Life is too short not to eat pasta.  And there’s no better reason to travel, then to eat.  You put the two together, and it’s a have pasta, will travel situation.  In other words, a very good place to be.  These are five restaurants with the best pastas in the world.  And yes, we suggest you travel for a plate.  After all, we’re coming up on truffle season so this list will have you prepared.

This is a sleeper hit, in a sleeper destination, for the best pastas in the world.  The cache e pepe made with fresh spaghetti noodles which sit in the perfect emulsification of butter, parmesan and black pepper.  The best location to eat this is on the Upper West Side of Manhattan where we would normally never be caught eating.  But the recent opening of Felice has made it the best restaurant on the Upper West Side.  Neighborhood trattoria vibe, excellent everything, from pizzas and yes the pasta you must eat in-restaurant.

When we think pasta we don’t traditionally think Stockholm, but Mancini will always top the list. And their best dish has to be the mushroom ravioli. The delicate and pillow-like pasta envelopes are meaty and earthy, with a secret blend of herbs. They come swimming in a creamy sauce, and are so delicious you will probably be ordering multiple plates. Which won’t be a problem considering they only come with two raviolis per plate.  So our advice to partake in one of the best pastas in the world is to order multiple.

Of course for the best pastas in the world, the lion’s share of the list is in Italy.  And yes, this is the Alba of the famed white truffles, in the region that is known as one of the food capitals of the world.  Truffle season is upon us, so check out where you can get into the action this fall.   Osteria dell’Arco best represents the agnolotti del plin, which is a small pocket filled with meat traditionally but can be made with vegetables like mushrooms or just straight up cheese.  It’s smaller and more delicate than a ravioli, but certainly a cousin in the family of pastas.  

Rome is the place for Spaghetti Carbonara, and most think the best spot in the city for it is Meridonale. Since the early days of the Roman Empire when Carbonara was created, many have adapted the recipe. And thus now when you order Carbonara anywhere else in the world, you can expect a creamy or even vegetable-filled plate of pasta. At Meridonale, this is considered blasphemy. There, you will find simple Spaghetti with just traditional guanciale, or pork cheek, egg and Parmigiano Reggiano. The simple recipe depends on the best ingredients, which they have. The dish is a calorie bomb, but oh, it is so worth it.

Pasta aside, Locale Firenze is a must do in Florence. The 12th century building exudes renaissance luxury with dark, brooding hardwood, and a an endless wine cellar. But because this is about pasta, you have to try the Papardelle in ragu al cinghiale. The noodles are the perfect amount of thin and wide, with a doughy and soft texture. Ragu al cinghiale is a Tuscan delicacy almost as ubiquitous as bolognese, except instead of a beefy sauce, it features wild boar. If you’ve never had wild boar, you’re in for a treat. The rich meat, which flavor-wise is somewhere between pork and venison, pairs beautifully with with rosemary and juniper berries for a unique and yet familiar dish.