Santarcangelo di Romagna Food Tour

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 Food Tour - main street - HERO

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.

Santarcangelo Food Tour - Residenza i Platani

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).

Santarcangelo Food Tour - Ristorante Lazaroun

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.

Santarcangelo Food Tour - Osteria da Oreste

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.

Santarcangelo Food Tour - La Sangiovesa

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.

Santarcangelo Food Tour - ViaSaffi32

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.

Santarcangelo Food Tour - Enoteca Kalice

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.

Santarcangelo Food Tour - Caffé Commercio

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.

Santarcangelo Food Tour - Stamperia Marchi

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.

Northern Italian Food & Wine Tour

What Other Travellers Say

Janet (Tamworth, NSW, Australia)
Janet (Tamworth, NSW, Australia)
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Just back from the most amazing trip to Emilia-Romagna with Roberta. Not only the home of Prosciutto di Parma, Parmigiano-Reggiano & Balsamic Vinegar, but scenery to die for and more quaint and exciting restaurants and cafés than you ever imagined. And Roberta is just the person to help you discover and enjoy them! Her knowledge of the history of the region and its wonderful cuisine know no bounds and all added to the excitement of the trip. It was faultless - well organized and lots of fun!
Deb (Belconnen, ACT, Australia)
Deb (Belconnen, ACT, Australia)
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Wow, what a tour – I learned so much! Awesome fun traveling through Emilia-Romagna experiencing first hand some of the produce I've worked with over the last couple of years cooking with Roberta's recipe kits – the family are reaping the benefits now. If you're thinking of joining Roberta in future years get ready for an amazing experience.
Mark (Elizabeth Bay, NSW, Australia)
Mark (Elizabeth Bay, NSW, Australia)
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My wife and I recently joined Roberta's Emilia-Romagna tour. We enjoyed all the temptations offered and learned a lot about that part of Italy, especially its food and wine culture. What was most impressive was Roberta's local knowledge of people and places. The planning and effort she put into making the whole experience seem effortless was remarkable.
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