Italian Regions and Regional Cooking

Many Americans think Italian food is pasta, tomato sauce and cheese, because of the influence of immigrants from southern Italy. Northern Italy has a cooler climate and its cuisine reflects the influences of its bordering country France with its rich, creamy sauces. The southern land, by contrast, is much rockier and the weather sunnier and warmer. This area produces olive groves, eggplant and tomatoes as well as many culinary herbs.

The following map shows the three general cooking regions which can be broken down to Northern, Central and Southern.

Click on the map to learn more about the cuisine of each region.

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