The Vinous 2014 Guide to Eating and Drinking in Piedmont

This year’s round up of the best places to eat and drink in Piedmont includes several new entries. One of the trends in Piedmont seems to be an increase in the number of casual restaurants that offer simple, yet well made food, a good wine list and an informal ambience, all with an eye towards keeping prices reasonable, a pretty good combination in my book. One of Italy’s greatest strengths is ingredient-driven food. Few regions do it better than Piedmont. There are plenty of places to splurge, too, but sometimes simpler is better.

Mother Nature is especially generous with Piedmont. She graces the region with world-class wines and a host of raw ingredients that provide the inspiration for the Piedmontese table. Local chefs have access to a dizzying array of local meats, cheeses and vegetables that would make most of their colleagues green with envy. Liguria isn't too far away for the things that are missing, namely seafood and olive oil. But it is the mysterious, elusive and super-expensive white truffle that takes Piedmont into the stratosphere.

There is no better time to enjoy the bounty of Piedmont than the fall, a time when so many fabulous things come together; the last few leaves on the vines, the smell of autumn, the new vintage fermenting in the cellars, the fog-drenched landscapes and of course the heavenly scent of white truffles.

What follows are some of my favorite spots for food and wine in Piedmont.  It is not a comprehensive list, but rather a collection of places I have personally been to many times over the years. If possible, I suggest visiting Piedmont in late November. By then, most of the tourists are gone and truffles are in peak season, which means at their most perfumed and abundant.

Don't be surprised if you see young children in any of these restaurants, even the most elegant. Of all the places I visit regularly, Italy is without question the most family oriented and kid friendly, which means parents don't have to sacrifice a great meal in order to be with the children and the kids have an opportunity to be educated at the table.

Lastly, as I have written before, wine storage continues to be an issue in Piedmont’s restaurants. I won't take up too much time or space addressing my biggest pet peeve here, but suffice it to say readers should feel no hesitation in sending back bottles that have been damaged by heat. That is the only way Piedmont’s restaurateurs will get the message. Taken as a whole, Piedmont lags the world’s other wine producing regions by a significant margin when it comes to wine service, and in particular storage. Eggs, butter, cheese and bottled water? They are refrigerated, of course. What about a 150 euro bottle of Barolo with a 50-100% markup of pure profit that diners have travelled from far and away to taste in its place of origin? Far too often these wines are treated with total disregard for the end consumer, the very person who supports these establishments. How are the best bottles treated in Burgundy, Bordeaux, Napa Valley and Champagne? Like priceless jewels that are the livelihood of those regions.

Let me be clear: Piedmont exists because of one thing and one thing only; Wine. Without the wine industry there would be fewer jobs, fewer restaurants, much less wealth and no tourism to speak of except for a few weeks during the fall truffle season. When will Piedmont’s restaurateurs learn to take care of their most valuable asset and most profitable asset? Suffice it to say I have been served cooked and/or damaged wine in virtually every restaurant in Piedmont, so it is very much caveat emptor.

Still, I don't think there is anywhere better to be in the fall than Piedmont. Barolo, Barbaresco and white truffles in a good year are as good as it gets. The cool, foggy weather and a good meal at one of Piedmont’s top spots will be more than enough to make visitors start planning a return trip. Things can get a bit hectic during the peak fall season, so reservations are essential.

Antica Corona Reale (Da Renzo)

Via Fossano, 13

12040 Cervere (CN), Italy

Tel. +39 0172 474132

Antica Corona Reale, known simply as Da Renzo, is a must during truffle season. Da Renzo is located in Cervere, which is a bit of a drive from the Barolo zone, but closest to La Morra. The food is terrific year round, but in the fall Renzo is the place to be. Proprietor Gian Piero Vivalda makes the single greatest truffle dish in Piedmont; the heart attack-inducing, poached egg in cocotte, essentially an egg poached in butter and cream, then topped with shaved truffles. If there is one dish visitors must experience at least once, this is it. Other great choices include the Tortelli al Seirass and the Châteaubriand for two. Wild leeks and snails, both local to Cervere, are not to be missed. I don’t go crazy for either frogs’ legs or tripe, but those who do swear by Da Renzo’s versions. Service is exceptional. The wine list is well chosen, but storage is inconsistent and the program overall remains the Achilles heel of this otherwise exceptional Piedmont benchmark.

Da Renzo’s signature Uova in Cocotte

Last Visit: November 2012

Trattoria Antica Torre

Via Torino 64

Barbaresco (CN), Italy

Tel. +39 173 635 170

Antica Torre is another of Piedmont’s reference points. Located just across the road from the Produttori del Barbaresco, Antica Torre is a hit with locals, winemakers and tourists alike. The food is simple, honest and presented with no makeup. Prices reflect the everyday, working class values of another era, which will thrill travelers on a budget. Antica Torre’s wine list is a bit Spartan and simple, but consistent with the setting. In the summer, the outdoor seating is a nice plus.