The Insider’s Guide to Alba Restaurants is your ticket to eat, drink, and be merry.
Welcome to Alba, Italy Alba, Italy, the primary wine town in Northern Italy’s Langhe wine region. The Langhe is made up of Piedmont’s most well-known wine areas of Barolo and Barbaresco.
Alba sits directly between Barolo and Barbaresco. For visitors looking to explore the Langhe without renting a car, we often recommend they stay in Alba for easy access to amenities like restaurants, pharmacies, grocery stores, hotels, bike rentals, and more.
The Insiders Guide to Alba Restaurants covers everything from coffee bars / cafe, wine bars, osterias, pizzerias, gelato, and fine dining establishments.
The centro storico or historic center spans two main piazzas, Piazza Savona (recently renamed Piazza Michele Ferrero, founder of Ferrero and inventor of Nutella – all hail) and Piazza Risorgimento (also called Piazza Duomo by the locals). The main street connecting the two is Via Vittorio Emanuele (or Via Maestra to the locals ). Our guide to the best Alba restaurants covers that primary vicinity.
We started visiting Caffé Teatro on Saturday mornings en route to the weekly open-air mercato. Teatro is off the main busy street, so it’s a faster walk. We quickly realized it was something special when we kept seeing familiar faces there. The coffee is strong and the pastries are divine.
Pettiti is known for their baked goods and local treats. Don’t miss their baci di dama, traditional biscotti cookies with a hazelnut cream filling, or any of the torte cakes – all the baked goods are made fresh daily. They have a coffee bar inside and when the weather is nice they set up tables on the main street – great for people watching. The historical draw to this Alba restaurant is that Pettiti is the bakery is where the recipe for Nutella was invented. Salute!
Another coffee stop that tops our list for a strong coffee. Often Il Marito buys our espresso beans for home here. They have a retail shop with coffee, tea, and products. They also have a really cool antique roaster on display that is worth a look.
One of our go-to Alba restaurants when we have friends in town or are just looking for something a little nicer without breaking the bank.
The food is always fantastic, mostly traditional, but you’ll also find things like duck that are not typical to the region. Osteria dell’Arco is associated with the Slow Food Organization, which initiated in the nearby city of Bra. The extensive wine list is about the best deal in town. They are a part of Slow Food, so they cannot sell wine for more than it retails for at the cellar door.
Find it! Osteria dell’Arco
Address: Piazza Savona, 5, Alba (in a courtyard just off Piazza Savona).
Chef Andrea Larossa received a Michelin star for the ristorante just one year after opening. Meals can be ordered alle carte or try the chef’s tasting menu. The food features all local ingredients with traditional and progressive plates.
Find it! Larossa
Address: Via Don Giacomo Alberione 10/D, Alba.
Phone: +39 0173060639.
Hours: Open daily for lunch (12:00-14:30) and dinner (19:30-21:30); closed all day Tuesday evening and Wednesday lunchtime.
Reservations: Recommended.
Price:Prices for alle carte range from 22€ to about 35€; tasting menu varies.
Take your pick of top-notch Alba restaurants – both in the same place! Located in Piazza Savona, Caffé Umberto is on the ground level with outdoor and bar-side seating. Eno Club is in the cellar below – perfect for a more intimate experience.
Dining options include traditional fare as well as a daily seafood dish – sometimes two. And, they have a heavenly burger topped with foie gras. During truffle season it makes for a great brunch-style stop of fried egg topped with decadent shavings of Alba White Truffle.
Find it! Caffé Umberto / Eno Club
Address: Piazza Savona, 4, Alba.
Phone: +39 0173 33994.
Hours:
Open Daily: Lunch, dinner.
Closed: Monday.
Reservations: Recommended.
Price:Prices start at 32€ (Caffé Umberto), 38€ (Eno Club).
Of our list of Alba restaurants, Laliberra is a bit more upscale with a fantastic wine list. Traditional dishes with an innovative twist. A visit here isn’t something we do often, so when we make the splurge it’s quite a treat.
Another place I discovered during the lockdown. Amazing traditional food, great wine list, lovely people, and now that we can go back in, perfect central location.
Address: Via Camillo Benso Conte di Cavour, 10/d, Alba.
A traditional eatery serving hearty local food and wine at great prices. During high season, you’ll see both locals and visitors line-up here – literally because they do not take reservations. They also have an adjacent bistro, Bistrot dei Sognatori, that serves food from the same kitchen. The Bistrot is open daily for coffee, lunch, aperitivo, and dinner.
Find it! Osteria dei Sognatori
Address: Via Macrino, 8, Alba.
Hours:
Open daily: 19:30 – 23:00.
Closed: Tuesday.
Reservations: No. It’s a good idea to get there when they open to get a table.
