RESTAURANTS  + FOOD& WINE FESTIVALS ("Sagre")

RAY advises:  Here are Ray’s views on a few restaurants locally situated

Some general points

Quality & Value for Money – We’ve rarely come across a bad restaurant, albeit some are not very exciting. Prices are around Euro 20\25 per head, sometimes a little less if you have, as we often do, just one course & house wine.

Booking. We tend to go “on spec” and it almost always works (and in any case there is always somewhere else to move on to!) I accept that for bigger families it is perhaps safer to book, but even then often not necessary. I’ve tried to indicate where restaurants are not open the usual 6 days a week (Closing days vary but beginning of the week is favourite).

Credit cards. They’re not accepted in all restaurants. Where I can remember, I’ve indicated below those that are “cash only”.

Service varies, and typically can be more “relaxed” than elsewhere. Speed of service can normally be good until the restaurant is too busy for the no. of waiters, at which point some restaurants seem to buckle under. The best response to this is to be proactive and ensure that one is not overlooked. I would not choose to “be just fitted in”.

Tipping. This is not as “mandatory” as in the UK as, nominally at least, service is included. However good service is usually rewarded with a few Euros, especially where the waiting staff are employees, say in a larger restaurant.

Vegetables.“I Contorni” usually need to be ordered separately.

Food & Wine Festivals ("SAGRE"). Most of the local towns and villages have, at least once a year, a "Sagra". This is a festival of food, when you can go along and make your choice from a simple menu and eat, usually on long trestles. They are normally fairly well advertised on small posters. "Sagre" are usually held in the local town square, or an adjacent field. Sometimes there is adjacent entertainment, such as bands & (old-style) dancing at Gradoli during its “Aleatico in Festa”. Not haute cuisine, but a pleasant change and quite entertaining.                                                                                                                   

ACQUAPENDENTE

Trattoria Toscana

p.zza N. Sauro, 5

Tel. 0763.711220

Closing

Wednesday

BOLSENA

Il Tempio di Norzia

Largo Mazziotti, 4

Tel. 0761- 797152
cell. 347-6155820

Monday

Tanaquilla

Via Marconi, 100

tel 0761-799686

Tratt. Da Picchietto

Via Porta Fiorentina, 14

Tel. 0761- 799158

Monday

Il Gabbiano

Via Cadorna, 2

Tel. 0761- 799142

Wednesday

(The seagull) (80 m. to the left of “The one on stilts). We like to sit on the terrace on the beach. Simple single page menu. Good plates of starters such as "Antipasto del Lago

 And del Mare". (The latter is perhaps for a more adult taste as it sometimes contains marinated raw sardines). Very nice "frittura" for the main course. Probably 50 or so Euros for a family of 4. Some folk have complained at service being slow.                                                                                                      

FARNESE

La Piazzetta del Sole

Via XX settembre 129

Tel. 0761.458606

Wednesday

GRADOLI

Il Purgatorio 

Lungolago di Gradoli, Loc. S. Magno

Tel. 368 - 514322

Thursday

Is probably preferred by many because of the unique position with a great view of the Lake Bolsena. Outside practically tables are on the shore and the restaurant is close to a number of beaches where to enjoy a swim. Service can be slow if they’re busy. Lake and sea fish are among the specialties of the place.

La Ripetta 

Via Roma, 38 -

Tel 0761.456100, 0761.456643

GROTTE DI CASTRO

Le Grotte

Via Vittorio Veneto 89/96

Tel 0763-796197

About 5 minutes from S.Cristina Castle this good restaurant is easy to get to. It is in the main street as you go down into the village: on the left-hand side before you come to the Post Office (which is on the right). With a very friendly atmosphere it is “typically Italian“. Its wide and varied menu includes an excellent fish soup as well as a variety of meat, pastas and pizzas. Service is good, as is the quality and value for money. An excellent place to go, right on the doorstep.                                                                           

LATERA

La Cantina del Mago

Via F. Annibali, 5

Tel 0761- 459040

Carnivores only. Cash only. A most unusual place. Indoors and crowded, and full of atmosphere! No menu (that I’ve seen ) and very little english spoken, if any. That won’t matter if you’re happy to take what comes and be thrilled by the experience. The "antipasti"contains many tasty surprises, including some wonderful “dough balls” with insides such as melted cheese or anchovy, interesting "bruschette" & "crostini"- as well as some meat dishes. The pasta course offers 3or 4 pasta types & 3 or 4 sauces, each of your choice.

