The 16 best restaurants in Piemonte that prepare agnolotti del plin

The etymology is vast: some say it derives from Angiolino, known as Angelòt, a cook from Monferrato who developed the recipe, others from Vincenzo Agnoletti, also a cook, who in his 1814 book entitled “La Nuova Cucina Economica” (The New Economic Cuisine) was the first to include the recipe for “agnellotti alla piemontese” (nomen omen!) and others, such as Sergio Nebbia, in his Monferrato Dictionary, ascribes the name to “anulus” because the first agnolotti were ring-shaped. The fact is that the name and birthplace of this speciality are smoky and remote. Typical of Monferrato in the square shape, they then spread to other forges, including the “del plin” version (the pinch with which the dough flaps are closed), now a prevalent variant especially in the Langa. Whether they are quadrato monferrino, gobbo d'Asti, plin, they all have the same structure in common: a filling wrapped in a very thin but tough sheet of egg pasta that is usually made of roast meat, although, as always, variations on the theme are not numbered.

Certainly, the undisputed and unforgettable “agnolotti queen” remains Lidia Alciati, who from Costigliole, where she has been working since 1961 with her husband Guido - now their children, in Santo Stefano Belbo and Serralunga d'Alba, carry on her teachings - has spread the word overseas. It was the Los Angeles Times that called her “queen”, dedicating a cover story to her and telling of her “delicate stuffed pasta, a Piedmont speciality”. “Al napkin” (without condiments), with butter and sage or in less orthodox versions, they always remain a little magic of gastronomic craftsmanship. Which lends itself to a lot of sleight of hand (with all due respect to purists).

Piemonte’s best agnolotti del plin

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Ristorante Alessandro Mecca Al Castello di Grinzane

The brilliant Alessandro Mecca is the author of an intriguing cuisine, attentive to tradition, with an author's touch: products and territory are always present in the definition of the menu as well as a certain simplicity. Creativity is not lacking, however, just as there is no shortage of ravioli plin filled with three roasts (25 euro) on the menu, as remarkable as the butter escalope.

Ristorante Alessandro Mecca Al Castello di Grinzane - Grinzane Cavour (CN) - via Castello, 5 - 375 5403500 – alessandromecca.it

Osteria del Boccondivino

Bra is a place of deep-rooted culinary traditions, and the Boccondivino is a historic trattoria of the Slow Food Association. Local raw materials and dishes of the territory have always ruled here, although there is no lack of interpretations and seasonal variations. Among the first courses, all at 11 euro - with the exception of the Jerusalem artichoke velouté with cod at 12 - there are agnolotti with roast sauce (as well as tajarin 40 yolks butter and sage or with Bra sausage sauce).

Osteria del Boccondivino - Bra (CN) - via della Mendicità Istruita, 14 - 0172 425674 – boccondivinoslow.it

I Bologna

Here the show is the cook, who rolls the dough and pinches the squares practically in front of your eyes. The Bologna, in a well-kept farmhouse just outside the village, is one of the few places where it is still possible to enjoy them express. The menu changes daily, the wine cellar, which can be visited, celebrates the territory with a beautiful focus. A few rooms for sleeping.

I Bologna - Rocchetta Tanaro (AT) - via N. Sardi, 4 - 0141 644600 – trattoriaibologna.it

Ca’ Del Profeta Christian Milone

A refined relais where the cuisine benefits from the advice of Christian Milone, as well as from the hand of the talented Antonio Di Leo, resident chef. In the dishes there is comfort and research, with great attention paid to the vegetable world thanks to the availability of (real) surrounding vegetable gardens. On the à la carte menu, "our" agnolotti are with roast sauce blended with Marsala wine, neighbours of other happy reinterpretations such as vitello tonnato cooked in pink with chilli pepper caramel.

Ca’ Del Profeta Christian Milone - Montaldo Scarampi (AT) - via Montaldino, 19 - 0141 1967229 – cadelprofeta.com

Casa Vicina

A great gentleman of the city's bourgeois restaurant scene, with the fifth generation at the helm faithfully passing on the register. Some dishes at Casa Vicina are now classics, although the desire to create something new is never lacking. On the menu, at 33 euro, or in the 120th Anniversary menu here are philological agnolotti pizzicati a mano al sugo d'arrosto, a must if you are a new guest at the "Casa".

Casa Vicina - Torino - via E. Fenoglietti, 20b (ex via Nizza, 224) c/o Green Pea - 011 6640140 – casavicina.com

Coltivare

Luca Zecchin was chef at Guido da Costigliole for years, and Lidia's stamp is still strong and clear in his cooking. Which, however, also benefits from other experiences, for example that at the court of Enrico Bartolini (multi-starred and Three Forks in Milan in the 2024 Ristoranti d'Italia guide). In the beautiful new project of which he is the protagonist, devoted to the supply chain and environmental sustainability, tradition is reborn in personal readings but is also re-proposed as it is. In the Grande Piemonte menu, for example, here is "...PLIN the three-meat agnolotto in the Piedmontese tradition" (on the menu at 22 euro).

Coltivare - La Morra (CN) - borgata Brandini, 16 - 0173 328231 – coltivarerelais.it

All’Enoteca

Davide Palluda, a chef of rare sensitivity and technique, knows how to dare like few, rethinking tradition in a balance between executive perfection and memory research. A few examples? The smoked eel with cherry tomatoes in Vermouth and various herbs, the spaghettone with sea urchins and pink grapefruit, the white truffle in season, and, last but not least, the “plin al sugo di arrosto” (plin with roast sauce or simply with smoke). On the ground floor is the Osteria dell'Enoteca, a “prêt-à-manger” of class.

