The restaurant adorned in solid stone, typical of the olden style hotels of the Cinque Terre and characteristic of the surrounding small towns of Pignone, Bracelli and Val di Vara, is elegantly appointed inviting a sophisticated clientele.
The menu is specially selected by the owners and offers a range of dishes typical of the Ligurian region. The restaurant boasts traditional cuisine of the Cinque Terre, Val di Vara, and surrounding towns of Pignone, Bracelli, Brugnato, and Corvara di Beverino accompanied with the finest wines from the Cinque Terre, Bolano, Calice and Colli di Luni.
The selection of foods is particularly suited to those who appreciate the rich and traditional flavours of the Ligurian region.
Val di Vara, also referred to as Valle del Biologico (“organic valley”), and in particular the territory of Varese Ligure, are well known for its organic produce offering top quality beef and lamb and a variety of authentic home made cheeses produced using traditional methods.
Also on offer in Val di Vara are a variety of herbs, vegetables, and legumes distinctive to the valley. One example is the “cenerino” bean (fagiolo cenerino), typical of the Pignone and Casale regions, which is a key ingredient in soups and is also enjoyed as a side dish (cooked and dressed with extra virgin olive oil) accompanied with traditional sausage.
Another distinctive vegetable is the onion of Pignone (la Cipolla di Pignone). Grown in the areas of Monti Casale di Pignone, Festiere and Pastine, the farming of this particular vegetable dates back to 800 AD. The red onion of Pignone (la cipolla rossa), is a flat, large oval onion that has a particularly sweet taste.
In addition to the specialties from Val di Vara to be enjoyed at the restaurant, is the Ligurian ravioli, which is made of pasta (using wheat flour) that is rolled by hand. Fillings include the traditional combination of beef, borage and the essential ingredient of marjoram or a lighter version with spinach and ricotta. Another pasta dish to try are tagliatelle, which is home made pasta made from eggs and flour. Green tagliatelle can also be ordered whereby the borage herb and the nettle plant are added to the egg based pasta.
The regions of Pignone and Brugnato offer a large variety of cheeses and cold meats, all available for tasting at the restaurant. Of particular note are the Caciotta cheese, mozzarella cheese of Brugnato and the cold meats of Pignone which are well recognised outside the region.
The towns of Beverino (Corvara and Bracelli), Calice al Cornoviglio, Sesta godano, and Brugnato are well known for their delicious cakes and desserts. Of particular mention is the Canestrello Brugnato (a delicious biscuit), which differs from other canestrelli in terms of size and ingredients such as honey and anise seeds that give the cenestrello its particular taste. (The area of Calice al Cornoviglio is also very well recognised for its production of honey.)
The Canestrello Brugnato (a typical cake) is the pride of this ancient town. It dates back to imperial times before the year 1000.
The dishes, all expertly prepared by the restaurateurs, are accompanied with the finest wines of the Ligurian region, such as the famous fortified dessert wine of the Cinque Terre known as Sciacchetra’, and other wines from the Cinque Terre and Val di Vara regions - all personally selected by the owners of La Campana d’Oro.