Santarcangelo di Romagna, just inland from Rimini on the Adriatic Coast, is one of my favourite Italian villages. It’s a great base for a a food tour of southern Romagna and neighbouring Marche.
Santarcangelo is a bit of an insiders’ secret for local food-lovers, with folk from Rimini and surrounding towns frequenting its historic centre for the great collection of restaurants and bars. This virtual food tour is a collection of insider tips for eating and drinking in Santarcangelo di Romagna. We spend three nights here on my small-group Italian food and wine tour, so have plenty of time to dine like a local in this beautiful medieval village.
Stay Residenza I Platani
This warren of rooms in a well-restored ancient building in the heart of the cobbled medieval town is run by the friendly and helpful Sabrina. Rooms are spread over two entrances and several floors. Each one is different and all are beautifully appointed and have Illy coffee machines. Many have kitchenettes and a couple have washing machines (which can be very handy on long trips).
Eat Ristorante Lazaroun
Below the Residenza’s bedrooms, this restaurant is run by Sabrina’s brother, Roberto, with their mother in the kitchen making pasta. Tour the tufa caves below it where they age their cheese and salumi, the perfect start to every meal. Mamma Tina’s pasta is excellent, with interesting sauces like purslane pesto. Meat is seasoned simply and grilled perfectly, and I love the cannoli filled with ricotta and cave-aged pecorino.
Eat Osteria da Oreste
Giorgio Rattini’s deceptively simple fare has quite a following throughout the area. Whether he’s using rustic ‘quinto quarto’ (offal) in a white ragù of poultry, or luxing it up with freshly shaved truffle, his dishes are delicious, attractive and light. Unusual salads – such as grilled watermelon, raviggiolo cheese and lardo – show an innovative use of local seasonal produce. The wine list focuses on regional and artisanal and service is delightful.
Eat La Sangiovesa
Visually the most exciting restaurant in Santarcangelo, Sangiovesa is spread over many richly-decorated rooms in an old palazzo. Eclectic artwork ranges from pieces by a graffiti artist to 17th century Baroque. Stations scattered around cook piadina and assemble platters of salumi and antipasti. The menu is traditional Romagnolo and much of the meat, fresh produce, salumi and wine come from the owner’s organic estate, Tenuta Saiano.
Drink ViaSaffi32
With the same owners as La Sangiovesa, this atmospheric bar across the road also has access to products from the Tenuta Saiano estate; in this case bitters, vermouth and liqueurs. Their baked goods come from Sangiovesa’s kitchen and I love an early morning coffee at an outside table here watching the food being ferried back and forth. Of an evening, when the town is bustling, I prefer an upstairs window table for aperitivo.
Drink Kalice
I like this casual wine bar/provedore tucked just off the main street across from the print-makers (below), especially perched on a stool outside watching the world go by. This is an enoteca, so no mixed drinks or spirits, just beer and wine. Service is friendly, wine choices are interesting (including a good selection of half bottles), and the small provedore shop is interesting to browse as well and a good source of snacks if you’re self-catering.
Drink Caffé Commercio
This friendly bar near the main square is the breakfast spot of choice for my food and wine tours. Bright colours and friendly young staff put everyone in a good mood, and the outdoor seating is a great place to people watch and soak up the atmosphere of this charming town. It’s also right beside where the food and flea markets set up. Good coffee, fabulous fresh juice and good aperitivi in the evening.
Shop Stamperia Marchi
This artisanal print-making shop uses a 400-year-old mangle and wooden printing blocks to produce beautiful fabrics to turn into tea towels, tablecloths and furnishings, just as it was done generations ago. As well as browsing the beautiful shop, you can also tour their production area and get up close to that enormous mangle. Their linen tea towels make light, easy-to-pack souvenirs.
