10 Authentic Italian Goods You Can Buy at Amazon’s ‘Made in Italy’ Storefront, According to a Local in Bergamo

I stumbled on Amazon’s secret “Made in Italy” storefront when looking for one of my favorite beauty brands available in Italy, Davines, only to find it right there on the screen, just a click away. Since then, I’ve been hooked. I’m a travel writer living in Italy — though I’m currently visiting my hometown of New York City — and I’m going to admit that writing this round-up made me miss home hard. The products are that authentic.

Currently, I’m writing from New York, nine months pregnant and missing our apartment, especially our balcony overlooking the pre-Alps in Bergamo, Italy. My computer is begging me not to open another tab of a great made-in-Italy product I’m interested in. Let me tell you, this storefront really has everything we love back home — even the most basic Italian shower gel we grab from the supermarket in a pinch, Felice Azzurra, and my luxurious, naturally made-in-Italy Davines Nounou hair mask. 

As we excitedly wait for the baby and our return to our home in Italy this summer, here are just 10 of the authentic Italian products I’m ordering (or asking my husband to pack in his suitcase this weekend) to bring a little bit of our Italian house to New York. From authentic pasta to leather bags handmade in Florence and affordable classic Italian sunglasses, I couldn’t be more excited to recommend these finds to you. They’re sure to bring a little slice of Italy to you or become the perfect gift for that world traveler in your life, all starting at just $5. 

Rummo Rigatoni Pasta

From my Italian kitchen to yours! Did you know most Italians find American pasta horribly overcooked? But, it’s not our fault we don’t do al dente well. Italian pasta has more protein in it than what’s made or exported to the U.S. Even from the same brand! This higher-in-protein pasta tastes and cooks better. So, when I come to New York, I bring a pasta brand that’s a staple in my kitchen, Rummo, but it has to be the Italian make. We’re brand loyalists in our house to Rummo — one of the best brands of dried pasta. While you can get Rummo in the grocery stores in the U.S., they’re made for the U.S. market. Amazon distinguishes this Rummo as the “Italian version” by adding Always Al Dente to the name. Make a simple fresh tomato sauce with garlic and you’ll immediately taste the difference. Brava!

To buy: amazon.com, $5 

Carrera 173/S Pilot Sunglasses

Of the 15 classic Italian looks I always wear, a pair of sunglasses always tops the list. One of the iconic Italian eyewear design houses featured in the Made in Italy storefront is the brand Carrera. At a reasonable $65, these Carrera pilot sunglasses are the epitome of classic Italian beachwear. I’m seeing a speedo, a beautiful boat: coastal summer Italian fun seen through these frames. Plus, the red arms paired with the tortoise frames add a really cool look that’s undeniably Italian. With plastic frames and plastic lenses, these sunglasses are super lightweight. Perfect for the beach, boating, offering full coverage and 100 percent UV protection, they are also not so expensively precious that you’d be devastated to lose them to a huge wave. I’m convinced they’re the perfect summer sunglasses that can stand the wear and tear of beach life and water sports. I just added these to my Amazon cart!

To buy: amazon.com, $65

Dalle Piane Italian Cashmere Scarf

Another Italian style I always wear is made-in-Italy cashmere. One of my favorite starter pieces is the cashmere stole. I’ve given the stole as a gift to my mom, family friends, and aunts from my husband’s third generation family knitwear company, Scaglione, but this 100 percent cashmere stole hiding in the Amazon storefront from Dalle Piane cashmere immediately caught my eye. Handcrafted in Tuscany, this is the perfect travel piece. Lightweight and easy to style as a scarf or a stole (and available in 17 colors!), this is definitely a wardrobe essential that will easily take you from a chilly airport to a breezy summer night.

To buy: amazon.com, $160

Pratesi Italian Leather Collodi Bag

If you’re on the hunt for beautiful, handmade Italian leather bags, you can always find them in Florence (I have memories dating way back of family members raving about authentic pieces they purchased there). But now, thanks to the secret Made in Italy storefront at Amazon, you don’t have to go all the way there for quality leather purses. 

Handmade in Florence by the brand Pratesi since the 1940s, this vegetable tanned leather slouch bag is made of high quality leather that will age beautifully, developing a beautiful patina over the years. A spacious bag with a zipper compartment makes this perfect for travel, holding your essentials and protecting you from pickpockets in high-traffic tourist areas around the world.

To buy: amazon.com, $364

Fondo Montebello Balsamic Vinegar

As you’re well aware, food is love in Italy, and it definitely is in our family. When we return from weekend trips within Italy, within Europe, even from the U.S., we often bring a little something back for family members. I didn’t think of myself as a Balsamic person until my father-in-law brought back a small bottle of balsamic vinegar glaze from Modena. Suddenly I was putting it on everything from caprese to strawberries to meat! 

