Cucina Bacilieri

The story

Cucina Bacilieri – Modern Italian Dining in Ferrara, Italy

Intimate Dining at Cucina Bacilieri

In the heart of Ferrara, Cucina Bacilieri offers a refined take on Italian contemporary cuisine. The restaurant is intimate by design: ten tables and a counter, a setting that puts the focus squarely on the food and the person cooking it.

Chef Michele Bacilieri, who prefers to call himself "il cuoco" (the cook), is the soul of the house. After training in several excellent kitchens, he took full charge of this restaurant's kitchen and eventually the entire establishment. His cooking has evolved through a deep knowledge of and respect for raw ingredients, always rooted in culinary tradition but never bound by it. The kitchen follows the seasons, working with both meat and fish.

The menu reflects this philosophy. A selection of antipasti ranges from a Crudità of fish and shellfish to a crisp Polenta with mantecato baccalà and truffle, or an Uovo Croccante with Parmigiano cream and truffle. Primi include Cappelletti d'Anguilla with onion fondue and pumpkin reduction, and Cappellacci with knife-cut ragù. Secondi feature Branzino alla griglia with tomato water and leaves, a Crudo e Cotto of tuna and wagyu, and Piccione presented three ways – leg, breast, and a cherry of liver with sautéed greens.

For those who prefer to leave the choices to the chef, Bacilieri offers two degustation paths: a "Crudo e Cotto" sea tasting and a land tasting, both seven courses created "a mano libera" – freehand – based on the day's best ingredients.

The wine list is in constant evolution, with a particular focus on sparkling wines and a search for both Italian and international labels that excite, with a mindful eye toward organic and biodynamic producers.

Cucina Bacilieri's approach to modern cuisine in Ferrara earned it a Michelin Recommended distinction for 2026, a recognition that aligns with the quiet confidence of a chef who lets the ingredients speak.