I didn’t need to read this YouGov study to confirm that Italian food was the most popular in the world in 2024 (or any other year). The devotion to Italian food in America also remains evergreen, which is the primary reason we launched Appetito in the summer of 2023. As I look back on 2024, from a position of absolute immersion in all things Italian food & drink, I’m most impressed by a few things.
Pizza is king. Nothing seems to slow the enthusiasm for pizza in America, and it makes sense. Pizza has always been, since its inception on the streets of Naples, the food of the people. It’s elevation, though, in modern times continues as passionate pizza makers keep finding ways to improve their product through commitments to dough and ingredients and heat. Perfect examples of said passion are revealed in our 2023 interview with Anthony Mangieri of Una Pizza Napoletana conducted by Paul Feinstein and this chat I had with Giorgia Caporuscio of Don Antonio.
Social media has elevated. I’ve been a longstanding critic of the way Italian food (and Italian culture as a whole) has been portrayed on social media, especially Instagram and TikTok. It was too cartoonish and/or amateurish to be taken seriously. I didn’t see a lot of expertise on display, and I still don’t necessarily equate likes/followers with credibility. What I saw in 2024 was a lot of Italian food influencers enter the space, sans gimmicks or schtick, with genuine talent, passion, and professionalism. I think we will see more of this, as these types of creators are able to educate and entertain (as opposed to simply the latter). An apt example of such a figure is Appetito contributor Alessandra Fontana.
Regional Italian food is (finally) being recognized. One of the primary intentions of Appetito is help our readers distinguish between regional Italian cuisine and Italian American food. They are different, despite obvious similarities. Most red-blooded Americans know their red sauce, but most — even some in the industry — don’t recognize that Italy is a country of 20 regions, each with their own distinct cuisines based on local ingredients and traditions. I did see some movement with regard to this in 2024, as many regional Italian consortia have made efforts, partnering with American chefs, to educate American consumers. We were happy to offer our pages to Missy Robbins for this lesson demystifying Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, and we are even happier to announce that Appetito has partnered with the Italian Trade Agency to serve as hosts of their 2025 events promoting Italian products.
Italian lifestyle is coming to America. We’ve known for ages that Italians generally live long, healthy lives. We recognize that the Mediterranean Diet is the best diet. Last year was when the dietary habits of Italians combined with their lifestyle. Such practices involved eating (we featured two books, respectively, on Italian snacking by Anna Francese Gass and Stef Ferrari; I shared the The Skinny on Being a Slender Italian Food Writer), Italian cocktail culture (see our visit to Old Fashion Cafe on NBC's New York Live and myriad cocktail recipes) but — most importantly — we were fortunate to add Certified Health & Wellness Coach, Marianna Cuomo Maier of Grata Wellness, as a regular contributor. Her informative columns go beyond consumption to touch on the other practices that inform a healthy Italian lifestyle.
All in all, I’m as bullish as ever on the importance of Italian cuisine and lifestyle in America. Any validation I might seek in this regard would be provided by the team of talented and passionate contributors we have assembled at Appetito who have inspired our tremendous growth last year. We are extremely grateful for them and to you, our readers, as we head into 2025 and more delicious coverage of America’s most dynamic and cherished cuisine.
Buon Anno!
