Osteria del Trentino
Tucked into a narrow street near Piazza Duomo, this no-frills osteria has been feeding Piacenza's workers, lawyers and market traders for decades, and it remains the most reliable place in the city to eat the dishes that define local cooking. The handwritten daily menu changes with the seasons, the wine list is almost entirely local, and the tablecloths are paper — all of which is exactly as it sh
What to Order
Start with a mixed antipasto of the three DOP salumi — coppa, pancetta and salame — sliced thicker than you'd expect and served with a basket of locally baked bread. Resist the urge to fill up, because the first course is the real reason you came.
Pisarei e fasò are Piacenza's most emblematic dish: tiny gnocchi made from breadcrumbs and flour, simmered with borlotti beans in a slow-cooked tomato and lard soffritto. They are humble, deeply savoury and utterly addictive. The osteria's version is as good as any grandmother's.
The Local Wine Pairing
The Colli Piacentini DOC wines are criminally underrated outside the region. Ask for a carafe of Gutturnio — a blend of Barbera and Croatina — which is slightly sparkling (frizzante) and has a dry, cherry-fruited bite that cuts through the richness of the cured meats perfectly.
For dessert, the torta di cioccolato al caffè is made in-house and changes slightly each week depending on what the kitchen has to hand. It is never listed online. Just say yes when they offer it.
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