Wine Lovers town

Montefalco is a cozy culinary town that is dedicated to good restaurants and quality wines just like most of Umbria’s little towns. I have visited Montefalco 3 years in a row and from that I have drawn a mouth-watering guide to our favourite restaurants.

First of all, Montefalco is a great base for a few nights. It’s easy in terms of parking if you are traveling with car and it makes a great base for exploring its neighbouring photogenic towns. Secondly, the town is tiny but it has a wonderful safe feeling to it and the cobbled streets fill with wine/olive oil/pate shops while the remaining spaces fill with restaurants. Umbria is known for its meat culture, cold cuts, intense olive oil and full-bodied sagrantino wines that leave an elegant finish to the palette. Like tannins? Good, the wine is for you! Our favourite rosso riserva from the region is Pipparello, that is a full-bodied delight with a zing of bitter in the end. This wine works perfectly with mushrooms, truffles and meat. It resembles a bit of a barolo wine, which is why we love it so much. The drive across acres of olive groves and vineyards to Montelfaco is beautiful as it exists on hillside in the centre of Perugia. Often refered as to the “balcony of Umbria” because of its perched position of lush countryside, Montefalco is still authentic in style, where life is slow, elegant, based around its culinary delights. Below I’ve highlighted our favourite three restaurants that all serve outstanding food. Before dinner, be sure to sit in a corner wine bar on the piazza and listen to music, sample on cold cuts, olive oil bruschetta and have a glass of wine and enjoy the beauty of refined Montefalco.

Before dinner or lunch, have a scenic stroll around the medieval old town and fall in love with the area just like we did. It’s ultra photogenic and romantic, the church bells sing every hour and the narrow pebble streets line the lavender and hydrangea pots. Walk around the town and smell the most divine aromas from kitchens and make sure to capture sunset over the rolling Umbrian hills from the road right next to ristorante Teatro.

‘Top 3 restaurants’

1. Ristorante Locanda del Teatro (19, Piazza del Comune,)

Located in the hotel on the main square, cozy up in the courtyard terrace with the views of the sun setting. This is a top choice for us and I basically always order the same thing on the menu. I start with the chicken pistachio pate, then for a stuffed ricotta zucchini flower and for main, their speciality the meat loaf made from numerous meats. Also try the homemade stringozzi, topped with freshly shaved truffles! it’s a family run business and the father and sons remember us every time we revisit.

2. Ristorante Coccorone ( Via Tempestivi, 11)

A meat lovers restaurant. My husband always talks about the open flamed char grill and the + 1kg florentine steak they serve. The simple ingredients speak for themselves. I love the beef carpaccio or tartar and steak (t bone) served with porcini on top.

3. L’ Alchimista (Piazza del Comune 14)

This cozy restaurant also focuses on seasonal food and I remember in September, I sampled a variety of onions that come from the region. This restaurant also is a wine bar so you can get dishes from antipasti to full meals. Their tartar is also splendid and the take on onion soup was amazing.