Top 22 Traditional Foods
in the Province of Vicenza

Rossi d'Asiago is an Italian distillery founded in 1868 by pharmacist Giovan Battista Rossi in Asiago, a picturesque town in the Venetian Alps. Initially, Rossi created elixirs and natural remedies for tourists, and his products' success led to the establishment of the distillery, which became known as the "highest distillery in Europe." In 1993, the Dal Toso family, with a longstanding tradition in distillation, acquired the Rossi d'Asiago brand, revitalizing it under the name Antiche Distillerie Riunite. This acquisition included traditional recipes and production techniques passed down since 1868. The distillery is renowned for its innovative products characterized by intense aromas and smooth flavors. Notable creations include Antica Sambuca, a sambuca variant that blends tradition with modernity, and Kranebet, a white bitter liqueur distilled from juniper berries, gentian, and alpine roots, which has become emblematic of the Asiago plateau. Expand

Latterie Vicentine is a cheese producer based in Vicenza, Italy. It specializes in producing a variety of cheeses, leveraging local milk sources to create products that emphasize the region’s traditional flavors and techniques. This cooperative structure supports local dairy farmers by providing a stable market for their milk, fostering community economic stability and sustainability.Expand

Caseificio San Rocco is an Italian cheese producer located in the region of Veneto. The company specializes in crafting artisan cheeses using traditional methods passed down through generations. They produce a variety of cheeses, including Asiago and Montasio, both of which are recognized with Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status. The company emphasizes the use of high-quality local milk and seasonal production techniques. San Rocco products are available in both domestic and international markets.Expand

Frantoio Nutile is an olive oil producer located in Lapio, a town in the Avellino province of Italy. They specialize in crafting high-quality extra virgin olive oil using traditional methods. The company emphasizes sustainable farming practices and the use of regional olive varieties. Frantoio Nutile's olive oils are known for their distinctive flavor profiles, which are influenced by the unique terroir of the Irpinia region.Expand

Az. Agr. Repele Lucia is an olive oil producer based in Vicenza, Italy. The company is known for cultivating high-quality olives and producing extra virgin olive oil. Their production methods emphasize traditional farming techniques and sustainability.Expand

Caseificio Pennar is a renowned dairy cooperative founded in 1927 in Asiago, at an altitude of 1,070 meters above sea level. The cooperative brings together around fifty local farms and alpine huts, which supply high-quality milk for cheese production. It is specialized in the production of Asiago DOP cheese, with a particular focus on the varieties labeled "Prodotto della Montagna" (Mountain Product), made exclusively from the milk of cows grazing on alpine pastures between 1,000 and 1,700 meters in elevation. This practice contributes to the rich flavor and high vitamin content of the milk. The cheese production process at Caseificio Pennar is based on traditional methods. The cheeses are aged on spruce boards in underground rooms with specific microclimatic conditions, which promote the development of unique aromas and textures. Visitors are welcome to tour the production facilities and enjoy cheese tastings at the shops in Asiago and the surrounding area.Expand

Az. Agr. De Marco is an olive oil producer based in Lapio. This company focuses on producing high-quality extra virgin olive oil using traditional cultivation and production methods. The olives are typically hand-picked to ensure optimal ripeness and quality. The company places a strong emphasis on sustainability and eco-friendly practices in its olive groves.Expand

I bigoli con l'anatra, locally known as bigoi co' l'arna, is a traditional dish that originated in the city of Thiene, but over time it became very popular throughout the province of Vicenza. Bigoli is a thick, egg-based pasta variety whose size and texture make the perfect match for a rich duck ragú made with onions, carrots, celery, bay leaves, sage, and dry white wine. Originally, this dish used to be prepared with cleaned offals and duck fat, while duck meat was either used in other recipes or preserved in fat. Nowadays, only the best parts of meat and livers are used, while duck fat is substituted with butter and olive oil - the result is an equally delicious, yet much lighter dish. Served generously topped with freshly grated Parmigiano, this hearty dish is a perfect choice for cold winter days, especially when paired with a glass of local red wine such as Cabernet or Merlot.Expand

