The Evolution of Italian Street Food

There was a time when Italy’s most famous food, pizza, was relegated to something the lower classes ate on the street. You’d be surprised at just how many iconic Italian dishes started out as simple street fare, and how many great bites can still be found on street corners and at markets.

Italian street food culture dates back to the time of Pompei in 79AD and has long been a way for poorer people in Italy’s dense cities, such as Rome and Naples, to eat cheaply and quickly during gaps from work. Nowadays, Italian street food has evolved past class structures and is something everyone should take the time to enjoy.

Classic Italian Street Foods

Some of the best food in Italy is made by street food vendors. Here are three classic Italian street foods worth hunting down:

1. Lampredotto: This isn’t any old beef sandwich. Like so many Italian street foods, it captures a significant part of the country’s economic and culinary history. The sandwich originated as a “peasant” dish, hence its use of cheaper meat cuts (in this case, cow stomach). The slow-cooked tripe and crusty bread are a delicious combination and best scoffed under the Florentine sun.

2. Arrosticini: Every country has its version of “meat on a stick” and in Italy that’s Arrosticini. Once a staple of shepherds in the Abruzzo mountains, the skewered meat can be from a castrated lamb, sheep, or goat, but it is always grilled on a charcoal fire with fresh herbs such as rosemary.

3. Zeppole: If you want a sweet treat, then Zeppole is the street food to try. These fried dough balls originated in Naples but can now be found throughout the country stuffed with all kinds of fillings such as custard, cream, and chocolate. They’re essentially Italy’s version of a doughnut.

Changes in Street Food Over Time

As class structures have shifted, what was once treated as the poor cousin of Italian cuisine has now been elevated to its own exciting category. Italian street food is taken more seriously by cooks and customers alike, allowing for more experimentation with classic recipes and ingredients.

Street food in Italy has also become slightly less regional with cities borrowing from each other to create dishes that fuse different parts of the country’s traditions.

Global Influences on Italian Street Food

The past few years have brought much greater attention to the magic of street food in general which has made food trucks and small vendors with hyper-focused menus take off like never before.

Italian street food culture has definitely borrowed from these trends so that when you go to Genoa’s pesto-focused street food spots, it looks a little like the places you might see in Downtown LA. The food, however, is quintessentially Italian. Every bite is a celebration of local, fresh ingredients, and the traditions of Italian cooking.

Sophia Rossi