Piacenza Food Guide — Cuisine & Gutturnio Wine of Emilia-Romagna
Piacenza sits at a culinary crossroads. Its position on the Po River, at the border between Emilia-Romagna and Lombardy, has shaped a cuisine that draws from both regions but remains proudly its own. The fertile Po Valley provides the wheat for fresh pasta, the river yields freshwater fish, and the rolling Colli Piacentini hills produce wines — Gutturnio, Bonarda, Ortrugo — that have earned DOC and DOCG status. Add in the cured meats for which Emilia-Romagna is justly famous, and you have a city where eating well is not a luxury but a way of life.
Essential Piacenza Dishes
Tortelli Piacentini
Piacenza's signature pasta dish. These fresh egg-pasta parcels are traditionally filled with ricotta, spinach, and a hint of nutmeg, then served simply with melted butter and a generous grating of grana padano. Some variations add amaretti biscuits for a subtle sweetness. The texture is delicate — the pasta thin enough to show the pale green filling through the translucent dough. You will find tortelli on every traditional menu in the city, from trattorias on Via Chiapponi to the restaurant inside Hotel Palace. They are best enjoyed with a glass of Ortrugo, the crisp white wine of the Colli hills.
Pisarei e Fasò
If tortelli are Piacenza's refined face, pisarei e fasò is its soul. This is cucina povera at its finest: small gnocchi made from breadcrumbs and flour, cooked with borlotti beans in a savoury broth, seasoned with lardo, onion, rosemary, and finished with a pour of good olive oil. The dish is humble, earthy, and deeply satisfying — exactly the kind of food that sustained farm workers in the Po Valley for centuries. Order it in autumn when the beans are at their peak. Pair with a young Gutturnio.
Coppa Piacentina DOP
Piacenza's most famous cured meat, coppa is made from the neck muscle of the pig, dry-cured and aged for at least six months. It has a distinctive marbled appearance — deep red meat threaded with creamy white fat — and a flavour that is sweet, savoury, and slightly spiced. Coppa piacentina earned DOP (Protected Designation of Origin) status in 1996, and together with pancetta piacentina DOP and salame piacentino DOP, forms the triumvirate of Piacenza's cured meat heritage. Ask for tagliere dei salumi Piacentini (a board of all three) at any decent wine bar.
Pancetta Piacentina DOP
Not to be confused with ordinary pancetta, Piacenza's version is made from the belly fat of heavy pigs (minimum 160 kg), dry-salted with pepper, garlic, and aromatic herbs, then rolled and tied. The result is intensely flavourful — the fat is sweet and buttery, the lean meat rich and savoury. Unlike many cured meats, pancetta piacentina is typically eaten raw, sliced thin, as part of an antipasto platter.
Salame Piacentino DOP
The third of Piacenza's DOP cured meats, this is a finely ground salami made from pork shoulder and belly, seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic, and white wine — often Gutturnio itself. It is aged for 45–60 days and has a soft, spreadable texture. Slice it thick for antipasto or enjoy it on fresh bread with a drizzle of local olive oil.
Anolini in Brodo
Pasta envelopes filled with a rich mixture of braised beef, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and nutmeg, served in a deeply flavoured beef broth. This is the traditional Christmas Eve dish in Piacenza, but many trattorias serve it year-round. The combination of delicate pasta and savoury broth is the ultimate winter comfort food.
Bortellina Piacentina
A savoury chickpea flour pancake, thin, golden, and crispy, cooked in olive oil and served hot. Simple — just chickpea flour, water, salt, and oil — but absolutely delicious. Street food stalls serve it at festivals and markets across the city. Vegetarian and naturally gluten-free.
Rice & Fish from the Po
Piacenza sits on the Po River, and the local cuisine reflects this. Look for risotto with river fish (coregone, luccio/pike, or anguilla/eel), or simply riso alla piacentina — rice cooked with sausage, mushrooms, and Gutturnio. The Po Valley is Italy's rice basket, and the local risottos are world-class.
The Wines of Piacenza — Colli Piacentini
The Colli Piacentini (Piacenza Hills) are among Italy's most underrated wine regions. The vines grow on clay and limestone soils at 150–400 metres elevation, cooled by breezes from the Po Valley and warmed by the southern sun. The wine culture here is ancient — the Romans planted the first vineyards, and the Etruscans before them. Today the region produces a wide range of styles from both international and indigenous grapes, but the heart of its production is four principal wines.
Gutturnio DOCG — The King of Colli Piacentini
Gutturnio is Piacenza's most important wine, awarded DOCG status in 2008. It is a blend of Barbera (minimum 60%) and Croatina (or Bonarda), producing a ruby-red wine with violet reflections. The flavour profile is medium-bodied with bright acidity, notes of red cherry, plum, and a subtle spiciness. There are two styles: Gutturnio Fermo (still, aged 6–12 months in oak) is robust and structured, perfect with red meats and aged cheeses. Gutturnio Frizzante (lightly sparkling, aged shorter) is fresher and fruitier, ideal with cured meats and pizza. Drink Gutturnio with coppa piacentina and grana padano for a perfect Piacenza pairing.
