Antinè

The story

Antinè Bistrot in Barbaresco, Alba – Modern Piedmontese Cuisine by Chef Manuel Bouchard

Antinè Bistrot

In the heart of Barbaresco, one of Italy’s great wine capitals, Antinè Bistrot brings a young, brilliant energy to the historic center. Chef Manuel Bouchard, born in Turin in 1988, trained in some of Italy’s most celebrated Michelin-starred kitchens—including Il Trussardi alla Scala in Milan and Villa Crespi under Antonino Cannavacciuolo—before returning to the Langhe he fell in love with. He took the reins at Antinè in 2014, at just 25, and together with his partner Monica, who oversees the dining room, he has shaped a place that balances tradition with a modern, fresh perspective.

The cuisine here is a constant search for quality, working with simplicity so that each ingredient can express itself fully. The menu, which changes with the seasons, draws on Piedmontese tradition while looking forward. Dishes like battuta di Fassona with grana and mustard, tajarin with sausage ragù and broad beans, and a bonet with salted butter mou sit alongside a six-course tasting menu for the truly curious. The kitchen treats raw materials with care, keeping flavours clear, clean, and distinct. As the chef puts it, the aim is to work with food without distorting its taste.

The dining room, on the first floor of a building on Via Torino, is modern and airy. A large golden chandelier casts a soft light over minimalist furnishings, with a few playful, contemporary touches. In summer, a small terrace opens onto the surrounding Langhe hills—a UNESCO World Heritage landscape that changes with the seasons and inspires the colours on the plate.

The wine list, with around 1,000 labels, is anchored in the local terroir but reaches across Italy and beyond. Antinè’s approach has earned it a Michelin Recommended recognition, a testament to the consistency and sincerity of the work being done here.

Closed Tuesday and Wednesday.