Eating in the Mantova area means revisiting the history of the city and savouring its international influence. Mantova cuisine has been defined as the cuisine “of princes and people”.
Its characteristic popular dishes have been influenced by the refined art of chefs at the Gonzaga court whose wonderful recipes are still today used by local restaurants.
First courses, from risotti al pisto to tortelli di zucca (pumpkin ravioli), are the mainstay of Mantova cuisine. Among second courses meat dishes such as stracotto d’asino (stewed donkey meat) and fish dishes such as luccio in salsa (pike in sauce) stand out.
Finally, desserts are hard to resist; they include a surprising variety: zabaglione, invented perhaps in the Gonzaga kitchens, famous Sbrisolona cake,
Anello di Monaco, and great Elvezia, with almonds and zabaglione, the quintessence of Mantova pastry-making.
Not surprisingly, the province of Mantova has the highest number of Michelin stars per inhabitant and historical institutions such as the Mantova Chefs Association show just how important Mantova cuisine is in the Lombard region, qualifying Mantova as the Capital of Italian Cuisine.
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