COOKING UP NEW TRADITIONS
Sometimes good things do come in small packages. Tucked into an intimate space in the center of the hilltop town of Riparbella, great cuisine is found to satisfy the most foodie of foodies. At the Piccola Osteria Paperini traditional dishes passed down over generations are reimagined by chef-owner, Tony Paperini. It’s a perfect marriage of genuine Tuscan recipes with a tasty, modern point of view. Tony’s dedication to his craft and drive to create new culinary experiences is apparent in every bite. From the simplicity of the “Toscana Slow” antipasti plate (an assortment of exceptional Tuscan sliced meats and cheeses, home-made pickled “giardiniera” vegetables and crostini), to the fresh pasta first courses, and on to hearty mains of sweet breads, fowl and wild game (where wild boar reigns supreme), the Osteria’s plates aren’t flashy or overworked. Attractively designed as they may be, it’s all about the food — as it should be.
Tony’s own take on cooking is informed by the best of Tuscan traditions, taken then to the next level in their reinvention. Those same traditions that have made Tuscan food among the most sought after cuisine in the world. Recipes and flavors that have captivated the imagination and taste buds of the droves of visitors who come to the region in search of experiencing it first hand. These same traditions, passed down by his father, Ivio, to Tony, and now to his own son, Amedeo, who can be found cooking and plating his father’s recipes under a proud but watchful eye in the Osteria’s small kitchen.
The restraint and focus on the quality of ingredients is the strength of Tony’s plates and what makes it standout for anyone who comes for the love of food. No smoke and mirrors or culinary trickery. The only smoke you’ll find is in the “tagliata” steak that comes under a cloche of rosemary-scented smoke. OK a little show, perhaps, but a functional one that delivers in the flavor!
Smoked “tagliata” steak
Of course, no lunch or dinner in Tuscany is complete without wine. Although Tony’s wine list includes wonderful offerings from other Italian regions, Riparbella wines are world-class themselves and perhaps the most fit pairing with local faire. With the likes of multi-awarded wineries Prima Pietra, Caiarossa, La Regola, and Urlari, to mention just a few of the town’s nine, there is no shortage of exceptional, zero-kilometer wines to accentuate what is truly divine about the food & wine experience that the region, and more specifically Riparbella, has to offer.
La Piccola Osteria opened its doors in 2020 in Piazza Baldasserini where, in the summer months, you can enjoy eating al fresco beside the piazza’s charming rose and herb garden for lunch and dinner. The seating is limited, especially when weather calls for indoor dining only, so best to book in advance.
Visit:
P.za Federico Baldasserini, 7, 56046 Riparbella PI
Tel. +39 344 222 4407
Follow: @piccolaosteriapaperini