If you’re looking for restaurants in Bracciano, search no more. Cucina Ai Monti serves delicious food in the town of Bracciano, while enjoying a picture-perfect position beneath Bracciano castle.
Nestled up against the castle walls, but enjoying fresh breezes on its handsome outdoor decks, this is the perfect restaurant in Bracciano for a lazy lunch or dinner. Better still, the gourmet-style menu is characterised by a reverence for quality ingredients and a simplicity which will keep you coming back for more.
I visited Cucina Ai Monti when out for lunch in Bracciano, and of all the restaurants in Bracciano I have tried to date, this was the most impressive. So read on for the full review of Cucina Ai Monti as you plan your Bracciano day trip!
Restaurants in Bracciano: Cucina Ai Monti
Cucina Ai Monti, restaurant in Bracciano, serves gourmet food inspired by Roman and Mediterranean themes, with a special focus on locally caught fish and heritage recipes. Chef Claudia Catana, Romanian-born, is an award-winning chef who won first prize in last year’s cous cous world championships, and has lived in Italy for around 20 years.
Her co-owner and co-chef is Aldo, who brings a deep knowledge of local traditions and flavours to the business. Together, they have created a menu which is visually stunning, but delightful in its simplicity.
The town of Bracciano, which sits on the elevated rim of a volcanic lake, is characterised by cobbled slopes leading up to its highest point. Cucina Ai Monti, nestled against the castle walls, is at the top of an incline, enjoying balmy breezes from its outdoor decks which set the scene for a relaxed lunch or dinner.
Cucina Ai Monti, Bracciano restaurant review
Lunch at Cucina Ai Monti consisted of a series of tasting plates in order to be able to sample more dishes from the menu, so please note that the photos don’t always reflect portion size.
Our meal commenced with a delicate asparagus and pecorino mousse topped with shavings of black truffle (€11) which was well-balanced in flavour as well as in texture. This was followed by a sweet and savoury baccala dish (€12), which visually resembled a tiramisu, and played with the addition of cocoa and sugar to produced a unique flavour.
Next we tried the prawn soup (€11), an Aldo family recipe which is delightful in its simplicity. The broth leads with light, lemony flavours, while the cooked small prawns in the soup are topped with an exquisite raw prawn. This was an absolutely fabulous dish, best eaten with lots of bread to soak up the flavours!
We next tried a risotto cake with baccala and a violet potato crisp, followed by a filled pasta course. The oversized ravioli, stuffed with scallops and prawn bisque, were complemented with sweet and tart sunblush tomatoes (€16).
For a main course, we tried Catalan-style baby octopus, served with fresh salad vegetables and a delicate crisp bread (€16). This was the perfect, light way to end the savoury part of the meal.
I couldn’t resist trying the desserts (and neither should you!). The pear semifreddo with hazelnut cream (€7) is a delicate triumph of flavours and textures and highly recommended.
Cucina Ai Monti is a delightful choice among the restaurants in Bracciano and highly recommended for a gourmet lunch in a central position. You won’t be disappointed! It’s also an easy distance from Lake Bracciano and Bracciano Station, so is perfectly placed for a daytrip to Bracciano.
Testaccina was a guest of Cucina Ai Monti
Cucina Ai Monti, Via della Collegiata, 4, Bracciano Tel +39 3342113113
