We are in the historic village of Romagnano, a hamlet of the municipality of Grezzana, north-east of Verona, in Valpantena, at the foot of the Lessini Mountains. A place that is a long way from the noise of the city and secluded, though not far, from the connecting roads and within easy reach of SP 6 dei Lessini road; just 10 minutes away from the VR-EST motorway exit. Valpantena, a valley covered in vineyards where excellent grapes are grown for the production of red wines such as Amarone, rises up from Verona towards the Lessini Mountains.

The restaurant is part of a major project of renovation and development by the Zecchini family, that bears witness to an entrepreneurial tradition steadfastly linked to this territory. A historic residence that belonged to one of the most important noble families in Italy, it is the oldest Venetian Villa in Valpantena and is listed in the Register of Regional Venetian Villas as Villa Maffei Medici Balis Crema. The courtyard is composed of three units: the central building, the Villa, once used as a noble residence; the right building, used as the caretaker’s house and, on the left, the barchessa, the old stable.
The whole complex is immersed in a large brolo, a vegetable-garden-orchard, bordering on land cultivated with vineyards and olive groves, which remain at the disposal of the restaurant.

The vegetable garden is the place where the secrets of our dishes are concealed: with its concentric form and organic nature with biodynamic tendencies, it occupies an area of 2000 square meters, overlooking the restaurant just a few steps from the kitchen. The softness of the earth, worked with care by expert hands, the slow rhythms of the seasons are our natural pantry, which throughout the year, allows us to offer ingredients of the highest quality for a genuine and responsible cuisine.
It is here that everything begins. Our idea of cooking has firm, zero kilometre roots!
It is a garden that supports and defends itself, thanks to what we like to call the “collaboration” between plants.
Cultivation depends primarily on observing the lunar calendar. For each of the 12 zodiacal constellations it crosses, the moon manages to stimulate the growth of a variety of plants at their own optimal time.
In addition, the use of natural fertilizers, such as nettle, horsetail or animal manure, is one of the pillars of biodynamic agriculture.
How does it work? Plants, which in nature are able to stimulate each other’s growth, are placed close to each other: for example, tomato roots promote the growth of celery.
This is the beauty we are fortunate enough to surround ourselves with and draw from. For a wholesome, down-to-earth cuisine.