‘Stanley Tucci: Discovering Italy’: A Journey Through the Country's Culinary Delights

After watching 'Stanley Tucci: Discovering Italy,' you'll surely be craving a delicious meal of your own.

Each episode is packed with local delicacies, prepared in cozy family kitchens and picturesque eateries across Italy.

Here’s your guide to the episodes, where you can find some of the mouthwatering dishes Tucci enjoys on-screen. Missed an episode? Catch up on Dinogogo.

NAPLES AND THE AMALFI COAST

In the first episode, Tucci explores Campania, a region shaped by volcanic soil, which enriches its local produce. From creamy buffalo mozzarella to the fragrant lemons of the Amalfi Coast, local chefs make the most of the area's natural bounty.

ROME

In the second episode of 'Searching for Italy,' we arrive in Rome, an ancient city whose culinary gems are sometimes overshadowed by its more globally renowned neighbors.

From sweet maritozzi to the perfect bite of carbonara, Rome is a place where you can indulge in delicious food all day long – if, as Tucci says, you know where to find it.

Bar San Calisto: Tucci and his friend Claudia della Frattina stopped by this cafe for an espresso. When maritozzi – cream-filled brioche buns – arrived, spoons followed quickly to dive into the sweet treat.

Armando al Pantheon: Next, Tucci and Claudia della Frattina headed to Armando al Pantheon for an authentic Roman lunch. They opted for rigatoni all’amatriciana, one of the city's four legendary pastas.

Pommidoro: Tucci’s pasta journey continued with chef, historian, and DJ Daniele di Michele. Together, they visited Pommidoro in search of the ultimate carbonara, made with guanciale, pecorino, black pepper, and eggs.

SantoPalato: Tucci, joined by food critic Katie Parla, ventured into the world of offal at SantoPalato. At this offbeat eatery run by chef Sarah Cicolini, they savored a variety of dishes, including a frittata with mashed chicken offal, Roman-style tripe in tomato sauce, wagyu heart tartare, and oxtail meatballs in a peanut, wild celery, and cocoa sauce.

La Reginella: The simple yet extraordinary fried artichoke, crisped to perfection like candy, holds a rich history, as explained by restaurant owner Italia Tagliacozzo.

Bistrot64: The magic of cacio e pepe lies in its simplicity. With just a handful of ingredients, the expertise of the chef is evident in every bite. Tucci discovered this at Bistrot64, where Japanese chef Kotaro Noda has perfected the delicate balance of pasta, cheese, and pepper.

BOLOGNA

The third episode of 'Searching for Italy' explores the culinary treasures of the Emilia-Romagna region, known for its 44 protected food products – more than any other region in Italy. While Bologna holds the title of Italy's food capital, Tucci uncovers gastronomic gems throughout the region.

Caseificio Rosola: Renowned chef Massimo Bottura took Tucci to this creamery in Zocca, a small town 30 miles from Bologna. Bottura is a big fan of Rosola’s parmigiano, crafted from the milk of local Bianca Modenese cows.

Casa Maria Luigia: After bringing some of Rosola’s ricotta back to Bottura’s hotel-restaurant, Bottura and Tucci enjoyed the creamy cheese paired with local honey, elderflower vinegar, and a touch of traditional balsamic vinegar. It was so delicious that Tucci almost forgot he was filming a TV show!

Salumeria Simoni: In Bologna, Tucci joined Mattia Santori, a leader of Italy’s Sardines political movement, for lunch and a lesson in mortadella. This smooth pork sausage, made with pistachios and peppercorns, is marbled with sweet fat.

Gran Deposito Aceto Balsamico Giuseppe Giusti: Tucci experienced a taste of history with a spoonful of traditional balsamic vinegar. The Giusti family has been crafting this iconic vinegar from grapes near Modena for over 400 years.

Casa Artusi: Pellegrino Artusi, regarded as Italy’s culinary godfather, inspired Tucci to learn how to prepare his take on Bolognese ragu. Guided by Artusi’s disciple Barbara Asioli, Tucci attended cooking classes at this museum dedicated to Artusi’s legacy.

Osteria Io e Simone: Tucci wrapped up his journey in Rimini, the birthplace of renowned director Federico Fellini. Joined by Fellini’s niece, Francesca, Tucci enjoyed freshly made bowls of cappelletti and strozzapreti at this charming coastal eatery.

MILAN

Milan is famous for its diligent work ethic, but it’s also a city where the fun never stops. In the fourth episode, Tucci explored the city’s breathtaking architecture and vibrant nightlife while savoring regional dishes like creamy risotto and hearty polenta.

