Restaurants in Le Marche Italy
This page is devoted to some of the best local Le Marche restaurants in the area of the Macerata province close to the Sibillini Mountains.
All Le Marche food is slow food and ingredients are usually sourced locally. Sarnano, a historic spa town, is well served by numerous ristorante and pizzerias. You will probably notice different names for restaurants apart from ristorante, such as osteria, trattoria, agriturismo and pizzeria, but rest assured that all serve up a range of great Italian flavours to savour at about €15 a head or €7 at a pizzeria.
Some of our Sarnano favourites are listed below plus a number of selected others in towns such as Ascoli, Macerata, and Colmurano. Please note that it is worth booking in advance as they will often prepare extra dishes. Also prepare yourselves for the ‘talking’ menu as many of the restaurants may not have a written menu.
Sarnano restaurants
La Patata Bollente, Sarnano (€20)
(334 278 0523) A wonderful new arrival on the Sarnano scene with fantastic service from the husband and wife team who treat their guests as one of the family. Such care and attention has gone into every aspect of the menu. The house wines are a real treat, as are the salumi and the cheeses that come from fantastic local makers and are far more tasty than anything you will find elsewhere.
The standard menu includes Coratella, a local egg and spiced offal dish, 5 types of pasta, with sauces that include one with wild mountain herbs and Guanciale, and Coniglio in Porchetta; a local stuffed rabbit terrine. Every day there are local seasonal dishes that often include porcini and other mushrooms and wild game such as hare or boar. There are usually a good range of dolce options as well. A large 3 course meal often costs less than €25 including wine
Contact by phone FB https://www.facebook.com/La-Patata-Bollente-925086334265710/?fref=ts or email zamponiandrea@gmail.com
Osteria Scherzi a Parte / Sarnano (€25)
(0733651 244) Very convivial atmosphere created by the owner Gabrielle, who speaks English and will translate the many lovely dishes, a real rustic favourite of locals and holidaymakers alike. Ask for any specials that often include some game as Gabrielle is a keen hunter. Closed Wed
Ristorante La Marchigiana/ Sarnano (€18)
(0733 658 090); Impressive ristorante with varied antipasti, good first courses and meats cooked alle bracce/ flame grilled. Try the Cinghiale in Salmi (wild boar and olives in a robust sauce). Take your proposed antipasti order and divide it by 2 if you want to make it to the sweet menu! Closed Friday
Il Pincio / Sarnano (€18)
Via Matteotti, Sarnano (0733 657246) Just out of Sarnano, 200 m towards Macerata, under new and improved management from 2013 this place has it all from excellent pizza, pasta, salads, wonderful chargrilled meats and superb sweets. Buzzing place favoured by many locals.
Ai Pini/ Sarnano
Via F. Corridoni (0733 657183) Situated just below the main piazza, this hotel restaurant re-opened under new management in 2015 and is a great addition to Sarnano. Offering typical regional dishes using top quality local ingredients but with a little twist. Very friendly service and a lovely al fresco eating area.
Hotel Terme, Piazza della Libertà, Sarnano
(0733 657166) Set in one of the oldest buildings outside the medieval Centro Storico of Sarnano, the hotel, positioned in a prime position in the main square, has been lovingly restored with an art Nouveaux frontage and lavishly styled bar and ristorante.
Food ranges from superb pizzas to home made egg pasta and superb fish on Friday, accompanied by a fine wine list and a very naughty gelateria.
Prices for a pasta or pizza dish are a very reasonable €7.
Trattoria Porvero, Sarnano
Via della fonte, Sarnano, Italy (0733.657178) Delicious wholesome rustic local food at a trattoria that has been part of the Sarnano fabric for decades
Country House MOMA, Sarnano
Contrada Colle 39, Località Pian di Pieca, (0733 694253) At the plain 5km out of Sarnano towards Macerata is this restored country house that is open for a limited selection of lovely lunches. despite only being open since 2011 the word has spread and this ristorante is full almost every lunchtime (not open late evening). Great fish dishes on Friday. http://www.momacountryhouse.it/ristoro.php
Agriturismo Il Dolce Ristoro, Sarnano (€20)
Via Romani 446, Sarnano, MC, Marche Italy Weekends Only! (0733 657844 or cell 338 1569627) About 1km West of Sarnano. The architypal back to basics Italian slow food eatery- after this they broke the mould.
You need to book this little gem a day in advance, but its worth the wait as all ingredients are from Maria’s own garden and farmyard including wines, honeys, fruit and vegetables, most of the poultry, the wild boar is hunted around the ancient village of Sarnano.
