Vegan Eats Italy ’25
A vegan chef follows traditional Italian food from Amalfi to Florence
Italy in October 2025 was all about breathtaking views, big appetites, and curiosity. It was my first time travelling there and I adored every minute of it. We travelled through Positano, Amalfi, Florence, and a quick day trip to Rome, letting food guide the trip while still exploring all the sights. As a vegan chef and author from Melbourne, food is always non-negotiable when I travel. I wasn’t interested in only eating at fully vegan spots, which can be hard to find anyway. Italy felt like the perfect place to sit in traditional restaurants, scan menus not designed for me, ask questions, remove cheese where needed, and discover the vegan treasures already built into Italian cuisine. And there are plenty of them.
Positano & Amalfi: Big Views, Bigger Flavours
At this restaurant, it is not just a meal but a full experience. They drive you in a bus to the top of Positano and feed you relentlessly, with homegrown vegetables, pasta, gnocchi, salads, potatoes, and house wine. Vegan options are well catered for, including a vegan sausage tucked into one of the salads. The food is generous, rustic, and unmistakably Italian. If you are lucky, you might even catch a live performance and meet the Nonna who makes the pasta herself. It is truly an experience not to be missed.
Location & Contact: Via Tagliata No32b 84017 Positano SA, Italy & +39 089 875 872
The best linguine alla puttanesca I’ve ever eaten. A deeply rich sauce built on slow-cooked tomatoes, with salty olives and capers bringing everything into perfect balance. The pasta was cooked exactly right, beautifully al dente, with nothing needing adjustment. What stood out just as much was how many traditional Italian dishes on the menu were already vegan or vegetarian. Classic recipes with little to no substitutions required. A quiet reminder that some of Italy’s strongest food has always been veg-heavy at its core.
Location & Contact: Viale Pasitea, 254, 84017 Positano SA, Italy & +39 089 812050
An institution in every sense. Limoncello spritz, olives, popcorn, and views of the Positano coastline, the stacked cliffside buildings, and the sunset over the sea that you don’t want to blink away. Everything just works.
Location & Contact: Via Cristoforo Colombo, 30, 84017 Positano SA, Italy & +39 089 812189
Ristorante Mediterraneo – Positano
Vegan options are limited, but the bruschetta is exceptional. The tomatoes are ridiculously juicy and packed with flavour, carrying the dish on their own. Sometimes, one standout plate is more than enough.
Location & Contact: Viale Pasitea, 236, 84017 Positano SA, Italy& +39 089 811651
Roc Pizza Positano (Hotel Eden Roc) – Positano
I ordered the Vegetariana Josper Pizza (no cheese) with an espresso martini. Vegan options are limited, but the base was excellent, the sauce packed with flavour, and the vegetables cooked perfectly. Sometimes great, rustic dough and quality vegetables can carry a pizza on its own! The restaurant also had a moody, intimate atmosphere, making it the perfect spot for a romantic date night.
Location & Contact: V. G. Marconi, 106, 84017 Positano SA, Italy & +39 089 935 7738
The Vespa Ride
We hired a Vespa and rode from Positano to Amalfi then back to Positano. I clung on for dear life while my partner, Jy, navigated the hairpin turns. The roads are narrow, intimidating, and basically a trust exercise, but if you’re comfortable riding, it’s totally worth it. We even stopped at a roadside van for a limoncello spritz on the way back, because why not? We were in Italy! Easily my favourite memory of the entire Europe trip. Unreal views, birds flying above our head, literally felt like I was in a movie.
Bistro F.lli Pansa was the only restaurant we visited in Amalfi, so I don’t have much to compare it to. There might be better spots, but it didn’t matter because the scenery made the meal. Right in the heart of the buzzing town, we had a perfect view of the Duomo where a wedding was taking place and a crowd had gathered to watch the bride make her grand exit in her dress. Another veg pizza for me, this time paired with a limoncello espresso. A questionable drink, and I’m not sure I would order it again, but in the moment it felt completely right.
