Corte Mainolda

In business since 1850 and now run by the sixth generation, this simple and authentic family trattoria is a mecca for fans of Bassa Padana cuisine. The menu boasts an extraordinary combination of specialities from Cremona and Mantova, including local cured meats, pumpkin tortelli with sweet tomato sauté, “porc-tonné” (meat with tuna) from an original recipe by Pellegrino Artusi, and sbrisolona cake with warm zabaglione. Although you will be offered a menu, we highly recommend chatting with the exuberant chef, who will be happy to guide you in your choice of food and wine.

La Fefa is the perfect place for lovers of authentic flavours from the Emilia region. The Inspector sums it up like this: “Flicking through the menu you want to try everything!” - and this really is the case. Start your meal off with a selection of the finest charcuterie, in which an outstanding Culatello di Zibello, accompanied by a “Gnocco Fritto” not to be missed reigns supreme. Continue with excellent homemade, fresh-egg pasta followed by main courses made up exclusively of meat, in keeping with local tradition. The dessert page is deliciously tempting, offering an extensive selection of s

Adjacent to the historic center, this elegant and refined restaurant occupies an evocative sixteenth-century building that preserves a timeless charm. The talented and creative chef presents a contemporary cuisine that alternates meat and fish dishes with balance, playing with modern techniques and touches of imagination. The “amberjack sashimi with almond cream, raspberry, and puffed quinoa” is a small opening of pure finesse, while concluding with their excellent desserts is nearly obligatory. In fine weather, it is worth reserving a table on the evocative terrace, arranged around a captivat

A restaurant of young and contemporary character, with a lively entrance where a carefully considered display of wines – available for purchase – immediately signals the attention dedicated to the bottle. The offering focuses on a cuisine with a well-defined identity, built upon clean flavours and well-executed ideas. Among the most representative dishes, the tortelli duo deserves particular mention, half ‘sweet’ and half ‘bitter’, mantecati with artisan butter and sage, as does the Bove, a satisfying trio of beef that brings together braised stracotto, oven-roasted tongue and steamed cheek, s

A small, intimate restaurant with a welcoming ambience and simple yet lively feel, where the owner-chef at the helm in the kitchen also makes an appearance front of house. Mantuan traditions are evident in the generous portion sizes as well as in dishes such as the legendary pumpkin tortelli (served with butter or a tomato and sausage sauce), while other options are more creative in style – the Emilian lamb tartare delicately flavoured with its own cooking juices, and served with sautéed chard, savoury sbrisolona cake and black truffles from the lower Mantova region in season is particularly d

Housed on the first floor of an old silkworm factory, with a contemporary-style dining room that opens out on to a beautiful terrace in fine weather, this restaurant is one of the few in the province to serve top-quality fish and seafood, including a good selection of raw options. The cooked dishes on offer demonstrate a light modern touch and are prepared whenever possible using vegetables from the restaurant’s own garden.