Above: a classic Langarolo antipasti plate (although insalata russa is missing).

A colleague who’s on his way to the Langhe Hills of Piedmont for vacation asked me about my favorite places to eat in Piedmont. And so I thought I’d share my notes here.

My list is by no means exhaustive and there’s no hierarchy.

I have traveled to Langa (Barolo and Barbaresco country) three times over the last six months and over the years, I can’t remember how many times I’ve been there: these are some of the places I’ve either had a good experience or I’ve heard good things about. There are countless other places worth seeking out.

I know that a lot of folks are headed to Langa in coming months for truffle season. I hope that readers can find this shortlist useful (and again, it’s by no means exhaustive).

If you like, please share your favorite Langa dining destination in the comments and I’ll add it to a future post.

Buon appetito e buona degustazione! Enjoy your meals and enjoy your tastings!

Trattoria Antica Torre in Barbaresco village. 

It’s worth it just for the trip through the Barbaresco appellation. Classic Piedmont cooking with no frills but perfectly executed. Stop in the Produttori del Barbaresco tasting room on your way.

Also, they’ve just opened the newly restored medieval tower with an elevator and viewing platform. No better view of Barbaresco.

La Libera in Alba.

This the cool kids restaurant and it’s where all the winemakers go for dinner. Traditional Piedmontese with a modern flair. Great restaurant. Very cool place to hang.

Above: that’s the view from the Locanda in Cannubi facing west. You can see the Palas Cerequio in the center left of the image and you can see the village of La Morra in the top right.

Locanda in Cannubi atop Cannubi vineyard in Barolo.

I ate there on my last trip. Solid Piedmontese food, classic, well executed. But the thing is it’s at the peak of Cannubi. I really loved this place because of the view and the food was excellent.

Trattoria della Posta in Monforte.

This is one of the classics and one of the greats. I only ate there once with Franco Conterno but the food was spectacular.

Da Cesare in Albaretto Torre (Alba).

I’ve never eaten there but they say this is the holy grail. I’ve heard that this is where the Gajas eat.

Above: my favorite vitello tonnato was at More e Macine in La Morra where I ate in June of this year.

More e Macine in La Morra.

If you want to do something more modest, this place was awesome. It’s where regular folks go to eat. Best vitello tonnato I had this year (in three visits to Langhe). Very casual and inexpensive.

Vinoteca Centro Storico in Serralunga.

Also a more toned-down place but very much on tourist radar. Great, classic food but the thing is the list of sparkling wine. Best place for bubbles in Langhe. Make sure you get the Prosciutto d’Osvaldo (cult prosciutto from Friuli).

There are other places as well. I don’t know if they still do lunch there but the Cascina Cornale is the place made famous by Alice Waters. It’s a very simple kitchen but very pure. I had a great lunch there and it’s one of the best place for food product shopping (honey etc.).

My favorite place to stay in Langa is Felicin, where the rooms have an old-world feel to them and the owner, Nino, always cracks me up. He’s a brilliant guy. That’s the dining room at Felicin below. Nino’s kitchen does traditional Langa food but his greatest strength is his creative cooking, which is always a welcomed break from the standards (as good as they can be). You always get a great night’s sleep at Nino’s place, the breakfast is outstanding and the wifi excellent.