In a small village in Abruzzo, there is one of the best trattorias in Italy

Since its opening, word had been spreading across various parts of Central Italy about this old osteria in Torano Nuovo, in Val Vibrata, brought back to life through the courage (and a good dose of recklessness) of two young people who decided to revive it. And this year, Osteria dei Maltagliati has been awarded the Tre Gamberi, the highest recognition for trattorias in our Ristoranti d’Italia guide.

Osteria dei Maltagliati, one of the best in Italy

The little gem run by Maicol Capriotti and Federica Brandimarte is not your classic provincial trattoria: it is a place that pulses with authenticity, capable of weaving together memory and modernity without ever slipping into caricature. The brick house that hosts it has a simple, disarming charm.

Inside, soft lighting creates a warm, almost homely atmosphere; outside, a small garden with hanging lights invites you to linger on summer evenings. Everything is on display, even from outside, thanks to a large window that opens onto the wood-fired oven, glowing embers and the workbench, in a constant flurry of dishes and pans. It’s a scene that feels both theatrical and deeply familiar: as if stepping into someone’s home kitchen

What to eat at Osteria dei Maltagliati

The welcome already sets the tone: homemade bread, lard lightened and brightened with lime. The cooking plays with its roots, unafraid to push boundaries. The spaghetti with pork dashi and onion – sometimes enriched with peas – is a stunning dish, both profound and delicate. The lamb with fermented lemon and agretti shows a confident hand, as do the grilled meats, from pigeon to pork: clean, juicy, memorable. And then there’s the roasted aubergine with stracciatella and wild garlic, seemingly simple yet executed with such precision that it becomes unforgettable. To accompany the dishes, there’s a very local wine list, featuring a few hidden gems.

The curtain falls with the torta di rose, served with cream and lemon: fragrant, buttery, generous – a dessert that smells of home yet hums with almost theatrical power. “A knockout dessert,” they’d say here with a smile – and they’d be right. The service is kind, at times unhurried, but the truth is, everything is forgiven in the face of such a luminous experience: one of those that, in Italy today, you come across all too rarely.