A New Restaurant in Old Lunigiana

Restaurant Alla Piazza di Sopra in Filetto.

A medieval street in the Lunigiana village of Filetto.

Filletto is a tiny medieval-looking village built originally as an ancient stronghold.  Located just off the main road from Villafranca in upper Lunigiana, it is well known for its Mercato Medioevale every August, as well as its Mercatino antique market on the last Sunday of each month.  Charmingly, it is still surrounded by field and paddock, but this gem of a village is contained entirely within its quadrilateral defensive walls, most of which also serve as the walls of residences.


Since you can no longer drive through town, park outside the gate as you approach from Villafranca and walk through this different world.  There are all the wonderful accoutrements of an unspoiled medieval village –crowned and cobbled narrow streets, romantic-looking porched entrances, mysterious wall niches, and suspicious cats. Along the entry street, a large piazza opens with the village church on one side- a low old church - and opposite, a stone ramp leads up to a gateway.  Beyond that gateway is the Piazza di Sopra, also known as Piazza Immacolata, which was the original fort with four defensive towers. Directly across the piazza from the entrance gateway is Alla Piazza di Sopra, tucked into a corner.

The menu varies by season and availability of ingredients.

Alla Piazza di Sopra Ristorante opened last July (2011). The pride of the restaurant is the use of fresh, seasonal, local ingredients to create dishes typical of the area. Not only are the pastas made in-house, but the salumi are local as well. The offerings are  presented in a well-decorated, quiet dining room or, in warm months, at tables on the Piazza. A diner can immediately feel the sincerity of the proprietors, the Falorni family, and their desire to please their guests.  The mother, Tiziana, cooks with help from daughter and sommelier Laura, and  daughter Chiara is a patient and attentive server. A grandson runs in every once in a while for Italian authenticity.

On a recent rainy Sunday, three of us stopped in for lunch, and we really wished we had bigger appetites. The food was fabulous. The menu was presented verbally, and after serious bargaining between ourselves, we ordered. (Look below for a link to a sample menu in  Italian and English.)  Shortly after we ordered, we were served a pleasant and complimentary starter.  A decorative presentation of a circle of fried Parmigiano, a little wedge of honey croissant, and a dollop of absolutely fresh ricotta.

Our antipasti, photographed some bites late.

We ordered two antipasti to share. The first was, of course, the salumi – seven different kinds, including a house-made bresaola, several variations on cured sausage,  a delicate pancetta, a local prosciutto, and (we think) a culatello, garnished with one perfect strawberry.  The second was a dish of vegetable torte: cylinders of potato and Parmigiano, baked until just brown; delicate little towers of grated carrot, lightened by we know not what; pieces of a torte of tender pastry filled with a sweetly cooked filling of onions from Bagnone.  Somehow the serving included three portions of each dish – a thoughtful accommodation of our request to share.

Main dining room, Alla Piazza di Sopra.

For the primi, we had each ordered one of the special dishes, but of course we passed them around without shame every few minutes.  The first was Ravioli con Radicchio - ravioli stuffed with radicchio, garnished with pignoli and served in a sauce made with reduced Vermentino rosso.  It sounds complicated, but each of the tastes was clear and true.  The second was Testaroli al Pesto (who can resist?).  As tender as can be, with the perfume of the pesto preceeding it. It was a worthy representation of this local specialty. The third primi was Ravioli con Speck e Caprino, this  ravioli was filled with a great combination of smoked seasoned ham and creamy goat cheese, garnished with sauteed tiny cubes of pear and served with a sauce of gorgonzola.  Now that may sound pretty heavy, but this presentation was exquisite - everyone’s favorite. Tiziana the cook came out to inquire as to our reaction, and beamed – perhaps not for the first time – when we called it a miracle.

Typical ending at Alla Piazza di Sopra.

If we’d had enough appetite, we would have definitely ordered secondi. Especially true, since they offered the succulent Lamb of Zeri. We apologize for not describing every offering, but lunch will do that to you. We do remember considering Filetto di Chianina, Cozze Ripieno, and Baccalà Marinato. The menu varies according to both the season and the availability of ingredients.  For example, the Ravioli con Speck e Caprino can only be offered when the fresh caprino is made.  In autumn, we were told, many of the chestnut specialities, including gnocchi, are on the menu. The website has the current menu with excellent English translations.

Piazza Immacolata, Filetto di Villafranca in Lunigiana.

The cost for two large antipasti, three primo piatti, coperti, water, and house wine was 54 Euro (2012). We felt it an appropriate price for the quality, service and pleasant ambience.
Alla Piazza di S. Sample Fall Menu It/En
Alla Piazza di S. Sample Spring Menu It/En

Alla Piazza di Sopra

Piazza Immacolata, 11  Filetto di Villafranca MS 0187-493796  or 349-8783364 cell

Email:  allapiazzadisopra@libero.it
Open for lunch and dinner Tuesday-Sunday. Open every day in summer.

