Italian drinks guide
Italian beer and food pairings
Last updated
Wine gets the attention, but beer is everywhere in Italy, especially at the pizzeria. Crisp, pale lagers cut through cheese, fried food and rich sausage, and Italy's craft brewers now make far more than lager. Below are the beers on our drinks menu, each with what to eat alongside it and how to serve it. Larry's view is simple: a cold glass with a pizza or a sausage and peppers sandwich is a pairing nobody has to explain.
Quick answer
For most Italian food, a cold, crisp pale lager is the safest beer pairing. It works with pizza, fried antipasti, sausage and peppers and tomato-sauce pasta. Serve it well chilled in a clean glass. For richer or smoky dishes, try a fuller Italian craft beer.
Birra
Italian beer, the pizza table's best friend
Peroni
Pale lager, 4.7% ABV
The default pizza beer across Italy. Clean and dry — it gets out of the way of the food.
Peroni Nastro Azzurro
Premium pale lager, 5% ABV
Peroni's crisper, slightly drier sibling. Larry's pick with a margherita.
Birra Moretti
Pale lager, 4.6% ABV
A touch maltier than Peroni. The one with the moustached man on the label — a real customer, or so the story goes.
Menabrea
Lager and amber, 4.8% ABV
Brewed in the Alps in Biella. A little richer — good with sausage and peppers.
Ichnusa
Sardinian lager, 4.7% ABV
Sardinia's beer. Unfiltered, easy, and exactly what you want with roast pork or pecorino.
Italian Craft Beer
Varies — look for chestnut, grape or citrus brews
Italy's small breweries often brew with local ingredients — chestnuts, wine grapes, citrus. Great with aged cheese and salumi.
Pair them with Italian antipasti, aperitivo hour or sausage and peppers.
Questions people ask
What beer goes best with pizza?
A crisp pale lager is the classic pizzeria choice; its carbonation and light bitterness cut through cheese and tomato.
What beer goes with sausage and peppers?
A clean, cold lager balances the fat and sweetness; a slightly fuller craft beer suits a grilled or smoky version.
Do Italians drink beer with food?
Yes — beer is very common with pizza and casual meals, while wine is more usual at a full sit-down dinner.
How cold should Italian lager be served?
Well chilled, roughly 4–7°C (39–45°F), poured into a clean glass.
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