Alba-based producer Ceretto has more than just its Barolos and Barbarescos to be proud of, its restaurant, Piazza Duomo, which opened in 2005 has quickly amassed a formidable following among diners and oenophiles with three Michelin stars under its belt and a new high ranking of No. 16 on this year’s World’s 50 Best Restaurants list.
In line with Ceretto’s philosophy in wine – making wines that are faithful translators of the top crus in Langhe and Roero – the restaurant, helmed by chef Enrico Crippa, who along with chef Massimo Bottura has become one of the most innovative Italian chefs working today, also seeks to create inventive modern Italian dishes with fresh produce grown in its own biodynamic garden with abundant vegetables, herbs and flowers.
Officially opening its doors in 2005, within years it had earned three Michelin stars, lauded for its thoughtful use of ingredients, artistic presentation and meticulous techniques of the chef learned from Japan.
Located close to Piazza del Duomo, the gourmet atelier Enrico offers an à la carte menu, a truffle menu and three tasting menus – titled ‘Mo(ve)ments’, ‘Langhe Now’ and ‘La Degustazione’ priced between €240 and €270.
‘Langhe Now’ in particular aims to highlight seasonal local produce including lentils, hazelnuts and beef to name a few.
Perhaps its most known and talked about dish is the elaborate salad called ‘Salad 21, 31, 41, 51’, hailed by The Telegraph as “the world’s most extravagant health food”. The lush and meticulous plating of vegetables, herbs and leaves sourced from its greenhouse garden is what captured a diner’s palate and eyes with bursts of flavours and colours.
The precise components of the salad varies according to the season, hence the name, which dictates the number of ingredients in the dish.
Adding to the whole dining experience is the fresco painted by Neapolitan artist Francesco Clemente in the ‘pink room’, featuring a giant grape leaf, homage to the Ceretto family, with vines linking four different walls with images inspired by Langhe landscape.
Just as the menu is seasonal, so is the restaurant’s wine list. No matter the season though, the list always encompasses a diverse range of wines from Piemonte to Burgundy put together by sommelier Vincenzo Donatiello.
Address: Piazza Risorgimento, 4, 12051 Alba
Contact: +39 0173 366167
Website: https://www.piazzaduomoalba.it/en/
