The World’s 10 Best Pasta Restaurants
A pasta-focused food trip can move from refined Italian dining rooms to city restaurants where the draw is the pleasure of a well-made plate of noodles, dough and sauce. Across this list, the strongest supported thread is Italian cooking seen in different settings, with pasta as an obvious part of the appeal even when the available evidence is broader than a single dish. That makes the category feel varied rather than uniform: some names are rooted in Italy itself, while others bring Italian restaurant culture to major dining cities further afield. A few examples show how distinct that expression can be. Da Vittorio in Brusaporto presents ‘Lombard tradition and creative genius’, with menus updated in step with the market and the seasons, suggesting a style that values both regional identity and freshness. Rezdôra is identified as an Italian restaurant on East 20th Street in New York City, placing Italian dining squarely in Manhattan. Osteria Francescana is documented in Modena, linking the guide to one of Italy’s most resonant food destinations. Taken together, these restaurants suit travellers who want Italian flavour interpreted through different moods and locations rather than one fixed template. One stop may lean into seasonal expression, another into the urban energy of a New York dining room, and another into the pull of Modena itself. For anyone building a trip around pasta, that range is part of the attraction: comforting, expressive cooking with room for regional character and a sense of occasion.
Osteria Francescana
Italy
Osteria Francescana treats cooking as a conversation between Italian traditions, contemporary culture and art at its Via Stella address in Modena. The tasting menu draws inspiration from artists and the kitchen's own history, with a sequence that changes as ideas develop. The current Ho Fame! Ho Fame! menu references a ceramic work by Vincenzo Cabiati. Alongside the tasting experience, à la carte dishes include five ages of Parmigiano Reggiano in different textures and temperatures, Modenese tortellini in Parmesan sauce and the playful broken lemon tart. Wine pairings accompany the menu. Meals usually take around three hours, allowing time for the food's references and contrasts to unfold. Dietary needs can be discussed in advance, and the tasting menu is served to the whole table.
Le Calandre
Rubano, Italy
Le Calandre is the Alajmo family’s restaurant in Sarmeola di Rubano, just outside Padua. The setting places the emphasis on the table, where Massimiliano Alajmo’s cooking explores the ways aroma, texture and temperature influence flavour. His work draws on Italian culinary memory while allowing ingredients to appear in unfamiliar forms, with a particular interest in clarity and lightness. The restaurant offers several tasting routes, including a selection of established dishes and menus devoted to more recent creations. These provide different perspectives on a kitchen that treats experimentation as an ongoing process. Vegetables, seafood and other seasonal ingredients become the starting point for combinations intended to engage several senses at once. Guests can discuss their preferences with the team when choosing how to approach the meal. The dining room’s considered proportions and restrained presentation support close attention to the food without overwhelming it. Wine is another important part of the experience, with the cellar connecting producers and growing regions to the dishes. Le Calandre suits travellers seeking a substantial contemporary Italian meal near Padua, with enough time to follow the progression of flavours and the ideas behind them.
Da Vittorio
Brusaporto, Italy
Da Vittorio brings the Cerea family’s approach to Italian hospitality to a country estate in Brusaporto, outside Bergamo. Gardens, paths and small lakes establish a leisurely setting before guests reach the restaurant. Its position in the Lombard countryside gives the experience a sense of retreat, while the family’s long involvement remains central to both the kitchen and the welcome. The cooking combines regional traditions with a broad interest in exceptional seasonal produce. Seafood has an important place, alongside meat, game, vegetables and the mushrooms and truffles associated with the changing year. Tasting menus and an à la carte selection provide different routes through this repertoire. Careful sourcing is part of the restaurant’s identity, with ingredients drawn from specialist producers across Italy rather than from a single narrow area. Pastry receives sustained attention, making the final stages of a meal a substantial part of the experience. The wine cellar extends the same interest in provenance, with staff helping to connect bottles to the food. Dining here suits an unhurried itinerary, whether as a destination meal from Bergamo or as part of a longer stay on the estate.
Lilia
New York, USA
Lilia is an Italian restaurant in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, at 567 Union Avenue, on the corner of North 10th and Union. The official site identifies Missy Robbins as the chef behind the restaurant and presents Lilia as a place for dinner in a distinctly Brooklyn setting. Its location and focus give it a clear identity as a standalone neighbourhood dining room rather than a hotel venue or multi-purpose complex. The dinner menu centres on Italian cooking with woodfire elements running through the selection. Listings are organised into antipasti, grilled fish, pasta, meat and vegetable sections, alongside cocktails and a wine list. Dishes such as rigatoni diavola, mafaldini, ricotta gnocchi, grilled clams, scallops and black bass point to a kitchen that balances handmade pasta with seafood and seasonal produce. Lilia also has a defined private-events offer. The restaurant states that parties of up to six may dine à la carte, while a semi-private room can host 12 to 20 guests with a seasonal shared menu. A full buyout is also available for approximately 85 guests, so the space can accommodate both intimate meals and larger hosted gatherings while remaining aligned with the restaurant’s Italian dining format. Reservations can be made through Resy or by email, and the site describes the food in terms of warm hospitality and simple ingredients. Taken together, the address, menu structure and event details show a Brooklyn restaurant built around careful cooking, a substantial drinks selection and flexible seating arrangements. The experience is shaped primarily by the kitchen and dining room rather than by any secondary facilities or entertainment programme.
