Contemporary cuisine, farmhouses and pinewoods. The hidden restaurant in the nature park near Como

by Alessandro Pirollo 

In the heart of the Parco Pineta, a protected natural area that stretches over more than 48 square kilometres of farmhouses, agricultural estates, pinewoods and chestnut groves, there is also a restaurant with a history dating back to the late 1960s, which today offers gourmet and contemporary cuisine. We’re talking about Ristorante Tarantola in Appiano Gentile, a well-known name for those living in the province of Como and – why not? – an ideal destination for those coming from Milan who want to immerse themselves in nature, for a trip that’s not too far afield (it’s reachable in about 45 minutes). Whether in the warmer months, when the outdoor tables are coloured by the sunset, or in the colder seasons, when the woods can be admired from one of the many indoor dining rooms in the structure.

Ristorante Tarantola: a family story

Ristorante Tarantola opened in 1969, but its origins go back much further, with Italo Benito Tarantola: from an early age, he dedicated himself to bread-making and, together with his brother Luigi and sister Carla, opened a bakery in Appiano Gentile. Every day he made deliveries, speeding through the pinewood on his motorbike – the very woodland that would one day host the family business. During these comings and goings, he met Anna: the two married, opened a pastry shop in Via Grillini 21 and ran a trattoria in San Bartolomeo. Finally, at the end of the 1960s, Tarantola was born – a restaurant that evolved over time and, following Italo’s premature death in 1984, managed to keep its roots strong, like those of the surrounding trees. Today, the family project (and the land it stands on) is cared for by the children Vittorio, Amalia and Mara, always supported by tireless mother Anna. Vittorio is the chef-patron, Amalia manages the spaces and events, Mara handles hospitality. Then there’s Maria Rosa, Vittorio’s wife and queen of the pastry shop (which still occupies its original site), and even their son, who helps tend the garden where aromatic herbs and lots of wild garlic grow.

People at the centre

The Tarantola family is an extended family, thanks to a constantly growing team that, for Vittorio, is more valuable than anything else: “At the beginning we had 10 employees, now there are 30 or 60 on weekends, all carefully supported with training and assistance,” the chef explains. “Valuing others starts with the people who work with us, because when you manage to do that, everything runs as it should. Work is only done well when there are people who believe in and are determined about what they do. Everything revolves around people – first the team, then of course the customers, whose feedback is always important to us.” A small example? “We were forced to put on sale the crispy flatbreads that we prepare in the pastry lab and serve alongside the bread, because customers kept asking for them!” It is indeed on customer feedback, as well as a passion for honest cooking and a focus on high-quality ingredients, that the culinary offering at Ristorante Tarantola is built.

The cuisine at Tarantola

“Our style of dining is gourmet, sometimes even quite bold, and seeks to interpret seasonality and the value of raw ingredients. On our menus there are dishes with a distinctly contemporary language, but anyone who’s after a classic Milanese cutlet won’t be disappointed,” says Vittorio. The menu, a journey through the best of Italian tradition, consists of two tasting menus – one from the sea and one from the land – as well as an à la carte menu. The focus is on seasonal ingredients and technique. Take, for example, the garganelli with wild garlic pesto, marinated peaches and raw tuna. “As for the wild garlic, we preserve the chlorophyll so it retains its emerald tone, then combine it with marinated peaches. The tuna is blast-chilled weekly to guarantee maximum freshness,” Vittorio explains.

That same attention to detail is tasted in the second course of squid and octopus with thyme, lemon, lettuce, peas and dill – so tender it’s hard to believe: “The octopus is carefully selected, cooked twice – first at 90 °C for an hour and a half, then finished in the pan – and finally served with the heart of the lettuce emulsified with extra virgin olive oil (which comes from Montecorvino, also the result of constant ingredient research). There’s a lot of play with refined contrasts and aromas: like the venison cutlet with blueberries and hibiscus, beetroot cream and sweet-and-sour red onions, or the fresh pasta ravioli filled with burrata, tomato water, basil and burnt lemon, or the raw dish of amberjack, sea bass, violet prawn, matcha tea, spherified mojito and wasabi. To top it all off, wine lovers can enjoy a vast selection of around 700 labels (across all price ranges), personally curated by Vittorio, who is also a sommelier. The research is constant, and each season brings its own surprises, with dishes that change just like the colours of the surrounding forest.