Notes from Via Rosa
Guides to Florence, Umbria and & Puglia plus a Spring Recipe
Welcome to the Via Rosa Newsletter—so glad you’re here!
Here’s a taste of the newest content we’ve been sharing on our website lately - a fresh roundup of stories, updates, and inspiration we can’t wait for you to explore. Plus openings on tours for 2026 & 2027!!
Join us in Italy!
Via Rosa organizes small group tours that explore Italy’s rich and diverse food culture. Each journey is thoughtfully led by either Elizabeth or Sophie—the founders of Via Rosa—or by a carefully selected guest host from their trusted circle of food experts and friends.
While most of our tours are currently waitlist-only (they sell out fast!), a few spots are still available on a handful of our tours. As a subscriber to this newsletter, you’re among the first to hear about these limited openings.
The Culture of Food in Puglia with Erin O’Brien September 13–19, 2026
The Culture of Food in Eastern Sicily with Elizabeth Minchilli September 27–October 3, 2026
The Culture of Food in Parma with Shereen Pavlides 18–24, 2026
The Culture of Food in Puglia & Matera with Zoë François March 14–20, 2027
The Culture of Food in Parma with Marissa Mullen April 18–24, 2027
The Culture of Food in Umbria with Sophie Minchilli, scheduled for April 25-May 1, 2027
Where to Eat, Drink & Stay in Florence
As the cradle of the Renaissance, Florence tends to draw travelers for its architectural marvels and artistic treasures, but we think it’s also one of the best cities in Italy for food. To eat well, though, you have to know where (and what) to eat in Florence. Traditional Florentine cuisine has its roots in cucina povera, the humble recipes of the peasants and farmers who tended the land. This is not the place to eat pizza; you’re better off going to Naples or Rome for that.
In Florence, you can expect to find lots of beans and legumes, which have always been cheap and easy sources of protein, off-cuts like tripe and lampredotto, and dishes that make the most of leftovers, such as panzanella and ribollita, two recipes that revive stale bread. And since wild boar roam the countryside, it’s common to find pasta with wild boar ragu on menus in Florence. The most prized specialty here is bistecca alla fiorentina, the massive t-bone steak made with premium Chianina beef. Don’t be surprised if the waiter doesn’t ask you how you’d like it done; it’s served rare and Florentines wouldn’t have it any other way.
Fave, Pecorino & Asparagus Pasta
There are a few dishes in Rome that feel tied to a specific moment in the year, and fave e pecorino is one of them. Traditionally eaten on May 1st, and a staple on Roman tables all spring long, it’s about as simple as it gets: fresh fava beans, pecorino, and a long lunch in the countryside.
Here, that same combination turns into something a bit more substantial. The sweetness of the fava beans and the sharpness of the pecorino are paired with spring asparagus, for a pasta that feels both rooted in tradition and very much of the season. And if you’re after something a little richer, you could also add a bit of pancetta or guanciale, lightly crisped.
Where to Eat, Drink & Stay in Umbria
Umbria has long been a place we hold dear. It’s where we escape Rome on weekends, and where Easter and much of the summer tend to unfold.
While we love it in every season, spring in Umbria feels especially magical. The hills turn an almost impossibly bright green, the days grow warmer, and long lunches outdoors slowly become the norm again.
We’ve already shared guides to Perugia and Todi, but so much of our time here is spent exploring beyond them. Whether it’s wandering the flower-filled streets of Spello, stopping for a glass of Sagrantino in Montefalco, or lingering over lunch in small towns like Bevagna and Trevi, some of our favorite meals have happened in these quieter corners of the region.
Where to Eat, Drink & Stay in Central Puglia
Central Puglia, which includes the Itria Valley and world-famous Alberobello, is the part of the region that most people imagine when they dream of a trip here: whitewashed hill towns, olive groves that seem to stretch forever, trulli scattered across the countryside, long seafood lunches by the sea and warm evenings in tiny piazzas. I’ve been coming here with my family since I was little, and so many of my childhood memories come from long summers spent exploring these small towns. It really feels like the heart of Puglia to me, full of small family-run places where you can eat incredibly well without trying too hard.
You can find our full schedule of week-long food tours in Italy by clicking the button below:
