Why is it that when you eat out in italy, the food is amazing, but in an italian restaurant in the uk, its...?

Question

just not the same even though the restaurant is owned and run by italians?

i ate out in different restaurants every night in italy and the food was absolutely out of this world, but when i went to an italian restaurant in the uk, the food wasnt a patch on what i had tasted in italy, and the owners and chef were italians serving 'authentic' italian dishes.

Answer 1

Ever noticed how in the UK it's called 'Italian food', but in Italy it's just called 'food'? Weird huh?

Answer 2

Its called Authenticity

Answer 3

You're probably going to the wrong restarants. There's no shortage of amazing places in this country. Of course, eating in Italy adds a certain something to the occasion.

Answer 4

.......If you want Italian food go to Italy, same for Japanese , Thai etc, go to the country of origin.  It's sometimes not cost effective for restaurants to get the original ingredients so they use alternatives.

Answer 5

Oliveto, Elisabeth Street, Belgravia SW1 London.

I go there often, the food is simple, real and delicious.

Answer 6

Because they deport all the bad restauranteurs out of Italy :)

Answer 7

While I was in Rome I asked this same question to a chef and he said it is the quality and freshness of the ingredients.  Italians spend more on food, as a percentage of their income, than anyone else in the world.  food is extremely important to them and they will not settle for sub-standard quality.  

The majority of Italian vegetables, for example, are grown on small family owned farms from very old varieties.  Their food is not genetically altered to be withstand the US method of farming...huge farms, pesticide resistant, picked prior to being ripe to withstand the time it takes to go to a distribution center, then the supermarket, then sit on the shelf...etc.  Therefore, it tastes better.

You will also typically see Italians shop everyday for the food they will eat that day.  There is very little "food" sitting in their refrigerators.

FYI...Best pizza in Rome is at the Metro station at the Colosseum.

Ciao

Answer 8

Its probably down to your perception and the atmosphere more than any physical difference.

Try the Casa Di Cesare in Yately, Berkshire (near Bracknell)

The best Italian food I have ever eaten.

Answer 9

It gets Americanized and so loses authenticity of key ingredients, spices and technique.  In short it loses its soul.