Every autumn, the city of Alba in the Piedmont region of Italy attracts gourmands from all over the world to indulge in the captivating flavours of white truffles – not only to satisfy gustatory desires, but also to experience the fun of following truffle hunters on their quest for these elusive delicacies.

Alba, located in the Piedmont region of northwest Italy, is not only known for its white truffles but also for its rich autumnal produce such as hazelnuts and fine wines. Although white truffles are no longer exclusive to Alba, the annual ritual of tasting the freshly unearthed aroma before winter sets in is a global gourmet event. However, due to climate change, it seems that the peak of white truffle season is slowly moving from the end of October to November. It is almost unthinkable that even in January of the following year, one can still witness the allure of white truffles, which is generally unheard of in the past.

What used to be an old cable car station at an altitude of 2,275m on the summit of Kronplatz in the Dolomite Mountains became AlpiNN, a restaurant standing next to Lumen, a museum dedicated to mountain photography. The restaurant was designed by Martino Gamper, a designer of international fame, to become a convivial space where he combined naturalness of the mountains with clean, modern lines.

The most exciting restaurants in the world often require effort to reach. To visit Iris, one must fly to Bergen, Norway, then drive or take a two-hour boat ride before boarding a ferry.

Located in the heart of Emilian Appennines, Trattoria da Amerigo was opened in 1934 in the fertile Samoggia Valley, perched in the middle of the Modena and Bologna hillsides. Half an hour's drive from the center of Bologna, the restaurant serves dishes that remain rustic but are characterised by refined techniques and an elegant master of time. It has always respected tradition and has been one of the few members of the Premiate Trattorie Italiane.

There is no pizza like Franco Pepe's. Nowadays everywhere is accessible, but the best pizza in the world still gets you on the road to explore the old, narrow, cobbled alleys of Caiazzo. For food travellers, it's always worth the effort.

It's been over three years since I last visited Reale, a celebrated restaurant situated in the remote town of Castel di Sangro nestled in the mountains of Abruzzo in central Italy. It is not a tourist town and takes about 1.5 hours driving from Naples. It is interesting that a world-famous three-starred Michelin restaurant is housed in a time-honoured 16th century monastery.

It might be a bit of a cliché, but the story started when a boy fell in love with a girl.