This semi-hard to hard cheese is available in two main varieties: the fresh Asiago Pressato and matured Asiago d'Allevo. Depending on the length of aging, d'Allevo is marketed as Mezzano (4-6 months), Vecchio (10 months and over) and Stravecchio (15 months and over). It has a subtle nutty aroma and a rich piquant taste. Because its hard texture makes it perfect for grating, Asiago Stravecchio is excellent in risottos, ravioli, and pasta dishes, while Mezzano is often served as an appetizer accompanied with radicchio, elderberry or pear jam, fig mustard, and other fruit and vegetable spreads. Produced on the Asiago plateau since the year 1000, this cheese was known among locals as Pegorin because, in the past, only sheep milk was used (pecora means sheep in Italian). Today, Asiago cheese is made from cow's milk and production takes place in the provinces of Vicenza, Treviso and Padua in the Veneto region, and in Trento in the autonomous region of Trentino-Alto Adige. Also, since the cheese has a protected designation of origin in Italy and the EU, only Asagio produced in those provinces from the milk from the farms in those areas can have the PDO/DOP status.Expand

The famed signature dish of Vicenza, baccalà alla Vicentina is made with stoccafisso (lit. stockfish), which refers to a cod that is not salted but air-dried until almost rock-hard, and requires several days of soaking before being cooked. Stockfish was first introduced to the region back in 1432 by Pietro Querini, a Venetian merchant whose ship wrecked off the coast of Norway. The crew was saved, reaching the island of Røst where stockfish was very common, so the merchants brought some of this peculiar dried fish back home to Vicenza. The Venetians embraced this new ingredient as an alternative to the expensive and easily perishable fresh fish and eventually came up with their own recipe: codfish Vicenza-style, slowly simmered in milk flavored with a savory soffritto base of garlic, onions, and anchovies. Over the long cooking hours, stockfish meat becomes amazingly tender, while milk tends to soften the typical strong taste and aroma of dried cod. Baccalà alla Vicentina is traditionally served over soft polenta and it is recommended to pair it with local white wines such as Soave.Expand

Traditionally produced in the Veneto region, namely the province of Vicenza, soprèssa Vicentina is considered to be the the best Venetian cold cut and the most famous type of sopressa. To make this Italian medium-grained cured sausage, only the best cuts of pork are used, including both belly and neck fat, as well as lean cuts such as coscia (leg), shoulder, neck, and loin, which determines the quality of the final product. The meat is seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic. Soprèssa Vicentina has a delicate peppery-sweet flavor, a pronounced aroma of garlic, and it is typically served as an appetizer alongside grilled polenta.Expand

Morlacco or Morlacco di Grappa is an Italian cheese originating from the Mount Grappa area in the provinces of Treviso, Belluno, and Vicenza. It is made from cow's milk and has a natural elastic rind. Its aroma is fresh and delicate, the texture is open, soft, and creamy, while the flavor is slightly salty, milky, and buttery with hints of grass and lemons, becoming tangy with further maturation. It is usually aged for 20 days, but it can be left to mature for up to 3 months. Morlacco is best paired with berries, strawberry jam, and medium-bodied white wines.Expand

Bastardo del Grappa is a traditional cheese made from cow’s milk from two milkings – one from the evening, and the other from the following morning. In the past, it was produced from mixed milk, hence the word bastardo in the name. It is produced in the area of Monte Grappa in Veneto, hence the name. The cheese matures from 120 to 180 days and is characterized by its thick and rough rind, while small holes are scattered throughout its pale yellow interior. The flavor of Bastardo del Grappa is intense, pleasant, and never spicy. It is recommended to pair the cheese with apples, berries, pears, pear mostarda, young red wines, and medium-bodied white wines.Expand

