Il Salumaio di Belfiore In Mantova

15/10/2025: We walked in when there were many tables available at dinner time, but in about an hour all the tables were occupied. It was my first local Italian cuisine experience (we just landed that afternoon). It's safe to say I was impressed from the beginning. It's what I expected but even more. The taste of the food is beyond comparison. They know how to grill and how to bake bread. They also know how to make people feel welcomed, not just customers. The atmosphere was also very friendly, it had that feeling that you are in your hometown and everybody knows you.

02/10/2025: Taking a break from hotel food we stumbled across this gem. We actually walked by initially as there were no customers and thought that at 8pm the host was finishing up. We retraced and were delighted that he was open for business and we immediately got a lovely friendly vibe. The four of us had a feast with perfectly barbecued chicken, beef,pork,local sausage, bread and wine. What made the meal however was the friendliness and eagerness to please of the host who comically overcame the language barrier through Google Tranlate and gestures. A complimentary digestive topped a lovely night.