Pensione Iolanda In Castelli

Ristorante da Iolanda is a delicacy of home-made food that you absolutely must try. Starting with the appetizers, of course, and continuing with the homemade maltagliati (a type of pasta) known as TACCONELLE (a type of pasta made with Gran Sasso herbs), the grilled lamb, the garden side dishes, the cheeses, and "our wine," as Mr. Peppino calls it. Everything is top-notch, including the desserts, which are homemade, of course.

Excellent restaurant with traditional Abruzzo cuisine. For the first course, hand-made pasta with verdura, ravioli with ricotta in tomato sauce and others with mushrooms. They changed plates for each dish. Excellent red house wine Montepulciano. For the second course, fried lamb and veal. The portions are large. Vegetables from their own garden, their own olive oil. For dessert, tiramisu and pizza dolce. Thank you very much. Everything is very tasty.

We discovered this restaurant by chance, and it was a pleasant surprise. The typical dishes are delicious. The appetizers and first courses are excellent. The simple and functional location gives the impression of a village tavern. Recommended.

Family atmosphere, excellent cuisine We had a great time, and at the end of lunch we were surprised by some cheerful music played by Peppino on an accordion.

You know when you come home and rediscover those flavors that were hidden in your mind? That's what it was like to eat at Trattoria Iolanda. Wonderful, well-matched food, and the Tacconi with Gran Sasso herbs? Excellent. Well done, please don't believe in the lure of easy money. Stay so genuine. Thank you.

We had the house appetizer and two first courses. The first courses were truly worth it, as they were well-cooked and flavorful, and the portions were generous. The appetizer, however, was average. The place is quite small but cozy. A bit lacking in overall cleanliness (chairs and surrounding surfaces, ceiling). If you're stopping in Castelli, it's definitely worth stopping by.

It must be the locals who give less than the max, but only to have it for themselves! Great place with real local food at prices that would be much higher anywhere else.

We visited this restaurant on the recommendation of Fabrizio, the local museum guide. He noted that the restaurant's specialty is the freshness of its food: it only opens at noon because the desserts for the next day are prepared in the afternoon. Traditional desserts, made with the proper amount of time. When we arrived, a smiling young woman seated us at the coolest table in the room: we were with our girls and our dog. The menu comes in two versions: the classic one with the dish and price, and the one with pictures that gives a good idea of what you'll be eating without needing a Google connection. The service did not disappoint, and the dishes arrived on time. We chose the house appetizer: tacconelle with voliche, chitarra with meatballs, and gnocchi with truffles. Everything was delicious, as Fabrizio had anticipated. The best, however, was the dessert: the fritti di latte. Like Proust's madeleines, this dessert takes us back to our grandmothers' kitchens, when, after a day spent outdoors, a wholesome snack awaited us. The coffee is also excellent. I should point out that the place is rustic, with majolica tiles on the ceiling (only some of which are decorated), a low ceiling, and stairs. Reservations are recommended.

After a relatively long search for a restaurant in the area, we finally found Iolanda and were able to easily seat eight people. Due to the intense heat, we only opted for a pasta dish. It was delicious, and we were happy to still be able to get something at 2:30 p.m. The coffee after the meal was served in small cups on a matching ceramic tray, which the owner said she made herself. We were then led into a small exhibition room where we were able to view some of her truly beautiful work. A few of us even bought a souvenir.

Typical cuisine with exclusively hand-made delicacies. Traditional local dishes made with genuine ingredients often available on site served in finely decorated locally produced ceramics. Worth a visit!