I "secondi" (the second course) offer a variety of cuts of pig, including liver and sausage. If you want the chef/waiters will show you the options. This is a vibrant busy place and can be fun if you’re in the mood. If the children are restless and you’re not really hungry then you might well find it oppressive.  It’s set amongst the labyrinthine streets of charming Latera. As you emerge, feeling happily the size of a house, be prepared for a bit a of a walk back to the car. Park where you can. You’ll see a 250 m. sign to the restaurant at one point. Continue along the ridge and turn left at the end. Descend to the T-Junction ahead of you and turn right. It is immediately to the left. Book at least a day in advance.

Tratt. La Buca

contrada Buca

Tratt. Fra’ Viaco

Tel 0761.422070

This could easily be our favourite, and amongst the best for value as well. Closed on Mondays it is open at 1pm for Lunch (Pranzo) and 8pm for Supper (Cena). It is worth arriving at say Noon, at the latest, booking verbally and then spending the time until 1 pm down at the lake, which is beautiful and where you can swim. It’s about 500m., quite steep, but a worthwhile effort. 

GETTING THERE!!! It is in the back of beyond & there are potholes on the various dirt tracks – so drive slowly & carefully. However, as with the walk down to the lake, most people agree the effort is very worthwhile.

1) 0km - Start at the Latera Turn opposite the Shell Station, at the “Junction of the Valentano / Pitigliano/Grotte/Gradoli Roads. Go Down the hill all the way, keeping Latera on your right & not entering it.

2) 2.5Km. Yes it is that far down the hill! As the road evens you might notice a very small Chiesa, but more obviously is the rather large layby-looking right-hand turn (Just after you’ve turned off the main road into this route you will see a large-ish “energy-project” notice board. The road narrows, with walls and goes up and then down, at the bottom of which….

3) 3.1Km …you come to a T. Bear Right onto a wider road, but unmade.

4) 4.1Km. Turn left (instead of keeping straight) over a sort of bridge, with crash barriers (-ish!)

5) 4.6Km. Turn right (instead of bearing left) through fields, and for the next 1.6Kms keep to this road, ignoring any right or left turns, even though the surfaces may be better, until…

6) 6.2Kms bear left, following a Il Sentiero dei Briganti sign (ISdB).(Again this is reall keeping on the same road)

7) 6.8Kms. Bear Left at the Y Junction (ie: Do not go straight ahead) For the next Kilometer just follow the track, which is not terribly straight and also inclines a little (The surface is not getting any better either !)

8) 7.8 Kms You have arrived !!!! Take the last gateway, marked with a fairly small wooden sign “Azienda Agrituristica Fra Viaco”

 The Saltimbocca is to die for! (as they say!)                                                                                              

MARTA

S. Egidio

Via G.Garibaldi, 80

Tel. 0761- 871543

Da Gino al Miralago 

Largo Marconi, 58

Tel 0761.870910
Cell 339 5822444

ORVIETO

PITIGLIANO

La Porta

PROCENO

Agrit. La Franciola

Tel. 0763.710035

Castello di Proceno

Tel 0763.710072
Tel 0763.710367

SAN LORENZO NUOVO

Tratt. Da Millo

Lungolago S.Lorenzo Loc. Oppietti

Tel 0761-727300

season

On the beach of S.Lorenzo Nuovo same thing as the restaurant above by the lake, 20 meters on the same road after Filoni, same cuisine slightly more rustic. Well positioned by the lake, quiet and with space for the children to enjoy.

Tratt. Filoni 

Tel 0763-727484

On the beach of S.Lorenzo Nuovo. Coming from Grotte di Castro as you turn right onto the statal road Via Cassia next to a big nursery shop you turn right immediately after 20 metres and again right once at the lake front, follow the road to the end. Tipical local restaurant, you can eat by the lake shore (lovely for lunch) or indoor by the huge windows.

Very nice local cuisine, lake fish or sea fish, pork and lamb, vegetables with all sorts of delicious pasta. 

VITERBO

Il Monastero

Via Fattungheri, 8

Tel 0761- 324346

Wednesday

Al Paradosso

Wednesday

Il Richiastro

Via della Marrocca 16/18

Tel 0761.228009

L’Antico Casale

Str. Sammartinese 50
(S.Martino al Cimino)

Tel. 0761-291032