Matteo Grandi in Basilica

Situated on the first floor of a beautiful building facing the Renaissance-style Basilica Palladiana, this restaurant run by Matteo Grandi and Elena Lanza boasts an elegant, contemporary-style dining room with windows offering views of the piazza. Chef Matteo now offers a new surprise menu, where guests simply decide on the number of courses they want (usually three, five or eight) and he does the rest, creating delicious cuisine prepared from the best ingredients available in the market that day – which means, of course, that the dishes can change daily. What remains unchanged, however, is his expertise and his intention to serve ingredients without adding unnecessary frills, just the occasional Asian twist thanks to his previous experience working in China. Elena continues to welcome guests and oversee the front of house, assisted by the sommelier and an impressive wine list. The bread here is also excellent.

A first-floor dining room facing Vicenza’s Basilica Palladiana, with a surprise menu where guests choose the number of courses and the kitchen writes the rest from the day’s market. The style keeps the plate stripped back, with the occasional Asian twist reflecting time spent cooking in China. Front of house is built around an engaged wine service and a serious list, with strong house bread as a quiet calling card.

The kitchen’s headline is ingredient-first cooking that follows the daily market, with plates designed to stay lean and precise rather than baroque. Expect prime seasonal produce, seafood, and meat, with occasional Asian accents used as seasoning rather than theme.

Surprise menu priced by length: 3 courses 130€, 5 courses 180€, 8 courses 200€. Extras available, dessert supplement 20€. Tea pairing route, 40€.