Emporietto

The story

Emporietto: An Award Winning Italian Kitchen in Nantes

The kitchen and its philosophy

Emporietto operates as a dedicated Italian kitchen in Nantes, where Jonas Le Fillastre now directs the culinary program after his mother Fiorella Giuducci founded the original retail space. His approach to Italian cuisine deliberately pairs artisanal imports with seasonal produce from the surrounding region. The team secured a spot in the Le Fooding guide for successfully converting a former grocery into a focused dining room. Guests encounter a rotating evening menu priced at forty five euros, which adapts daily to market deliveries.

Signature plates and techniques

Seafood anchors the menu, beginning with smoked potatoes folded through a rich spider crab butter preparation. Arugula pesto serves as a foundation for a delicate green crab tuile that introduces a sharp crunch. Hearty courses highlight squid ink risotto cooked al dente, then finished with a smooth pistachio cream and thick shavings of Sardinian bottarga. The kitchen favors texture contrasts over heavy sauces, allowing each component to retain its distinct character.

The room and atmosphere

Visitors enter through a rear porte cochère that opens directly onto a quiet courtyard. The dining area maintains a low key energy beneath high walls housing a vaulted wine cellar. Sunlight fills the adjacent terrace during warmer months, providing ample outdoor seating for extended lunches. The compact layout and subdued lighting create a relaxed environment where conversations flow easily between courses.

Sweet endings and pairings

Desserts finish the service with bright citrus elements and restrained spice. A lime shortbread supports a dense kumquat ganache alongside pieces of candied fruit. Fresh kalamansi jelly rests next to a Timut pepper meringue that releases a gentle pine aroma upon biting. These lighter conclusions balance the richness of the savory courses and invite natural pairing with bottles selected from the cellar storage.