Ristorante Italia

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For those who arrive from Liguria through the Colle di Nava mountain pass, Ceva is known as the entrance door to the Piedmont region. The Italia restaurant was originally a coaching stop where Ligurian merchants would arrive with their merchandise and rent coaches and wagons to visit their Langhe clients with Ligurian products such as oil, olives and anchovies in tow. The stop also offered hospitality and refreshment and still does today in a warm and cozy atmosphere where the most classical dishes of Piedmontese cuisine are served up. Among the appetizers you’ll find “vitello tonnato”, russian salad, the Ceva frittata, fondue, meat tartare, and some classic dishes such as tagliolini, agnolotti, leek lasagne among their first courses. Second courses include Nebbiolo beef stew, local lamb, “finanziera”, and orange pork fillet.There are homemade desserts such as the classic “bunet”, chestnut creme caramel, and apple pie. There’s a wide and varied selection of wines with a lot of classic Piedmontese wines such as Barbera Dolcetto Barolo. Traditional menu for € 35 with two appetizers, a first course, a second course and dessert. The small menu from Monday to Friday for lunch at € 20 with a platter of cold cuts, a first or second course and dessert.

Monferrato

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A few steps away from the Gran Madre, in Borgo Po, where a new bunch of restaurants and the arrival of big-shot Canavacciuolo’s bistro have solidified its trendy reputation, this restaurant opened in 1820 is a lifeline for those in search of traditional Piedmontese fare. The menu, as restaurants from times past used to do, has a wide selection of dishes and you’re spoilt for choice among classics such as the “finanziera”, the mixed boiled meats, kidneys with parsley, oil and garlic or the well-known Grissinopoli (the Sabaudian version of the Milanese veal cutlet made with a grissini breading.) No shortage of tajarin, agnolotti and risotti here as well as porcini mushrooms and white Alba truffles when in season. The pasta is homemade and both the cheese and dessert cart offer a wide selection of delicacies to choose from. The wine cellar boasts more than 600 national and international wine labels with a special focus on Piedmontese wines. During the summer you can dine in their outside tables in via Monferrato and during the winter in booked tables inside. A meal will set you back around 40 to 50 euro.

Locanda Fungo Reale

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In Valle Stura, an area rich with typical products and mountain cuisine, you’ll find a simple and inviting family owned restaurant. The managers’ 30 year experiences guarantees a pleasant experience with good cuisine. Mauro and Manuel work in the kitchen helped by their grandmother, and they offer traditional dishes in which the mushroom is the star of the show. It is picked during the various seasons and it is part of many menus prepared for mushroom lovers. Olga works the dining room and is very welcoming. There are two mushroom menus available: one for € 32 which includes 5 appetizers, two first courses,1 second course with a side dish of fried mushrooms and three desserts and another one for € 28 with 4 appetizers, 2 first courses (agnolotti and tagliolini), 1 second course with mushrooms cooked in parsley, garlic and olive oil, three desserts and coffee. There’s also a third menu available for € 33 which includes 5 appetizers, two first courses, two seconds, cheeses and dessert, with coffee and wine included. They also have dishes prepared with local ingredients available such as the Sambuca lamb with trout from the Stura river, wild game, local cheeses and honey and vegetables and fruit grown in the area. Good homemade desserts for a sweet ending and a wide selection of local wines.

