Albergo Rifugio Monte Cucco

You pass through beautiful hilly scenery to get to Cartosio, where you’ll find this typical country house specialising in local cuisine. Although it’s been in business for several decades, during which nine different generations have been at the helm, the formula has (fortunately!) hardly changed, with a focus on Piedmontese dishes made from top-quality local and seasonal ingredients, with the main courses still cooked on the wood-fired stove. The wine list includes some excellent vertical labels, especially from the main wineries in the Langhe. Simple yet attractive guestrooms are also availa

The Ricchebuono family has long been renowned for their excellent cuisine and warm welcome, and now that the couple’s two enthusiastic children have joined their parents at the restaurant, this is truer than ever. Father Giuseppe is the pivot here, a skilful and precise chef who creates elegant and minimalist cuisine from delicious local ingredients, such as fish from Noli which is listed on the menu in dialect (for example, “cicetta” is monkfish). His son and daughter work front of house alongside their mother, with Martina supervising the wine list (subdivided into three sections – Liguria;

With Fausto front of house, his wife Rosella at the helm in the kitchen and daughter Gaia who not only works in the dining room but is also responsible for the desserts, this restaurant celebrates Piedmontese cuisine on a menu that changes weekly in order to ensure that ingredients are fresh and seasonal. Meat takes centre stage, alongside excellent fresh pasta dishes (such as the famous agnolotti) and delicious desserts including fiordilatte ice-cream. The wine cellar is well stocked, thanks to the restaurant’s own production of Pinot Nero (dry and sparkling labels), while for anyone wanting

Perched in a panoramic setting amid extraordinary rolling hills, this restaurant is housed in a seventeenth-century former monastery transformed into the refined Relais San Maurizio, one of the region’s most exclusive venues. Andrea Alciati and Monica Magnini preserve and reimagine the legacy of Guido and Lidia Alciati, legendary figures in Piedmontese gastronomy. In the kitchen, Cuneo-born chef Fabio Sgrò carries on the family tradition with respect and passion, interpreting it through a modern lens: his revisited menu also features freshwater fish and a selection of off-menu specials that en

This young yet already established Piedmontese chef, of part-Calabrian heritage, offers a creative and personal cuisine deeply anchored in its raw materials, particularly vegetables, the majority of which are sourced from his own kitchen gardens and greenhouses, managed according to biodynamic principles.Three tasting menus are available, from which individual dishes may also be chosen à la carte: De Rerum, comprising ten courses, presents the most complete and current expression of the chef’s vision; MAD 100% Natura places the plant world at the very centre, with animal protein in a discreet

Just a few steps from the central Piazza De Ferrari, this authentic trattoria – a point of reference for Ligurian cooking for fifteen years – continues to delight its guests with dishes prepared according to tradition. Its popularity is such that booking well in advance is almost always essential. Beyond the unmissable brandacujun and the classic trofie al pesto alla genovese, the accomplished chef Alessandro Massone also puts his name to a wealth of other specialities, born of passion, experience and a sincere devotion to the regional kitchen. A straightforward and generous table, one that te

Occupying a 17C palazzo in the village centre, this restaurant showcases regional cuisine in all its glory. Specialities include agnolotti (stuffed pasta) served in three traditional ways (plain, cooked in wine, or with a meat sauce), boiled tongue, and local hazelnut semifreddo with chocolate fondant, all accompanied by wines chosen from an extensive wine list. Added attractions are the open fire in winter, an attractive outdoor space for summer dining, and a few comfortable guestrooms to the rear.