Ratana’: Chef Cesare Battisti, renowned for his creativity and mastery of Italian classics, served Stanley Tucci a feast of culinary history. Alongside veal cutlets, he presented risotto, a creamy, saffron-infused rice dish that exemplifies the elegance of Milanese cuisine.

Mag Cafe: Whether it’s raining or sunny, an aperitivo in Milan is an essential experience. With social media influencer Tess Masazza leading the way, Tucci toasted to the iconic Milanese tradition of enjoying a drink after work.

Tencitt: Under the skilled hands of Morris Maramaldi, one of Milan’s top mixologists, Tucci discovered a unique Milanese take on the martini, featuring saffron for a flavorful twist.

The Bitto Center: In the Orobic Alps, Tucci met with cheese artisan Paolo Ciapparelli, who has dedicated his life to preserving the ancient technique of making Bitto Storico Ribelle. This 2,000-year-old cheese, made from the milk of alpine herds, so inspired Tucci that he headed to the kitchen to try his hand at making pizzoccheri, a traditional buckwheat pasta.

Osteria del Treno: After a picturesque visit to Lake Como, Tucci and his wife, Felicity Blunt, returned to Milan for a meal at this iconic restaurant, which Tucci believes captures the essence and history of Milan better than almost anywhere else.

TUSCANY

In the fifth episode of 'Searching for Italy,' Stanley Tucci returns to a place close to his heart – Tuscany. Having spent a year in Florence as a child, that transformative year shaped his life, and nearly 50 years later, he keeps coming back for more.

Mercato di Sant’Ambrogio: Chef Fabio Picchi took Tucci to Florence’s bustling Sant’Ambrogio market, the perfect spot to find the finest ingredients for making the classic bistecca alla Fiorentina.

C. Bio: At Picchi’s deli, the chef used olive branches and a generous amount of salt to prepare the iconic Tuscan dish, bistecca alla Fiorentina, in true Florentine style.

Babae: Joined by historian and guide Elisabetta Digiugno, Tucci embarked on a quick but memorable bar tour, beginning with this bistro that serves wine through its Renaissance-era ‘wine windows.’ These tiny openings, known as ‘buchette del vino,’ are unique to Tuscany and showcase Renaissance ingenuity, as Tucci points out.

Osteria Belle Donne: To conclude their wine window journey, Tucci and Digiugno savored Vin Santo, a traditional dessert wine, paired with crunchy almond biscotti.

Mercato Centrale: Historian Leonardo Romanelli led Tucci to Florence’s bustling central market, where they explored the humble origins of Italian ‘cucina povera,’ or ‘poor food,’ starting with beans, a simple yet fundamental ingredient.

Osteria Cinghiale Bianco: A favorite spot of Tucci’s in Florence, this cozy eatery serves hearty dishes like ribollita, pappa al pomodoro, and panzanella. Tucci jokes, 'Their recipes are so heavenly, I’m sure old bread would choose to come here and die.'

Nugolo: After sampling an elegant foam version of panzanella, Tucci discovered this modern restaurant that reinvents Tuscany’s rural flavors right in the heart of the city.

Torteria da Gagarin: In Livorno, Tucci joined chef Fabio Picchi at this beloved local spot, famous for serving a delicious pancake made from chickpea flour.

SICILY

The first season of 'Searching for Italy' concluded with a journey to Sicily, the Mediterranean's largest island. Known as ‘God’s Kitchen,’ Sicily's fertile land yields some of the world’s finest produce, inspiring a cuisine that elevates simple ingredients to a level of pure excellence.

Take, for example, the sardines in salsa verde and sarde a beccafico Stanley Tucci tasted with a local family in Lampedusa, along with the different varieties of timballo he tried in Palermo, shared with Princess Stefania di Raffadali.

As Stanley Tucci puts it, when dining in Sicily, ‘don’t confuse simplicity with blandness.’

I Pupi: Chef Tony Lo Coco invited Tucci to his Michelin-starred restaurant to sample his version of the Sicilian classic, spaghetti alla bottarga. 'The essence of your restaurant,' Tucci remarked, 'lies in taking Sicily’s simple foods and transforming them into something extraordinary.'

Azienda Agricola Arianna Occhipinti: Sicily is among the world’s oldest wine regions, yet its wines were once considered too robust to drink alone. Winemaker Arianna Occhipinti is redefining the landscape by creating more subtle and refined vintages at her vineyard in Vittoria.

Me Cumpari Turiddu: In Catania, Tucci enjoyed an unforgettable meal featuring donkey carpaccio – ‘like beef, but sweeter,’ he says – and pasta alla norma at Roberta Capizzi’s restaurant. 'The food is amazing,' Tucci reflects, 'but it’s the genuine Sicilian hospitality that truly makes this place shine.'