Le Calandre

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

A Living Chapter of Italian Culinary History

To dine at Le Calandre is to take a bite out of Italian culinary history. Nestled in Rubano, just outside Padova, this landmark restaurant was taken over in 1994 by brothers Massimiliano and Raffaele Alajmo — known to all as Max and Raf — from their parents, setting in motion one of the most remarkable stories in contemporary Italian cuisine. Over three decades, they have transformed it into an icon of gastronomic innovation and the cornerstone of the Alajmo Group, which now encompasses restaurants across Italy, France, and Morocco.

The Brothers Behind the Vision

Chef Massimiliano Alajmo leads the kitchen with a philosophy rooted in lightness, depth of flavour, and fluidity. As he himself puts it: "Like a needle pulling thread through a series of successive holes to create a delicate but sturdy seam, cuisine binds us together without us even realizing it." Inspiration flows from looking at the world with a childlike curiosity — from seasonal ingredients, art, and a relentless research into the nature of each element on the plate. At the front of house, Raffaele, Maître des Lieux, ensures that every guest feels the warmth of a family home woven seamlessly into an atmosphere of refined elegance.

A Dining Room as Art Object

The multi-sensory experience begins long before the first course. In the sleek, dimly lit dining room, tables are carved from a single 300-year-old ash tree, each one spotlighted by sculptural lamps by designer Davide Groppi. There are no tablecloths — the table itself is Massimiliano's canvas. Even the hand-blown water glasses carry the chef's own fingerprint, a quietly poetic signature of the care that permeates every detail.

Menus That Move with the Seasons

Guests may choose from three tasting menus or compose their own experience of three, four, or five courses. The Classici menu celebrates signature dishes from across the years, while the Max and Raf menus shift with the seasons. Among the most celebrated creations is the Cappuccino Murrina — a reinvention of the iconic Cuttlefish Cappuccino first conceived in the late 1990s — now a tribute to Venice's glass-blowing heritage, blending potato and chive cream with cuttlefish, sea urchin, beetroot, and spirulina. The Risotto Passi d'Oro, with its golden saffron hue and bold black liquorice, pays homage to Roberto Barni's sculpture at the Uffizi. Desserts, too, push boundaries: a cassata served with earplugs invites diners into a world of pure sensation, while a deceptively simple mozzarella ball conceals a glass-like shell of egg whites, honey, and sugar around a delicate almond foam.

Recognised Among the World's Finest

Le Calandre has featured in The World's 50 Best Restaurants every year since 2006, reaching as high as #10 in 2022 and ranking #31 in 2025 — a testament to the enduring brilliance of Massimiliano Alajmo's Italian cuisine and the unbroken commitment of the entire Alajmo family to excellence.