Font'artana - PICCIANO

What an amazing culinary experience. the restaurant is located in a magnificent place with views of the most beautiful view. eating is to enjoy every dish a pleasant surprise. the wee are amazing and the cost is ridiculously low. Don't! it is a must visit restaurant!

A beautifully renovated restaurant in beautiful surroundings, this small village is worth it when they are in penne pescara area. we were a group and we ordered all different antipasti to try them all, and we have the best. antipasti we have ever tried. after the antipasti we ordered a few primi and secondi and shared them. only we had space for dolce. eating is traditional, but with a modern touch. please give yourself the opportunity to try this fantastic restaurant.

We visited this restaurant on recommendation from our b

As Sunday and first confirmations in our favorite restaurant, font’artana became our second choice. the restaurant is located in a small town, picciano, which enjoys a magnificent view of the surrounding countryside. it is one of these always fashionable long-lived restaurants (our first known. with one) and alarming when we realized that there were no prices on the menu. when we asked for preliminary questions, we were sure that these are courses. (the last bill for four came to including wee, so no complaining there in the did there was no complaining everywhere: the service was attentive, without being smokey, the food was excellent, without being minimal and the atmosphere (with a birthday party in full) was alive without being loud. if they ever want to go to a region that no one seems to know (abruzzo), but that has some stunning landscape, with often a majestic background (the apennins), they are looking for Font"Artana in picciano. the eating and ambiente are worth every euro and do not expect any French weeping on the extensive wine list; they are all abruzzo wines!

Font’artana is located in the heart of the small town of Picciano in the center of Abruzzi. The town itself has relatively elevated architecture in its typical houses compared to many proximal small towns in the region. You enter Font’artana though an large wooden gate...door that leads you down a stone staircase of this two hundred hear old home. The “L” shaped dining room is striking and had a brick groin vaulted ceiling. The room was beautifully appointed with historic cooking paraphernalia some over century ago. I arrived early so I had time to wander through the restaurant which leads out to charming terraces that peak through gates into the town itself on one side and look out to the beautiful countryside on the other side. The air was filled with the aroma of a large antique copper cauldron of boiling homade wine sittting just outside the kitchen doors. The owner and cook showed me the line of where the wine started which was about gallons and then said he would boil down to get about and inch on the bottom when all is said and done hours later. It is Moscatto which is a delicious sweet wine syrup served in their assorted cheese plate. It tasted delicous When I arrived back at my table there was bread served was dense fresh. I ordered the vegetable antipasto which comprised of large rustic plates. A platter eggplant with cheese, a bowl of barley and greens and another bowl of egg with peppers. Paula my waitress then returned again with a simple fritter like bread, small fried croquets in a cheese sauce, a corn like croustade (my fave) and a bowl of sage leaves fried in a batter.All were delicious and way too much for me to eat. I thought, that it was my almost nonexistent Italian (which is mostly comprised of hand gestures) was part of an error and that I ordered the entire vegeatable antipasto menu until I noticed that other customers received the same items that I did. For the pasta couse I had a plate of homemade pasta with fried pancetta. It was rich and very good. Paula and the rest of the staff as was extremely helpful in helping me order and decipher Italian words. I sat just outside the kitchen and heard a lot of laughter from this friendly kitchen which only added to its charm. At one point I heard Italian then “not at all” then Italian banter then “your welcome”. Paula my waitress who spoke just enough english came out to ask which way do you answer thank you, with your welcome or with not at all? . Then beck into the kitchen and more laughter. Thier fun did not detract from the food. By this point I was extremely full and could not order the main course but saw a spectacular platter of brazed chicken that went to a table in a room of local regulars that I will be sure to get next time I go. For desert I had the Pannecotta (which is a very light custard) served with wild cherries. So delicious. Pannecotta is an good choice during fruit bearing months as it is usually served with fresh fruit. When I finished, my meal I was surprised that the meal that included a bottle of a local Rose wine was only Euros. I wrapped up some of my food for uncle Pasquale back home took a couple of pix of the kitchen where the owner, his mother and wife all cook spectacular dishes which is constantly changing. I thanked Paula who responded “not at all” as I left. I felt like I got a glimpse of the true history and culture of abruzzi and was embraced by the people.