A profile of the Espresso Guide
For decades, the Guida de L’Espresso has been one of the defining voices in Italian restaurant criticism. Published by the renowned news and culture magazine L’Espresso, the restaurant guide first appeared in 1979 and has since seen itself not merely as a list of recommended establishments, but as a critical snapshot of Italy’s culinary development. Its aim: to identify trends, promote talent and highlight the country’s gastronomic identity in all its facets.
At the heart of the Guida are the “I 1000 Ristoranti d’Italia”, an annually curated selection of the country’s best restaurants. Unlike many other guides, L’Espresso deliberately focuses on a limited, quality-oriented field: mere inclusion is already considered an honour, with ratings awarded to only a selection of establishments. The rating system is based on the famous ‘Cappelli’ (toques), ranging from one to five – the latter marking the absolute national elite.
A hallmark of the Guida de L’Espresso is its journalistic approach. The inspectors, who work anonymously, assess not only the cuisine and technique, but also place great emphasis on personal style, consistency, product culture and the relationship between the kitchen, the region and the host. Accordingly, the guide sees itself less as an objective points table and more as a critical discourse on taste, identity and contemporary food culture.
In recent years, L’Espresso has significantly expanded its gastronomic coverage. The restaurant guides are now part of a larger ecosystem comprising a website, app, social media and editorial formats, all of which are accessible free of charge. Alongside restaurants, L’Espresso applies the same rigorous standards to wine: the parallel Guida de I 1000 Vini d’Italia awards the ‘110 cum laude’ rating, one of the most prestigious accolades in Italian wine criticism.
