To get to Savigno, a town on the outskirts of Bologna in the placid Valsamoggia you will have to, paraphrasing Edoardo Bennato, follow “the first star on the right”. Yes, this is the path to get to a gastronomic Neverland, to a strange hybrid of a (real and historic) trattoria that boasts a Michelin Star. Recognition that is usually given only to restaurants that make innovation and creativity their trademark and which here, instead, rewards memory and tradition. There Trattoria Da Amerigo it therefore represents a happy exception. Not the only one in Italy, but certainly the most representative, and for 27 years, when, surprisingly, the prestigious “macaron” arrived. Of course, the price to be paid, literally, is higher prices than one would expect in a country restaurant (but also decidedly lower than those of any starred restaurant). But it will have been worth it, because the cuisine, atmosphere and experience will leave their mark.
On the sign, proudly displayed, we read a figure: “1934”, the date of birth of the venue, which therefore turns 90 in 2024. And certainly many things (but perhaps not too many) have changed since a young innkeeper with the challenging name of Amerigo Vespucci and his wife Agnese decided to try an adventure in this small peasant village, with an activity that, as often times, it was a bit of everything: village bar, grocery shop, a few tables where you could eat some simple dishes, accompanied by one of the authentic wines of the Bolognese Hills. The years pass, the success consolidates, the difficult war years are overcome. The menu expands, the place grows, it becomes known for its good cuisine, and there are quite a few Bolognese people who leave the capital to arrive here on a gastronomic pilgrimage. But Amerigo and Agnese, who over the years are joined by their daughters Giuliana and Marisa, remain down to earth, maintaining a solid bond with the territory and their fellow villagers. So much so that a “television room” was set up upstairs in 1953, as often happened in small towns in the years before the economic boom, where bars or taverns were meeting places as well as restaurants. And so the villagers crowded together to see the great broadcasts of the time, starting with the Sanremo Festival and arriving, years later, at Studio 1 with Mina’s songs and the Kessler twins’ ballets. And this too is a piece of Italian history.
You should see them now, those rooms on the first floor! Someone has defined them, in fact with an excess of emphasis, “the Sistine Chapel of Savigno”. Without going that far, we can calmly say that it is a masterpiece of pop art, with the walls and ceiling entirely frescoed with the trompe l’oeil, among natural scenes, local products, Amerigo as a child with a mushroom as a hat and many other details that are nice to discover during the meal, looking around. A work that is the result of two years of work, and of an illustrious hand, that of Gino Pellegrini, a painter but above all one of the most illustrious set designers in the history of cinema (to be clear, he was responsible for the set-ups in films such as “2001: Odyssey in the space”, “Mary Poppins”, “The Birds” or “Planet of the Apes”. And the list goes on). An artist who lived the last years of his life in Savigno, frequenting and loving the restaurant. And becoming a friend of the man who, in 1988, gave up his career as a designer and took over the reins of the place: Alberto Bettini, Amerigo’s nephew.
That in this, as in many other things, brought a breath of fresh air, without however distorting the spirit of the restaurant. Indeed, in some ways exalting it, bringing the relationship with local producers (and also the quality of the products) to a higher level, and carrying out an almost philological research on many recipes that would best combine the deliciousness of Bolognese cuisine with the rusticity of that of the Apennines. Working side by side with his chef Giacomo Orlandi, who churns out dishes that are difficult to choose from, they are so enjoyable from the description.
Among the appetizers, for example, here is the liver pâté with Pignoletto passito candy and the pork head cutlet with mayonnaise. Among the first courses, Tortelli stuffed with Parmesan with ham cooked in a wood oven, the classic Tagliatelle with meat sauce (among the best in the Region) or Lasagne with white meat sauce. And as a second choice, from cod Bolognese to veal cheek braised in Barbera. With one, or rather two, extra goodies: the game, which varies daily based on availability; and, also in this case following the rhythm of the seasons, prized black and white truffles, which are one of the prides of Savigno, which dedicates a very popular festival to tartòfla every year. Fun is also guaranteed with the wine chapter, with a list dedicated to the Bolognese hills, and another, rich and profound, with bottles from the rest of Italy.
Trattoria da Amerigo
Via Marconi, 14-16 – Valsamoggia, loc. Savigno (Bologna)
Tel. 051 670 8326
Prices:
Appetizers: between 11 and 19 euros
First: between 16 and 32 euros (for a dish with white truffle)
Seconds: between 18 and 30 euros
Sweets: between 7 and 9 euros
Tasting menu: Classics at 50 euros and Discovery and Nature at 68 euros
The ideal meal?
Tigelle with Parmesan ice cream and traditional balsamic vinegar; Tagliatelle with meat sauce or Friggione ravioli; Veal cheek braised with Barbera or game of the day; Ricotta foam with saba
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