08 November 2017
Dining at Michelin-starred restaurants in Italian wine country means the ultimate epicurean experience.
For food and wine lovers, Michelin starred restaurants are the ideal place to experience wine country’s bounty of local ingredients along with culinary flair. When visiting The Grand Wine Tour’s member wineries across Italy, here are the Michelin guide approved spots to try nearby.
Campania
The Kitchen at Maremmà - by Feudi di San Gregorio
Housed within Feudi di San Gregorio, the one-Michelin-starred Marennà offers modern interpretations of the local cuisines of Irpinia – the sub-region where the property is located – and Campania. For a deluxe dining experience, opt for the three-hour lunch or dinner complete with a guided wine tasting, which is hosted in the cellar.
Liguria
Porto Maurizio in Oneglia
Around half an hour’s drive from Cantine Lunae, Mauro Ricciardi alla Locanda dell'Angelo uses produce from across Italy to serve classic dishes with a twist. The light-filled dining room looks onto olive trees, and the restaurant has been awarded one Michelin star.
If being near the coast has you craving seafood, Ristorante San Giorgio is a one-Michelin-starred restaurant specialising in just that – try the steamed prawns from the nearby town of Oneglia served merely with tomato and basil. It’s slightly down the coast from Poggio dei Gorleri.
Lombardy
Dolce Ricotta - by La Palta
In the countryside surrounds of the Tidone valley near Piacenza, La Palta is a short drive from Castello di Cigognola and has been awarded one Michelin star for its contemporary Italian dishes. Try one of head chef Isa Mazzocchi’s signature dishes, dubbed le mie radici (‘my roots’) – a delicate horse meat tartare, served with mayonnaise flavoured with local Gutturnio wine.
Piedmont
Piazza Duomo - by Ceretto
Awarded three Michelin stars for five years in a row, Piazza Duomo is celebrated for its elegantly plated contemporary dishes, which frequently feature ingredients grown in head chef Enrico Crippa’s biodynamic garden. The restaurant was launched and is owned by Ceretto, which is located just 15 minutes away, with Cascina Chicco, Tenuta Carretta and Rocche dei Manzoni also nearby. Villa Sparina and Travaglini are only a little further afield.
A dish from Flavio Costa - by Tenuta Carretta
A stone’s throw from both Coppo and Michele Chiarlo, the dining room at Ristorante San Marco is ultra-cosy, flanked by shelves stacked with wine bottles. The kitchen proudly uses Piedmontese ingredients in its traditional local dishes, and their work has been recognised with one Michelin star.
At the on-site restaurant within Tenuta Carretta, the work of chef Flavio Costa at Ristorante 21.9 has also been awarded a Michelin star. His dishes draw inspiration from the cuisines of two Italian regions – the seafood-rich fare of Liguria, where Costa is from, and the surrounding Piedmontese produce, like the area’s famed white and black truffles.
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Puglia
Front Entrance - by Al Fornello da Ricci
Opened in 1966, Al Fornello da Ricci is housed in a countryside property with gardens, an outdoor dining area and a trullo – a traditional Apulian dwelling. Dinner dishes might include the likes of a seven-grain lasagnette with a stracciatella sauce and black truffle. The one-Michelin-starred restaurant is located an hour’s drive north of Leone de Castris.
Tuscany
La Trattoria Enrico Bartolini - by andana.it
Like Fattoria Le Pupille, La Trattoria Enrico Bartolini is located in the province of Grosseto. It’s been given a Michelin star for its elevation of traditional local cuisine, where fruits from the coastline mingle with products from the land. The stone-clad dining room reflects the rustic yet elegant setting, surrounded by vineyards and an olive grove. You’ll find Altesino further inland, while Podere Sapaio is located to the north on the coast.
Veneto
Sirmione Castle - by Yilmaz Övünc
Facing Lake Garda, exposed stone walls and velvet-clad dining chairs lend La Rucola a relaxed yet refined atmosphere, where the menu is centred on modern seafood dishes, like poached prawns with passionfruit purée and herring caviar. You’ll find Zenato just outside the town of Sirmione, where the one Michelin-starred restaurant is located.
If you’re headed for a tasting of Prosecco at Bortolomiol or Col Vetoraz, stop by Locanda San Lorenzo, which was first awarded a Michelin star in 1997. The countryside inn opened during the 19th Century, now serving modern regional cuisine using hard-to-find local products, like Alpagota lamb from the province of Belluno.
