Umbria a Tavola

Though less celebrated than famous gourmet destinations such as Emilia-Romagna or Tuscany, Umbria is much loved by the Italians themselves. They come for its delicious black truffles, but also for the bounty of Norcia, renowned for its charcuterie. In the Middle Ages, its farmers became known as excellent producers of ham and sausage (they fed their pigs on wild acorns). Many traveled to neighboring regions, which is why one of the Italian words for “butcher” eventually became norcino.

Today, the thick walls that surround Norcia house one of the largest concentrations of gourmet food shops in Italy. The town is a popular weekend outing for Romans, who drive up to have lunch in one of the many excellent restaurants and then buy hams and other charcuterie. There is also caciotta (a type of locally produced cheese), lentils from nearby Castelluccio (considered to be the best in Italy), truffles (whole or made into pastes and sauces) and other mushroom products.

Two of the many excellent food shops in Norcia include Antica Norcineria Fratelli Ansuini, one of the city’s finest traditional butchers, and Moscatelli Tartufi, a terrific grocer specializing in local produce, especially truffles. The restaurant not to miss in Norcia is Vespasia (dinner for two, $380) at the Palazzo Seneca hotel (see our review).

While Norcia is the gourmet capital of Umbria, good food is found everywhere in this gastronomically blessed region. Here is a selection of our favorites:

Assisi: Pallotta

In tourist-heavy Assisi, it’s not easy to find a quality, reasonably priced spot for lunch in the heart of town, which is why we appreciated this popular restaurant so much (reservations are essential). To be sure, you’ll hear almost every language in the world spoken here, but the pasta is homemade, and daily specials such as pork fillet with Parmesan in Marsala wine sauce are delicious. Lunch for two, $120.

Montone: L’Antica Osteria

Montone is a walled medieval village 25 miles north of Perugia. This lively osteria serves great rustic Umbrian dishes such as toast with lardo (finely sliced salt pork) and a spread of potato and Savoy cabbage, amazingly good charcuterie, and roast wild boar. It also has a great selection of Umbrian red wines. Lunch for two, $100.

Orvieto: Vissani

Michelin two-star Vissani enjoys a picturesque location amid vineyards on the shore of Lake Corbara, 15 miles east of Orvieto. At first glance, the interior can seem a little trendy, but thankfully, chef Gianfranco Vissani’s cuisine is consistently imaginative. A starter of wild asparagus soup came with three quail eggs topped with caviar. For a main, I tried the lamb fricassee with artichoke and lemon gratin, accompanied by a bowl of lamb consommé with a cube of foie gras. The wines, too, showed conspicuous flair. We started with delightfully yeasty flutes of 2003 Muratori Villa Crespia “Cisiolo,” a unique zero-dosage blanc de noirs from Franciacorta. Afterward, we savored the spice, finesse and ripe, dark fruit of a 2010 Cantine del Notaio “Il Sigillo,” a single-vineyard Aglianico del Vulture that paired wonderfully with the lamb. Service was friendly and obliging throughout. Dinner for two, $250.

Perugia: Osteria a Priori

This friendly spot in the heart of Perugia became one of our favorites over the course of a long lunch on a rainy Saturday. The menu changes all the time, but dishes to look for include torchioli pasta with eggplant, gnocchi with Sagrantino wine sauce, Chianina beef carpaccio, and porchetta (roast suckling pig) with panzanella salad (made with bread and tomatoes). Don’t miss the delicious freshly baked crostata (jam tart) for dessert. Lunch for two, $100.

Perugia: La Taverna

Popular with the locals, this well- run traditional restaurant has an appealing menu that offers lighter dishes (grilled chicken salad, for example) with sturdy regional favorites such as chickpea soup with rosemary and baby shrimp, and pappardelle with an Umbrian meat sauce. Sautéed salmon with tarragon and tuna steak with red pepper will appeal to anyone looking for a less carnivorous meal than the usual fare. Dinner for two, $140.
In addition, just outside Perugia, we had an excellent meal at Il Postale, in the Castello di Monterone (see our review). Dinner for two, $185.

Spoleto: Il Pentagramma

Created in 1959, this friendly and well-regarded restaurant is a favorite of the artists who come to perform at the Spoleto Festival. Start with one of the homemade pastas or maybe the famous fava bean soup, and then enjoy local sausages or a steak grilled over the woodburning fireplace. Dinner for two, $120.

Montefalco: Coccorone

Here, we had a delightful lunch on the sunny terrace (see our review). Lunch for two, $85.