13 Best Restaurants in Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta, Italy

Delicious regional specialties with tartufo-focused and fixed-price tasting menus are served at this bustling family-run restaurant in the center of Alba. Seasonal recipes emphasize local vegetables, nuts (particularly hazelnuts), and meats like rabbit and venison.

At one of the most popular restaurants in the Valle d'Aosta (reservations are recommended) you'll find country-style home cooking in a mountain house with lots of atmosphere, including red-and-white checkered tablecloths, antiques, farm tools, and bric-a-brac of all kinds. There's a set menu where cheese, dessert, and fresh fruit complete the meal, or you can order à la carte.

Extremely popular for lunch during the week, this lively and informal osteria is in Turin's business district. The service is relaxed, the decor is low-key, the menu highlights organic meats and vegetables from Piedmont, and there's a good selection of natural wines.

After a flux of Tuscan migrants moved to Turin in the '60s, Da Mauro was one of the first restaurants to cater to their tastes, mixing Tuscan dishes into the largely Piedmontese menu. Service is brisk and efficient for a local crowd at lunch and dinner—it's not the place to come for a slow-paced meal.

This local favorite has a bright contemporary setting, with green and cream-color walls and just 10 tables, and it stays open late for postmovie and -theater crowds. Specialties change with the seasons, and include risotto, fresh pasta, and a fine cheese selection.

At this Asti institution, in a building that dates to the 12th century (as you'll see from the exposed brick walls and original wood-beamed ceiling), you'll find that regional specialties are the main attractions. There's also an extensive list of several hundred Piedmont wines.

Modern and subdued, this small spot on a quiet backstreet is conducive to a leisurely meal while trying a huge selection of Barolo wines. On the menu you'll find Piedmontese starters, pastas, and a variety of tasty meat dishes, and there's also a superb selection of local cheeses.

A short drive from the center of Alba brings you to the hamlet of San Rocco Seno d'Elvio and this old-style trattoria. The decor is as simple as the menu—with dishes that put truffles center stage—which makes a pleasant change from the more elaborate restaurants that you often find in the center of the city.

Famous for freshly made seasonal pasta dishes since 1872, this shop serves a packed lunch crowd all week long, with outdoor seating in the summer. Secondi and dolci are also available, but pasta is the main event.

If you are hankering for something different from the usual meat-based Piedmontese cuisine, give this simple, extremely popular family-run spot a try. They serve only seafood, and they do it well.

Just outside the Porta Pretoria, this simple and unpretentious restaurant serves hearty local dishes, including homemade pastas and desserts. They're also well-known for their tasty gluten-free recipes.

This excellent enoteca, with a contemporary casual atmosphere, has a whole range of Piedmont specialties to pair with local wines. You'll find more than 60 labels, as well as grappas and liqueurs, on the menu.