Website: Alla Piazza di Sopra

Getting There
From Aulla head up the valley on SS 62, or from Pontremoli head down the valley on SS62 toward Villafranca. Turn east (away from the Magra river) from the SS 62 at a marked turn in Villafranca toward Filetto. Just 1 km ahead you'll see the narrow gateway to Filetto with its Do Not Enter signs.


Written by Martha
Copyright 2012 www.apathtolunch.com

Hike from Filetto to Bagnone via Malgrate Castle, Tuscany

Walking in Lunigiana, Northern Tuscany

Malgrate Castle from Pian di Mocrone

This is an easy and enchanting hike with views all the way. There's one steep section that will repay you with even better views and a castle. Good for a picnic or for a restaurant lunch in Mocrone or Bagnone. It is about 2 1/2 hours and about 8 km.

From Aulla head up the valley on SS 62, or from Pontremoli head down the valley toward Villafranca. Turn east (away from the Magra river) from the SS 62 at a marked turn inVillafranca toward Filetto. This is Viale Italia. Just 1 km ahead, Filetto is a wonderful small village that is square, and the road passes through two narrow gateways - but cars are not permitted. Park near the gate and begin the walk. Here's your chance to explore Filetto, which has a Medieval market every August and an Antique market on the last Sunday of every month. As you exit the village, turn left after the far gate past the town parking lot onto Ca' dall'Ara.

This passes along fields and farms and ends at Via dei Menhir. Here you turn right and continue after admiring the large villa just across the road. Continue on Menhir, and then branch left at the next road which is Via Pian di Mocrone. Note the Gavarini sign, an excellent restaurant just a short detour from this walk. (Details below).

Soon the views of Malgrate and its castle will dominate as you pass farm fields and woody sections. When modernity intrudes in the form of a new housing development, you turn right just before it. (for Gavarini, you would continue straight into Mocrone). After a short section along the perimeter of the housing, you'll meet the larger provincial road, and you turn right again.

Another short section and you turn left onto Via della Montada. This becomes - with a swag to the right and a veer to the left - the path up to Malgrate.

  Along the way there's an olive grove overlooking the plain which we found to be picnic heaven.

Malgrate with Castle Tower, Lunigiana, Tuscany Italy

Pass through Malgrate and continue up the asphalt road you'll find after exiting the gate. The castle is open at times and is worth its small admission charge. This road continues up gently but steadily to Ortunano past overgrown fields, and through forested sections. There's a fork to the left at one point, but it's marked.

At Ortunano Sotto, the road from Malgrate will terminate and the itinerary will turn right toward Bagnone. There's a church and small settlement at Ortunano Sotto to explore, and if you're feeling frisky there's Ortunano Sopra uphill. The walk downhill is fascinating as one tries to imagine the history of the forests, the fields and the boundry walls as you pass by. There are, soon enough, glimpses of Bagnone through the trees as the road curves down. Finally the road ends at a large traffic circle, and you take a sharp right.

Though a sign says the road is interrupted ahead, that's for cars. You will walk straight down into Bagnone. This is a wonderful small city of distinguished stone buildings along a river gorge which provides many picturesque scenes. There's an old bridge, a castle, and stony waterfalls. There's also a nice restaurant which we can recommend, La Lina, located on a small piazza near your entrance into the town. (details below). We have a walk around Bagnone which intersects this walk which you can use to explore Bagnone's environs.

To continue, your entry street - Via Niccolo Quartieri - will terminate at Bagnone's main drag, Via della Repubblica. Turn right, and walk downhill for about 2.5 km and you are back at Filetto. At one point there's a fork of sorts, and you take the left, as the right fork heads toward Malgrate and Mocrone.



Thanks to Daniele Canossini whose book Le Valli di Parma e l'Alta Lunigiana helped us find this walk. We recommend his book to any serious hikers in Lunigiana and the Parmense.

Gavarini Ristorante, Good food and good Italian watching. Seriously narrow entry street, arrive walking.
Via Benedicente 50, Mocrone  Closed Wednesday  0187-495504 or 493115

Locanda La Lina, 'Liberty style' Good food and a pleasing ambience. We loved it.
Piazza Marconi, 1, Bagnone. Closed Monday, Holdays  0585-785087

Alla Piazza di Sopra In Filetto, this new restaurant is committed to using the freshest ingredients to create local specialties. Read Our Review. Piazza Immacolata, 11. Filetto di Villafranca in Lunigiana (MS) 0187-493796 or (cell) 349-8783364. allapiazzadisopra@libero.it


Written by Martha