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.

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.

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 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.

Trattoria Ca’veja

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This typical Piedmontese trattoria is located in an the area called « The balcony of the Langhe » above the left bank of the Tanaro. It is rustic, neat and pleasant, and during the summer you can eat outside under the « Toppia ». The trattoria is family owned, mom Marisa backs son Massino in the kitchen while daughter Cinzia works the dining room. You’ll feel at ease by the fireplace in the winter in their two cozy dining rooms. The kitchen offers seasonal dishes, a tasting menu is available for € 27 without drinks, an à la carte menu is available as well. You’ll find classic Piedmontese appetizers such as local cured meats, soused vegetables, meat tartare and tajarin with 30 egg yolks with ragout made by Marisa, plin agnolotti, .and then tajarin made by Marisa with 30 eggs and seasoned with meat sauce, agnolotti del plin, and cisrà which is a tripe and chickpea soup. You’ll also find traditional Piedmontese dishes such as mixed boiled meats with sauces, fritto misto, finanziera and homemade cakes such as bunet and hazelnut cake together with creamy panna cotta and bread baked in a wood-burning oven. Their wine selection includes labels from nearby Lange. Truffles and mushrooms are available when in season. Friendly attentive and very helpful service. Excellent value for your money.

Osteria Murivecchi

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The Osteria is located inside the wine cellar where the Ascheri family has been producing its wines since 1880. The atmosphere is charming, there are barrels and bricks in clear view and the restaurant is divided in small rooms with thick wooden tables and old machines such as an old slicer which still works. During the summer you can seat outside in the veranda under a vine pergola. The menu changes weekly and it’s written on a blackboard just as it was done once in small town osterias. Their cuisine is traditional with some creative touches. Among appetizers you’ll find the famous Bra sausage and the unusual curry and cheese Bavarese with “cognà” sauce which is made with grapes and Russet apples from the Langhe, among first courses you’ll find the Castelmagno gnocchi, the tajarin and risottos which are very enticing especially the one prepared with pumpkin and Bra sausage. Among the second courses you should try the red tripe stew with leeks and celery and the pork shank braised in beer. Great desserts ranging from the Pope’s salami (chocolate salami) to the classic Martini pears cooked in red wine. Wide selection of wines which are available also by the glass. Prices range from € 30 to € 40 excluding wines.

Ristorante Girasole « Barcollo »

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A restaurant which guards the local tradition from place different from the one where it is located. Since the start of this year it has been managed by Enrico Neroni in the dining room and his wife Veronica Leone in the kitchen. They were the owners of BARCOLLO restaurant in Amatrice which was completely destroyed after the 2016 earthquake. The owner of Il Girasole, Giovanni Bottero, who was near retirement, decided to generously offer the couple to manage his restaurant in a show of solidarity. From now on Il Girasole will serve Amatriciana cuisine with dishes from the Lazio region. Which means a lot of typical Lazio cold cuts. Among the first courses you’ll find the real Amatriciana (without onions), the mezze maniche with gricia or carbonara sauce, cheese and pepper tonnarelli pasta and the penne with arrabbiata sauce. From their second courses: lamb skewers, grilled lamb chops, « saltimbocca alla Romana » (rolled veal with ham and sage), Vaccinara ox tail and tripe and mushrooms when in season. Homemade desserts: ricotta cakes, English trifle and fruit tarts. The wine list includes labels such as Rosso Piceno and Montepulciano d’Abruzzo as well as some of the best Piedmontese labels. The bill won’t go over 25 euro and the portions are « Amatriciana » sized (meaning plentiful.)

Osteria La Torre

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Cherasco, a very culturally lively town which is worth knowing, just as this family run establishment where you’ll find classic and genuine Piedmontese cuisine which has been smartly and creatively revisited. For about 10 years chef Marco Falco, currently aided by his son Matthias, has been offering strictly local and seasonal dishes. All female servers (Gloria, Erica and Sasha) who are cheerful and polite. The atmosphere is modern and welcoming, in the summer you can eat on the terrace surrounded by the greenery. In addition to the à la carte menu, the daily specials are written on the blackboard just as other osterias used to around these parts . Among the appetizers are the classic vitel tonné and 62 ° egg with stewed asparagus and fondue. From their first courses you should try their egg yolk tajarin with Bra sausage ragout or the « plin » agnolotti with three roasted meats and beef stock. Among second courses we recommend the snails which are locally grown, as well as the rabbit civet and the rump steak breaded with grissini. Finish on a sweet note and try the Marsala zabaglione or the delicious sorbets. A la carte meals around € 35. Large wine list with local, national and international labels.

Cantina del Rondò

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In the hills of Barbaresco, following the initiative of two people with a passion for their land and its products this restaurant opened its doors in 199. The atmosphere is charming with a great cellar with exposed bricks and sail vaults. After Francarlo’s passing, Emanuela, who’s also Carlo Arpino’s (one of Langa’s great cooks and bakers) niece, has decided to go ahead and make their dream come true. One of their specialties is the “bourgeois vitel tonné”, the meat tartare salad, their extraordinary royal finanziera with rooster, bull and rabbit offal as well as the tajarin with sausage ragout, plin ravioli, “bagnet” farm raised rabbit which is prepared according to the old Alta Langa recipe. Mushrooms and truffles are available when in season and their fruit aspics are not to be missed. Rondò also produces wines such as Nebbiolo, Barbera and Barbaresco. There’s a tasting menu available a € 45, if you order from their à la carte menu you’ll spend a bit more but experiencing Langhe traditional cuisine paired with great wines is well worth the expense and trip. You eat at tables with white tablecloths, in the evening you eat by candlelight and during the summer you can have your dinner in their open air space with a full view of the Langhe. They also offer cooking courses if you wish to learn how to prepare the dishes from their menu.

Ristorante Da Vittorio

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Always a good choice restaurant Da Vittorio in Val Tanaro on the road from Piemonte to Liguria. The reception is kind and professional. Chef Gianni Biga is in charge of looking for fresh local and seasonal products. His wife Marcella manages the B&B. The restaurant’s dining rooms are reminiscent of old osterias with an elegant touch. An open air space is available during the summer. Their tasting menu is priced at € 23 and includes one appetizer, a first course, one second course and dessert. An à la carte menu is also available. For starters you can try the deer bresaola with porcini or (if you’re lucky) ovuli mushrooms, rabbit tuna style, seasonal vegetable flan or the unbeatable vitel tonné. Among first courses we recommend the tagliatelle, which are called tajarin around these parts, with mushrooms and truffles or the ravioli with roasted meat sauce. You should also try their fried mushrooms, hazelnut crusted lamb ribs, Ormeasco di Pornassio pork fillet or snails. Their desserts are not to be missed, from the bunet al fernet to the chestnut torte with zabaglione. Their wine cellar has many interesting wines from Liguria and surrounding areas.