Da Gio is a great casual option in our list of Alba restaurants and is one of our favorite pizza places. They also do traditional dishes from antipasti to pasta, and mains as well as artisan beers if you need a break from wine. You can get your pizza for takeaway.
An Alba restaurant institution. Pizzeria Cincilla is owned by a husband and wife team from Naples who have been making pizzas in their wood-fired oven for decades — watch them from the counter. Traditional dishes and pasta are also available. Pizza is available for takeaway.
Bove’s has become our Friday night take-out ritual for burgers and fries. Amazing. But, they also have great menu items. Restaurant dining is fantastic, including outdoor seating.
Just up a side street off the main pedestrian street of via Maestra, Trattoria Sergio is a great eatery offering a combination of regional cuisine mixed with Sardinian – think fish! You’ll also find local and Sardinian wines. It’s a real treat, especially for the seafood lovers in town!
Just up a side street off the main pedestrian street of via Maestra, Trattoria Sergio is a great eatery offering a combination of regional cuisine mixed with Sardinian – think fish! You’ll also find local and Sardinian wines. It’s a real treat, especially for the seafood lovers in town!
There are tons of fabulous gastronomie around Alba. One of my favorites is just across from Piazza Michele Ferrero; you and also dine-in and they have a great wine list.
A wine bar offering tasting flights and an extensive wine by the glass list. You can also try older vintages as well as producers like Gaja with their Coravin system. Ask Luca for the Girl’s Gotta Drink tasting flight – five regional wines I picked myself at 15€; drinks are always served with a complimentary small plate of food.
Quickly becoming one of my favorite wine bars and fantastic food for dining. Outdoor seating not far from the market. Fantastic aperitivo plates, knowledgeable staff, excellent wine (they delivered to me more times than I want to admit durint lockdown!)
Find it! Petricore
Address: Via Ospedale 6, Alba.
Hours:
Weekdays: 11:30 to 00:30
Closed Thursday
Friday: 6:00 to 1:00
Saturday: 11:30 – 1:00
Sunday: 11:30 AM – 12:30 AM
Wifi: Yes.
Wine delivery from Petricore in Alba during COVID lockdown.
Located in Piazza Savona with prime outdoor seating. The Sarotto tasting room features about the best aperitivo plate in Alba. The high-quality meats and cheeses perfectly accompany Sarotto wines; available by the glass, bottle, and tasting flights. Aperitivo plate comes with any wine ordered.
New on the scene is Ape Wine Bar in Alba, owned by Giorgio Rivetti and Anja Cramer of La Spinetta. It’s the bar’s second location, the first in Santo Stefano Belbo. Enjoy wines by the glass, a fantastic wine list, great aperitivo, and a nice lunch and dinner menu. One of my favorite parts? There is a baby changing station in the bathroom – a rarity in Italy! Grazie Mille, Anja!
Another great addition to the aperitivo scene – and, if you are more in the mood for a cup of tea, you can get that with a lovely torta! T Ristoro is owned by Caffé Teatro, and you’ll find it just right around the corner. A great wine by the glass list – often you can find wines from other countries, not always an easy feat. And, a fantastic mixture of unique apertivo eats, different to your usual meat and cheese offer.
A great local brewery / beer bar. They brew their ale on site. Even better, they have the best aperitivo buffet in town with some killer pizza. Wine is available. And, they do coffee in the morning and a lunch and dinner service.
Probably the only all-veg restaurant in Alba. I get excited for the Pad Thai (oh, how I miss thai food!) They serve no wine, only cocktails with an emphasis on gin and tonics, and craft beer. If you like mojitos they will impress.
If you are looking for a quick bite to eat while walking around town, Budego is perfect. The focaccia is amazing and the owner is always entertaining. But, take the opening hours with a grain of salt. As frequently, I walk by and they are closed during the day. Shoot for lunch, aperitivo.
We hope The Insider’s Guide to Alba restaurants helps you explore the culinary – and wine – delights of our city. There are also a ton of fantastic dining options in the Barbaresco and Barolo villages – check out our Insider’s Guide to Barolo and Barbaresco Restaurants, too! Don’t miss our adventures about town, subscribe to the blog in the upper right.
Hi there, great list, I shared it on my fb page, I’m sure Langhe fans will appreciate the recommendations.
Thank you so much, Graziella!!
It took some time to get in order. I’m thinking a visit to La Romana may be in order ;).
Buona domenica!
Any thoughts or a posting coming on where to stay in Alba or the surrounds? Thanks
Absolutely, Steve! It’s on my list in the next couple months. When are you planning to visit?
Ciao ciao! Val
Hi Valerie and Steve,
we are currently working on a new project, http://langhehotels.com/hotels that features some of the best hotels in the Langhe area, including Alba. If you open the map, and look for Alba, you are sure to find some great choices. We would appreciate it if you could give us some feedback in these early stages. Thank you both in advance, Graziella.
