Ciacco Gelato Lab
Of course, no trip to Italy is complete without gelato. We visited Ciacco multiple times — it was easily the best gelato of our entire trip. The menu rotates, but highlights included:
Salted Brown Butter (our favorite — sweet and salty perfection)
Classic Cream
Pistachio
Rich Chocolate
Even among the countless gelaterias we tried, Ciacco stood apart with its depth of flavor.
Ratanà
In modern downtown Milan, we sought out Ratanà, known for creative takes on Milanese tradition. Our tasting included:
Goat Cheese from Boscasso with fig mustard & squid ink focaccia
Mandeghili – traditional Milanese meatballs with gremolata mayo
Gnocchi with peas, kimchi, and preserved lemon
Ravioli with ricotta, figs, and cacio e pepe fondue
The balance between local flavors and global influence made every dish surprising without losing its Italian roots. We both enjoyed the crispy shell of the meatball, and the rich and creamy taste of the ravioli.
Frades Porto Cervo
That evening, we indulged in Sardinian-inspired fine dining at Frades Porto Cervo, a Michelin guide restaurant. Highlights included:
Focaccia chips so delicately crispy & focaccia bread
King Crab Tacos with mango & jalapeño, served on river stones
Beef Tartare with truffle and parmesan
Tuna Steaks with eggplant and red sauce glaze
Fig & Cacio e Pepe Dumplings (the star dish — inventive yet soulful)
Simple, seafood-forward dishes, elevated with artistry.
Lake Como
Villa Lario
We stayed at Villa Lario, and while we didn’t venture into town, their culinary offerings more than made up for it. Meals here felt like an extension of the lake itself — fresh, elegant, and deeply tied to the landscape.
At Villa Bianca Restaurant, we enjoyed dishes like:
Seabass crudo with peas and lime chutney
Sea Ravioli in Mediterranean broth (a playful “fifth ravioli” surprise filling)
Burnt wheat tagliatelle with parmesan and black truffle
Flank steak with green pepper sauce
Beef carpaccio with parmesan, parsley, Milanese style bone marrow, and mushrooms
Tomato and parmesan spaghetti (this dish is their most intricate to make of their menu)
Seabass in two ways with chard, mussel, and lemon
Fried pizza with tomato sauce, basil, and parmesan cheese
Grape Sorbet — light, sweet, and reminiscent of sipping red wine
Tiramisu
One afternoon by the pool, a simple chicken BLT with fries turned unforgettable thanks to the homemade ketchup and refreshing VL Lemonade (ginger, mint, lemongrass, all from the garden).
Even breakfast was remarkable — baskets of croissants, fresh juices, smoothies, and the creamiest berry yogurt I’ve ever tasted. Funny enough, that yogurt is what I still dream about.
Florence
La Ménagère
This restaurant was suggested to me by a close friend and colleague who studied abroad in Florence. Upon your first sight of the restaurant, you are instantly captivated and immersed in the color and textures of the atmosphere. This is a spot you can find at anytime of the day as it is a coffee bar, bistro, cocktail bar, restaurant, and home goods store all at once, and perfect for design inspiration. The food highlights included are:
Beef Burger with smoked scamorza and caramelized onions
Panzanella di gamberi with shrimp
A chic, modern spot with comfort food done elegantly.
Trattoria Il Bargello
Our favorite Florentine meal:
Assortment of bread crisps and slices and EVOO
Burrata with truffle
Pear & Pecorino Ravioli
Black Squid Taglierini with baby calamari
Florentine T-bone steak (our waiter theatrically salted it “Salt Bae” style)
Sicilian Cannolis for dessert
It was the quintessential Tuscan trattoria experience — hearty, bold, and memorable.
Schiacciata Sandwich Shops
We couldn’t resist trying the famous schiacciata sandwiches around town. Schiacciata is not to be mistaken for focaccia. It is a Tuscan specialty that is more thin, crispy, and airy. The sandwiches were:
Schiaccia Bakery:
Only Fans - capocollo, ricotta, honey, arugula, almond slivers
Only the Top - Dried salted beef, arugula, gruna cheese flakes, EVOO, lemon
While there were many toppings and options to choose from we selected:
Italiana- Prosciutto, buffalo mozzarella, tomato and basil pesto
Numero 4 - cooked ham, smoked provola,roasted potato cream and truffle cream
La Signoria: Truffle Mortadella, Truffle Pecorino, arugula
La Pinocchio: prosciutto, goat cheese, sauteed mushrooms, arugula
Suicida: Porchetta, sundired tomatoes, spicy sauce, arugula
Each sandwich was a flavor bomb, with crispy bread and bold combinations. I’Girone was our favorite because it uses locally sourced meats & cheeses.
