Dal Pescatore

Three-starred since 1996 – a record in Italy – and approaching its centenary, this restaurant is an unmissable landmark for understanding the history of Italian gastronomy. In Runate, a small hamlet in the countryside between Cremona and Mantua, a family osteria of long standing has been transformed into a place of rare elegance and genuine hospitality. In the dining room, Antonio Santini, flanked by his family, welcomes guests with warmth, while in the kitchen a tradition of rigour, sensitivity and continuity is lovingly perpetuated. The interiors, balanced between memory and contemporaneity, create a refined atmosphere in which space and light enhance every detail. The menu celebrates great dishes that have traversed the decades, evolving with quiet discretion and never yielding to fashion, in constant pursuit of pleasure at the table. Among the specialities, roasts and braises – using meats from the Cascina Runate – stand alongside emblematic preparations such as the Petit Gris snails of the plain with herb and sweet garlic sauce. The desserts merit particular mention: united by a measured indulgence, they strike a perfect balance between intensity and refinement, embodying the most accomplished meeting of pleasure and elegance. The meringues with pistachio and almond mousse and Marsala zabaione are irresistible, and display great harmony throughout.