The trattoria in Ferrara that has preserved the city's history for 70 years

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For someone visiting Ferrara for the first time, the advice is almost obvious: ‘Where to eat?’ ‘Da Noemi’ (of course). Obvious for those who know the long history of this restaurant, obvious for those who have had the opportunity to taste dishes that, while evolving and refining themselves in terms of ingredients, cooking methods and appearance, rigorously preserve a city history so rich that it makes your head spin with its different eras, spices and dominations.

From land reclamation to a trattoria in the historic centre

The story, as is typical for great Italian trattorias, is first and foremost that of the people at the helm. Maria Cristina Borgazzi, chef and owner of the restaurant, explains in the menu that the name of the restaurant pays homage to her mother Noemi.

Born in 1922, the ninth child of a peasant family in the province of Ferrara, Noemi, already in her teens, prepared and sold ice cream and sandwiches in the surrounding villages to earn a living, until she opened a tavern, which was initially in Copparo. With hard work and determination – escaping a fate marked by land reclamation – she bought this trattoria in the heart of Ferrara in 1958: she rolled out the pasta dough early every morning, then set to work in the kitchen preparing lunch, assisted by her husband in the dining room and later by her children (Maria Cristina was born in the 1960s). Mrs Noemi became a reference point in the city for the deliciousness of her traditional dishes.

Historic and aristocratic gastronomy

Few cities in Italy can boast the richness and gastronomic heritage of Ferrara: a land with a long and fascinating history, fully reflected in its cuisine, which – unusually – has preserved ancient, often aristocratic dishes, bringing them into the 21st century in excellent form. While cured meats such as salama da sugo hark back to the late Middle Ages, pinzini, cousins of the more famous gnocco fritto, can be traced back to the Lombards and their passion for lard. Pasticcio di maccheroni and cappellacci immediately bring to mind the Este family and the Renaissance, as do coppie ferraresi (a typical bread) and torta di tagliatelle, while Tenerina is a tribute to the Savoy family at the end of the 19th century.

Noemi's proposal

Trattoria da Noemi, now approaching its seventieth year of business, has countless stories to tell. Above all, it tells them with a freshness that can be found in few other establishments with such deep-rooted traditions. Maria Cristina Borgazzi's menu always includes the city's classics, which are a must-try, not least because they make the most of a selection of high-quality ingredients and, even more unusually, modern cooking techniques, carefully measured seasoning and culture.

You will be tempted by the light pinzini with Zia (a typical salami), culatello and coppa, sumptuous pastries, delicate cappelletti in capon broth, salama al cucchiaio with velvety purée and guinea fowl from Macelleria Zivieri with vegetables. And then there are the seasonal dishes, tagliatelle and lasagne to die for, homemade sourdough bread, including coppia ferrarese. The desserts are worth trying, and the panettone tempts you to come back, if you needed any further encouragement. The cost? A sumptuous full meal will set you back less than £50.