This Fondo Montebello Balsamic Vinegar promises tastes of plum, black cherries, and sweet spices. Customers rave about the syrupy consistency, which is the mark of a certified high quality balsamic from the Modena region. This balsamic vinegar also comes in a beautiful box, making it a great gift (especially a housewarming gift) for all of your foodie friends. 

To buy: amazon.com, $30

Colavita Instant Polenta Cornmeal

Each Italian region has a fiercely proud food culture. And in Bergamo and the North, we make polenta. My favorite in the winter, particularly after a day of skiing, is polenta taragna, a polenta with cheese. My husband’s grandaunt and I bond over my love of polenta. During the winter months, my mother-in-law often has her polenta stirrer on the counter, mixing on high (that’s the secret). Sautéed mushrooms on the side, fried, polenta is the Northern region’s hearty soul food. My heart leaped a bit when I saw this number one best-selling ColaVita premium quality polenta straight from Italy. It could definitely be the star of your meal.

To buy: amazon.com, $22 for pack of six (originally $23)

Kartell Cindy Table Lamp

When people think of Italian design, they usually think of ornate columns and grandiose architecture. But did you know that Italy, particularly Milan, is a major player in the modern design and interior industry? Salone del Mobile, the largest furniture and design fair in the world, is held in Milan every April. So it’s no surprise that when you go into many modern Italian homes, you’ll see retro modern designs, including unique shapes, pops of colors, and decor that doubles as art. Many a modern Italian home decor will feature brands like Flos lamps and their imitators as a luxurious accoutrement. 

Founded in Milan in 1949, Kartell is one such modern home design brand specializing in plastic decor, tableware, and furniture that can make a room. And you can buy it at Amazon! The Cindy Lamp is an iconic shape of Kartell’s from the ’70s — perfect in a mid-century modern home — and this violet chrome adds modern pop of color. If you’re a hotel lover, another great Kartell lamp that you might recognize from the hotel decor in South Beach or Los Angeles is the Kartell Take Crystal Lamp. Beautiful Kartell pieces are often a safe bet for gifting in Italy, and thanks to this storefront, you can actually bring a piece of that home!

To buy: amazon.com, $420 

Venchi Gianduiotto and Cremino 

The Venchi chocolate brand, my go-to for gelato — even at Rome’s international airport — seems to have exploded in the U.S., with brick and mortar stores all over New York City. Venchi actually originated in 1878 in Turin Italy, a city with some of the finest chocolates of the world and home to the gianduiotto. A gianduiotto is a pyramid shaped bar that’s the perfect bite of chocolate and hazelnut, individually wrapped in gold or silver colored foil. 

This beautifully displayed gift box consists of 12 colorful individually wrapped cremini — layered square chocolates — and 12 gianduiotti in a variety of styles from dark to milk chocolate. It is a great assortment and a delight to have with an afternoon espresso. In Italy, I’ve seen someone frantically make sure they had time on their recent trip to Rome to bring back gift boxes from Venchi. They are really that good! 

To buy: amazon.com, $46

Bialetti Moka Express Stovetop Espresso Maker

All Italian kitchens have a Bialetti! The Bialetti is the timeless Italian Moka brand that proudly and perpetually has a place on my stove — similar to the way the kettle did in our house growing up — and this $30 must-have is proof you don't need a fancy espresso machine to make good coffee at home.

My Bialetti and I go way back. I didn't even think I liked coffee until I studied abroad in Italy and had an espresso. After living there, I was hooked and immediately bought a bialetti upon my return to New York. And I'm pretty sure I ordered it at Amazon. Now, every morning, I wake up to the smell of a fresh espresso brewing. For me, it's not just about the espresso, it is the morning ritual of parceling out your coffee, the boiling, the pour. The best part is that any replacement parts for the Bialetti, like the rubber suction ring, can also be easily ordered at Amazon.

To buy: amazon.com, $30

Marvis Jasmin Mint Toothpaste

One of my favorite things about traveling is exploring drug stores — it’s where you really get a sense of daily life in any destination. And although people swear by French drugstore beauty finds, I’m here to tell you that Italian brands have a strong following as well. Recently, after the fashion fair Pitto Uomo in Florence, my husband brought home this Marvis Jasmin Mint toothpaste and proudly displayed it in our bathroom sink side tableau. The beautiful vintage drug store packaging caught my eye, and I recognized the brand from luxury hotels that I’ve visited for work in Italy. The attractive packaging and flavors invoking memories of Italy especially make customers (me included) fall in love with this Florentine brand. Efficient cleaning but only mildly abrasive without fluoride, this Marvis toothpaste is a great solution for a customer looking for a more gentle cleaning solution Italians trust. 

To buy: amazon.com, $11

Love a great deal? Sign up for our T+L Recommends newsletter and we’ll send you our favorite travel products each week.