Cannavacciuolo Le Cattedrali

A Starred Table in the Monferrato Hills

Chef Antonino Cannavacciuolo's starred restaurant is set within the exclusive Laqua Collection relais in Valleandona — a destination in its own right, commanding panoramic views over the Asti hills and housed in a property that takes the idea of a hillside retreat seriously. The wine list runs to 2,000 labels, covering the full breadth of Piedmontese winemaking from the local Barbera and Grignolino of the Astigiano to the great names of the Langhe and beyond. The setting alone earns the drive.

The tasting menus balance Campanian technique with Piedmontese ingredients — a combination that works better than it sounds, because Cannavacciuolo understands both traditions with genuine depth. The kitchen does not feel like a transplant from somewhere else: it feels like a considered interpretation of a specific landscape and its produce, filtered through a southern Italian sensibility that has found its footing here. Booking weeks in advance is essential; tables at this level in the territory go quickly.