TRAVEL EATS AND MEMORIES

My Favorite Restaurant: Savoring The Flavors and The Memories

Falling in love over pizza in Pavia, Italy

One of my favorite pizzas from Pizzeria Shardana Pavia in Pavia, Italy. — Photo by author

A few days ago, I was applying for a freelance writing job that included prompts to elicit on-the-fly writing samples from applicants. One question asked me to describe my favorite restaurant in 60 words.

My initial thought was that I didn't really have a favorite. I’ll eat anything that’s put in front of me.

So, I looked at the question from a different angle, not focusing on the food but on the memories I associate with a particular eatery. I was surprised when the answer came to me immediately and out of nowhere.

My favorite restaurant is a tiny hole-in-the-wall pizza place called Pizzeria Shardana Pavia, located in Pavia, Italy.

Thoughts of the warm, fluffy, yet thin crust and the exotic fresh toppings still make my mouth water. I can’t help but wonder if it was the ingredients, the atmosphere, or the sensation of falling in love that made the pizza taste so extraordinary.

My husband and I met in Colombia in 2017. We dated only a couple of months before I had to return to the US, and he headed back to his university in Brazil and then on to Italy, where he was completing a…