La Piazza Del Villaggio Ristorante

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

Where Pizza Meets Fine Italian Dining at 9,500 Feet

La Piazza Del Villaggio Ristorante, perched in the Sunset Plaza of Mountain Village above Telluride, Colorado, takes an approach that is refreshingly straightforward: two menus — La Pizzeria and La Piazza del Villaggio — merged into one, so a table can share a crispy, thin-crust Margherita alongside a plate of handmade Pappardelle Aragosta with Maine lobster without anyone feeling out of place. The spacious patio looks out over the surrounding peaks, making it one of the more memorable settings in which to eat Italian food anywhere in the American West.

The Menu: Rooted in Italian Tradition

The kitchen draws on recognizable regional Italian touchstones executed with quality sourcing. Antipasti range from a Burrata with heirloom tomatoes and Il Borgo del Balsamico Red Label to a Bresaola alla Valtellinese — thinly sliced cured beef loin with Italian white cabbage, pine nuts, and Grana Padano — and a classic beef Carpaccio finished with an 18-month aged Grana Padano and citrus emulsion.

Pasta is a serious matter here. The Rigatoni Bolognese uses local Tehama Patriarch Four Corners Black Angus for its meat sauce, while the Ravioli del Giorno arrives as handmade stuffed pasta that changes daily. For the main course, the Bistecca alla Griglia features Double RL Ranch PRIME New York Strip — a local Colorado ranch — brushed with extra virgin olive oil and finished with La Piazza's own salsa verde. The Agnello Scottadito, grilled rack of lamb chops with balsamic reduction, rounds out a secondi list that balances land and sea.

Pizzas stay true to their Italian roots: thin, crisp bases topped with combinations like the Valtellina (bresaola, arugula, extra virgin olive oil) or the Prosciutto with 18-month aged Prosciutto di Parma. Homemade gelato, Tiramisu, and a Torta Caprese — a warm flourless chocolate cake served with hazelnut gelato — close things out on a confident note.

Recognition and the Wine List

Wine Spectator recognized La Piazza Del Villaggio with its Best of Award of Excellence, a distinction that speaks to the depth and curation of the cellar — fitting for a restaurant where the Italian tradition of pairing food and wine is clearly taken seriously. Wine is even available to go alongside takeaway orders, a practical touch that reflects the restaurant's relaxed, guest-first attitude.

Whether you're settling in for a full Italian dinner on the mountain-view terrace or picking up a pizza after a day on the slopes, La Piazza Del Villaggio brings an honest, ingredient-led Italian experience to one of Colorado's most dramatic addresses.