Where to eat in Spello: Umbrian cuisine of olive oil, truffle and pulses

Local specialties and traditional dishes

Spello, a medieval jewel climbing the slopes of Monte Subasio, boasts a cuisine that perfectly summarises Umbrian gastronomy. Here, extra virgin olive oil is the thread running through every dish, from the simplest bruschetta to the most elaborate first course.

Among first courses, strangozzi with Norcia black truffle is the culinary experience not to miss. This long, rough pasta, hand-rolled and dressed with a generous grating of truffle, oil and garlic, is a masterpiece of simplicity. Equally prized are umbricelli with wild boar sauce, spelt and pulse soups, and crostini with chicken liver, the classic starter of every Umbrian table.

For main courses, porchetta is the queen: whole roasted pig with wild fennel, garlic and pepper, cooked for hours in a wood-fired oven. Stuffed roast pigeon is a dish for special occasions. Game - wild boar, hare, pheasant - appears on autumn and winter menus. Among sides, Castelluccio lentils and sauteed chicory are essential.

Best trattorias and osterias

Spello is a small village but with a surprising density of good restaurants. The best trattorias are found in the lanes climbing towards Porta Venere and along Via Cavour, the main street of the old town.

The most authentic venues have stone vaults and solid wooden tables, where the menu is handwritten on a blackboard and changes with the seasons. In spring, wild asparagus and field herbs dominate; in autumn, truffle and porcini mushrooms; in winter, soups and braised meats.

Some trattorias outside the walls offer spectacular views over the Umbrian valley, with outdoor tables in fine weather. For a romantic dinner, seek out restaurants set in the ancient cellars of medieval palazzi.

The olive oil culture

Many restaurants in Spello offer extra virgin olive oil tastings before the meal. Monte Subasio oil - DOP Umbria, Moraiolo and Frantoio cultivars - is a product of world excellence, with bitter and peppery notes that make it unique. Always ask for the new oil when visiting between November and January.

Street food and snacks

In Spello's bakeries you will find torta al testo, a flatbread cooked on a cast-iron plate (the testo), filled with ham, sausage, wild herbs or stracchino cheese. It is the quintessential Umbrian street food. Porchetta shops sell sandwiches with freshly sliced porchetta, crispy outside and tender inside.

In pastry shops, look for torcolo di San Costanzo, a ring cake with pine nuts, raisins and anise, and rocciata, an Umbrian strudel with apples, walnuts and cocoa. For artisanal gelato, the shops in the centre offer truffle and ricotta with honey flavours.

Local wines

Spello falls within the Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG zone, one of the most powerful and tannic reds in Italy, perfect with red meats and game. Montefalco Rosso DOC, softer, is the everyday alternative. Among whites, Grechetto dei Colli Martani is fresh and versatile.

The wineries in the Montefalco area, a few kilometres from Spello, offer visits and tastings. Some organise vineyard dinners during summer, an unforgettable experience among the Sagrantino rows.

Markets and local products

Spello's market is held on Wednesday morning in the lower part of the village. You will find local farm products, dried pulses, spelt, Subasio honey, and pecorino cheeses of various ages. Artisan shops in the old town sell truffles, fresh pasta, oils and preserves.

During Spello's Infiorate (June), restaurants and shops offer special menus and themed products. In autumn, the Olive Festival and Bruschetta Sagra celebrates the new oil with free tastings.

Budget tips

Spello is more affordable than many touristy Umbrian destinations. Trattorias offer daily lunch menus between 12 and 16 euros, with first course, main and water. A stuffed torta al testo costs 4-5 euros and constitutes a full meal.

Avoid restaurants immediately in front of the main monuments. Wine bars with food offer boards of cured meats and cheeses with a glass of Sagrantino at reasonable prices, ideal for a light dinner. For groceries, farm producers along the road to Collepino sell oil and vegetables at farm-gate prices.