Trattoria Rosa Rossa

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Located right in the old town of Moncalieri, a stone’s throw from the “Real Collegio Carlo Alberto”. Up until the end of the Eighteenth Century, the premises formed part of the church of San Francesco; later, these became an Osteria (a traditional tavern), preserving their charm and elegance. The cuisine respects reverently the Piedmontese tradition: Paola Manni, the floor manager, and her husband Marco Carcini in the kitchen, offer typical local starters such as vitello tonnato in the “ancienne” version (without mayonnaise), Fassona meat Battuta, Moncalieri’s tripe salami, and cardoon and Jerusalem artichoke flan with fondue. The selection of first courses includes purple yam gnocchi, risotto with chestnuts and Castelmagno cheese, and a pumpkin soup with hazelnut Seiràs pralines. A special mention goes to Rosa Rossa’s “hunched” Agnolotti with roast sauce, handmade on the fly. Among the second courses, you can find “humble” dishes such as the traditional Finanziera, the Savoiarda tripe, the Cherasco Snail, but also Ruchè-braised beef. The desserts – such as bonet, pannacotta, and hazelnut cake with zabajone – are all homemade. An interesting selection of homemade, sourdough aromatic bread is also offered. The wine list is comprehensive, and it features classic Piedmontese wines produced by well-known wineries. The price for the Piedmontese tasting menu is 34 € (excluding wine), for dining a la carte around 40 €.

Agriturismo Maison Rosset

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At the Maisson Rosset agritourism cheerful and professional owner Camillo will make you feel right at home, comforted in a warm, welcoming and romantic atmosphere. The dining room is located on the ground floor which was previously used as a dining hall for farm workers. The restaurant still has all of the architectural details of its time: stone floors, ceilings with exposed bricks, a fireplace that’s always on and on which the polenta (that’s always present on the menu) bubbles away. The chef offers a variety of menus € 38 for adults and € 15 for children up until the age of 12, and is always respectful of the seasons and traditions of the valley.The fixed menu offers the possibility to sample Valdostan specialties, cooked with ingredients that are grown on the premises and which make every dish unique. We recommend their crostini with butter, honey and lard, their pates and flans, and from their first courses their polenta, gnocchi and vegetable cream soups and their juniper cured meat which is truly extraordinary. For a grand finale try their fennel and juniper infused cheeses which are made on the premises. Leave room for their ice cream with hot chocolate that together with the polenta and fondue are unforgettable.

Osteria da Gemma

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This tavern is a diamond, encrusted in a beautiful and fascinating landscape. Gemma’s cuisine is traditional, and reminds of our mums’ and grandmothers’ cooking. The menu never changes, and is a guarantee of high quality, thanks to the use of local ingredients, supplied by trusted producers. As entrée, everyone is offered some salami, in its raw and cured versions, which it would be wise to skip if you want to make it to the desserts. The starters include a delicious coleslaw, an exquisite meat tartare, and the always-popular vitello tonnato. The first courses, plin ravioli and tajarin, are an absolute gem. Gemma is an artist: she can roll the pasta dough, with her rolling pin, up to 16 meters long, and she was a key promoter of the “social plin”, an authentic rite, recurring every Thursday, when the local women meet to prepare the ravioli; they do it together, laughing and telling each other stories, and when they are done with the cooking, they enjoy the meal Gemma prepares for her friends, always with a smile on her face. The menu also includes second courses: rabbit, wild boar with chestnuts, and stew with vegetable sides. Finally, three desserts: a light and crisp meringue cake, bonet – always delicious, and a traditional strudel. The set menu is 29 Euros, excluding wine. The staff is professional, and always ready to welcome you warmly.

La Cicala

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This restaurant is located very suggestive surroundings in the high part of the city, in Pace square deep in the heart of the historic center. You can eat both inside the restaurant or outside overlooking the splendid sea views if the weather allows it. Inside the decor is bright and modern. Cristina will inform you on the dishes prepared by her brother, chef Giovanni who will amaze you with his dishes which are mostly fish based and cooked with fresh local ingredients which mix tradition and innovation. Dishes are prepared according to what the local fishermen and producers bring to the chef and are written on a slate board. Among their appetizers we recommend their bonito tartare or calamari with trombette and seasonal vegetables. Their first courses are prepared with homemade fresh pasta; their breads and desserts are homemade as well and are worth a try. Among their second dishes there’s the catch of the day or the Sanremo shrimp as well as meat dishes. Good and wide selection of desserts; together with coffee you’ll be server some unique chocolates. Cellar with interesting labels from different regions.

