Considering you can take a high-speed train from Germany to Italy, I shouldn’t have been surprised to find such scrumptious Italian food in Berlin.

I was so focused on döner, schnitzel, sausage, and spaetzle that I almost forgot all about my old friends bruschetta and pasta. But when Will and I walked by a packed Italian trattoria on a perfect 70-degree night, we suspected something special might be in our future.

And we were right.

We were seated next to a delightful couple from Scotland who regularly return to Berlin because they love the city so much. And this restaurant in particular (always a good sign).

When we didn’t find the fried calamari we’ve started many Italian meals with, the waiter assured us we’d love the grilled squid appetizer. Not only had the calamari arrived at the restaurant earlier that morning, but he added, “It’s my Sicilian grandmother’s recipe, you’ll love it.”

When someone gets his Sicilian grandmother involved you know it’s going to be good.  And this squid was. It was kissed by the grill and not the least bit rubbery. Seasoned with salt, garlic, and a squeeze of lemon it’s exactly what makes Italian food so enjoyable. The freshest ingredients + simple preparation = sublime results.

In addition to the appetizer, we ordered maybe the best classic bruschetta I’ve ever tasted (the tomatoes actually tasted like tomatoes and were seasoned to perfection), pasta (aglio olio for me, carbonara for him), and homemade gelato for dessert (mmm!).

Because we were first timers and gave major props to the chef, we were gifted an adorable pour of limoncello to close out the evening. Cin, cin! to Ristorante Luardi for such an incredibly delicious evening that immediately transported Will and me to Sicily. Even if we were technically in Berlin.