How to Eat Your Way Around the Italian Island of Ischia

Stepping off the ferry from Naples to the volcanic island of Ischia , the air is sweet with what the land has to offer: deeply mineral soil, large, bloated citrus fruits, the salty sea, and the rich greenery climbing across the mountains. It is a haven for anyone who loves food and the ritual of food, with tradition and pride at the centre of so many dishes and wines. Ask anyone why they love traveling in Italy and, more often than not, the answer is the same: the food. However, our UK perception of Italian cuisine is often limited; whilst pizza and pasta are staples that vary from region to region, there is so much more to discover, and many a culinary surprise to find.

The region’s most famed and signature dish is the Coniglio all'Ischitana (Ischia-style rabbit), which has been cooked for centuries since the Ancient Romans introduced rabbits to the island. The abundance of this animal has made it the island’s staple, despite many assuming that seafood would naturally dominate local cuisine. Historically, wild rabbits would roam free, building networks of tunnels and subsisting on grass, fava bean stems and other legumes, fruit and vines. Today, many rabbits are farmed rather than hunted, though some restaurants still source wild rabbits and preserve the traditional approach. Some producers continue the traditional "da fossa" method, in which rabbits live in burrow-like environments, and restaurants displaying the Slow Food symbol are helping preserve these historic practices. Coniglio all'Ischitana is as much about the sweet, vine-ripened tomatoes as it is about the rabbit, cooked in a clay dish known as a tegame with local herbs, a whole bulb of garlic, and left to slow-cook in its juices (and a healthy amount of the island’s white wine).

Now, to be transparent, I am not a meat-eater, which in some Italian regions is a near-impossible dietary restriction to follow. However, on Ischia, almost every restaurant offered several vegetarian dishes; the land is as much a part of their specialities as the sea is, and antipasti, especially, were almost always meat-free. My partner, as we travelled around the Neapolitan island , sampled the dishes I couldn’t, like Coniglio all'Ischitana. But, at almost every trattoria and traditional restaurant on Ischia, there was a parmigiana di Melanzane on the menu. This is the perfect vegetarian comfort dish. This classic Southern Italian baked casserole is one many will be familiar with, and I sampled four during my time on the island, each distinctive, some favoring smoked garlic mozzarella, others relying on the abundance of herbs that grow in the volcanic soil. We saw aubergines growing across the farmlands, their deep purples contrasting against the lemons and limes that pepper the roadsides. Another popular aubergine-based dish on Ischia is the melanzane alla funghetto, a more rustic preparation in which the vegetable is cut into chunks and pan-fried in olive oil with garlic, tomatoes, and basil. The aubergines are delicate and earthy, the tomatoes impossibly sweet, the basil so aromatic I found myself stopping to smell it wherever we found it planted.

If you're searching for sweet treats, there are plenty to try, like a La Pastiera, the ricotta-filled tart traditionally eaten at Easter, but available all year round. One of the best mouthfuls we had was spoonfuls of tart lemon gelato, available at every gelateria we visited (of which there were many).

Trattoria Il Focolare, one of the island's most renowned restaurants, is located deep within the hills of Fijian, between Casamicciola and the village of Fiaiano. If you're looking to taste an array of local dishes, steeped in history, this is the place. It's a family-run restaurant, with multiple generations of the D'Ambra family overseeing it; Riccardo D'Ambra and his wife, Loretta, started Trattoria Il Focolare, and now it is currently run by their children and cousins, with brothers Agostino and Francesco leading the kitchen, while their sisters manage the front of house and hospitality. The restaurant found an international audience after Stanley Tucci visited to try the rabbit for ‘Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy ’ and has been popular ever since.

The restaurant is sprawling and rustic, perched atop a hill with sunset views, and has an outdoor bar area complete with games (like ping-pong and a basketball net) if you find yourself needing a break during the long evening of eating. Inside, the walls are decorated eccentrically: near the kitchen, photos of the chef and famous faces who have visited hang, like Michael B. Jordan, and, of course, Tucci is very present. In another corner of the restaurant, film posters hang, like one for the TV adaptation of My Brilliant Friend, the acclaimed first novel in the Neapolitan Quartet by pseudonymous author Elena Ferrante.

Expect dinner to become an entire evening. After eating, the family takes you through the property, into the kitchen, and feeds you (we were literally fed a bite of cheesecake off a fork by Agostino).

Dish to order: The antipasti multi-plate feast. Address : Via Cretajo, 3, 80072 Fiaiano NA, Italy

Set in the buzzy, historic heart of Forio, in the Piazza Matteotti, Jack all'Epomeo is the ideal spot to sit outside and people-watch. The ambience is as big a draw as the food, but the food itself is classic Italian staples done well: fat anchovies, melanzana, pizza, and spaghetti aglio e olio Napoletano.

Dish to order: Fish of the day Address : Piazza Giacomo Matteotti, 6, 80075 Forio NA, Italy

The town of Forio is one of the more laid-back options on Ischia, with a busy port, thermal spas, boutiques, and restaurants lining the square. Out of the busy centre, though, sits Di Meglio, a small gem of a pizzeria. Di Meglio serves up authentic Neapolitan pizza, which rivals some of Naples' best. Ischia is not known for being affordable, but at Di Meglio you can order a huge margherita for €7.50.

Dish to order: Calzone napoletano Address : Via Tommaso Cigliano, 117, 80075 Forio NA, Italy

In the small town of Lacco Ameno, Ristorante O' Pignattello is one of the area's best food experiences. The tasting menus, particularly, were a look into the island's culinary landscape. We opted for the blind tasting menu, where the chef picks the four courses. Each element stood out: the entire vegetarian tasting menu was excellent; the seafood was impossibly fresh, as in a perfectly cooked mackerel dish; the traditional rabbit was transformed into elegantly plated ravioli. The wine list is worth a visit in its own right, with many of Ischia's best bottles available. The most surprising dish for me was an endive salad, a bitter bite that cut through the week's heavy meals.

Dish to order: the tasting menu Address : Corso Angelo Rizzoli, 154, 80076 Lacco Ameno NA, Italy

At San Montano Resort & Spa , you'll find some of the best views at La Veranda Restaurant. Overlooking San Montano Bay, it's the ideal sundowner spot, and the decadent menu heightens the sense of indulgence. Although it is primarily a seafood restaurant, the menu is inclusive, with plenty of vegan options, a rare find in Italy. Long housemade breadsticks start the meal off well, alongside a surprise canapé that changes each day. A colorfully striped green-and-white parmigiana was the best we had, and the fish of the day consistently drew praise around the table.

Dish to order: parmigiana Address : Via Nuova Montevico 26, 80076 Lacco Ameno NA, Isola d'Ischia, Italy