Every good road trip needs a theme. Since food is basically the best part of life, planning your trip around great dining destinations is always a good idea. To take your road trip to the next level, consider planning it around a specific type of food or restaurant like Italian restaurants. Italian food combines three of life’s great joys: bread, cheese, and wine. Plus, Italian communities with great and authentic food have taken root all across the country, meaning you can fill anything from a day trip to a two week road trip with destination Italian restaurants. For tips on how to make your Italian restaurants road trip one to remember, keep reading.
1) Eat Strategically Any foodie will tell you that weather you’re dining at seafood restaurants, steak houses, small Italian restaurants, or a BBQ shack, ordering strategically is key. Set a road trip rule that no one can order the same thing as another person to make sure you get to try as many dishes as possible. Order your meal family style whenever possible to maximize value and variety. Finally, think about what you’re doing following your Italian feast. If you’re going for a stroll and then to bed, go ahead and order your wine by the bottle. If an amusement park follows, best to stick to coffee for dessert.
2) Indulge Wisely Combining Italian food with wine is a no brainer. Items that are rich are creamy bring out the complexity of a nice red wine, while lighter Italian fare pairs perfectly with old world whites. Just make sure that you keep a level head and always have a designated driver-this is a road trip, after all!
3) Think Colorado Even though Colorado might not be the first place people think of for Italian food, it actually has a rapidly growing food industry. Pick up a Boulder or Denver Restaurant guide to help you make your choice. There are more than 11,000 restaurants that sell nearly $10 billion in food each year, so you will have ample choices. Plus, more than 75% of restaurants in Colorado are small businesses, meaning you can successfully avoid ever having to resort to a chain restaurant. Finally, in addition to the nearly 2 million meals served by restaurants in Colorado each day, your Italian restaurants road trip in this state offers you the chance for breathtaking sights not found anywhere else in the United States.
4) Stick to the Classics When eating at Italian restaurants throughout your road trip, make sure you try a few classic dishes each place you go. Comparing something as simple as spaghetti and meatballs across multiple restaurants is a fun culinary adventure.
5) Try Something New As great as the classics are, challenge yourself to try new things. When you look at the restaurant menu, aim to order at least one thing you’ve never heard of before. You may just find your favorite new food and you will learn a lot along the way.
