America has had a long love affair with Italian food. But today’s Italian cuisine in the U.S. is quite different from twenty years ago. Sure, you can still find places with red-and-white checkered tablecloths and Chianti bottles for décor that serve huge portions of fettuccine Alfredo, chicken Parmigiana and breaded eggplant, but modern Italian food is fresh, light and innovative. Instead of Bolognese you will find burrata, instead of tortellini and angel hair pasta doused in heavy sauces, creative creations that have revived ancient traditions, from stuffed squash blossoms to house-cured salumi to panna cotta. But whether you are in the mood for old school or new school, our lists cover the gamut of the best Italian cooking from coast to coast.
