Osteria al Duca
Tucked into a 13th-century palazzo a stone's throw from the Arena, Osteria al Duca is the kind of place Veronese families book for Sunday lunch — unhurried, unpretentious and deeply serious about the local wine-soaked cooking that defines this corner of the Veneto.
What to order
Start with the pastissada de caval, a centuries-old Veronese horse-meat ragù served on polenta — it sounds confronting and tastes extraordinary, sweet-savoury and deeply perfumed with red wine and spices. This dish was allegedly invented after the Battle of Borghetto in 489 AD, when fallen horses were slow-cooked to feed the city.
The risotto all'Amarone is the main event: short-grain Vialone Nano rice (the Veneto's indigenous variety, with a protected designation) cooked slowly in Amarone della Valpolicella wine until it turns a deep burgundy and tastes of dried cherries, dark chocolate and woodsmoke. It is one of the most distinctive risottos in Italy.
Finish with a slice of torta di mandorle — a dense, moist almond cake made without flour — alongside a small glass of Recioto di Soave, the local amber dessert wine.
The wine list and the setting
The wine list reads like a love letter to the Valpolicella DOC: Amarone, Ripasso and Valpolicella Classico from producers including Allegrini, Bertani and Masi, all at prices that feel generous by Italian city standards.
The dining room occupies vaulted brick arches on the ground floor of the medieval palazzo, lit by candles at dinner. In summer a handful of tables spill onto a small courtyard. Both settings are romantic without being contrived.
Practical details
Osteria al Duca is located at Via Arche Scaligere 2, steps from the Scaligeri tombs — the ornate Gothic mausoleums of Verona's ruling family, which are worth ten minutes of your time before or after eating.
Reservations are strongly recommended for dinner and weekend lunch. The kitchen closes firmly at 2:30 pm for lunch and 10 pm for dinner — Italians eat on schedule and so should you.
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