WHERE TO EAT
Prices are per person for three courses (excluding drinks), unless stated Campamac Osteria Gourmet High-end bistro by chef Maurilio Garola and entrepreneur Paolo dalla Mora. Sicilian chef de cuisine Alessandro Capalbo’s terrine of guinea fowl and foie gras is worth a visit alone. Meat is the speciality, but a fish menu is available Friday to Sunday, with catches from Sanremo and the Adriatic Sea. From £38. Strada della Valle 1, Barbaresco, 00 39 173 635051, campamac.com
La Ciau del Tornavento Housed in a former nursery school in the village of Treiso, Maurilio Garola’s Michelin-starred restaurant is one of those essential addresses to get acquainted with the local cuisine. Try La Piemontese, lightly smoked milk-fed veal breaded in grissini, with Asiatic salad and hazelnut cream, or La Finanziera, a dish made with veal entrails, which is as Piedmontese as it gets. Ask to pop down to see their wine cellar, boasting over 60,000 bottles from some 450 winemakers. Five-course tasting menu, from £76. Piazza Baracco 7, Treiso, 00 39 173 638333, laciaudeltornavento.it
La Piola Traditional Piedmontese dishes are given a modern twist in this casual bistro led by chef Dennis Panzeri. Highlights include homemade agnolotti with roasted veal sauce, and hazelnut cake with hazelnut ice cream. Expect first-class ingredients: the suppliers are the same as for Piazza Duomo (see right) on the floor above, and the greens come from the same biodynamic garden. From £30.
Piazza Risorgimento 4, Alba, 00 39 173 442800, lapiola-alba.it
La Terrazza da Renza A perfect spot for an alfresco lunch or merenda sinoira, the locals’ afternoon meal, with cold dishes such as bean salad and veal tartare. Selection of cold antipasti, from £23. Via Vittorio Emanuele 9, Castiglione Falletto, 0039 173 62909, laterrazzadirenza.it
Osteria da Gemma A meal at Gemma is a key part of any visit to the area – her earthy cuisine will leave you as happy as a kid. The only problem you might face, will be managing to finish everything included in the fixed menu, which hasn’t changed in over 30 years. Booking essential. From £25. Via Guglielmo Marconi 6, Roddino, 00 39 173 794252
Osteria More e Macine A wide variety of typical, fair-priced dishes, along with an excellent wine selection. There’s also a small outside dining area. From £21. Via XX Settembre 18, La Morra, 00 39 173 500395
Osteria dei Sognatori There’s no menu in this popular place in the heart of Alba – you get whatever is available from the kitchen. Be careful not to fill up on the antipasti as there’s plenty of deliciousness to follow. A place full of character, where walls are bedecked with football memorabilia and vintage pictures of wartime partisans. No reservations taken, but you can beat the queues by showing up bang on opening time (currently 12pm and 7.30pm) to secure a table. From £17. Via Macrino 8, Alba, 00 39 333 712 4121
Piazza Duomo Book a table in the soft pink dining room, decorated with dreamlike frescos by artist Francesco Clemente, and let chef Enrico Crippa deliver you the meal of a lifetime. From a series of creative finger-food options to his famous signature salad, the herbs, flowers and plants of his biodynamic garden will accompany you throughout the meal. Everything is impeccable – as you would expect from a three-star Michelin restaurant – but also very unpretentious, and that’s the pleasant surprise. Restaurant manager Vincenzo Donatiello also happens to be one of the Italy’s top sommeliers, so let him guide you through their excellent wine list. Choose between two degustation menus: Eight-course Viaggio (Journey), £228 (excluding drinks), or the new ten-course Barolo, £423 (including wine pairing). Piazza Risorgimento 4, Alba, 00 39 173 366167, piazzaduomoalba.it