Val Pomaro

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Restaurant with Deep Roots in the Euganean Hills

Climbing the hill that leads to the medieval village of Arquà Petrarca, among the olive trees of the Colli Euganei, Val Pomaro has been welcoming guests since 1957. That longevity is not just a number — it reflects a kitchen that has consistently put, as the restaurant itself says, "il piacere per il palato" first. Gambero Rosso has taken notice, awarding the restaurant 2 slices in its guide, a recognition that speaks to the quality and consistency of what comes out of this kitchen.

Venetian Tradition, Constantly Evolving

The cooking at Val Pomaro sits at the intersection of Venetian tradition and modern cuisine. Classic dishes anchor the menu — house-made sopressa, ossocollo and pancetta served on a sharing board with warm focaccia, bigoli prepared in-house, and baccalà alla Vicentina made according to the rules of the Confraternita del Bacalà alla Vicentina. Alongside these, the kitchen produces menus "in continual evolution, born from the imagination and culinary art of the chefs." The result is a table where a tartare of beef with smoked burrata and truffle sits comfortably next to a braised guancetta slow-cooked with spices and potato purée.

Part of the raw ingredients are produced by the owners themselves — herbs, olive oil, and cured meats all prepared according to what the restaurant describes as ancient traditions. The wine list runs to over 150 Italian labels, with a particular preference for wines from the Euganean Hills.

Chef Andrea Cesarone and the Wider Project

Chef Andrea Cesarone is the name behind the kitchen, including the restaurant's artisan panettoni — hand-crafted seasonal confections in flavours such as chocolate and semi-candied raspberry, or the traditional orange, lemon and raisin version. The restaurant's reputation has grown enough that a spin-off, Val Pomaro Lab, has since opened in central Padua.

The Setting and the Table

The dining room is suited to candlelit dinners warmed by a fireplace, as well as celebrations and private events. In summer, the terrace opens for lunch in the open air. The gourmet pizza — made with stone-ground organic flour and a 36-hour double leavening — rounds out a menu that is broader and more considered than the setting might suggest. Desserts, the restaurant notes, are given particular attention: "being the last dish the guest eats, it must remain as a particularly pleasant memory."