The "Antico Ristorante Pagnanelli" is located at Castel Gandolfo, next door to the Pope´s summer residence. The restaurant is perched in a truly spectacular setting and from its windows and balconies visitors can admire breathtaking views of the Lake. Four generations of the Pagnanelli family have carried on the tradition of their great grandfather, Giovanni Pagnanelli. The restaurant is built on two floors where one can dine in different rooms. Renowned are the Pagnanelli cellars cut in volcanic rock, accommodating wines from all over Italy. From the kitchen typical and innovative plates are prepared with ingredients which are seasonal and fresh chosen with great care by the chef.
Aurelio Mariani takes pride in supervising the presentation of our food and his favourite job is introducing new flavours in his homemade icecream. Among the specialities one can choose is fish from the lake but also meat. The fisherman's soup is certainly worth trying - it consists of a toasted breadbowl filled with lentils and seafood, mussels and clams. The farmer's soup on the other hand contains spelt and chick-peas. Rice with herbs is changeable depending upon the season and the various herbs available. In Spring the chef always prepares borage leaf rolls stuffed with mozzarella cheese; mixed salad of wild rucola and turnips in "pesto" sauce. The game can only be found in the winter months: popular are wild boer cutlets with fennel and apple sauce.
An old favourite is "Trout alla compressore"..
Pagnanelli's "pièce de resistance" are its cellars carved from the vulcanic rock on which they stand, cellars which have undergone a recent and very attentive restoration, refined and comfortable, the cellars house thousands of types of wine. Here is a symphony of wine but also many antique corkscrews and a vast selection of grappa, not to mention theunusual collection of old coffeepotsand grinders.Here is a new concept inhospitality where the guests can choose the very special wine they will drink with their meal. Pagnanelli offers a wide range of prestigious wines to their expert or just curious clients. Occasionally dinners with a particular theme are organized with the scope of rediscovering authentic flavours and recipes typical of the local region and on these occasions clients can enjoy an evening in contemplation of the past, sometimes regarding to the 17th century, sometimes medieval.
The atmosphere in the cellars is conducive to small debates and convivial conversation between guests from one table to another, thus creating an association of ideas in a homely atmosphere.