A visit to Il Dolce Ristoro is like being invited into an Italians home and being treated to the most amazing rustic fayre- a 4 course meal with wine costs about €30. http://www.agriturismoildolceristoro.com
Decantautore, Sarnano
Piazza Lamarmora, This stylish new wine bar built into a grotto under the old medieval walls. Nicola the owner and his family are part of the Sarnano furniture and he has done a great job furnishing the place in a combination of recycled, crates and modern fixtures. Anyway, enough of that, the wines; of which there are about 15 on offer, include local tipples Pecorino and Rosso Piceno; he also has a selection of great varietals from the rest of Italy. The beers are pretty good as well and include a fine range of craft ales. Arrive at about 1830 and you can opt into the aperitivi menu and a number of sumptuous home cooked delicacies will arrive with your drinks
Il Sassetto, Sarnano
Contrada Sassetto, 191, 62028 Sarnano, (0733 658196)This agriturismo is a short walk from the centre of town and has seating for about 40 people. Delicious home cooked food using traditional local recipes and food.
This agriturismo is 2km from Sarnano in the direction of Garulla, they run a riding school and also a great, no frills rustic restaurant which serves up local specialities. Most days the menu will comprise of a number of specials, varying from locally caught game or grilled meats from locally reared herds.
La Castellana
Take the second left on the road to Sarnano and drive for 2km and you will find this rural pizzeria and risorante. Very accommodating owner who will bring your pizzas one by one so that you can share one and the next will be served hot.
Il Porvero
Take the road into the Centro Storico and just before the gate take the first left- the ristorante is on the right. Very rustic trattoria serving robust food from locally sourced ingredients.
Bar Sassotetto / Sarnano (€10)
(0733 657192) Excellent pizza with very fresh ingredients. Try the Bresaola (cured beef, with fresh rocket and Parmesan) and the Super Piccantè (jalapeno Chilli). Take aways available. The green building opposite the park (closed Wed)
Monastery San Liberato
(0733 694103) Good, robust seasonal menu and excellent wines and Belgian beer menu at this restored Franciscan monastery.
Pizzeria Da Marino / Sarnano (€10)
(0733657416) Buzzing bar with pool table, juke box and video games, serves up a mean pizza and is very reasonable. Take aways available.
Osteria Le Clarisse- Centro Storico (€18+)
(0733 658225 mob 3383845893) This is an charming osteria in a wonderfully vaulted old building in the old town, the owners are very friendly and serve up simple but excellent food and we think they have the best house wine in the area (a choice of 7 wines- you can taste and choose your favourite for your meal)
Good Restaurants within a short drive of Sarnano
Picciolo Di Rame / Vestignano nr Caldarola
Web site | loc. Castello Vestignano – Fraz. VESTIGNANO – CALDAROLA (MC) – Tel. 348.3316588 | silvanoscalzini@libero.it
All foodies really must try this fantastic restaurant in a tiny ramshackle hamlet tucked away in the hills.
They serve a 12 course tasting menu of local dishes, each dish is served with an explanation of its history, the cooking methods and the provenance of the ingredients that are all sourced within a stone throw of this eatery. This is Italian slow food at its best and this banquet takes about 3.5 hours and costs only €30 including wine and coffee. You must book by phone or email. Not to be missed!
Agramater, Colmurano €30
A lovely Agriturismo set on the hill just outside the old walls of Columrano, this place has a great feel, fantastic menu and amazing views. With much of the produce coming directly from their own land, the menu here tends to be seasonal but always prepared with much thought for complimentary textures and flavours. The service is great and plates arrive with food that often looks like a work of art, we are not talking poncy here just care, attention to detail and an amount of love.
Starters include a fennel and orange tart or pureed cannellini, cavolo nero, squash and pancetta. Mains include Quail, Pigeon, Rabbit and at least 2 great vegetarian options. Wines come from the great local Saputi winery and they also have a good range of craft beers. Contact Melissa via phone on 0039-347 3991002 email:info@agramater.com or via FB https://www.facebook.com/agramater.agriturismo/?fref=ts
Urbisaglia; Le Logge: (€25)
(0733 506788). In the town of Urbisaglia on the hill by the castle, they have a set menu of antipasta and pasta or just anti pasta which leaves space for their really amazing deserts. Do not miss the antipasta, it involves about 8 different dishes which vary each time.
Most memorable have been an exquisite goose liver pate; seared roast breast of duck on a bed of roast red pepper and pesto, calves liver wrapped in proscuitto roasted on a bed of dressed fageolet beans, spinach frittata etc. etc.
