Not Italian, but living less than 50 miles from the eastern border. Local (home) cuisine here is therefore somewhat fusion of neighborlings. Polenta, zuccinis, tomatoes, prosciuttos are in domestic kitchen as common here as they are in northern Italy. But not rice and pasta. Potato country here. So a LOT of gnocchi variants.
We also have some local pecorino variant. It is not pecorino, of course, not even made from sheep milk. But it is classified as “full fat hard oldened cheese”. It is called “Tolminc” (go google).
If you think that that cheese is tasteless, than I believe that you’d also think raw sea urchin is tasteless. It is usually served with some neutral crackers or similar bland dish and highly mineral white wine.
Checking in as American born to Italian immigrants and have lived within an all immigrant Italian-American neighborhood.
Bonus: I work for an Italian company and spend time monthly in Italy.
I don’t bother eating at "Italian’’ restaurants in the USA.
I find the food in Italy to be good (that’s all… just good), but not better than I am used to by any measure (but I have to pretend for the sake of anyone that might be traveling with me to Italy that “Wow, this is authentic/awesome!”) Don’t need to get into snobbery.
Italian food is widespread, because it’s middle of the road in a way that fits many tastes.
I travel to France and Spain regularly, too, as well as Germany. Spain is tops. Those meals I will starve for. I will look forward to them and leave room!
I can’t find a bad wine in Italy, Spain or France. I can’t get one consistently in the USA or choices are narrowed to a few good ones.
Pastry: Forget it. Italy dominates.
What is better in Italy is that good food is everywhere. Airports and highway rest stops: You’re getting real good food… to be enjoyed.
The point is: Is anyone going home and making French, Chinese, Indian, Japanese or so many other cuisines, and doing it well? How many people think they have the best Spaghetti sauce? (Me for one and I’m not Italian) How many think they make the best Indian food?
Italian is easy to make as well as a restaurant. It has legs and is universal for that reason.
I’m pretty fussy when it comes to food and on a week long trip to Sorrento and Rome last October we never had a bad meal. Even the pizza bar in Naples train station served a mean pizza, a cracking coffee and delicious pastries.
Was it high end stuff we were eating? no. We’ve learned that wherever you go you should find out where they serve fresh local stuff and do as little as possible to it. That’s where you get value for money.
We also had one of the most memorable meals in a harbourside restaurant in Sorrento, the old guy who owned the place was gutting his daily catch on the harbour wall and his daughters served it up to us. My and my daughter shared a huge plate of small sardines dusted and fried with a tomato salad. My wife had seafood linguini and my little boy had penne arrabiata with extra salad, fries, bread, several big beers, mineral waters and coffee. 50 euro the lot. Absolutely stunning food and it was exactly what I think of when I think of italian food.
So that was the best but the quality of food served in that price range of restaurant was consistently good.
here’s a link to it, If you are in the area, are of a frugal nature but love great seafood then I highly recommend it.