Italy is home to the highest number of Michelin-starred restaurants in the world (apart from France, of course), with 343 in total (eight three-stars, forty-one two-stars and 294 one-stars). It’s a statistic that affirms the country’s rightful place as a nation of culinary beauty, where simple ingredients can be transformed into incredible plates of food. And on 16 November the Michelin Guide for 2018 will be announced, welcoming a new group of restaurants onto its hallowed pages.
The number of restaurants in Italy is staggering, and so many are on the cusp of gaining a Michelin star that it can feel a little futile trying to predict which will finally clinch one. But for the restaurants who already own one or two, it’s a little easier to see which chefs are really pushing for another. Take a look at our predictions below, and let us know about any more you might have in the comments below.
Norbert Niederkofler rose to fame for his ‘Cook the Mountain’ approach to food, in which he only uses ingredients from the local Dolomites. In doing so he turned an old pizzeria into a two-Michelin-starred temple to South Tyrolean food, and this is the year everyone is tipping him to get his third.
From the mountains of South Tyrol to the beautiful beaches of Marche, Maoro Uliassi’s eponymous restaurant has been wowing diners since 1990. With two stars to its name and a reputation for serving the best seafood in all of Italy, it’s no wonder the family-run business is one of the most popular places in the region.
Winning a Michelin star just six months after it opened in 2014, Lido 84 is the famous Brescia-based restaurant of Riccardo Camanini. With a distinctly art deco feel, it’s known for breaking boundaries between the kitchen and dining room, as chefs are often the ones serving dishes to guests. The most famous of Riccardo’s recipes is carbonara cooked inside a pig’s bladder, which is cut open tableside for maximum impact. The food is certainly two-star quality.
Moving location in March 2017, Angelo Sabatelli’s restaurant is now based in beautiful Putignano, Puglia, which might just be what the place needed to tip it into two-star territory.
Imàgo has to have one of the best views in all of Italy; the dining room overlooks central Rome from six floors up, with the Pantheon, Castel Sant’Angelo and Campidoglio in plain sight. But it’s the food of Francesco Apreda that really makes the restaurant stand out, as the chef combines the seemingly odd combination of Italian and Indian food with panache. It might sound strange but it works perfectly, and offers something completely different in the heart of Italy’s capital. Perhaps exactly what Michelin are looking for?
This Milanese stalwart is housed inside a glass tower, with nothing but a glass wall separating the dining room from the kitchen. Andrea Berton takes traditional Italian ingredients and gives them a modern spin (think rice ravioli and grilled watermelon with aubergine), which certainly makes his cuisine stand out.
After working in some of Italy’s best kitchens, Eugenio Boer opened various restaurants and wine bars of his own. But it wasn’t until he launched Essenza in 2015 that he really showed what a skilled chef he had become. With plenty of international influences and only the best produce reaching the kitchens, this Milan-based restaurant is all but guaranteed a Michelin star.
