Dei Cantoni

The story

Dei Cantoni: Bib Gourmand Italian Dining in Longiano, Italy

A Taste of Romagna Tradition in Longiano

In the medieval heart of Longiano, Ristorante Dei Cantoni occupies what was once the town’s humble quarter, "i cantóun." Since 1988, this family-run restaurant has been a steadfast presence, offering a style of Italian cooking defined not by complexity, but by clarity and memory.

The kitchen’s philosophy is straightforward: simple cooking, made with pride. Every dish is anchored to the seasons and the surrounding territory, treated with respect so that flavours remain clean and recognisable. This approach, paired with consistent quality, earned Dei Cantoni a Michelin Bib Gourmand—an award that celebrates good quality, good value cooking.

From Handmade Pasta to Wood-Fired Piadina

The restaurant’s daily bread and piadina are made with a sourdough starter and stone-ground flours, baked fresh in their own oven. The menu changes with the calendar, but always leans on handmade pasta and local ingredients. You might find strozzapreti with seafood and cherry tomatoes, or paccheri alla carbonara with calamari and guanciale from Amatrice. In autumn, dishes can be enriched with local white truffle at market price.

Second courses include a slow-cooked rabbit with taggiasche olives, mixed roasts of free-range chicken and guinea fowl cooked porchetta-style, and a grilled baccalà fillet with porcini mushrooms. There is also a vegetarian starter—warm and cold elements of parmigiana, fried polpettine with primosale cheese, and grilled porcini with rocket and parmesan.

Atmosphere and a Sense of Place

The setting is sober and familiar, echoing the Romagna tradition with a clear eye on seasonality. In summer, guests are welcomed into the outdoor courtyard, enclosed by historic stone walls. Beyond the dining room, a small shop sells hand-printed fabrics and ceramics used in the restaurant’s daily service, adding a tangible link to the kitchen’s ethos of craft and care.