Pizza is a symbol of Italy for 89% of Italians, a farmers' survey published on Tuesday ahead of World Pizza Day Wednesday said. Pizza beats pasta into second place on 88%, with wine well back on 59% and cappuccino on 51%, said the IPSOS research agency survey for farmers group Coldiretti.

Pizza, the survey said, "is perceived as a dish of the family, of social life and spending time together in pizzerias and restaurants, but also in the home where 36% of Italians say they often try their hand at making dough and condiments for margheritas and other variants, while 54% of respondents say they have a go sometimes".