Australian_Gourmet_Traveller_2017

E AT

STAY SHOP

Acetaia Giusti

For pure-produce

euphoria, go to Mercato

Albinelli, Modena’s

covered market

(mercatoalbinelli.it). To

delve deeper into local

gastronomic traditions,

visit Acetaia Giusti, the

birthplace of balsamic

vinegar, circa 1605.

Some barrels haven’t

been empty since the

18th century; the

vintages of the oldest

vinegars can be traced

back to the 1600s. Hour-

long tours conclude

with tastings. Strada

delle Quattro Ville,

155 , giusti.it

Modena

This ancient town in Italy’s Po Valley brims with age-old

customs and exciting new ideas, KENDALL HILL discovers.

The historic centre of

Modena, featuring the

bell tower of the

Modena Cathedral, built

in the 12th century.

Franceschetta58

Modern Italian gastronomy’s

holy grail is Modena’s three

Michelin-starred Osteria

Francescana, Massimo Bottura’s

avant-garde paean to the food

of Emilia-Romagna and the

2016 World’s Best Restaurant.

Don’t despair if you miss a prized

seat at one of Francescana’s

12 tables; its “little cousin” osteria

Franceschetta58 (above) offers

an alternative taste of Bottura

magic. Local produce shines

in plates such as tortellini in

Parmigiano-Reggiano fondue

and Bottura’s signature Emilia

burger with balsamic mayo and

salsa verde. Via Vignolese, 58,

franceschetta.it

Da Panino

Francescana’s DNA now

pervades the city. In a laneway

just steps from the mothership,

Beppe Palmieri – Francescana’s

maître d’ and sommelier – runs

this sandwich shop and deli

specialising in cured meats

and cheeses, gourmet produce,

great wines and pasta. Eat

in, then take away. Rua Freda,

21, dapanino.it

L’Erba del Re

The white-clothed tables,

sharp-suited staff and hushed,

gallery-like space set the

fine-dining tone at this Michelin-

starred restaurant by chef Luca

Marchini. Menu standouts

include an appetiser of cuttlefish

burger in a squid-ink bun and

a silky carpaccio of Sicilian

shrimps. The weighty wine

list is heavily biased towards

(often great) Italian and French

producers. Via Castel Maraldo,

45 , lerbadelre.it l

Vittorio Veneto 25 This century-old

three-storey villa bordering the old city

has a classic Modenese façade – balcony,

shuttered windows – and textured,

modern interiors thanks to a 2015

renovation. Wi-fi and espresso machines

are standard; the two suites offer more

relaxation space. CIty sights are a stroll

or short drive away, and parking is free.

Viale Vittorio Veneto, 25 , vittorioveneto25.it

La Vacchetta Grassa La Vacchetta

Grassa (“the fat cowhide”) crafts supple

leathergoods – a medieval Modena

tradition – from belts and bags to tiny

tortellini keyrings. Snakeskin, crocodile

and stingray leathers are also available.

Visit the atmospheric workshop upstairs

and admire its 500-year-old painted

ceiling. Corso Canalchiaro 42/44,

lavacchettagrassamodena.it

End the evening with a nightcap at laneway enoteca Ristretto, a former breakfast bar

transformed into a convivial, 400-label cellar bar that’s a favourite spot for knock-off

drinks among Osteria Francescana staff. Vicolo Coccapani, 5, +39 059 839 6497

Don’t

miss

Qatar Airways

flies daily from

select Australian

cities to Milan

via Doha, Qatar.

From there,

Trenitalia high-

speed trains

connect to

Modena in

two hours.

GOURMET TRAVELLER 167

City guide

PHOTOGRAPHY ALAMY (MODENA) & ANTHONY LANNERETONNE (FRANCESCHETTA58)

Getting

there