TheFork Awards names 48 top new restaurants in Italy

The eighth edition of the TheFork Awards, held in collaboration with Mastercard and Identità Golose, has announced 48 nominees representing the best new restaurant openings and management in Italy. The selections were made by a jury of 74 internationally renowned chefs.

The nominations highlight evolving dining trends, including the rise of contemporary osterias and hybrid formats such as bistros, cocktail bars, and wine and meat establishments. These trends reflect a consumer shift toward high-value experiential dining with a focus on sustainability, local identity, and territory.

Geographically, the nominations are distributed across the peninsula, with 27 in the North, 9 in the Center, and 12 in the South and Islands. Lombardy leads the North with 10 locations. In the Emilia-Romagna region, four establishments were recognized: Zivieri in Bologna, Fuba in Rimini, Ristorante Sant’Agostino in Piacenza, and ALTO in Cervia.

To support these new businesses, TheFork will provide one year of free access to its TheFork Manager software, while the Associazione Professionale Cuochi Italiani will provide one year of free membership. The People’s Choice Award will be decided by public vote until September 20, with a gala ceremony scheduled for October 27 in Milan.