Bonarda — The Fizzy Red
Despite sharing its name with a Piedmontese grape, Piacenza's Bonarda is actually made from the Croatina grape (known locally as Bonarda), grown on the clay-rich hillsides. It is a fruity, lightly sparkling red wine (vivace or frizzante) with low tannins and notes of wild berries and violets. Slightly chilled, it is the perfect wine for an afternoon aperitivo or a casual lunch of salumi and bread. Don't let the bubbles fool you — Bonarda pairs beautifully with pizza, burgers, and even spicy salami.
Ortrugo — The Crisp White
Ortrugo is the white wine of the Colli Piacentini, made from the Ortrugo grape that is almost exclusively grown in this tiny corner of Emilia-Romagna. It is pale straw-coloured with green highlights, dry, with crisp acidity and notes of green apple, citrus, and white flowers. Some producers make a sparkling version (frizzante) that is light and refreshing. Ortrugo is a perfect aperitif wine and pairs beautifully with tortelli piacentini, fried fish from the Po, and fresh goat cheese.
Malvasia di Piacenza — The Sweet & Sparkling
The local Malvasia grape produces a sweet, aromatic, often sparkling wine that is Piacenza's answer to Moscato. It has floral and fruity notes of peach, apricot, and jasmine, with low alcohol (5–8%). Served chilled, it is a wonderful dessert wine and a local speciality not to be missed.
Where to Eat in Piacenza
Trattoria La Rossa — Via Tibini 9
A family-run institution serving Piacenza classics since 1950. Try the tortelli piacentini with butter and sage, followed by brasato al Gutturnio (beef braised in Gutturnio wine). Moderate prices, reservation recommended for weekend dinner.
Antica Osteria del Teatro — Via San Franchetti 13
An elegant osteria in the historic centre with a courtyard garden. The menu focuses on local ingredients with creative touches: anolini in brodo, risotto with Gutturnio and mushrooms, and a superb selection of local cheeses. Excellent wine list with extensive Colli Piacentini selection.
Osteria dell'Arco — Via Roma 19
Rustic, cosy, and beloved by locals. Specialises in pisarei e fasò and other cucina povera classics. The house Gutturnio is served by the carafe and pairs perfectly with the cured meat starters. No frills, just honest Piacenza cooking at fair prices.
Ristorante La Vigna di Merlino — Località Merlino, Colli hills
Ten minutes from the city centre, this restaurant sits among the vineyards of the Colli hills. The tasting menu (€45–55) showcases the best of Piacenza's ingredients with wine pairings from the adjacent cantina. Book for lunch to enjoy the vineyard views.
Pasticceria Callegari — Via XX Settembre 67
For dessert and coffee. Piacenza's finest pastry shop since 1870. Try the torrone (nougat) or sbrisolona (crumbly almond cake), both local specialities, with a perfectly pulled espresso.
Wine Tasting in the Colli Piacentini
The Colli Piacentini wine route is easily explored from Piacenza. The Strada del Gutturnio is a marked itinerary that winds through the hills south of the city, connecting more than 30 wineries, farm stays, and viewpoints. Most cantinas welcome visitors for tastings by appointment (call ahead or email — English is spoken at the larger producers). Top recommendations include Cantina Valtidone in Vigolzone for its comprehensive tasting of all Colli wines, Azienda Luretta in Gossolengo for its historic cellars and Gutturnio riserva, and Cantine Romagnoli in Vigolzone for Bonarda and Ortrugo. Tastings typically cost €10–20 per person and include three to five wines with local snacks.
Food Markets & Food Shopping
The Mercato di Piazza dei Mercanti every Saturday morning is Piacenza's main food market, where farmers from the Colli hills sell seasonal produce — porcini mushrooms in autumn, white truffles from the Piacentino hills in winter, and fresh pasta made by hand. For cured meats, head to Salumeria Bonfatti on Via San Siro, a fourth-generation salumeria where coppa piacentina is sliced to order. Enoteca da Marco on Via Chiapponi has an excellent selection of Colli Piacentini wines with knowledgeable staff who can recommend the perfect bottle. For olive oil, look for bottles labelled Colline Piacentine DOP — the local oil is buttery and fruity, with a peppery finish.
Seasonal Food Festivals
Piacenza's food calendar is full. The Sagra del Gutturnio in Vigolzone (early September) is the most important, dedicated entirely to the DOCG wine. The Sagra del Fungo Porcino in nearby Bobbio (October) celebrates the local porcini mushroom harvest. The Festa della Coppa Piacentina in Zibello (September) is devoted to the city's most famous cured meat. And throughout December, the Christmas market in Piazza Cavalli is surrounded by stalls selling local cheeses, cured meats, and mulled Gutturnio.
Eco-Friendly Dining in Piacenza
Piacenza's food scene has deep roots in the Slow Food movement, making it naturally aligned with sustainable travel. Many restaurants source ingredients from local producers within a 30-kilometre radius. Look for the km zero (zero-kilometre) label on menus, which indicates locally sourced ingredients. The Colli Piacentini hills are covered in organic vineyards, and the region's DOP cured meats come from pigs raised on traditional, low-impact farms. When you dine in Piacenza, you are participating in a food system that values quality over quantity and the land over the supply chain — and that, ultimately, is the most sustainable kind of eating there is.