Affordable Authentic Italian Snacks – Experience Italy in Taiwan

▲Italian Spinach Roll – The dough wraps a filling made of spinach and cheese. After ordering, red sauce is added and it’s baked in the oven before serving. A healthy and delicious flavor combo.

Text & Photos /Mi’er

Osteria by Angie, managed by Italian head chef Giorgio Pappalardo under the Angie Hospitality Group, is finally here. Following the opening of two Osteria by Angie Italian restaurants, thetable private kitchen, and Skills cooking school, this affordable Italian snack spot has now launched.

Located on the first floor of Yipin Building in the East District, this small shop has limited seating. But from the Italian gelato cart at the entrance to the pizzas, Italian appetizers, and pasta inside, everything exudes a strong Italian vibe. Plus, it’s a store that encourages takeout, so the packaging is thoughtfully designed too.

The PIAZZA menu is just one page, but it’s packed with options — including square-cut pizzas, handmade pasta, soups, salads, Italian fried snacks, desserts, and gelato. The display counter also sells salt, pepper, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and various Italian-designed lifestyle products.

It feels like stepping into the everyday life of an Italian street — perfectly matching the store name “PIAZZA” (which means square or market in Italian). In the high-ceilinged space, you can listen to Italian radio programs while enjoying authentic Italian flavors, making it a place you’ll fall in love with from your very first visit.

▲Square pizzas — there are 12 flavors available daily. I really love the Italian meatball flavor, which includes whole little meatballs and cheese for a rich texture.

Here, 12 flavors of square pizza (Pizza al Taglio) are offered every day. Head chef Giorgio says that in Rome, many street-side shops bake square pizzas because they’re easier for customers to eat on the go. Each slice ranges from 96 to 170 TWD, and buying multiple slices comes with discounts — for example, purchasing 12 slices brings the price down to just 115 TWD per slice, which is a great deal.

Besides being square, the pizza crust here has a unique texture — soft and pillowy like Italian focaccia, but with a crispy base that makes each bite refreshing. Since the entire slice is topped with fillings, there’s no boring pizza crust to leave behind. You can finish the whole piece with no regrets.

Although it’s an affordable snack shop, Giorgio insists on making most products in-house. For instance, the pasta noodles are handmade using imported Italian wheat flour, so you can taste their freshness and elasticity. It not only offers Taipei residents an affordable place to enjoy Italian cuisine, but also maintains the most authentic flavors and quality. Really impressive.

Roman-style tomato-baked flatbread — although it’s kept in the fridge and labeled with indecipherable Italian text, it’s incredibly delicious. The pale, rice-like disk in the middle is made from a special type of imported Italian flour, and it’s super soft. Paired with tomato sauce and cheese, it’s so good you might bite your tongue.


Pumpkin salad — just looking at the presentation tells you it’s going to be fluffy and tasty. Pumpkin is paired with anchovies, cheese, and scallions, offering a totally different take on pumpkin dishes than what you’ve had before.


Cheese-stuffed pepper — this is made by stuffing cheese into an imported pepper skin. It’s a common Italian appetizer, rarely seen in Taipei, but available here. It’s perfect for pairing with drinks.


Hidden inside red tomatoes is an Italian seafood salad. The cute presentation matches its refreshing flavor.

They also have Italian wraps filled with various ingredients like vegetables and egg salad. Each wrap is quite generous in portion.


There are plenty of pasta options too, and the most special part is that all the noodles are homemade. The fresh texture is noticeably different from the mass-produced, budget-friendly pasta found elsewhere.


The cheeses and cured meats here are all made from top-quality ingredients. You can even order a platter to enjoy with wine.

Sicilian-style fried arancini — rice balls stuffed with tomato filling, coated in breadcrumbs, and then deep-fried. They’re hot, savory, and satisfying. Just a few will make you feel full.


Fried chicken and cheese meat patties — these strip-shaped meat patties have a crispy crust and juicy chicken inside, plus stretchy cheese in the center.




Fried pasta dumplings — the outer shell is elastic Italian pasta dough, and the filling is curry-flavored pork. Hot and refreshing.

The desserts here are great too. Up front is tiramisu, in the middle is chocolate pudding, and at the back is blueberry cheesecake — all served in cute glass jars.


Handmade layered rice pie — a dessert made by placing rice pudding inside a tart shell. It has a subtle orange aroma and a rich, sweet flavor. Very Italian.


Italian head chef and culinary director Giorgio Pappalardo.

The cart at the entrance sells homemade Italian gelato, with quite a few flavors.

 
Both the rum raisin and chocolate flavors are amazing!!


The shop’s storefront displays are all quite interesting.

A small shop, but full of charm!!


The seating is limited and the space is a bit cramped, but the food often comes as a pleasant surprise.


In addition to the menu items, there's also a daily special chalkboard menu.

The decor has a strong Italian flair.


Aside from pizzas, pastas, salads, and soups, the chalkboard clearly lists all the options.


【PIAZZA Pizza & Deli】

Address:No. 4, Lane 232, Section 1, Dunhua South Road, Da’an District, Taipei City

Contact Number:(02)2711-1922

Author of this article: Mi’erA graduate in Chinese Literature from National Chengchi University, she dove into a career as a food journalist. Coupled with being raised under the guidance of her chef mother, she has a keen sense for food—both loving to eat and to cook. Due to her work, she frequently travels around the country in search of delicious eats, shares her culinary insights on her blog, and regularly organizes group dining events. She is the author of the book “Group Food Tasting Reports.”

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