10 Best Local Restaurants in Verona

Osteria Ljetzan offers wonderful flavours with a touch of the unusual. It's in Selva di Progno, a mountainous area outside Verona that's a starting point and landmark for hikers. Their original cuisine comes down to the charcoal they use. The brothers who run the restaurant obtain it by using the ancient Cimbri method. Food cooked on these embers has an unmistakable flavour. The house special is trota (trout), but there’ are also coniglio (rabbit), cervo (venison) and selvaggina (game). Another unique element is the wild herbs that flavour the dishes, which the landlord collects from local fields and woods. The pasta, mustard, jams and just about everything on the table are homemade. Save room for a truly delicious dessert.

Book a table at Osteria Ai Osei if you want to try typical Veronese food that doesn't cost the earth. It's in the Veronetta district, on the left bank of the Adige where the city’s first populated centre developed. The warm, painted walls and furnishings create a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere, the service is fast and friendly, and the dishes are traditional. 

You could start with salumi e formaggi (cold cuts and cheeses) followed by the house special, bigoli, a long pasta similar to spaghetti, with sarde (sardines). For the main course, pick a local speciality, like polenta e baccalà (salted codfish). For vegetarians and coeliacs, there are tasty vegetable and gluten-free options. Choose from an excellent selection of wine and fantastic homemade desserts.

Osteria Locandina Cappello offers appetising lunches, dinners and aperitifs. appetising lunches, dinners and aperitifs. They cook local, traditional dishes with ingredients from Lessinia, the hills and mountains north of the city where local breeds like Brogna sheep and Grisa hens are reared. 

Fancy tortellini in brodo di gallina (chicken stock) or arrosto di agnello su crema di carciofi (roast lamb with cream of artichokes)? Or maybe you'd prefer a tasting menu with luccio in salsa (pike in sauce) and polenta e pastissada de caval (polenta and wine-steeped horse meat)? The restaurant’s exposed walls and wooden furnishings invite you to relax, so take your time.

Upon entrance to Osteria Caffè Monte Baldo, guests are immersed in a warm and welcoming ambience accentuated by soft light, dark wood furnishings, and elegant seating spaces. The bar has a rich history dating back to 1909 and is known for serving premium wines and traditional Veronese specialities.

The eatery is well-liked by locals and visitors, with a menu that includes a wide selection of canapés and authentic Italian food, including fresh pasta, eel, and pork. Ask the courteous staff for wine pairings and end your meal with a sinful dessert – you can’t go wrong with homemade tiramisu, pavlova, or the white chocolate parfait with peach sauce.

Buoono! is a cheerful Verona piadineria all about good vibes and even better food. The menu features a wide variety of piadina – Italian flatbread made with flour, water, and salt. The breads are thin and crispy, and the fillings are generous.

Try the ‘Ikea’ with fresh salmon and mayonnaise or a more traditional piadina stuffed with prosciutto and rocket. There are also a couple of vegetarian and vegan-friendly options. You can order at the counter or take away, but there are also a few tables if you want to dine in.

Osteria Giulietta e Romeo, with its new furnishings and pictures of old Verona, offers an atmosphere somewhere between old and modern. But 1 thing’s for sure: the cuisine is traditional. Think pasta e fasoi (pasta and beans), pappardelle all'anatra (pappardelle with duck sauce) and gnocchi al ragù (gnocchi with ragu). Enjoy polenta with lumache (snails), stufato all'amarone (stew with wine), fegato di vitello (veal liver), mushrooms, soppressa (aged salami) and formaggio (cheese). 

You’ll probably never be far from Osteria Giulietta e Romeo. It's in the centre of the city, on one of the most popular tourist streets between Piazza Erbe and Basilica di Santa Anastasia (Basilica of Sant'Anastasia). There are different fixed-price menus featuring mouth-watering main courses. The wine list is also very varied, with mainly local reds and whites.

Bottega del Krapfen is a patisserie known for its legendary krapfen (stuffed doughnuts). There are the classic, timeless crema pasticciera (custard), marmellate (jams), cioccolato (chocolate), and crema al pistacchio or nocciola (pistachio or hazelnut cream). You can also enjoy savoury options, like Pomodoro e mozzarella (tomato and mozzarella), tonno (tuna) or funghi (mushrooms). Open until late, it’s great for a snack after clubbing. There's just 1 dilemma: will you go for mignon (mini), standard, or goloso (greedy) size?

Trattoria Dal Ropeton is a great place to visit when you're a bit peckish after visiting the nearby Teatro Romano (Roman Theatre). This restaurant offers 2 specialities: homemade pasta and meat cooked on an open hearth, using a method that preserves tenderness and enhances the flavour. Its traditional Veneto dishes include salumi (cold cuts) starters and pastissada de caval (braised horse meat). We recommend penne della casa con peperoni, salsiccia e curry (house penne pasta with peppers, sausage in curry sauce). The spices are also traditional, being part of Veneto's cuisine since they were first traded with the East.

Trattoria Tipica Al Bersagliere features a distinctive and unusual interior with 3 small dining areas featuring musical and sports memorabilia, like a 1960s jukebox and an original Gilles Villeneuve steering wheel. Musically gifted diners can play the piano between courses. If you’re more into winemaking, visit the gorgeous 13th-century wine cellar containing over 200 labels. The menu offers authentic food from Verona, including bollito con pearà (boiled meats with breadcrumb and marrow sauce), soppressata casalinga (homemade salami), petto d’oca affumicato (smoked goose breast), bigoli con anatra (long pasta with duck) and baccalà (salted codfish). Consider ordering biscotti San Vigilini (raisin biscuits) for dessert, a must-try speciality.

At Osteria Dogana Vecia, you'll feel right at home. The rustic interior has been decorated with great care, with dialect maxims engraved on the ceiling beams. Beside the Adige and near the Arena, this is a humble, unpretentious and down-to-earth eatery. The menu features only a few items, but they're all traditional dishes of Verona. The underlying concept is ‘a few, well-made dishes’. It's the perfect place to try lesso con pearà. This dish cooked for festive events consists of mixed boiled meats with a sauce made from stock, breadcrumbs and ox marrow. The friendly staff will help you choose a sensational wine to accompany your meal. They also do wonderful desserts, with cakes made by skilful hands.