Rezdôra
New York, USA
Rezdôra is a restaurant in New York, USA.
Cecconi’s
London, UK
Cecconi’s Mayfair is the original London restaurant in the group, at 5A Burlington Gardens in Mayfair, near Bond Street. The official site says it has welcomed guests since 1978 and serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. That places it as a long-established Northern Italian dining room in the West End, with a central address suited to both pre-theatre stops and longer meals in one of London’s busiest restaurant districts. The kitchen is built around modern classic Northern Italian cooking. Online menus show cicchetti, burrata, calamari fritti, tagliolini with lemon and caviar, spaghetti lobster, veal Milanese and Dover sole, alongside salads, grill dishes, sides, bakery items and desserts. The structure of the menu suggests an all-day restaurant rather than a fixed single-format trattoria, with breakfast and brunch choices sitting comfortably beside more substantial lunch and dinner plates. The operator describes theatrical dining, with selected fish and salad dishes finished and served at the table. That detail gives the room a more polished, performative character than a straightforward neighbourhood Italian restaurant. Cecconi’s also offers private hire and semi-private dining for up to 12 guests, so the space can accommodate both informal visits and more tailored gatherings without losing its core restaurant identity or its Mayfair setting. Taken together, Cecconi’s Mayfair presents itself as a formal but accessible Italian restaurant rooted in its original London opening. Its appeal lies in a central location, a menu focused on Venetian and northern Italian classics, and service that combines tableside presentation with broader event hosting. The result is a restaurant that supports daytime dining, evening meals and private occasions in a polished West End environment.
Buona Terra
Singapore
Buona Terra is a contemporary Italian restaurant at 29 Scotts Road in Singapore, set inside a conserved black-and-white bungalow that gives the address a secluded, residential feel. Michelin describes it as an intimate restaurant in a refurbished colonial house, while the restaurant’s own information sets out a compact layout shaped for a small number of diners. The main dining room has ten tables and seats up to thirty guests, and the property also provides an on-site car park for visitors arriving by car. The restaurant frames its cooking around seasonality and respect for ingredients, presenting a modern Italian approach rather than a broad all-day menu. Buona Terra works through set menus only. On weekdays, lunch is offered in four-course and five-course formats, and the restaurant also states that the dinner menu may be served at lunch when available. This structure points to a paced meal shaped by the kitchen, with dishes selected as part of a sequence rather than ordered individually from an à la carte list. For groups or more private occasions, Buona Terra states that it has three private rooms that can host up to fourteen guests. The menu information also notes that dietary requirements and many allergies can be accommodated with advance notice, which is a practical part of the service for guests planning ahead. Wine forms a clear part of the experience as well: the restaurant lists a three-glass wine flyer, a six-glass wine pairing and a corkage policy, showing that drinks can be woven into the meal rather than treated separately. The setting and service help define the character of the restaurant as much as the food. Michelin notes an elegant interior with an imposing display of wine bottles, while the restaurant describes its hospitality as warm, professional and personal. Further practical touches include the option to arrange celebration cakes in advance through Ami Pâtisserie. Taken together, those elements suggest a composed, small-scale dining experience in which the house, table count and set-menu format create an unhurried and carefully structured atmosphere.
Il Ristorante - Niko Romito at Bulgari Hotel
Dubai, UAE
Il Ristorante - Niko Romito is an acclaimed fine dining restaurant located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Niko Romito is a highly regarded Italian chef known for his innovative approach to Italian cuisine. He brings his culinary expertise and passion for Italian flavors to Il Ristorante, offering guests a unique dining experience. Il Ristorante - Niko Romito is known for its modern interpretation of Italian cuisine. Chef Romito's dishes are characterized by their simplicity, elegance, and focus on high-quality ingredients. The menu often features traditional Italian dishes with a contemporary twist, showcasing the chef's creativity and skill. The restaurant boasts a sophisticated and elegant ambiance, with stylish decor, luxurious furnishings, and attentive service. Guests can expect a refined dining experience in a comfortable and inviting setting. Il Ristorante - Niko Romito offers tasting menus that allow guests to experience a variety of flavors and textures curated by the chef. These multi-course menus highlight the best of Italian cuisine and showcase Chef Romito's culinary vision. The restaurant offers an extensive wine list featuring a selection of Italian and international wines carefully chosen to complement the flavors of the dishes. Knowledgeable sommeliers are available to assist guests in selecting the perfect wine pairing for their meal. Attention to detail is evident in every aspect of the dining experience at Il Ristorante - Niko Romito, from the presentation of the dishes to the service and ambiance. The restaurant strives to create a memorable and immersive culinary journey for its guests.
400 Gradi
Melbourne, Australia
400 Gradi is a restaurant in Melbourne, Australia.
8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana
Hong Kong
8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana is a restaurant in Hong Kong.