Will check it out, Graziella – thanks!
For an ethnic fix Hasu is also terrific particularly the lunch menu. Great post Val
Totally forgot about the lunch menu at Hasu. Thanks for the reminder, Darryl! I added that to Hasu!
Cin cin!
I love all the pictures! I just had lunch and this is making me hungry.
Agreed on La Romana. Never disappoints. Plus you can get melted chocolate or gianduja in the bottom of the cone.
Sigh, La Romana! Semper coppette per noi! Will have to give the cone a whirl for some gianduja. It was closed most of the last few weeks – did you notice? It was a struggle for me…sans aperitivo during this stage and all ;).
Let’s meet there for gelato and a walk! Maybe next week!?
I guess Jan-Feb is off-season for the gelaterie. Fingers crossed they’ll open again soon! I am always down for a gelato, let’s do it
They re-opened last Friday. And, not a moment too soon! How about next week??
Si!!
Can’t wait to get back to Alba and have some more time to really soak in all that it has to offer!
There is just much great stuff to consume here!
Thanks for reading. We’ll hit some good places next time you are here!
Hi Val! love your articles! I am planning my trip to Treiso this July. I was wondering, do restaurants in the area always have truffles in their menu? It’s hard to tell as some restaurants don’t have a website and the pictures in Tripadvisor, some show pictures of Tajarin with truffles but others don’t. do you know if restaurants serve truffles over pasta in the summer or only in the winter? We just don’t want to miss out as we are only in Piedmont for 2 days! Thank you!
Ciao, Elisa!
Thank you for the kind words. I love to know that the site is useful to people.
The area is most known for white truffles / tartufo bianco d’Alba. They are in season from late fall to winter with the best, most flavorful in colder months. In the summer you may find spring / summer black truffles / tartufo nero. The abundance and quality depends on the level precipitation we get. That is a long way of saying I just can’t say for sure if there will be truffles options. In July there will not be white, but potentially black. If there are black truffles to be found, the restaurants will have them.
Please let me know if you have any other questions on travel to the area!
Hi there, great list, I shared it on my fb page, I’m sure Langhe fans will appreciate the recommendations.
Thank you so much, Graziella!!
It took some time to get in order. I’m thinking a visit to La Romana may be in order ;).
Buona domenica!
Any thoughts or a posting coming on where to stay in Alba or the surrounds?
Thanks
Absolutely, Steve! It’s on my list in the next couple months. When are you planning to visit?
Ciao ciao! Val
Hi Valerie and Steve,
we are currently working on a new project, http://langhehotels.com/hotels that features some of the best hotels in the Langhe area, including Alba. If you open the map, and look for Alba, you are sure to find some great choices. We would appreciate it if you could give us some feedback in these early stages. Thank you both in advance, Graziella.
Will check it out, Graziella – thanks!
For an ethnic fix Hasu is also terrific particularly the lunch menu. Great post Val
Totally forgot about the lunch menu at Hasu. Thanks for the reminder, Darryl! I added that to Hasu!
Cin cin!
I love all the pictures! I just had lunch and this is making me hungry.
Agreed on La Romana. Never disappoints. Plus you can get melted chocolate or gianduja in the bottom of the cone.
Sigh, La Romana! Semper coppette per noi! Will have to give the cone a whirl for some gianduja. It was closed most of the last few weeks – did you notice? It was a struggle for me…sans aperitivo during this stage and all ;).
Let’s meet there for gelato and a walk! Maybe next week!?
I guess Jan-Feb is off-season for the gelaterie. Fingers crossed they’ll open again soon!
I am always down for a gelato, let’s do it
They re-opened last Friday. And, not a moment too soon! How about next week??
Si!!
Can’t wait to get back to Alba and have some more time to really soak in all that it has to offer!
There is just much great stuff to consume here!
Thanks for reading. We’ll hit some good places next time you are here!
Hi Val! love your articles! I am planning my trip to Treiso this July. I was wondering, do restaurants in the area always have truffles in their menu?
It’s hard to tell as some restaurants don’t have a website and the pictures in Tripadvisor, some show pictures of Tajarin with truffles but others don’t.
do you know if restaurants serve truffles over pasta in the summer or only in the winter? We just don’t want to miss out as we are only in Piedmont for 2 days! Thank you!
Ciao, Elisa!
Thank you for the kind words. I love to know that the site is useful to people.
The area is most known for white truffles / tartufo bianco d’Alba. They are in season from late fall to winter with the best, most flavorful in colder months. In the summer you may find spring / summer black truffles / tartufo nero. The abundance and quality depends on the level precipitation we get. That is a long way of saying I just can’t say for sure if there will be truffles options. In July there will not be white, but potentially black. If there are black truffles to be found, the restaurants will have them.
Please let me know if you have any other questions on travel to the area!
Enjoy your time here – cin cin! Val