Umbria is a landlocked region in central Italy, the only one on the Italian peninsula with neither a coastline nor a border with another country. Known as the 'Green Heart of Italy', it is a land of rolling hills, oak forests, olive groves, and medieval hill towns. Umbria is famous for the Basilica of San Francesco in Assisi, the Gothic Duomo of Orvieto, the festivals of Spoleto and Perugia, and a hearty cuisine built around black truffles, cured pork from Norcia, lentils, and the powerful Sagrantino red wine of Montefalco.
Umbria, Italy's green landlocked heart, cooks with the earth: black truffle from Norcia and Spoleto, pork charcuterie perfected by the town of Norcia (the original 'norcineria'), Castelluccio lentils, and hand-rolled eggless pastas such as strangozzi and umbricelli. Wood pigeon (palomba), wild boar, porchetta, and torta al testo flatbread anchor the meat-heavy tradition, while the lone exception to the land is Lake Trasimeno, source of carp 'regina in porchetta', eel, and the tegamaccio fish stew. The glass is filled with powerful Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG, crisp Orvieto Classico, and Grechetto, all finished with rocciata, the region's rolled apple-and-nut pastry.
Must-try dishes
Iconic dishes that define Umbria.
Strangozzi al Tartufo Nero
Hand-rolled eggless pasta tossed with black truffle from Norcia or Spoleto, shaved generously over the top
Where to try: Spoleto and Norcia trattorias / Il Tempio del Gusto
Price: €12-20
Strangozzi alla Norcina
Pasta in a rich sauce of Norcia sausage, cream, and often black truffle
Where to try: Norcia / Granaro del Monte
Price: €12-18
Palomba alla Ghiotta
Wood pigeon braised or grilled with a sauce of its liver, olives, sage, and wine, a Todi and Orvieto classic
Where to try: Orvieto and Todi trattorias / Trattoria La Palomba
Price: €16-24
Regina in Porchetta
Large Lake Trasimeno carp boned, stuffed with fennel, garlic and herbs, and roasted porchetta-style
Where to try: Lake Trasimeno / Castiglione del Lago
Price: €14-20
Torta al Testo
Unleavened griddle flatbread split and filled with salumi, cheese, or sausage and greens
Where to try: Perugia and Gubbio / Dal Mi' Cocco
Price: €5-10
Lenticchie di Castelluccio
Tiny IGP lentils from the Piano Grande, stewed with Norcia sausage or served in soup
Where to try: Norcia and Castelluccio / Granaro del Monte
Price: €8-14
Top restaurants
Handpicked picks for the best dining experiences.
Restaurants by cuisine
Browse picks grouped by cuisine type.
Umbrian
Contemporary Umbrian
Lake Fish
Modern Umbrian Fine Dining
Refined Umbrian
Umbrian Traditional
Food tours & tastings in Umbria
Eat your way through Umbria with a guide.
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Street food
Local flavours at affordable prices.
Torta al Testo
Griddle-cooked flatbread stuffed with salumi, cheese or sausage and chard, eaten on the go
Find it at: Perugia and Gubbio bakeries and stalls
Porchetta
Herb-roasted whole pig sliced into crusty rolls, a market and festival staple
Find it at: Umbrian markets and porchetta vans
Crostini al Tartufo
Toasted bread spread with warm black truffle paste, a ubiquitous antipasto and snack
Find it at: Norcia and Spoleto delis and bars
Baci Perugina
Hazelnut-and-chocolate kisses born in Perugia, sold across the city
Find it at: Perugia / Casa del Cioccolato Perugina
Food markets
Where locals shop and graze.
Mercato Coperto di Perugia
Perugia's covered market with produce, cheese, salumi, truffle products and lake fish
Hours: Mon-Sat 7AM-1:30PM
Norcineria Shops of Norcia
Norcia's cluster of historic pork-butcher shops selling prosciutto, salumi, truffle and lentils
Hours: Daily roughly 9AM-7:30PM
Mercato di Foligno
Lively weekly produce and food market in the Valle Umbra town of Foligno
Hours: Tue and Sat mornings
Dining etiquette & tips
Navigate the local food scene confidently.
Lunch runs roughly 12:30-2:30 PM; dinner generally starts around 8 PM
Truffle is shaved to order in season (black winter truffle peaks Dec-Mar)—ask for it fresh, not preserved
Pair red meats and game with Sagrantino di Montefalco; choose Orvieto Classico or Grechetto for whites
Coperto (cover charge of about EUR 2-4 per person) is standard; rounding up or leaving 5-10% is appreciated
- Vegetarian
- Good options—truffle pastas, lentil and chickpea dishes, torta al testo with cheese, and vegetable antipasti are widely available
- Halal
- Very limited; Perugia has a few options but smaller hill towns have almost none
- Gluten free
- Increasingly available in Perugia and tourist towns; ask for 'senza glutine'
Food budget guide
What to expect at different price points.
| Level | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | €8-16 per meal | Torta al testo, porchetta rolls, and trattoria fixed-menu lunches |
| Mid-range | €25-45 per meal | Traditional osterie serving truffle pasta, game and Sagrantino |
| Upscale | €80+ per meal | Michelin-starred dining at Vespasia, Trippini or Casa Vissani with wine pairings |