The White Truffle Road Trip

Vini e Vecchi Sapori

Located just steps from Piazza della Signoria, Vini e Vecchi Sapori is one of Florence’s most beloved old-school osterias. Run by the charismatic Fabrizio, the tiny restaurant proudly advertises its philosophy with a famous sign: “No pizza, no ice, no cappuccino.”

The handwritten menu changes daily, and more often than not, Fabrizio will simply stand beside the table and recite the dishes from memory — ribollita, pappa al pomodoro, pappardelle with duck ragù, or whatever the kitchen felt inspired to cook that morning.

It is loud, crowded, joyful, and exactly the kind of place where Florentines still come to eat.

Ristorante Del Fagioli

Tucked away near Santa Croce, Ristorante Fagioli has been one of Florence’s most cherished bastions of traditional Tuscan cooking since 1966. This family-run institution has remained refreshingly immune to culinary trends, preserving a warm, rustic dining room where locals and knowledgeable visitors gather for honest food and generous hospitality.

The menu reads like a canon of Florentine classics: tagliatelle with ragù, ribollita, cannellini beans dressed with peppery olive oil, and the great bistecca alla Fiorentina grilled over charcoal. Dining here feels less like visiting a restaurant and more like joining a family Sunday lunch in the heart of Florence.

Ristorante Alla Borsa

Nestled in the picturesque town of Valeggio sul Mincio, Ristorante Alla Borsa has been a sanctuary for pasta lovers since 1959. The Pasquale family has elevated fresh pasta to an art form, preserving one of the region’s most delicate culinary traditions: the famous Nodo d’Amore tortellini — the “lover’s knot.”

These tiny silk-like parcels are rolled impossibly thin and folded entirely by hand, a craft passed down through generations. Filled with a savory blend of meats and traditionally served with butter and sage, they represent the purest expression of Valeggio’s pasta culture.

Before sitting down to lunch, we will join Chef Nadia Pasquale for a short hands-on demonstration of how these remarkable tortellini are made — learning the precise movements that transform simple dough into the elegant knots that made Alla Borsa famous.

Lunch that follows will be a joyful celebration of fresh pastas and Veronese tradition, showcasing the finesse and warmth that have made Alla Borsa one of the most beloved dining destinations in northern Italy.

Casa Maria Luigia

After lunch we arrive at Casa Maria Luigia, the extraordinary countryside estate created by Massimo Bottura and Lara Gilmore.

Casa Maria Luigia is much more than a hotel. It is a world built around hospitality, art, music, and food. Bottura and Gilmore transformed a historic Modenese villa into a sanctuary where guests can wander through gardens filled with contemporary art, listen to rare vinyl recordings in the music room, and wake to breakfasts that celebrate the bounty of Emilia-Romagna. For food lovers, there is simply no place like it.

Ahimè

Dinner brings us to one of Bologna’s most exciting modern trattorias. Ahimè is led by chef Lorenzo Vecchia, a thoughtful and talented cook who represents a new generation of Italian chefs deeply connected to regional traditions.

Vecchia trained in some of Italy’s most respected kitchens before opening Ahimè with the goal of reinterpreting Emilian cuisine through a contemporary lens while remaining fiercely loyal to local ingredients.

The restaurant works closely with farmers and artisans from the region, focusing on seasonal produce, heritage meats, and traditional techniques. Expect dishes that feel both comforting and refined: handmade pasta, beautifully roasted vegetables, slow-cooked meats, and sauces with deep, soulful flavors. Ahimè captures the spirit of Bologna today — respectful of tradition, yet full of creativity.

The Mirasole Ecosystem

Located in San Giovanni in Persiceto, Antica Osteria del Mirasole exists within a remarkable agricultural ecosystem where the boundary between farm and table is virtually non-existent.

Founded by Anna Caretti and chef Franco Cimini, the osteria is deeply connected to the Caretti family’s multi-generational dairy farm and their production of Parmigiano Reggiano.

At the heart of this system is the panna di affioramento — the delicate cream that naturally rises from the milk destined for cheese — which carries the floral, grassy character of the cows’ diet. Before lunch we will explore this world firsthand, visiting the dairy, the aging rooms, and the surrounding agricultural operations to understand how the essential ingredients of Emilia-Romagna’s cuisine are produced.

