Dolce Stil Novo alla Reggia - Alfredo Russo In Venaria reale

A slight disappointment... The location is beautiful, and there's nothing to complain about, as is the chef's kindness. However, we found the dishes to be unsurprising, and that's fine—it's a matter of personal taste. However, in my opinion, the service wasn't up to par for a restaurant of this caliber. Here are a few examples. A waiter couldn't remember the name of the wine he was serving us with its pairing on two occasions, and a waitress, when serving us a dish, simply called a certain fish (the name of which I don't remember) "with artichokes." For all the other dishes, there was a fairly detailed explanation, but here it was just "with artichokes," as if she couldn't remember the rest of the ingredients. I don't know if the fact that the service was in English created any complications, but that didn't seem to be the case with the other courses. Furthermore, two people didn't eat meat, as specified when booking, and the amuse bouche were served before asking who the vegetarian ones were for—not a major problem, but one of those small inaccuracies you don't expect. Furthermore, the waiter pointing to the right dish in the wrong area of ​​the table and saying, "So this one's for you!" wasn't exactly the best. Another minor flaw, in our opinion, was the wine pairing, which is indeed very cheap, but the glasses are truly tiny, with negligible quantities. In my opinion, it's better to align with other restaurants and charge a little more but with more generous portions, otherwise you risk annoying customers (at least that's what happened in our case). Finally, there was a small issue with a dessert, and the resolution was less generous than what I've seen at other less renowned restaurants... Offering the vermouth we ordered as a complement might have been a more appreciated gesture with a lower financial impact. In any case, lunch was an enjoyable experience, and overall the quality is good—I'm not arguing with that—but unfortunately, I have to say that this experience didn't leave me with the wow factor that would make me want to return immediately. P.S. In response to your reply, I admit my disappointment, as I expected an acknowledgement of objective points I expressed respectfully, and a little less arrogant defensiveness. Furthermore, our only requirements were that we were two people who don't eat meat, no other changes were necessary, and especially not for desserts. I believe there was a misunderstanding. Our issue with a dessert was of a different nature, and out of courtesy and elegance, I won't describe it; I imagined this would have been appreciated.

Very good food with delicate flavors, sometimes more delicate than expected. Amazing location. Friendly, very attentive service. Worth the trip from Modena.

For my birthday and my partner's, we went to this wonderful Michelin-starred restaurant, thanks to chef Alfredo Russo and the entire team who will take you on a breathtaking experience. There's little to say about the location, the Reggia di Venaria, elegance, history, and understated luxury in the dining rooms... you couldn't ask for more, and every expectation was met. Before ordering, the chef himself comes to the table to check for allergies and personal preferences to ensure the best culinary experience. We opted for the tasting menu + 4 wines. Each dish surpassed itself in flavor and imagination; it's not just cuisine, but an incredible experience. The portions are small and compact; we expected to leave still hungry (before entering), having never eaten anywhere similar, but instead, we filled our stomachs beyond belief. It's very difficult to describe the dishes, especially due to their complexity, but they are based (not all of them) on simple ingredients expertly crafted to offer the ultimate culinary experience; the star shines through in every course. The pairing wines were perfect, every sip paired perfectly with the food on the plate. The wait staff was extremely attentive and professional, as you'd expect from a place like this. We never poured water or wine ourselves; as soon as a glass was empty, they intervened promptly. The same goes for the incredibly fresh bread, a bowl of Sicilian olive oil to use with the bread, the crumbs on the table were promptly removed, and even the napkins were rearranged if you got up to go to the counter. In short, impeccable. I'll leave photos of the dishes, but even the ingredients you don't usually like are crafted with such mastery that you can't help but enjoy them. The dessert was divided into two parts, both truly stunning and delicious. In addition to the menu, we also included a tasting of three different, top-quality cheeses accompanied by special jams and crostini, a glass of Vin Santo, three bottles of still water, an incredible Vermouth, an herbal tea for my partner, and coffee. The restaurant provided a complimentary entrée, two glasses of fine prosecco (or champagne), and a micro-pastry at the end (with a piece of revisited tiramisu with the words "Happy Birthday" written on it for both of us). The evening concluded with a stroll on the panoramic terrace overlooking the front square on one side and the gardens on the other. Even before leaving, the chef came out again to thank us, and we were given a truly comprehensive recipe book featuring many Michelin-starred dishes, a much-appreciated gift. In short, everything was perfect from start to finish. To recap, we ate: entrée (5 pieces each), warm bread with olive oil, always replenished as needed, 4 appetizers, 2 first courses, 1 second course, cheeses, 2 desserts, micro-pastries, 6 glasses of wine (2 refilled because they were empty), 2 glasses of prosecco, 1 glass of Vin Santo, 1 vermouth, 1 herbal tea, 1 tiramisu (for a birthday, not included in the menu), 3 waters, 1 coffee. Having left nothing out, total food and service: €398.00 (to be split between 2 people; keeping one would cost even less). A lot? A little? It's certainly not pocket money, especially for someone like me who only has the opportunity to go to these places once a year, but it's absolutely thoughtful about the experience, the location, the food, and everything else. Whenever the occasion arises, I would gladly return. I recommend it to anyone looking for a special evening without worrying too much about the expense. Thanks again to the entire dining room team and the chef.

A unique experience, sublime food, a simple yet elegant atmosphere, and attentive, friendly, and highly knowledgeable staff. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for an almost mystical experience combining sight, taste, and smell, all worthy of an A+. The view of the Reggia di Venaria from the panoramic terrace is also unique! Priceless!

A stellar and star-studded dinner in a dream location

A very pleasant dinner, warm welcome from the staff, excellent food served with great care, and the knowledge of chef Alfredo Russo, who came to our table to welcome us, was much appreciated. The location was beautiful. We'll definitely be back! 😊😊

We had a superb dinner last Friday evening, top of the top. The starters were truly world-class also great wine-paring. We were super impressed and will definitely come again!

The Michelin star is very well deserved. Had a few small chats with the chef and the service personnel, amazing people. Incredible food. I would take a few points away for the decor though. Overall experience is stunning with over 14 courses, we ended up spending 3.5 hours at dinner.

I took my father for his birthday, and from the welcome to the end of the dinner, everything was very pleasant and enjoyable. I found both the service and the cuisine simple yet perfect. The service was always prompt without ever being intrusive, and the dishes, in their simplicity, retained the essence of the individual ingredients, demonstrating great balance both on the palate and the eye. They were never overwhelming, but always elegant and, above all, delicious. Highly recommended. Thank you again for the delightful evening I spent at your restaurant. See you soon!

I'm a bit perplexed. A truly beautiful location, nothing to add, just lots of compliments. But the Michelin star, combined with such a location, raises expectations. The 7-course tasting menu costs €110 per person, rising to €135 with wine pairings. The wines are truly excellent; it's clear there's been a lot of thought put into pairing them with the dishes. But what's perplexing are the dishes themselves: the dishes were bland, and there was absolutely no salt, and I don't understand how a restaurant like this could have such a lack. It seems, however, that this is precisely the chef's philosophy: using about 35% less salt in the dishes, using special cooking techniques to extract the salt directly from the vegetables. I think this information should be written on the menu, otherwise diners will be left feeling confused. Another thing that's a bit surprising is the price of the cheese platter: a trolley full of very interesting cheeses with the option to try them all. Too bad this was reflected in the final bill, an extra €90, €30 per platter (even though we ordered two). However, the standout dish is the egg with pecorino foam and a comfit cherry tomato base. So, that leaves a big question mark; the philosophy is nice, even just the fact that you never eat the same thing again, but honestly, it doesn't make me want to say "I'd go back."