Torresano al forno is a baked pigeon dish from the Veneto region of northern Italy, particularly associated with the province of Vicenza, where pigeons raised in tower-like dovecotes have been part of local food culture for generations. The term “torresano” refers specifically to young pigeons reared in these structures, which provided a controlled environment and ensured a steady supply of birds suited for roasting. These dovecotes were once common on rural estates and farms, and references in agricultural documents and regional cookbooks from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries note pigeon raising as a regular practice in Vicenza and nearby towns. The use of young birds for oven cooking became well established due to their tender meat and mild flavor. Preparation begins by cleaning and seasoning the young pigeon with salt, pepper and herbs such as rosemary or sage. The cavity is often filled with aromatics or small amounts of lard or pancetta to maintain moisture during baking. The bird is placed in a moderate oven with olive oil or rendered fat and cooked until the skin becomes crisp and the meat tender. In some versions, a splash of white wine is added during roasting to create a light pan sauce. The result is a dish defined by the balance of crisp exterior and delicate interior, a combination that relies on the age and size of the bird as much as on the cooking method. A characteristic element of torresano al forno is the reliance on pigeons raised specifically for the table rather than wild birds, ensuring uniform texture and flavor. The dish is served hot, usually whole or halved, often alongside polenta, which is a staple accompaniment in Vicenza and the broader Veneto region. It appears at local restaurants, agriturismi and family meals, especially in rural communities where pigeon raising has maintained continuity. Torresano al forno pairs well with regional wines such as Soave, Gambellara or light reds from the Colli Berici, whose acidity or mild tannins complement the richness of the meat. It remains a dish rooted in Veneto’s agricultural landscape and reflects long-established cooking practices centered on small-scale local ingredients.Expand

Gnocchi con la fioretta is a dish from the Veneto region of northern Italy, particularly associated with the town of Recoaro Terme in the province of Vicenza. It is made with fioretta, a delicate liquid ricotta obtained from the very first curdling of milk in the cheesemaking process, which gives the gnocchi a soft and creamy consistency. The origins of the dish lie in the pastoral and cheesemaking culture of the Venetian mountains, where dairy farmers made use of every byproduct of milk to create nourishing meals. Fioretta, being too liquid to be pressed into cheese, was incorporated with flour and eggs into dumplings that could be boiled and dressed with butter and cheese, making it a valued way of turning what might otherwise be discarded into a comforting meal. The preparation begins with combining fioretta with flour, eggs, and a little salt until a smooth batter-like dough is formed. Unlike potato gnocchi, the mixture is looser and must be shaped with spoons rather than rolled. Small portions are dropped directly into boiling salted water, where they cook quickly and rise to the surface. Once drained, they are typically dressed with melted butter and grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano, allowing the delicate flavor of the fioretta to stand out. Some variations add a light cream sauce or herbs, but the dish is usually kept simple to highlight the dairy element. A unique aspect of gnocchi con la fioretta is its dependence on a highly perishable ingredient available only at certain times of year, linked directly to local cheesemaking practices. This makes it a seasonal specialty that is not widely available outside its area of origin. In Recoaro Terme, it is celebrated during a local festival each autumn, where producers and restaurants showcase the dish, drawing visitors who want to taste it prepared with freshly made fioretta. Today, gnocchi con la fioretta remains closely tied to the Veneto, where it is served in local trattorie, agriturismi, and community gatherings. Outside the region, it is rarely encountered, as the fioretta does not travel well, reinforcing its identity as a dish best enjoyed in the place where it was created.Expand

La pèca del Salbaneo is a traditional dessert from the Vicenza foothills region, created to showcase three ingredients of the area: Marostica cherries (Ciliegia di Marostica I.G.P.), Torcolato wine (D.O.C. Breganze), and extra virgin olive oil from the Cooperativa Pedemontana del Grappa. The pie is made up of multiple layers. It starts with a delicate pastry base infused with olive oil. The next layer is a soft cherry puree, followed by a fragrant crumble made with corn flour and Torcolato wine. The top of the pie is adorned with semi-candied cherries and sugar crystals, creating a beautiful and delicious dessert. The dessert not only showcases local agricultural excellence but also tells a romantic tale from Venetian folklore.Expand

Cavolo alla vicentina is a traditional dish originating from Vicenza. The dish is usually made with a combination of green cabbage, apples, pancetta, onions, garlic, olive oil, butter, salt, and pepper. The onions, garlic, and pancetta are sautéed in butter and oil, and then mixed with the cabbage and apple. The mixture is seasoned with salt and pepper, covered, and simmered until the cabbage is tender. The dish is occasionally stirred, and once done, it's served piping hot as an accompaniment to sausages or pork dishes.Expand