La Vigna del Maestro

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A farmhouse surrounded by the countryside, a careful renovation that has created a comfortable atmosphere both in the internal rooms, in the upper floor rooms, and in the outdoor space with exposed bricks. The restaurant is dedicated to Maestro Castilin, Fulvio’s father and Chiara and Fausto’s grandfather, who in addition to his work as a primary school teacher dedicated himself with passion to the vineyard and the countryside. Cooking is assigned to the chef Alberto Paglieri, who offers traditional dishes, but with some creative ideas, with the products of local farmers, the meat of the breeder friend, and the shepherds’ cheeses of the near mountains. Into season mushrooms and truffles are always present. Often musical moments are proposed, even if the entertainment is guaranteed by Fulvio, who plays the guitar and sings cheerful Piedmontese songs. It is present the tasting menu at 30 euro and the choice à la carte, among which we include among the appetizers the Fassone meat tartare, rabbit tuna, pochè egg with fondue, the puff pastry of potatoes and mushrooms. Do not miss the noodles with sausage meat sauce and seasonal risottos, among the second courses an exquisite veal cheek and braised flavored with Nebbiolo. Excellent tasting of cheeses paired with jams and honey. Delicious even the desserts, all homemade, good choice of wines, especially the local ones.

Locanda Le Macine del Confluente

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A charming residence in the Argentina valley, midway from the sea and the mountain, an enchanted place in all seasons, that its owners, Tiziana and Gigi, have created with lots of passion. In its six stylish rooms it can welcome many tourists, from Italy and abroad, that appreciate the hinterland and its cuisine. The restaurant internal part is very characteristic, with its wooden tables and two fireplaces always on in the wintertime, that make the environment very hospitable. In the summertime it is possible to have a lunch in the garden. Giancarlo Borgo, the chef, whose cuisine is based on the products of the territory, according to the Seasons, with traditional dishes with creative ideas, always presented with a pinch of originality. He tasting menu for 35 Euro, changes every month, includes the appetizers, among which we mention the brandacujun, creamy stockfish with potatoes and the fillo pasta roll with artichokes and crunchy warts. Among the first course dishes durum wheat semolina tagliolini with saffron, dehydrate Taggia olives and crunchy onions and the delicious risottos made by the chef. Among second courses the specialty of the restaurant, the sliced steak, as an alternative lamb, rabbit or dried salted cod. Original and delicious homemade cakes. Tiziana is always smiling and will describe you all the dishes while Gigi will be able to give you advice on the proper wine to combine with them. Broad list of wines, with particular attention to the local ones.

Ristorante Quintilio

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Quintilio’s restaurant is a guarantee of quality and good food since 1889, on the border between Piedmont and Liguria. Luca and Lorena have continued a journey of great tradition of the family restaurant. The interior of the restaurant is very refined and elegant, it is divided into three rooms, the largest classical dining room, with collections of antique glass vases, then there is the winery, Lorraine’s pride, competent sommelier, where you are surrounded by a collection of more than 500 labels and another lounge more private, with rare books and precious objects. The cuisine is based on products of the highest quality, depending on the season, such as precious truffles, collected in the surrounding areas, and mushrooms in classic and innovative recipes. The amuse-bouche is a tasting of rice cake, a real treat, followed by homemade bread, focaccia and breadsticks. The tasting menu consists of 4 courses for 45 euro and will fully satisfy you. Among the appetizers we mention the egg pochè with parmesan mousse and brown stock with or without truffles, a refined bowl of duck foie gras, marinated in sauternes. Among the first courses there are the unmissable ravioli al plin or the exquisite gnocchi with Calizzano potatoes with fondue and black truffle. Among the main courses you can taste the tripes with beans, or the classic braised with barolo. Delicious desserts, such as apple pie with homemade ice-cream. Well-stocked wine cellar with the best local labels.