Thanks to its first-class products and an enviable reputation for producing quality wines, Verona is a must-see for avid connoisseurs and food lovers. Food in Verona is a pleasure, a form of art that has been passed on since the times of the Roman Empire and that we can still find on the tables of restaurants and taverns located throughout the region.
One of the most exquisite culinary specialties of Verona comes from a humble and common ingredient: the potato dumpling, or gnocco, recently certified with the trademark De.co (certified traditional dish made from local ingredients) which guarantees correct execution of the dish using the traditional recipe. “Papà Gnocco“ (Daddy Dumpling), a typical character and symbol of Carnival, is a delicious main course served with different sauces such as melted butter and Parmesan or sauce made with horse meat, the famous “Pastisada de Caval”.
Risotto “Tastasal” is also a renowned main entrée, prepared with a mixture of fresh ground pork, seasoned with salt and plenty of black pepper. The sauce on this dish utilizes the same ingredients used to make salame, and according to tradition, the farmer’s wives would cook the meat in order to taste (Tastar in local dialect) if it needed salt.
The Pearà is another typical dish of the city; a sauce that accompanies mixed boiled meats, traditional to most of the Verona region. Made with pepper, beef broth, breadcrumbs and beef bone marrow, it is a true delicacy, the perfect accompaniment to meats along with polenta gialla (yellow corn meal) a quintessential staple of the local cuisine.
Renga Parona is the ultimate treat for fish lovers, a traditional dish of herring and polenta commonly eaten on Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the Lenten season. Thanks to the city’s proximity to Lake Garda, fish like trout or pike are commonly available.
Verona is also famous for its cheese production, with the most popular being the Monte Veronese. Available in many varieties, it is rigorously prepared using milk cow from the alpine farmsteads of the Monti Lessini
The city offers also many typical desserts, such as the famous Pandoro di Verona or Nadalin, which are normally enjoyed during the Christmas season The Pandoro is renowned for its aesthetic simplicity, and the simple yet delicious dough, whereas the Nadalin is shaped like an eight-pointed star and covered with frosting, pine nuts and almonds. The Kisses of Juliet, another local delicacy similar to Baci di Dama, and the exquisite Sbrisolona, a crumbly and delicious dry cake that’s perfect fro breakfast, are available all year round.
Wine production in the Verona area deserves closer examination. Starting from the hills of Lake Garda, the vineyards stretch for the entire province to the Val d’Apone. Italy’s top DOC wine producer, the province of Verona offers an extensive variety of wines: Bardolino, Lugana, Custoza and Garda, produced in the Lake Garda area, Soave, Valpolicella and Amarone originated from the famous northern valleys of the province, and Enantio, an indigenous variety of grapes with an ancient tradition, cultivated on the Durello Lessini mountains further east and north along the Val d’Adige and Val Lagarina.
There are so many wineries and themed itineraries such as the “wine routes” to discover and sample Bacchus’ favorite nectar. An appointment not to be missed is “Cantine Aperte” (Open Cellars), which takes place every year on the last Sunday of May: wine cellars throughout the territory open their doors to enthusiasts and wine tourists who wish to discover the secrets behind the production and the varieties of Verona wines.