Location & Contact: Piazza Duomo, 21, 84011 Amalfi SA, Italy & +39 089 871532
Limoncello Sorbet in a Lemon – Amalfi & Positano
You’ll spot these sweeties at pretty much every third shop in Amalfi and Positano. And yes, you should try at least one. Sharp, refreshing, and the kind of palate reset that makes you wonder why every sorbet isn’t served in a lemon. Plus, they are totally iconic.
Also worth a mention: the Airbnb cat we named Bruno, who somehow decided we were his humans and slept with us most nights at our Positano accomodation. Miss that little tyrant.
Florence & Rome: Traditional Buildings, Traditional Flavours
Vinaio I Fratellini – Florence
Florence is famous for its paninis and Vinaio I Fratellini does not disappoint. They filled mine with marinated vegetables, lettuce, tomato, and a creamy artichoke dip that somehow made every bite sing. Huge, messy, and completely satisfying. I demolished it after climbing Giotto’s Bell Tower, 414 steps, and before exploring the Uffizi Gallery and Galleria dell’Accademia. The perfect refuel for a day of walking, art, and getting lost in Florence.
Location & Contact: Via dei Cimatori, 38/r, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy & +39 055 239 6096
The viral affogato at Vivoli in Florence lives up to the hype. This family-run gelateria, one of the city’s oldest and most renowned since 1929, is famous for its artisanal gelato, especially pistachio and traditional cream. The affogato, gelato “drowned” in hot espresso, is a perfect balance of bitter and sweet, rich and silky in every bite. Make sure to ask for the vegan option. I had mine before visiting the Gucci Garden and stopping by an iconic vintage photo booth. Pure Florence in a cup.
Location & Contact: Via Isola delle Stinche, 7r, 50122 Firenze FI, Italy& +39 055 292334
All’Antico Ristoro di Cambi – Florence
Ribollita is a Tuscan soup made from bread, cannellini beans, vegetables, and olive oil. The restaurant didn’t have a huge number of vegan options, but this dish alone made it more than worth it. On paper it sounds humble, but in the bowl it is anything but. Each spoonful is layered and savoury, rich with depth and comfort. The kind of dish I hope to recreate one day.
Location & Contact: Via Sant’Onofrio, 1R, 50124 Firenze FI, Italy & +39 055 217134
A Florence rite of passage. Tiny curved windows set into old buildings, easy to miss if you’re not looking. You knock, the window opens, and wine appears. They offer two options, a takeaway cup if you want to wander the streets, or a glass if you’re staying put. Simple, clever, and undeniably charming.
Our Florence Stay
We were incredibly lucky to stay in an amazing house through a friend. It overlooked the entire city of Florence and served up the most magical sunsets. The house came with a private chef, Cleo, who cooked for us most nights. There was a veg tofu curry, a tofu stir fry which was a much-needed protein break after all the Italian carbs, but the standout was her Italian garlic white beans. Easily the best white beans I have ever had, simple, rich, juicy, and unforgettable. Cleo mentioned she had learned many of her recipes from a book in the house, The Italian Cooking Encyclopaedia. On a slow pool day, I flicked through it and was genuinely surprised by how plant-focused many of the recipes were, or how easily they could be adapted. It is now firmly on my must-buy list.
Rome was a whirlwind one-day adventure, with the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, and Spanish Steps all on the list. The city is chaotic in the best way, full of energy, history, and just enough gelato shops to keep you moving. Food-wise, I kept it simple and utterly satisfying with a spaghetti alla Napoletana from Angie’s Restaurant. No frills, no fuss, just perfectly cooked pasta and a sauce that hit every note you want from classic Italian comfort food. It was exactly what I needed to fuel a day of sightseeing. A gentle reminder that sometimes the simplest dishes are the ones you remember most.
Location & Contact: Piazza Mignanelli, 21a, 00187 Roma RM, Italy & +39 06 679 7310
Final Thoughts
Spending time in Italy reminded me that plant-based eating doesn’t have to exist outside tradition. It is already there in vegetables, beans, bread, olive oil, pasta and simple, thoughtful cooking. I left Italy inspired, full, and with a long list of dishes I want to recreate. Our next stop was Barcelona, Spain, where the food was very different but just as incredible. Perhaps I should do a similar post for Barcelona, it definitely deserves one.
As always, I love and appreciate you. Thank you for reading! Until next time,
Chloe xx