Antica Osteria del Mirasole

Stepping into Antica Osteria del Mirasole feels like entering a world where the kitchen is ruled by two elemental forces: the dairy and the hearth. Chef Franco Cimini practices a kind of “rural aristocracy,” elevating humble ingredients from the Emilian countryside with obsessive care and deep respect for tradition.

His cuisine unfolds between the open fire and the family’s dairy, producing dishes of remarkable depth and purity. The most celebrated is the legendary Tortellini alla Panna di Affioramento, coated in fresh cream drawn from milk destined for Parmigiano Reggiano. Alongside come grilled meats, offal, and Bolognese classics — a Sunday feast rooted in land, fire, and heritage.

Confine

After the drive from Bologna to Milan, we thought the perfect way to end the day would be a late pizza night. And in Milan today, few places represent the evolution of pizza better than Confine.

Founded by Francesco Capece and Mario Ventura, Confine has quickly become one of the most exciting pizzerias in the world, reaching #4 in the 50 Top Pizza World rankings for 2024.

Capece’s dough is celebrated for its airy structure and long fermentation, sometimes using techniques such as frying before baking.

The experience encourages sharing several pizzas rather than ordering one each. Creative combinations like the famous Botox with blue cheese and fig jam, or the Japanese inspired Calgyoza, reflect the restaurant’s playful philosophy.

Trippa

Few restaurants have captured the hearts of Italian chefs and food lovers the way Trippa has. Opened in 2015 by chef Diego Rossi and partner Pietro Caroli in Milan’s Porta Romana district, this neo-trattoria reimagines the traditional Milanese table with humility, precision, and deep respect for ingredients.

Rossi built his reputation in classic Italian kitchens and champions the cucina del quinto quarto—celebrating offal and forgotten cuts alongside exceptional seasonal vegetables. Signature dishes include the famous fried tripe, cult-status vitello tonnato, bone marrow, and beautifully simple pastas.

With retro yellow walls and paper placemats, Trippa proves that true greatness needs neither luxury nor spectacle—only mastery, integrity, and flavor.

Da Vittorio

Located in Brusaporto near Bergamo, Da Vittorio is one of Italy’s most celebrated restaurants and a three-Michelin-star bastion of Italian hospitality.

Founded in 1966 by Vittorio Cerea and now led by his sons Enrico, Roberto, and Francesco, the restaurant has grown into a global destination set within a beautiful Relais & Châteaux estate. While the setting is elegant, the spirit remains deeply familial.

The cuisine blends Lombard tradition with remarkable refinement, famous for pristine seafood, theatrical service, and the iconic Paccheri alla Vittorio, finished tableside. From raw fish to the legendary dessert trolley, every detail celebrates abundance, generosity, and the joyful soul of Italian fine dining.

The Real White Truffle Hunt

The following morning we rise early for one of the most magical traditions in Italian gastronomy.

A true truffle hunt.

Not the staged demonstrations that exist for tourists, but a real hunt led by a local trifulau — the traditional truffle hunter — accompanied by his trained dog.

For generations, these hunters have guarded the secrets of the Langhe forests, where the precious white truffle grows hidden beneath the roots of oak and hazelnut trees.

As we walk through the misty autumn woods, the dog begins its search. When the scent is detected, the hunter gently uncovers the truffle from the earth.

The moment is quiet, almost ceremonial.

Holding a freshly unearthed white truffle in your hand is one of the most unforgettable experiences in gastronomy.

Piazza Duomo

After our early morning truffle hunt in the forests of the Langhe, lunch brings us to Piazza Duomo in the heart of Alba, one of the most refined dining rooms in Italy.

Led by chef Enrico Crippa and backed by the Ceretto family, the restaurant has held three Michelin stars for more than a decade and is widely regarded as a pinnacle of modern Italian cuisine. The elegant pink-walled room, adorned with a striking fresco by Francesco Clemente, overlooks Alba’s cathedral square.

Crippa’s cooking reflects the Langhe landscape with botanical precision, drawing heavily from the restaurant’s biodynamic garden. For this special occasion we will enjoy a white truffle tasting menu, alongside the iconic Salad 21…31…41…51…, a breathtaking composition of herbs, leaves, and flowers.