San Marino Food and Drink

There is little to distinguish the tiny state of San Marino from the rest of Italy when it comes to cuisine, but like any Italian town, there are a handful of local dishes, or local takes on typical recipes.

San Marino's fare shares much with the Marche and Emilia-Romagna regions that neighbour it; the latter in particular noted for its culinary traditions, being the home of Parma and Bologna. There is a wide selection of restaurants, both in the capital and in the outlying villages. Table service is customary, although a few restaurants are self-service.

Specialities

Ragú: Nearly every Italian town has its own take on the traditional pasta sauce, though San Marino's shares with Bolognese, whose namesake is nearby.
Passatelli: Pasta made from breadcrumbs, nutmeg, eggs and Parmesan cheese served in chicken broth.
Coniglio con finocchio: Roast rabbit with fennel.
Costolette di vitello: Bolognese-style veal cutlets.
Scaloppine de vitello: Roman-style veal escalopes.
Piada: A special kind of thin bread.
Pasta e ceci: Chickpea and noodle soup with garlic and rosemary.
Nidi di rondine: Baked pasta dish with smoked ham, beef, cheese, and a tomato sauce.
Cacciatello: A dessert similar to crème caramel.
Fagioli con le cotiche: Bean and bacon soup, especially at Christmas.
Torta Tre Monti: Inspired by the three towers of San Marino, this cake is similar to a kind of layered wafer cake smothered in chocolate.
San Marino moscato: A sweet local muscat.
Mistrà: Aniseed-flavoured liqueur.
Tilus: Truffle-flavoured liqueur.

Tipping

A 10% tip is usual.

Drinking age

16.