Nove
Alassio, Italy
⭐1 Star
The Experience
From Michelin Guide
It’s difficult to imagine a more exclusive setting for a restaurant than the Villa della Pergola, a splendid historic residence surrounded by a delightful botanic garden (which can be visited for a fee and by prior appointment), with a spectacular balcony offering views of the sea in the distance – it’s well worth the drive with its narrow hairpin bends to get here. Here, new chef Antonio Romano, who has worked with Heinz Beck, creates modern dishes based on local ingredients and vegetables sourced mainly from the property’s own biodynamic kitchen garden, L’Orto Rampante. Among the many delicious dishes, we particularly enjoyed the glazed veal sweetbreads with paprika, artichokes, black chickpea hummus, and lime from the garden. Added to this are the superb, exclusive guestrooms and tranquil surroundings, despite the proximity to Alassio which extends beyond the villa gardens.
Unique Things
From Visitor Experiences
Unique Setting in a Historic Villa with Botanical Garden
Nove is located within the splendid Villa della Pergola, a historic residence surrounded by one of Italy's most beautiful botanical gardens. This setting offers a spectacular balcony view of the Gulf of Alassio and a unique ambiance combining natural beauty and historic architecture, making the dining experience exclusive and memorable.Use of Ingredients from an Onsite Biodynamic Kitchen Garden
The restaurant sources most of its vegetables and herbs from its own biodynamic kitchen garden called L’Orto Rampante. This close connection to the garden allows the chef to maintain a daily relationship with the growers and ensures the freshest, seasonal ingredients are used in the dishes, reflecting the territory's flavors.Creative Modern Cuisine Rooted in Local Traditions
Chef Antonio Romano, who has experience working with Heinz Beck, creates modern dishes inspired by local Ligurian traditions and ingredients. Signature dishes include glazed veal sweetbreads with paprika, artichokes, black chickpea hummus, and lime from the garden, showcasing a creative yet regionally authentic culinary style.
Ingredient Stars
From Visitor Experiences
The most honored or signature ingredients at the Michelin-starred restaurant Nove in Alassio include:
Veal Sweetbreads: Featured in a signature dish glazed with paprika, served alongside artichokes, black chickpea hummus, and lime from the garden. This ingredient highlights the chef's skill in elevating traditional offal with refined flavors.
Artichokes: Used fresh from the local or garden sources, artichokes complement dishes like the veal sweetbreads, adding a vegetal, slightly nutty contrast.
Black Chickpeas: Made into a hummus that accompanies the veal sweetbreads, showcasing local legumes in a creative, textural role.
Lime from the Garden: Citrus elements such as lime are sourced from the villa’s own biodynamic garden, adding fresh, aromatic brightness to dishes.
Local Ligurian Vegetables and Herbs: The kitchen relies heavily on local Ligurian products, including herbs and vegetables from the Villa della Pergola’s botanical garden, emphasizing purity and simplicity in flavor to let each ingredient shine.
These ingredients are significant as they reflect the restaurant’s philosophy of using predominantly local, biodynamic produce and traditional Ligurian elements, prepared with modern techniques to create refined, balanced dishes. The veal sweetbreads dish in particular exemplifies this approach by combining rich offal with fresh garden produce and spices. The use of garden-grown citrus and herbs further personalizes the dishes, connecting them directly to the villa’s unique environment.