A small town with just over 30,000 inhabitants, in the province of Cuneo and in the heart of Langhe, Alba is one of the nerve centres of food and wine excellence in the entire Italian territory. The king of Alba is the prized white truffle, the most coveted among the types of tubers found throughout Italy, to which the Fair has been dedicated since 1929, allowing visitors to buy, taste and learn about it. A month-long festival that has its centre in the World Truffle Market and where it is also possible to participate in events, dinners, cooking shows, and initiatives dedicated to children. Not forgetting a visit to the dedicated museum, the Mudet, inside the building surrounding Cortile della Maddalena, the city's historical complex overlooking Via Vittorio Emanuele.
Where to eat in Alba during the Truffle Fair. The best restaurants and bistros
Ape Wine Bar
Bistro. The Rivetti restaurant, right in the centre, is a modern, reliable, comfortable wine bar. In addition to the wide selection of wines, with Piedmont at the forefront plus Italy, France and the world, there is an inviting menu of dishes and “piattini” small plates of meat and fish and with a creative touch. In autumn, white truffles dominate. Pleasant outdoor seating.
Ape Wine Bar - p.zza Risorgimento, 3 - 0173 363453 - apewinebar.it
Armonia
Restaurant. Antonio Armentano, born in 1993 and of Calabrian origin, began this new adventure in mid-May 2023, proposing an “interpretative” cuisine, made up of talent, technique and personality, straddling his land of origin and adoption. "Sotto la cenere", a new potato cooked in smoked scamorza cheese extraction, then passed with vegetable charcoal and finished in the dining room with 'nduja fondue, is already a signature.
Armonia - via Armando Diaz 2 – 388 4427279 - armoniaristorante23.com
Gastronomia Urbana
Bistro. Much more than just a delicatessen. There is one, for take-away, but it is flanked by a small restaurant with a contemporary vision with a market proposal, different menus for lunch and dinner, and an offer that intercepts a varied public and different needs (open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.). The cuisine is traditional Langhe revisited with creativity, the wine cellar is well stocked.
Gastronomia Urbana – p.zza M. Ferrero, 11 – 349 6001111 - gastronomiaurbana.it
La Locanda del Pilone
Restaurant. In an elegant hillside resort with incredible views, Federico Gallo operates one of the city's most suggestive fine dining restaurants. His cuisine is both technical and research-based, it takes its cue from the land but knows how to travel to other horizons thanks to the use of spices and “foreign” ingredients, always of excellence. High level wine cellar.
La Locanda del Pilone – fraz. Madonna di Como, 34 – s.da della Cicchetta – 0173 366616 - locandadelpilone.com
Osteria dell'Arco
Trattoria. A temple of terroir cuisine, always linked to the Slow Food world and a tried and tested place if you are in the mood for battuta al coltello (hand carved beef tartare), insalata russa, vitello tonnato, agnolotti del Plin, snails and bônet for dessert. There are also seafood dishes (like legume soup, mullet and mussels). Expect very good drinking. Reservations mandatory.
Osteria dell'Arco – p.zza M. Ferrero, 5 (ex p.za Savona) – 0173 363974 - osteriadellarco.it
Piazza Duomo
Restaurant. Essentiality, elegance, perfect technique, genius, continuous research. The cuisine of Enrico Crippa, one of the best chefs in the entire Peninsula (Tre Forchette in the Ristoranti d'Italia 2024 guide), is an extraordinary journey into the avant-garde, a cultural experience before being a gastronomic one. To make it happen, try one of the tasting menus. Cellar and service as you would expect in a great fine dining establishment.
Piazza Duomo – p.zza Risorgimento, 4 – 0173 366167 - piazzaduomoalba.it
La Piola
Trattoria. On the ground floor of the building that houses Piazza Duomo (see above) is its prêt-à-manger version, with Enrico Crippa overseeing a menu of great classics elaborated to perfection. The executive hand is Dennis Panzeri, author of dishes of substance such as the pork knuckle with mashed potatoes and glazed ribs both made to perfection. Genuine, tavern-like ambience, often crowded, especially during the Truffle Fair (book in advance).
La Piola – p.zza Risorgimento, 4 – 0173 442800 - lapiola-alba.it
Opening image courtesy of La Piola website
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