They do a chefs desert of 3 differing but complimenting puds. Watermelon and mint sorbet with campari, iced espresso mousse and semifreddo of vanilla and caramel is one example. Try the radicchio risotto (closed Wed)
Abbadia di Fiastra; Osteria La Selva
At the monastery there is a pizzeria and also an osteria La Selva that has an interesting menu with a good choice of game and a well stocked cellar at tremendous prices. (Open every day in Summer)
Ristorante Chiaroscuro, Belforte/Tolentino (c €25)
(0733 905499) If you fancy pushing the boat out and eating somewhere very stylish and ultra modern then this comes highly recommended. The food is only a euro or two more expensive per dish and the menu is split between meat and fish (brought fresh from the coast every day).
The antipasti is amazing, the first courses vary from Tagliatelle with a Hare Ragu to Radicchio and Sea Bass Risotto. The meats and fish and pannacottos are tremendous and it also has a very good wine cellar. Closed Sunday night & Monday
Caldarola; Ristorante da Sandro: (€15)
(0733 905183). Situated in a small Piazza just beyond the main one in Caldarola, this is a lovely spot and serves up very robust food at amazing prices
Macerata; Da Rosa (€30-35)
(0733260124) Great Trattoria at 17 Via Armaroli described by an Observer critic as his favourite restaurant in the world! Their menu changes with the seasons and offers modern twists on local recipes adding culinary surprises here and there – lovely choice of home baked breads and crackers in the basket and good wines. Friendly host too. Closed Sundays
Macerata; Osteria Pigliapochi (€20)
(0733506788): Vicolo della Rota 8 off Corso Republica nr Teatro Rossi- Cosy old Osteria with well priced sumptuous local food. Closed weekends at lunchtime
Isola San Bagio, Monte Monaco; Il Tiglio (€25-30)
(0736 856168 mobile 03358006190) Pure theatre, fantastic 8 course lunches with wine in a lovely mountain setting. Silver service is a bit over the top. Booking essential
Osteria Al Lago, Lake San Ruffino, Amandola, (€15)
(0733 660477). Run by a non-profit cooperative, this is a great spot serving up fantastic local seasonal food on the banks of a lake; they also run the local riding stables, a museum of rural life and a deer park
La Cantinella, San Ginesio (€10)
(0733 656517) A real gem, this is an eating club (your party will have to join the club- annual subscription of €2) with a limited but tasty choice of local dishes at ridiculously low prices.
Agriturismo Ponte degli Schiavi €20)
Via Fornaci 4, Belforte del Chienti, (0733 906117) Situated on the road between Belforte and Sarnano, this lovely restored farm serves up succulent meals in a lovely garden setting. Most of the food is grown by the owners or sourced locally and the menu always includes something a bit different, our dishes ranged from a delicious pappardelle with goose ragu and a stinging nettle risotto.
The antipasti included the best local ciauscolo, (a Le Marche spreadable salami), meats were tender and tasty and the house wine well sourced and a bargain price. 3 Courses with wine was €20
Rifugio Il Tribio, Fiastra
Via Monte Coglia, Fiastra, (0737 527027) A superb mountain restaurant with great views and a lovely terrace for al fresco eating- right near the wonderful aquamarine lake Fiastra in Le Marche’s Sibillini Mountains.
The hearty mountain food is wonderful and includes superb prosciutto, cinghiale in Vernaccia with pappardelle, stringhozzi with wild herbs and roast vegetables, a wonderful stew with olives and shallots and plates of roast onions with our lamb kebabs. 2 Courses €20, 3 courses €25 .
Tip: take a stroll round the lake before lunch, beware pasta portions are enormous, share them and hold out for the next course, then go down to the lake for a swim and a doze!
Osteria L’Eremo
Bistocco, Caldarola, Macerata Loc. Bistocco, 3, 62020 Caldarola, (0733 905409) The “Hermit” osteria is 15 minutes away in the hamlet of Bistocco. A small rustic osteria serving up classic local dishes and seasonal fayre with a little twist. Great reviews on tripadvisor and a sumptuous tasting menu.
Locanda Bonfranceschi, Belforte del Chienti
Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II n.9/10, 62020 Belforte del Chienti, (0733903782)Up in the Centro Storico of Belforte, 20mins from the villa is this Osteria that has a wide array of delicious seafood and fish dishes. The quality level of the cooking is very high and the trip advisor reviews reflect this.
I Piceni, Ortezzano
Piazza Marcello Savini 1, 63851 Ortezzano, (0734 778000) Worth the 40 min drive, I Piceni is a special place with fantastic panoramic views from the terrace. The menu is not expansive but the dishes presented are modern takes of traditional cuisine cooked very well. Fish is offered as well as game and vegetarian options too. Reasonably priced. Best to book if you want a terrace table.