All’Enoteca - Canale (CN) - via Roma, 57 - 0173 95857 – davidepalluda.it

Fre

In the kitchen, the aura of Yannick Alléno and the skill of Francesco Marchese - in force here since 2022 - paint a kaleidoscopic kitchen where fermentations and extractions take centre stage without distorting the classics. Like the plin, here with crispy sweetbreads, milk onion and dried brewer's yeast (the vegetable element has great dignity everywhere). There is also the Piccolo Fre bistro on the premises. Excellent wine cellar.

Fre - Monforte d’Alba (CN) - loc. San Sebastiano, 68 - 0173 789269 – revamonforte.com

Giù da Guido

It is the pop refuge of Ugo Alciati, who in the Eataly wine shop - custodian of thousands and thousands of bottles - recounts 'his' personal tradition, between historical dishes and modern games, in a relaxed formula that embraces aperitif, lunch, dinner and after-dinner. However, the hand-rolled pasta at Plin, the family pasta factory, remains a religion, and the agnolotti are made according to Lidia's recipe. Also not to be missed is the fiordilatte gelato mantecato espresso with Tartufo Regale, Alba's only chocolate truffle, handmade from a cast of black truffles, made with Domori Criollo cacao and IGP Piedmont hazelnuts.

Giù da Guido - Torino - Eataly Lingotto via Ermanno Fenoglietti, 14 - piano -1 - 338 9979503 – eataly.net

Guido

New Tre Forchette, is run by two of the three Alciati heirs, in a charming complex, perhaps the most beloved residence of King Victor Emmanuel II of the House of Savoy. Lidia's legacy is renewed in Ugo Alciati, chef, with his brother Piero overseeing the dining room and cellar. Each of his dishes is a piece of history and life, from the “vitello tonnato according to the traditional recipe of the Guido restaurant since 1961”, to the legendary plin “di mamma Lidia” (al tovagliolo, al sugo d'arrosto e in brodo di gallina), featured on the iconic Esperienza Guido menu.

Guido - Serralunga d'Alba (CN) - loc. Villaggio di Fontanafredda - via Alba, 15 - 0173 626162 – guidoristorante.it

Guido da Costigliole

On the Lidia & Guido Costigliole 1961 menu are Lidia's plin al sugo di arrosto, also on the menu at the table and in brodo. They can be enjoyed in a unique setting, in fine weather with a view of the Cuneo hills or, inside, in what was once the cellar of a 17th-century monastery. Here Andrea Alciati continues the story begun in the 1960s by his parents, with the help of Monica Magnini and chef Fabio Sgrò, who from his experience in China periodically brings back some oriental suggestions, such as the unusual pairing with veg gyoza.

Guido da Costigliole - Santo Stefano Belbo (CN) - loc. San Maurizio, 39 - 0141 844455 – guidodacostigliole.it

La Piola

A great little repertoire of Piedmontese cuisine on the ground floor of the building that houses the award-winning Piazza Duomo. The hand in the kitchen is that of Dennis Panzeri, a Brianza native like the “magician” Enrico Crippa, who oversees the menu, made up of crafted classics, such as the homemade plin with roast sauce, and daily and/or seasonal proposals, written on the blackboard. Beautiful wine cellar and extensive wine list.

La Piola - Alba (CN) - p.zza Risorgimento, 4 - 0173 442800 – lapiola-alba.it

Scannabue

Recently enlarged with a new room created from the adjacent premises, Scannabue is now a 'new classic' in the city, operating since 2008 and becoming a solid reference point over the years. A modern, easy-going osteria, it honours tradition but with a personal touch, from vitello tonnato to agnolotti (with three roasts, on the traditional menu at 35 euro) of course, with a few excursions into the sea. In the larder, dishes are available to take away or to eat on site.

Scannabue - Torino - l.go Saluzzo, 25h - 011 6696693 – scannabue.it

Trattoria Zappatori

Christian Milone has shown remarkable temperament over the past two years and is now more vigorous than ever. In his cooking, happy intuitions, attention to the vegetable garden and firmly rooted roots, evoked in particular in the 1975 menu, where “I plin... the broth: our agnolotti, besucco oil, Grana Padano 24 months, boiled meat infusion, cultivated mushrooms” stand out (in variants linked to the period).

Trattoria Zappatori - Pinerolo (TO) - c.so Torino, 34 - 0121 374158 – trattoriazappatori.it

Christian Milone

Volli Restaurant

Chef Marco Toso has shaken up the sleepy landscape of the town in the heart of Monferrato with a restaurant whose name pays homage to Vittorio Alfieri and evokes the achievement of a much-desired goal. Noteworthy are his plin, stuffed with Fontina d'Aosta fondue and salted lady's kiss crumble, or pure “al tovagliolo”, both at 35 euro. Also worth trying is the Volli creative menu (70 euro), with gyoza stuffed with duck, Renetta apple cream, seared foie gras, Marsala reduction and rosemary.

Volli Restaurant - Asti - via XX Settembre, 66 - 0141 1786215 – vollirestaurant.com

PlinTo

And here we are at the "Italian tradition of plin", the "outsider" who confirms the rule. This is a full-blown agnolotteria, where plin is made by an all-female team in every possible and imaginable variant. Traditional but also carbonara style or in exotic versions such as Turkish (stuffed with lamb meat and served with poppy seed sour yoghurt), even sweet (such as apple and cinnamon-scented Strudel, served boiled with butter and cinnamon). Worth a try, also for the humane prices.

PlinTo - Torino - via Cernaia, 40 - 389 1705436 – plintoravioli.it