Gelato
Florence also surprised us with some great gelato flavors:
Lavender & Cream / Lemon & Chocolate at La Strega Nocciola
Chai & Crema / Lemon & Chocolate at La Sorbettiera
Tuscany & Chianti
Osteria Le Panzanelle
A Michelin-recommended stop where we ate:
Zucchini with meat stufino
Pici all’aglione (garlic pasta)
Pappardelle al cinghiale (wild boar ragu)
Chocolate cake for dessert
Classic Tuscan comfort food, perfectly executed.
Dario Cecchini’s Officina della Bistecca
This was one of the most anticipated meals of our trip, inspired by the famous butcher we first saw on Netflix. Even without Dario himself present, the energy was infectious.
From chanting “Carne Diem” with strangers to sharing endless wine with new Italian friends, it was more than a dinner — it was a cultural exchange. I shared with our Italian friends, the infamous St. Louis toasted ravioli, for which they were baffled and astounded such cuisine existed. Alas, we wined and dined, and toasted to each other in honor of our rare meeting (no-pun intended).
The Solociccia menu food highlights included:
Beef Tartare seasoned with salt & orange zest (the best tartare of our trip)
various lesser known meat cuts - seared rump carpaccio, cecchini signature cuts, panzanese steak, bone-in rib eye
Tuscan beans in EVOO
Baked potato with “Chianti butter” (pork fat — decadent and salty)
Olive oil cake with sugared crust
The food was rich, but it was the company and camaraderie that made it unforgettable.
Rinuccio 1180 – Antinori Winery
Paired with a winery and architecture tour of the contemporary Antinori nel Chianti Classico, our meal included:
Donzelle (fried bread) with stracchino cheese, paired with “A” Toscana Rosato
Grilled beef steak with roasted potatoes, paired with a red wine (unfortunately, I forget which one)
Tiramisu and a peach tart paired with “Muffato Della Sala” dessert wine
A seamless pairing of food, wine, and design.
Pasticceria Chianti
The next morning we had a charming pastry breakfast in Greve in Chianti. The pastries included:
Butter Crossiant
Chocolate Crossiant
Sugar coated donut
Cappuccino
Assorted shortbread cookies for snacks for our drive to Siena
Siena
Osteria La Sosta di Violante
Fried mozzarella with onion jam
Pici pasta with pork ragu
Cacio e Pepe risotto with local sausage
A hidden gem with simple, comforting dishes.
Rome
Rome was our last stop in Italy, and the meals there were worth the wait.
Luciano
Recommended by our friends we met at Dario Cecchini Experience in Panzano, this was the best carbonara of the trip — creamy, salty, and unforgettable. Paired with Aperol spritz, it was the perfect Roman welcome. We topped off the meal with gelato at La Romana dal 1947.
Untitled 53
Our final dinner in Italy was at Untitled 53, a Michelin guide gem serving creative tapas-style dishes. Highlights included:
Patata Brava – crisp outside, cloud-like inside, exquisite presentation
Fresh Catch Sashimi with ceviche flavors
Dumpling with Oxtail Stew on pecorino cream
Carbonara with Spaghettone pasta
Agnolotti del Plin served inside a napkin with amatriciana sauce
Tiramisu & Peach Sorbet with sea salt and lime zest
A perfect fusion of Roman tradition and playful experimentation.
Kos Island, Greece
Our honeymoon concluded in Kos, where we witnessed our friends getting married and shifted from Italian indulgence to fresh, seaside Greek food.
Light Blue Restaurant
We ordered almost the entire menu:
Fried eggplants & zucchini
Grilled octopus
Fried calamari
Garlic potato dip with pita
Fresh vegetables
Everything was simple, fresh, and brimming with Mediterranean flavor.
Oria Cafe & Tavern
The morning after the wedding, we joined the newlyweds and friends for a scenic & adventurous brunch. We drove up steep dirt roads to this family-run taverna overlooking the islands and an old castle.
The table shared:
Homemade lemonades and cinnamon drinks
Traditional salad & Greek salad
Calamari
Pork and chicken gyros
Fresh fruit salad
It was the perfect way to close our trip — surrounded by friends, incredible views, and locally sourced, homemade food.
Final Thoughts
Looking back, our trip wasn’t just a honeymoon — it was a love letter to food and to us. Sharing these meals brought Fares and me closer together, reminding us that food is more than nourishment; it’s joy, tradition, creativity, and connection. From Milan’s creamy rice and Florence’s creative sandwiches to Tuscany’s rustic meats and the seaside simplicity of Kos, every meal told a story. Traveling through food allowed us to savor not just the flavors of each region, but the culture, history, and passion that made them unforgettable.
